Sightseeing tours along the Cote d’Azur of France along the route Nice – Cannes – Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Personal experience, reviews and photo albums * about Saint-Paul-de-Vence – an ancient walled city near Cannes. Narrow old streets, cobblestone pavement, stairs… Saint-Paul-de-Vence is called “Mecca for artists”. In this ancient walled city, there is an art gallery or art salon on every street.
The photo shows an antiques shop and an art gallery, which is more than a quarter of a century old. Atelier (exhibition-sale), art gallery Bernadac.
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- Saint-Paul-de-Vence village, fortress and town of artists
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- antique shops, cafes and restaurants
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- Narrow streets between old stone houses
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- Museums, art galleries and wall paintings
Saint-Paul-de-Vence (French name) is a commune in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, Alpes-Maritimes department, Grasse district
This village arose in the 8th century, when the inhabitants of the coast, fleeing the constant raids of the Saracens, went to the mountains and built well-fortified villages (“stone nests”) there. In 1538, by order of Francis I, this outpost was surrounded by a stone wall, becoming an important fortified district.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence for a long time remained an impregnable medieval fortified mountain village of the Alpes-Maritimes. But at the beginning of the 20th century, artists “conquered” it with their invasion, led by such as Signac, Bonnard, Utrillo, Modigliani … They stayed at the Golden Dove Hotel (La Colombe D’Or). For accommodation and meals, sometimes they paid in kind – with their work. The owner of the hotel, Paul Rouault, definitely did not lose. Now the hotel is the owner of the works of such world-famous artists as Utrillo, Vlaminck, Dufy, Bonnard, Soutine, Picasso, Modigliani, Cocteau, Chagall. These artists, having already become famous, did not forget Saint-Paul-de-Vence. As a result, both the village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence and the Golden Dove Hotel have become a cult destination for fans of the fine arts. On the walls of the hotel you can see the works of outstanding masters. The exposition is constantly changing. It houses the world-famous Fondation Maeght art collection. The artists were followed by other famous personalities, especially artists. Brigitte Bardot, Greta Garbo, Sophia Loren, Burt Lancaster, Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir lived in the Golden Dove Hotel.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence is built up with houses of the 16th-18th centuries, which in themselves are already beautiful monuments of history and culture. In these houses there are boutiques and souvenir shops, artists’ workshops and entire art galleries. Small squares of the village are decorated with sculptures by famous masters, including the author’s copy of The Thinker by Rodin. Near the village in a pine grove, the Mayo Foundation is located, whose mansion is considered a work of architectural art (designed by the Spanish architect José Louis Sert). The interior was decorated by famous artists. Chagall made a wall mosaic panel. Both Marriage and Miro worked on the building. This museum is called the “Louvre of the Côte d’Azur” due to its large collection of fine art. In the permanent exhibition of the museum there are paintings by Bonnard, Braque, Matisse, Chagall, Kandinsky, Léger. Sculptures and mosaics by Miro, Arp, Calder, Giacometti.
* Sightseeing tours of the Cote d’Azur of France in May … 1999. Family archive of club members. If it were not for the cars of the 90s, then one would think that this is a modern photo. And this is Konica VX-200 film
Sightseeing tour Nice-Cannes-Saint-Paul-de-Vence twenty years ago. There were few frames on the film – only 24. Beautiful panoramic views of the mountains, the sea and the surroundings come off from the fortress wall and the old city. Our photographer, Leonid, decided to take a picture of old houses. Apparently, something professional, because a well-deserved builder and engineer.
Practical information, how to visit, private tours
- Sightseeing private tours to Saint-Paul-de-Vence from Nice, Cannes or airport
A visit to this village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence combines perfectly with a sightseeing tour of the Côte d’Azur or a visit to the perfumery in Grasse.
Alpes-Maritimes mountains near Cannes – Grasse from Nice
A trip along the Cote d’Azur can also be on a survey program or a special WW1 – WW2 battlefields road in the south of France.