Vence Things to Do

The flag-decked Town Hall in central Vence, located in the market square, where suprisingly, a market is held most mornings.

The colour scheme is strong peach and sand. I guess it wouldn't work on a South London terrace. Sky's the wrong colour: grey

Vence is your archetypal medieval market town. Bigger than the twee tourist centres like St Paul, Vence manages to mix ancient and modern.

The hillsides around Vence are an ideal sought after location for those second home owners who want a villa and pool in Provence at an almost affordable price, without paying astronomical prices as would be found closer to the sea. The town is where they come to shop, so it is commercial and busy.

Served by the 400/ 410 bus from Nice, which is about fifty minutes away.

As you pass Le Frene, the large ash tree planted in 1538, you enter the Port du Peyra and come across this charming square, lined with shops and restaurants, and the public fountain, which dates to the early 19th century.

This street off of the Place Godeau is what remains of the original Roman road that led from Cimiez to Castellane. Be sure to check out some of the ancient wooden doors as you pass through the tunnel.

Built between 1947 and 1951, this stunning little chapel lies just north of Vence, nestled on the hillside. Matisse created this masterpiece after staying in Vence to recover from an illness after the war. Nursed by the Dominican nuns, he devoted many years to this chapel as repayment for their kindness.

The main chapel faces south, with yellow, blue, and green leaf-shaped stained glass windows which mimic the colors of the Provencal area. On the opposite walls are white ceramic tiles with deceptively simple black line drawings of St. Dominic, the madonna and child, and the stations of the cross. His intent with the pure white ceramic was to reflect the colorful stained glass, as well as reflect the drawings themselves on the pure white tiled floor. The overall effect is both peaceful, and vibrant, especially on a sunny day.

Located in Place Clemenceau, this Romanesque church was built on the site of a Roman temple to Mars. You can read the Roman inscriptions on foundation stones to the left of the main entrance. Inside this small church you will find many beautiful sculptures, frescoes, and carvings, and its showstopper - a mosaic of Moses by Marc Chagall.

One of the lovely private villas off the Avenue Matisse, on the hill facing old Vence and the valley from which the town rises. Turquoise balustrading. Ravishing.

Welcome to Vence, a town which has always attracted artists, painters and poets. Dufy, Matisse, Chagall, Dubuffet.