Vence Hotels

Vence is an inland town on the French Riviera. It is an attractive old town surrounded by a ring of hills with splendid views down to the Mediterranean over Antibes and Cagnes-sur Mer. It has an mild climate throughout the winter months because the hills on the northern side of the town protect it from the cold which can make the winters in the Var region to the west, very uncomfortable. Vence has always attracted artists, writers and poets. Dufy, Matisse, Chagall, Dubuffet, Carzou, Arman, Anthony Mars, D.H. Lawrence, and W. Gombrowicz have all been part of the Vence scene. The chief attraction of Vence is the town centre which consists of a pleasant main square with numerous cafés and restaurants spread around three sides, and particularly the old medieval city (" vieille ville"). The cathedral (9:00-18:00 daily) houses a Chagall mosaic. The Château de Villeneuve, Fondation Emile Huges, Place de Frêne, 04 93 58 15 78, houses a changing variety of art exhibits, mostly modern. Hours: Summer 11:00-19:00 daily; Winter 10:00-12:00, 14:00-18:00, closed Monday. The Place du Frêne was named for an enormous ash tree that is said to have been planted in 1538, in memory of the visit of François I and Pope Paul III. From the end of it there's a good view of the Baou des Blancs and Baou des Noirs - the two giant cliffs that rise above the town. Baou is a provençal word meaning "rocky spur".