St. Paul de Vence

St Paul de Vence is one of those villages that has several very different sides to it.

There is the St Paul you see on postcards: the medieval village perched high above the Côte d’Azur, its narrow streets filled with visitors arriving for the day. It is undeniably beautiful, and certainly worth seeing, but it is also very easy to experience only that version of it, particularly in the middle of summer, when the tourist buses arrive and the little streets can feel more like a tourist attraction than a village.

But there is another reason I keep coming back to St Paul.

Just beyond the village itself are two places that, for me, completely change the experience: Fondation Maeght, one of the most remarkable collections of modern art in the region, and Fondation CAB, with its very different take on contemporary art, architecture and design.

And then there are the places to stay. I have three favourites, each completely different from the other, and each good enough to make St Paul de Vence a destination in its own right rather than somewhere you simply stop for a few hours.

Add to that a handful of places I like to eat, and suddenly there is much more to St Paul than the postcard version.

So this week, we’re taking you around our version of St Paul de Vence: where I would stay, what I would see, where I would eat, and why I think it is worth spending more than just an afternoon here.

Fondation CAB

One of my favourite places to visit in Saint-Paul de Vence, Fondation CAB is the second home of the Brussels-based foundation, set in a beautifully restored 1950s building renovated by Charles Zana. The foundation is dedicated to Minimalist and Conceptual art, but for me, the appeal is as much the architecture, design and atmosphere as the exhibitions. In the garden sits a 1944 Maison Démontable by Jean Prouvé, now a guest room furnished with original Prouvé pieces. And then there is SOL, where you can stop for coffee or a light lunch beneath the citrus trees.

Read more about Fondation CAB →

Fondation Maeght

Just beyond the village, the Fondation Maeght is one of the places that gives Saint-Paul de Vence its very different, more artistic side. Created by Marguerite and Aimé Maeght and opened in 1964, it was conceived not as a conventional museum but as a place where art, architecture and landscape could exist together. Designed by Josep Lluís Sert, the building opens onto courtyards, terraces and gardens filled with works created especially for the site by artists including Miró, Giacometti, Calder, Braque and Chagall. There is Miró’s extraordinary Labyrinthe, Giacometti sculptures, Braque’s mosaic pool and even an outdoor café designed by Diego Giacometti. The building, the garden and the art are really one experience, which is what makes Maeght so special.

Read more about Fondation Maeght →

Where to Eat 

La Colombe d’Or

Then there is La Colombe d’Or, the legendary hotel and restaurant where Picasso, Miró, Chagall and countless other artists once ate, stayed and exchanged paintings for meals. Much of that history is still visible on the walls, making lunch here feel rather different from simply visiting a famous restaurant. It is no secret, and the prices reflect its status, but if you want to experience one of Saint-Paul de Vence’s great institutions, you can book a table — or stay the night and become part of the story for a little longer.

Read more about La Colombe d’Or →

Café de la Place

I'll admit I initially walked straight past Café de la Place. Right at the entrance to the village, its terrace can be packed with tourists in summer, and it is easy to dismiss it as simply another stop on the Saint-Paul circuit. But come outside the busiest months and it is a completely different proposition. The café sits on the Place du Jeu de Boules, beneath the plane trees, with the little pétanque court beside it and the game going on in front of you.

I also love the interior, which has kept the feel of an old-fashioned French café, a little time-worn, atmospheric and completely unpretentious. It is the sort of place where I like to sit down for a salade niçoise, a glass of rosé and, if there is one, a slice of framboise cake. Outside the height of summer, it feels much more like a local café than a tourist stop, and that is when I think it is at its best.

Les Remparts

At the edge of the village, Les Remparts feels pleasantly removed from the bustle of Saint-Paul. You walk up from the street below to the restaurant, which sits slightly elevated above everything around it. The real pleasure is the terrace, beneath the orange trees, with a beautiful view stretching out across the landscape. It feels quiet and almost hidden away once you are seated, despite being right on the edge of the village.

Where to Sleep → coming soon!