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The Hills
[Virtual Tour]
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Forsake
the coastline and discover a lot of hill-top villages : Saint Paul de Vence,
Vence, La Gaude, Saint Jeannet, Gattières and Tourrettes sur Loup. |
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Saint Paul de
Vence : a favorite with celebrities and lovers of Provence, Saint Paul
is just the place for a stroll in the midst of charm and liveliness, with narrow
streets and building of ancient stone. Saint Paul de Vence used to be a "royal borough" under the direct authority of the King of France. In 1537, a continuous village wall was built at the request of
François I. This construction required the destruction of 700 homes and the inhabitants were forced to leave their village. They then founded the neighbouring village of La Colle sur
Loup.
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You can find the famous "Maeght Foundation",
a collection of modern art works, established in 1964 in exceptional surroundings. The gardens house sculptures and mosaics by famous artists: Miro, Giacometti, Chagall, Braque... the Foundation also mounts top quality temporary exhibitions.
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La Colle sur Loup : this name comes from the time when the inhabitants of St. Paul moved to the "Colles" - which means "small hills".
A peaceful, pretty little village at the foot of the hill of Saint Paul. There is a beautiful view of the village of Saint Paul de Vence from the plain below, which used to be devoted to the cultivation of flowers and fruit trees.
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A few kilometers away, visit the historical
city and the castle-museum of Vence
which was the home of many artists.
Discover the Romanesque cathedral (11th and 12th century) which is the jewel of this medieval village. In 1979, Marc Chagall installed a mosaic on the theme of Moses in the cathedral.
On the road to Saint Jeannet, you can visit the Dominican Chapel known as the Matisse Chapel. Matisse stayed in this chapel for three years and decided to decorate the oratory which had to be rebuilt. The decoration work was completed in 1951: note the flowing lines, the sobriety and the harmony: white walls are broken up by bright colours: blue, lemon yellow and green.
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Saint Jeannet : A picturesque village nestling at the foot of the famous "Baou" (rock) which has inspired many artists. The Baou, which was used as a hiding place during attacks, is now better known as a venue for rock climbers. The village of Saint Jeannet stretches from the Var river to the Baou, which reaches up to 807 metres above sea level.
Saint Jeannet is famous for its ros‚ and white wines: vines are grown on the perfectly-exposed stony slopes.
La
Gaude, located in the middle of a luxuriant Mediterranean vegetation. Let yourself fall under the spell of the Provençal atmosphere which attracted the author/film-maker Marcel Pagnol many years ago ("Jean de Florette", "Manon des Sources", "The Baker's Wife"...) and who lived in the nearby countryside for nearly 30 years.
La Gaude has succeeded in developing a major IT and telecommunications centre and offers a great variety of crafts activities.
Gattières : a charming, typical village with narrow, medieval streets. Don't hesitate to explore the crafts shops: silk screen painting, sculpture, bakers... admire the view over the lower valley from the old village.
Tourrettes sur
Loup : a village which is a delight for lovers of narrow streets and perched villages. The houses form the ramparts, set among the abundant greenery overlooking the Loup valley. Every year, during the early days of March, the village celebrates its flower symbol, the violet, which has been cultivated here for more than 100 years. Apart from violets, a variety of craft activities have grown up around weaving: painting, sculpture, pottery...
From Vence, take the pretty, flowered corniche road alongside the Baous as far
as Tourrettes sur Loup... the Loup Gorge circuit begins at the Pont du Loup
bridge and the beautiful Courmes waterfall (nicknamed the "Saut du Loup"
- the "Loup's Leap") and from there, take the road leading to Gourdon
to admire the stunning view, then follow a magnificent mountain road back to
Grasse, the Perfume capital.
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