Saint Paul de Vence

Just 5 km from the Les Pinèdes campsite, you can visit this fortified village and stroll along the little medieval streets. From the top of the ramparts, you can see the Mediterranean and the Alps, with all the diversity of our beautiful region, combining the sea and the mountains.

Saint Paul de Vence, a picturesque medieval village

Encircled by ramparts and standing on a rocky spur, the village of St Paul is ranked as one of the most beautiful villages in France. Enter through the Porte de Vence, also known as the "Machicouli Tower", a vestige of the medieval wall that once stood around the village. You are sure to love the little narrow streets with pebbled paving. The first pebbles were "stolen" from the beaches on the coast by Marius Issert, the mayor at the time, with the help of some of the town's citizens!

The beating heart of the village was the square with the big fountain. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, this was where the inhabitants of St Paul came to fetch water and to wash their linen in the washing place.

An artistic centre close by the Les Pinèdes campsite

Saint Paul de Vence is internationally famous for its many art galleries, museums and other cultural sites, such as the Fondation Maeght and the Folon Chapel.

Don't miss the Fondation Maeght during your visit to Saint Paul de Vence. The foundation has an impressive collection of modern art, including paintings, sculpture, drawings and graphic works. It has organised over 140 exhibitions with an international scope since it was inaugurated in 1964.
As you stroll through the village streets, you can also see a large number of art galleries and studios.

Saint Paul de Vence, a port of call for celebrities

Many famous personalities have been drawn to Saint Paul, starting with Aimé and Marguerite Maeght in the 1950s, as well as Célestin Freinet, Jacques Prévert, Marc Chagall, Yves Montand & Simone Signoret, among others. Many of these visitors stayed at the Colombe d’Or, a hotel that Yves Montand was particularly fond of. Some of the older inhabitants of St Paul still remember the legendary pétanque competitions on the village square and the card games the actor played with them.