an American Girl in France: Beautiful Saint-Paul de Vence

Saint-Paul de Vence: un très beau village médiéval

I heard that it's the third most visited place in all of France, with over 2 million visitors a year, but I felt pretty alone as I wandered this beautiful village's tightly woven and enchanting streets, oo-ing and ah-ing to myself (and sometimes out loud -- I couldn't help it!) at every turn.

As I meandered by open townhouse windows I was able to tune in to village life, which isn't unlike ours really...mothers talking to their children, dishes being placed in a sink, a dog barking, parakeets tweeting...but I wondered what it's really like to live in a medieval village in the 21st century. Do they have A/C? Fireplaces? Cable? What about internet, cell phone reception, garbage disposals?

And the thing often missing from a dwelling like this: driveways. If your house is connected to the next house, where do you park the voiture? On the street, usually. But when the street's only wide enough for you and a bicycle... Where are all the cars? J'en sais rien!

Admiring the outside and not being able to tour the inside of these townhouses is like having an itch you can't scratch. J'adore French décor! Someone, please invite me in for un café! I felt a little strange taking photos of people's homes, when the madame or monsieur could very well have been on the other side of the window with a raised eyebrow. But they must be used to it, I thought. And so I clicked away..

Inside the Café de la Place. I absolutely love this combination coat/hat/scarf/umbrella/stemware rack. And it looks like it weighs about a thousand pounds!

An 'intersection' of 5 paths

Nothing snaps you out of your hypnotic state and back into reality like crashing into a bunch of tourists as you come to an intersection of sorts, where 5 stone paths briefly meet. I saw some of the people that I came with (small tour bus) and they looked as happy as I felt.

For the most part, the tourists quietly strolled. Voices were low, at a murmur. No loud and obnoxious cell phone conversations here! I guess it's partly because walking around Saint-Paul de Vence sort of feels like you're in a museum.

I took paths and staircases less traveled, looking for anything to catch my eye. Everything caught my eye.

It's said that Saint-Paul de Vence belongs to the artists who've made it famous. I wonder what the locals think about that. I'm not what you'd call a lover of art, and you'll probably never find me in a museum (except for The Louvre..I mean, c'mon, it's The Louvre! What a magnificent place), but strolling through a medieval village? Pfft, yeah!! I'm there! For your complimentary, viewing pleasure, the artists have placed several works of art outdoors, and it's nice to look at as you're taking in everything else.

To me, the whole village is a work of art. The townhouses that curve ever so perfectly as you round a corner, the impressively constructed ramparts, and all the perfectly placed pebbles and stones, in the street below your feet.

Through my camera lens, I hope you'll see how postcard perfect it all is, how easily the village enraptured me, making everything else disappear. How easy it is to fall in love with this hilltop village called Saint-Paul de Vence.

So come take a walk with me as I relive, through a series of posts, my once-in-a-lifetime visit through one of the oldest medieval villages in Provence. I hope you'll love it as I did. It's the stuff of a photographer's, a poet's, and a painter's dream.

Saint Paul de Vence is very well known for its modern and contemporary art museums. But you don't have to go in the museums to appreciate the art.

Here's a sculpture perched upon the ramparts.

Looking out over the ramparts, toward the azure Mediterranean


Talk about a townhouse with character!

Jean-Michel Folon, L'Envol, 2005

Rémi Pesce, Lucky, 1993

My reflection in the artsy bathroom wall at The Cafe de la Place

A sculpture of les boules, which are used in pétanque

César, Le Pouce, 1965

Outside a gallery in the village

Artfully laid stones making the streets look even more dream-like

Art, everywhere you look. Creative passages to guide your quest.

Perched artwork in a 3rd floor window

If I ever go there again, I'm buying one of those fabulous pitchers!


Tobiasse, La Vénus de Tobiasse, créé à New York 1985, a Renault Twingo, and a quaint little church

Ready to pack your bags and head to Saint-Paul de Vence, Annabelle? Well if you're an art lover, all the more reason to go. Not to be missed for the art types is The Fondation Maeght. It's not in the village, but is a walkable distance away. The oldest contemporary art museum in France, it was completely financed by its creators, Marguerite and Aimé Maeght, who dreamed of having a place to house their collection. Art fills the shaded gardens and galleries. I didn't go there, so I don't have any pics for you...but just google the museum to get a taste of what you'd see.

So if it's said that the artists made Saint-Paul de Vence famous, don't you wanna see what all the fuss is about? Artists have flocked throughout the years to discover the light of the south of France. Artists such as Chagall, Matisse, Modigliani, Signac, to name a few. And don't forget the poets, writers, and Hollywood celebrities -- Roger Moore, Tony Curtis, and Sophia Loren, and many more. And the musicians...ex-Rolling Stone, Bill Wyman, has a home there.

Saint-Paul de Vence is located just outside of Nice, about a 20 min drive. If you ever find yourself in this part of the world, I would definitely suggest stopping by. You won't be sorry!