Saint Paul de Vence - Saint Paul de Vence visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Saint Paul de Vence' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Provence.

Saint Paul-de-Vence is a beautiful, medieval, fortified, hill-top town in Provence, southern France. The town is perched on a rocky outcrop between two steep valleys near to Nice and Monaco. It is one of the best examples of Medieval, fortitified villages in the region, and forms a dramatic backdrop when viewed from either La Colle road to the east or the Cagnes-Vence road to the west. This map shows virtual tours of some of the sights of Saint Paul-de-Vence.

Saint Paul-de-Vence is a very popular tourist attraction in the region. Tourists come to see the intact ramparts and walk the narrow streets. Even during low season, Saint Paul-de-Vence is full of visitors and in the high season the streets are very busy. The streets are lined with boutique and artisanal shops as well as numerous cafes and restaurants. There are a few hotels in the town.

Saint Paul-de-Vence - History

The earliest reference to Saint Paul-de-Vence is from the 11th century when it is referred to as 'Castrum Sancti Pauli'. The earliest fortifications date from the 13th century. In the 16th century Saint Paul-de-Vence became a Royal Village, ruled by the Lords of Grasse-Bar. In 1537 François 1st built a second wall completely encircling the village which resulted in the destruction of several hundred houses, whose inhabitants were displaced to nearby La Colle lower down the valley.

Saint Paul-de-Vence - Tourist Attractions

As already mentioned, Saint Paul-de-Vence is a very popular tourist destination. This small village of around 300 inhabitants receives nearly 2.5 million visitors each year. Among the attractions are:

• Saint Paul-de-Vence Fortifications - walk around the ancient fortifications surrounding the village.
• Fondation Maeght - world-famous art museum found just outside Saint Paul-de-Vence with an extensive collection of 20th-century paintings, sculptures and ceramics.
• Musée d'Histoire Locale - museum with wax figures in period costumes, found in the middle of the village.
• Musée Municipal - museum containing contemporary art.
• Art Galleries - Saint Paul-de-Vence is full of galleries selling local works of art, many of which can be found cheaper in nearby villages where the artists themselves actually live.
• Street Art - Saint Paul-de-Vence is full of artwork embedded in the walls, which includes religious statues and various other decorations.
• Collegial Church - Romanesque church located on the highest point of the village, containing four chapels and a treasury with precious items of silverware, reliquaries and a parchment dating from 1588.
• The Dungeon - surprisingly roomy, three-storey tower which also functioned as the town hall. It is topped by a bell cast in 1443.
• Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs (White Penitents' Chapel) - Recent restoration of a 17th century chapel containing 1 mosaic, 4 stained glass windows, 8 canvasses, 2 sculptures, and relaying the floor with white marble pebbles.
• Viewpoints - various viewpoints on the ramparts offer stunning, panoramic views encompassing both the snow covered Alps down to the Côte d'Azur and Mediterranean.
• Vence - small village just 3km from Saint Paul-de-Vence with shops and art galleries, and fine terrace cafés.
• Tourrettes-sur-Loup - picturesque village 8km from Saint Paul-de-Vence with artisanal shops run by the artists themselves.

Office de tourisme de Saint Paul de Vence (Saint Paul de Vence Touris Information Office)
2, Rue Grande- 06570 Saint Paul
Phone: +33(4) 93 32 86 95
Email: tourisme@saint-pauldevence.com
Web: saint-pauldevence.com

Car: Saint Paul de Vence is 20km north-west of Nice and 40km from Monaco-Ville
Flight: Aéroport de Nice-Côte d'Azur, 13km south of Saint Paul de Vence.