The French Riviera has a well-established reputation for chic lifestyles, and expensive real estate. Places like Monaco, Nice, Cannes, and Antibes sure do convey those images to the outside world. However, you do not have to travel far inland from these coastal towns to find yourself in a different world.
Looking north from the Mediterranean Sea, one is struck by how close the mountains are to the coast; not surprisingly, the region is called “Alpes Maritimes.” The hills and the mountains are dotted with long-established villages and towns. Each elevated settlement has its own history and character, but most share some common features: fortified walls, numerous gates, a square with a church, some administrative buildings, a castle (some in good shape, others in ruins), many stone houses, and a labyrinth of narrow meandering streets.
Walking around these tranquil villages today, it is easy to forget that they were constructed as fortified communities designed to keep out pirates and ward off attacks by rival rulers. The fact that they have been so well preserved is testament to the commitment of the French state as well as private citizens to maintain heritage buildings of great historical value.
In the last century, many of these villages attracted famous writers and painters who succumbed to their charms. Today, tourism is an important source of revenue for the villages closest to the coast, and they have adjusted to this reality by attracting artists, galleries, shopkeepers, and restauranteurs who can provide what visitors look for. Motor traffic tends to be limited in these towns, which explains in part why they are such havens of peace and a pleasure to explore on foot.
We recently had an enjoyable time in Nice, during the off-season, and we had the opportunity to visit several of the hill communities that can be reached by public transport. This post focuses on four of those: Èze, Haut-de-Cagnes, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Vence.
Èze
This village is a popular destination. After entering through the old gate, one must ascend the steep narrow laneways, lined with shops and art galleries, which lead to the top of the hill where a castle once stood. Unfortunately, the castle and most of the town’s fortifications were destroyed in the eighteenth century. Today, the summit encloses an expansive and beautifully landscaped “Exotic Garden.” Started in 1949 under the leadership of the town’s mayor, the original design of Èze’s Garden was made by Jean Gastaud who built Monaco’s famous Exotic Garden. It is well worth a visit, as the panoramic views over the Mediterranean and the neighboring towns are spectacular.
Haut-de-Cagnes
The village of Haut-de-Cagnes is a desirable residential neighborhood of the town of Cagnes-sur-Mer. It is such a pretty village that many celebrities have resided there over time. The village can be reached from the town centre by a free shuttle bus. At the summit, there is a well-preserved castle that now houses the Grimaldi museum.
The stone houses that line the narrow winding streets of the village transport the visitor back to the fourteenth century. Indeed, the oldest house in Haut-de-Cagnes dates from 1315. Despite having a map of the village, we easily got lost in this intricate maze of passageways, small piazzas and stairways. Of course, getting lost is part of the fun.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence
This village is picture postcard beautiful. It has well-preserved fortified walls, and its narrow, cobbled streets are lined with art galleries. Historically, it has been a haven for artists: Picasso, Matisse, and Miro were regular visitors. Marc Chagall lived there for 19 years, and he is buried in the village cemetery.
Vence
The town is surrounded by striking limestone hills called the Baous. The medieval walled village stands at the heart of a modern town. Within the walls, there are many well-preserved buildings, an impressive ochre-coloured Town Hall, France’s smallest cathedral, many fountains, restaurants, shops, and small businesses that cater to locals as well as tourists.
We were so impressed with the relaxed atmosphere of this unpretentious town that we came back for a second visit, luckily, on market day. The main square was lively and the sidewalk cafes were buzzing with conversation. We visited the cathedral, which is rich with medieval artefacts. We also walked to the Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence, built for the Dominican order of nuns. It is known as “the Matisse Chapel.”
Opened in 1951, the chapel was built and decorated under the direction of Henri Matisse. He designed everything for this church, from the blue and white tiled roof to the stained glass, the altar, the lights, the holy water fonts, and even the vestments. He wrote that he considered this chapel to be the masterpiece of his career.
We hope our short video will give you a taste of these four villages, their unique character and the fun we had exploring them.
Image at the top of the post: View of Saint-Paul-de-Vence from the road.