With its vibrant cultural and religious history, the Alpes-Maritimes town of Vence is also the perfect place to stay to explore both inland and the coast.  

Stretching north from the mediterranean towards the mountainous landscapes of the Alpes-Maritimes for which it is named, the department of Alpes-Maritimes is home to some of the biggest tourist honeypots of the Mediterranean coast such as Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Menton, Èze and Grasse.  

Just over an hour (and only €1.70) by bus from Nice, the town of Vence is often overlooked in favour of the nearby hilltop village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, but with its wealth of fascinating sights, it definitely warrants a visit in its own right. At the doorway to the Parc naturel regional des Préalpes d’Azur it offers plenty of outdoor activities as well as being home to the famous Chapelle du Rosaire designed by Matisse and France’s smallest cathedral – Notre-Dame de la Nativité. Visit the tourist office in the Villa Alexandrine on Place du Grand Jardin and the website www.vence-tourisme.com (French only) or www.provence-alpes-cotedazur.com  

Villa_Alexandrine_635By GFreihalter – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0

Day 1 

MORNING 

Take a wander around one of the town’s markets. On Tuesday and Friday mornings, stalls crowd the narrow Rue du Marché inside the old town walls, while the Place du Grand Jardin hosts vendors every day, including organic and local specialities on Saturdays and a flea market on Wednesdays. The Grand Jardin of the name was once the gardens of the Château de Villeneuve, which is now home to the Musée de Vence. Nothing is very far from anything else in Vence. A good browse of the markets may well have taken you up to lunchtime, and la Régence Café is a good bet for traditional brasserie fare and great people watching.  

Vence credit Myrabella CC by sa3

AFTERNOON 

The nearby Villa Alexandrine is the town’s Tourist Office but the beautiful Belle Époque building was once home to Polish writer Witold Gombrowicz and the building now also houses a museum to his life and work. Enjoy a 15-minute post-lunch walk out of town to visit the Chapelle du Rosaire. Henri Matisse’s masterpiece of spirituality, built for the Dominican nuns of Vence is utterly unique and a visit is worth every cent of the €7 entry fee.  

Street in the old town of Vence pic Lara Dunn

A wander around the gardens offers great views back over to the town and the route to and from the chapel pass the Villa Le Rêve where the artist lived from 1943 to 1949. If all that walking has worked up an appetite again, try a craquelin from Maison Palanque near Place du Peyra, the creators of Vence’s emblematic cake. The craquelin is made with puff pastry, sugar and caramelised almonds and is a firm favourite with both residents and visitors alike. A walk around the winding streets of the old town shows the town’s ancient history, dating back to Roman times when it was known as Vintium, before being fortified with defensive walls in the Middle Ages. Much of the original layout of the medieval town is still visible within the 13^th-century ramparts.  

Place du Peyra

EVENING  

Cathedrale_Place_Godeau_Colonne_Romaine credit Renbe Boulay cc by sa3

An apéro at a bar in the serene Place Godeau gives a great view of the cathedral tower and also the second of the columns donated by the city of Marseille in 230 in honour of the god Mars Vintium – the first column resides in the Place du Grand Jardin. There are plenty of restaurants to enjoy in Vence, from small local eateries such as Restaurant Coté Jardin to Michelin-starred establishments.  

Vence Old Town by Night pic Lara Dunn

Day 2 

MORNING 

After breakfast, head for the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de la Nativité. This Romanesque cathedral may be the smallest in France, but it is crammed with things to see, including ornate carved wooden choir stalls and a collection of 50 polychrome wooden statues depicting the stations of the cross. One of the high points is a mosaic created by Marc Chagall in 1979 depicting ‘Moses saved from the waters’ – the artist lived in the town between 1950 and 1966. A tiny ‘treasure room’ is home to some of the church’s most impressive objects including silverware and an array of astonishingly detailed dioramas made in the 17^th and 18^th centuries by nun’s during periods of religious seclusion, using only materials that they had to hand such as paper and bread. It’s hard to imagine what a jewel box the cathedral is when viewed from outside! Relax over a delicious lunch within view of the pretty fountain in the Place du Peyra. Vence has over 20 fountains!  

Cathédrale_de_la_Nativité-de-Marie creditr GFreihalter cc by sa4

AFTERNOON 

After lunch, make for the Musée de Vence at the Château de Villeneuve but make sure to enjoy the views out towards the Chapelle du Rosaire with the hill of the baou des blancs behind it before you go inside. The museum is housed in an impressive 17^th-century townhouse which was gifted to the town by former mayor Emile Hugues and has a permanent collection of Matisse’s work, including studies for his work Jazz, but also hosts visiting exhibitions and cultural events.  

Chapelle les Penitents Blancs

EVENING 

A blow-out final night’s dinner might include the Michelin-starred restaurant at Le Saint-Martin on Avenue des Templiers with views from its terrace nearly as impressive as its menu (and prices!). The tasting menu is €145.  

If you have more time in Vence, there is some great walking to be enjoyed in the baoux that rise up behind the town. There are also plenty of pretty perched villages to visit in the Alpes-Maritimes and nearby Var departments, as well as no fewer than 11 Plus Beaux Villages across the two departments. The coast with its chic resorts is only an hour away too. Vence is an excellent location from which to explore the very best of the Alpes- Maritimes.  

View of Les Baoux from Place du Frene Vence

SELECTED ACCOMMODATION  

www.lamaisondufrene.com  (3* hotel) 

www.oetkerhotels.com Chateau Saint-Martin & Spa (5* luxury hotel and Michelin Star restaurant)