Saint-Paul de Vence remains one of the most magical places on the Côte d'Azur, with a past full of history and mystery. The village appeared during the 8th-11th centuries, it was a fortification not far from the coast then the population started to move to the mountains because of the constant attacks of the Saracens.
In the 16th century, Saint-Paul-de-Vence was surrounded by a rampart and transformed into the fortress of the southern Kingdom of France. After Nice became part of France in 1860, Saint-Paul-de-Vence lost its strategic importance as a royal fortress and was transformed into a friendly town, a favorite place of rest and inspiration for Europe's artistic elite.
With the rise of the Côte d'Azur in the 1920s, the artists Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Henri Matisse, Paul Signac, Joan Miro, Amadeo Modigliani, Fernand Léger and others came here in search of inspiration. Usually, the Parisian painters stayed at the Hotel de la Colombe d'Or and painted the surrounding landscapes and then used them to pay the owner of the establishment for room and board.
World-famous writers such as Colette, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, André Gide, Paul Valéry, and many others have lived here for a long time, being inspired by the soothing atmosphere.
Not far from the ramparts of the historic center of Saint-Paul stands another interesting site for art lovers: the Fondation Maeght gallery. Today the collection includes more than 20 works by Alberto Giacometti, displayed in the garden and inside the building, as well as valuable examples of 20th-century masters such as Braque, Matisse, Adami, Bonnard, Calder, Del Re, Chagall, Léger, Miro, and others.
00:00 Rue Grande
10:34 Outside the village & scenic spot
13:00 Rue Grande and narrow streets
19:18 Collégiale Saint-Paul & Town Hall
28:16 Scenic views, arts & remparts
32:16 Quiet streets
46:50 Village exit
--------------------
Saint-Paul-de-Vence's tourist information: www.saint-pauldevence.com/en/
How to get to Saint-Paul-de-Vence from Nice: Take bus 400 from the Parc Phoenix tramway station (a 40-min ride)
#saintpauldevence #frenchvillage #medievalvillage #cotedazur #frenchriviera #beautifulvillage