Beyond the Riviera
Saint-Paul-de-Vence: the back story
The back story
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Berthold Werner · CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Saint-Paul-de-Vence: the back story
Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a walled village on a spur in the hills behind Nice and Cagnes. Inside the ramparts are galleries and Le Saint-Paul; at the gate is La Colombe d’Or; in the woods below is the Fondation Maeght.
The village
Walk the ramparts for views to the sea, and lunch at La Colombe d’Or or La Table de Pierre (one MICHELIN star, 2026 guide).
The Fondation Maeght
France’s first independent art foundation, in its own words, on chemin des Gardettes.
Go early: by late morning in summer the main street is crowded.
Getting there
By car or taxi from Nice; Renoir’s Les Collettes at Cagnes-sur-Mer is on the way.
Our advice: combine with Cagnes and the Musée Renoir.
Why it's on our list
- The village
- The Fondation Maeght
- Getting there
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Saint-Paul-de-Vence: the back story before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Saint-Paul-de-Vence: the back story are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Key sights
- Nice Côte d’Azur Airport8.5 kmCycle 34 minCar or taxi 20 min
- Promenade des Anglais11 kmCycle 45 minCar or taxi 24 min
- Cours Saleya (Vieux Nice)12 kmCar or taxi 26 min
- Musée Matisse13 kmCar or taxi 27 min
- Musée Picasso, Antibes13 kmCar or taxi 27 min
- Villa Ephrussi17 kmCar or taxi 34 min
- Palais des Festivals18 kmCar or taxi 37 min
- Èze village20 kmCar or taxi 39 min
Main railway stations
- Nice Saint-Augustin (airport)7.9 kmCycle 31 minCar or taxi 18 min
- Nice-Ville11 kmCycle 45 minCar or taxi 24 min
- Antibes12 kmCar or taxi 26 min
- Cannes18 kmCar or taxi 36 min
- Menton31 kmCar or taxi 58 min