Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Èze: villages above the sea

Saint-Paul-de-Vence is one of the “Most Beautiful Villages of France”: cobbled streets, ivy-covered stone houses and 14th-century ramparts overlooking hills and sea. In the 20th century Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Georges Braque visited, making it Provence's unofficial artistic capital.

What to see

Fondation Maeght

Fondation Maeght is one of southern France's finest modern art museums, with Miró, Giacometti, Chagall and Kandinsky, plus architecture, gardens and sculptures among pines. Allow 1–1½ hours. Tickets are around €18.

Vence and the Matisse chapel

A few minutes from Saint-Paul is Vence, where Matisse painted and designed the Rosary Chapel, one of the great works of his life. If you love Matisse, it is worth a stop.

Èze is a 12th-century village on a sheer rock, 427 metres above the sea between Nice and Monaco: narrow cobbled lanes, stone arches, bougainvillea, craft galleries and perfume shops. Cars do not enter the village.

The exotic garden

At the summit, where the castle ruins stood, is the Jardin Exotique, with cacti and succulents among rocks and one of the coast's finest views, from Cap-Ferrat to Italy on a clear day. The climb is steep but short.

Nietzsche's Path

The Nietzsche Path descends to Èze-sur-Mer. Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche walked here and wrote the third part of “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” here. Descending takes around an hour; climbing back is harder. Bring comfortable shoes and water.

Perfume factories

Factories at the foot of the village offer free tours explaining perfume, eau de toilette and soap production. They are branches of houses from Grasse, the world's perfume capital.

The road: Moyenne Corniche

Èze sits on the Moyenne Corniche, one of three 19th-century corniche roads between Nice and Monaco. At around 400 m, it offers some of the coast's finest views. Viewpoints overlook Villefranche and Cap-Ferrat.

With one day, you can see both: Èze in the morning, Monaco in the afternoon, while Saint-Paul can also be saved for another day with Antibes. Or choose “The Whole French Riviera in a Day”: Nice, Èze, Monaco, Antibes and Saint-Paul.

• Saint-Paul-de-Vence: around 25 minutes by car. Buses run, but involve connections and traffic.

• Èze: around 20–30 minutes on the Moyenne Corniche; bus to the village, checking route number and timetable with the operator; or train to Èze-sur-Mer and climb Nietzsche's Path.
• With a driver: no parking worries; both villages have small paid car parks.

• Spring and autumn: warm, with fewer visitors.

• Summer: cruise groups and coaches from 10:00 to 16:00. Come early or towards evening.
• Winter: quiet, with some galleries closed, but views and tranquillity.

If you like Èze and Saint-Paul, explore other villages above the sea:

• Gourdon: on a rock above the Loup Gorge, with views to the sea;

• Vence: old town and Matisse chapel;
• Roquebrune-Cap-Martin: medieval village and castle above Menton;
• Tourrettes-sur-Loup: the hilltop “town of violets”;
• Biot: a glassblowers' village near Antibes.

• Saint-Paul: La Colombe d'Or, booked ahead, cafés by the fountain and restaurants with terraces on the walls.

• Èze: sea-view restaurants in the village and on the Moyenne Corniche; booking is essential in season.
• With lunch: Provence rosé or white Bellet from Nice's hills.

At Èze, climb to the exotic garden for cacti and sea views; at Saint-Paul, see the sculptures in the Maeght garden and pétanque players on the square. Leave the pushchair behind if possible: both villages have steps and steep lanes.

• Èze: the coast and Cap-Ferrat from the exotic garden's summit.

• Saint-Paul: the village from the road by the cemetery, then hills and sea from the walls.
• Moyenne Corniche: viewpoints above Villefranche.

Saint-Paul-de-Vence was a border fortress: in the 16th century Francis I strengthened it with powerful walls, close to the Savoy border. In the 20th century artists arrived, and a small restaurant near the gates, the future Colombe d'Or, welcomed them, sometimes in exchange for paintings. The village became the Riviera's artistic capital; today dozens of galleries cover classical to contemporary art.

Èze was built as a fortress: from 427 metres, the sea was visible to the horizon and approaching unnoticed was almost impossible. A castle stood here until its destruction in the early 18th century; the exotic garden occupies its site. In the 19th and 20th centuries, writers and aristocrats loved Èze, from Nietzsche walking the sea path to European princes building hillside villas.

Read more about towns in “French Riviera Towns”.

Both open year-round, but hours change seasonally. Strong wind and bad weather sometimes close the garden. Check before travelling, especially in winter.

1. Arriving in Èze at midday in season. Cruise groups crowd the village.
2. Skipping the exotic garden. The best view is at the top.
3. Climbing Nietzsche's Path without water. It is steep and hot.
4. Missing Fondation Maeght if you enjoy art.
5. Trying to see five places in half a day. Two villages and two towns in a day, with a driver, is better.

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