By Christine Swan
During my recent holiday in France, I decided to revisit St Paul de Vence, a place that I last went to over a decade ago. It is not too difficult to catch the train to Cagnes Sur Mer and then step outside to take the 655 bus, which will take you directly to the village.
Under a deep azure sky, I waited for the bus to arrive in the shade of the station at Cagnes Sur Mer. This was an improvement from my last trip, which required a road crossing before locating the stop. A lady was speaking English and stressing about her bus card. Unfortunately, she had the Lignes d’Azur card that I had also purchased, but for this route, a Zou pass was required. We chatted while waiting and we discovered that we were both teachers and so began a lively debate about the relative merits and drawbacks of the Canadian and English education systems, policies and curriculums. We both agreed that SEND provision was a priority in both of our nations and it was delightful to “talk shop” for a few minutes.
Saint Paul de Vence seen from the bus
The bus ride winds its way up, beyond the sea, and towards the beautiful perched villages, sometimes bypassed by tourists. The views are stunning and it is definitely worth snapping a few photographs on the way up. I thought how fortunate people are to live in such a stunning location, but, of course, we often feel this as tourists, viewing locations through the eyes of a temporary visitor. We need to exercise caution. Perched villages are not theme parks, catering only for the Instagram generation, it is important that they are habitable and provide a year-round income for residents. I try in my travels to tread lightly. I arrive by train and use public transport to get around. I buy and eat locally, from independent or small chains. I do try to be responsible and to think about my impact on the planet. However, I must confess, I don’t think I could live in St Paul de Vence.
Don’t misunderstand me – it is beautiful, in fact, it is stunning. As an old, fortified settlement, its position gives a wonderful view of the surrounding terrain, and it would be near impossible to attack. It was a significant stronghold during medieval times when the borders of the lords of Provence were shifting. In the sixteenth century, Saint Paul de Vence was occupied by the Spanish army, and was fortified again later when it returned to French rule.
From atop the city wall, you can see as far as the Mediterranean
There are signs everywhere of Saint Paul’s past as a fortified village
The eighteenth century saw development and embellishment of Saint Paul’s churches. Perhaps inspired by the beautiful landscape and closeness to heaven, artists decorated holy sites to make them wonderful. But it was in the twentieth century that Saint Paul began to gain recognition as a place for Art and for artists to gather. Not just artists, but film directors were also drawn to the beauty of this hilltop village.
The patterned pebble streets of Saint Paul de Vence – I witnessed some artisans repairing a section
The twenty first century has brought tourists. Many, many tourists. Some, such as myself, and my new found teacher companion and fellow traveller, step off of the bus, and walk into the village. Others arrive in their huge 4×4 all-terrain, executive vehicles, and appear puzzled that they encounter difficulties.
During my two visits, I have watched two vehicular dramas unfold. Quite a few years ago, a car became trapped atop an automatic rising bollard, which punctured the engine compartment, and raised the front of the car off of the ground. The driver was indignant, his children were crying, the local police officer was perplexed. I’m unsure whether the amusement and photographs taken by tourists really helped matters greatly.
In this latest incident, a huge Mercedes 4×4, metallic green, with polished alloy wheels, was attempting to navigate the narrow medieval streets, bounded on one side by the city wall, and the other, by little houses and shop fronts. I had just walked a short section of the city wall and descended by some precarious stone steps into a small area with a little shop selling local art, on the other side of the road. The driver and his companion, were stressed as it did not appear that his vehicle would be able to navigate the bend in the road, which narrowed after the little art shop. The shopkeeper appeared and began to raise her voice towards the driver. A young couple, with a small child in a pushchair, realised that they had nowhere to go to avoid the gargantuan vehicle dominating everybody’s path forward.
Roads are narrow, with unforgiving bends and walls – but with stunning views
The vehicle moved forwards. It moved backwards. Somebody shouted. The engine revved. The driver and his companion began shouting at one another. Rather than gawping at the exhibition, I decided to continue my path through the village in peace, on foot, and to leave them to it. However, it does illustrate a point. Tourism has many faces, and not all of them welcome.
I found a lovely little creperie for lunch and treated myself to a Breton Kir. I soon discovered that this was a twist on the classic Kir, consisting of creme de cassis and white wine, by replacing the later with cider. What an inspired and cooling summer drink – delicious!
I can confirm – delicious!
Suitably fortified, I stepped out into the sunshine again to finish my exploration, and to buy a few items to remind me of my day. In France, I am always drawn to shops selling culinary produce and goods. I walked past one with a delightful display of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. In my experience, French people delight in different flavours and combinations, and have a boldness and originality that I find very inspirational. I always return from my trips with new ideas – especially as I usually mention that I am vegetarian, and, this often prompts suggestions for pairings that I would never have considered. France is a fantastic gastronomic destination whatever your diet. During my decades of visiting, I have always been accommodated and expertly catered for, with hosts of dinners that I have attended, rising to the challenge and cooking some memorable and outstanding cuisine.
These streets are made for walking
Leaving with my bottle of elderflower balsamic vinegar, I snapped a few more photographs before heading to the bus stop. Saint Paul de Vence is such a beautiful place. I am acutely aware that this is also where people live and work. It is obvious that residents care deeply about this beautiful jewel in the regional crown. It is for the enjoyment of all if we tread quietly, empathetically, take only memories, and leave only good impressions.
All photographs by the author
More information
I travelled by rail from St Raphael Valescure to Cagnes Sur Mer. I then caught the Zou bus 655 from Cagnes Sur Mer gare to Saint Paul de Vence village.
I ate at – New The Artiste, Rue Bastion St Remy
I bought balsamic vinegar from – Maison Bremond 1830, Rue Grande
Awful Rigours and Wretched Pay 