Saint-Paul de Vence

Provençal light, fragrant cypress trees and jasmine showing why Saint-Paul de Vence has attracted creatives for centuries

Layered between the Riviera and the Provençal hills. Protected by 16th century honey-coloured ramparts. The medieval village of Saint-Paul de Vence is a fairy-tale South of France escape that film stars Roger Moore, Yves Montand and Donald Pleasence once called home. Picasso often paid for his stay and meals here at the famous Colombe d'Or restaurant with a painting. Today, you can wander past bougainvillea-covered stone houses, courtyards, and gallery-lined streets. Then find a shady spot under the plane trees in the Place de Général de Gaulle to watch the locals play pétanque – accompanied by glasses of pastis and the Côte d’Azur glittering in the distance.

Things to do

CULTURE
Art and culture play a fundamental role in the life and soul of Saint-Paul de Vence. Join a tour about the artist, Marc Chagall, who lived here and was buried at the village cemetery. Discover hundreds of independent galleries, right up to the legendary Fondation Maeght in the hills. This modern art museum is an architectural marvel surrounded by pine gardens and open-air terraces. It features some of the greatest 20th-century painters, sculptors and ceramicists: Miró, Giacometti, Calder, Hepworth, Kandinsky and Léger. Exciting contemporary exhibitions, dance and music concerts also take place here throughout the year. Nearby Vence also hosts the ancient Fête de la Saint-Éloi. This ancient Provençal celebration sees horses decorated with flowers parade through the streets, traditional folk dancers perform beneath church bells, and everyone gathering for communal feasts. 

FOOD & WINE
Market stalls heave with sun-warmed figs, lavender honey and local goat’s cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves. Menus celebrate Mediterranean staples such as anchovies, aubergines and baked tomato dishes. While Provençal classics include pissaladière, rich with caramelised onions – as well as courgette flowers, truffle-laced ravioli and olive oil pressed from nearby groves. Begin a meal with a bottle of rosé and side of brissauda – crisp baguette rubbed with garlic, salted and doused in olive oil. You can also follow vineyard routes through the Bellet wine region and the hills above Nice, for tastings beneath the trees. 

ACTIVITIES
Head towards the coast for sailing, swimming and dining by the sea overlooking the ramparts. Lose yourself in labyrinthine cobbled streets where hidden courtyards reveal stone fountains, trailing jasmine and ateliers filled with Provençal linens, lavender soaps and hand-bound books. Go back even further in time to visit the 12th-century Collegiate Church. And on your way to Fondation Maeght, stop by the charming little Chapelle Sainte-Claire in homage to the patron saint of Saint-Paul's countryside. Beyond the village walls, hiking and cycling trails take you through olive groves with views towards the Mediterranean and swifts wheeling in the sky above.

Top Tip from SLH

July is the month for music lovers to treat themselves to the atmospheric Festival de Saint-Paul de Vence Classique & Jazz – eight unique evenings held during twilight at the Place de la Courtine and Fondation Maeght