The Ultimate Travel Guide of Vence in the French Riviera

Where is Vence located?

We're talking about the French Riviera, but let's be a little more precise... Vence is located in the Alpes Maritimes department, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, more commonly known as the PACA region!

To give you a point of reference, the town of Vence is located in the hinterland of Nice, on the road to Grasse, the world capital of perfumery.

Vence, a Roman and historic city, is associated with the Côte d'Azur and its very famous neighbour, the medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, but let's talk about the hinterland of Nice since Vence overlooks the Col de Vence. In other words, in Vence you experience the luxury of the French Riviera while enjoying a break from the traditional crowds of the South of France.

In short, halfway between the coast and the hinterland, Vence is a small town that has retained the charm of a Provencal village.

Weather in Vence - What clothes to pack in your suitcase?

Summers are hot and dry and winters are mild with (sometimes a lot of) rain.  Without wanting to play the weather man, it seems unavoidable to put in your suitcase a swimsuit, a pair of sunglasses and light outfits if you come over the summer!

If you are coming over the winter, we advise you to pack your ski suit and gloves (this is not a joke), Vence is only within 45min from the ski area of Gréolière les Neiges.

Weather in Vence

What to do in Vence?

Okay, you're here to rest, but not only that!  In Vence, you can do a lot of activities, whether they are sports, cultural (like the Maeght foundation or the famous Festival des Nuits du Sud) or just lazing around for a weekend! Here are our suggestions!

What to do around Vence?

Amongst you there are backpackers, housewives, lovers of good food, art lovers, shopping fans, tanning addicts... Good news, in this area you can do it all in one day, can you believe it ?! Because we're really nice, we offer you here a selection of our hidden gems that we love.

What do we bring back in his suitcase?

Yay the holidays are here and it's time to bring back a souvenir, for yourself as well as for Yvonne who kept the dog during the holidays, or for Mickael who look after your flowers! Direction the Place du Peyra or the Place du Grand Jardin to find your happiness.

Here are our proposals of local souvenirs :

• A perfume from Maison Godet, Fragonard or Grasse? Here you have a wide choice!
• A nice hat or basket embroidered "Saint-Paul de Vence" (of course it is better to go to Saint Paul de Vence for that).
• A good bottle of local wine (we said it was for Yvonne, so a piece of advice, take more than expected, you're not safe from uncorking a good bottle at a good barbecue on your return)!
• A beautiful book about the artists who make this destination a must-see!

The history of Vence

We are not here to give you a history lesson, but it is important to note that Vence is particularly renowned for its artistic history. In 1943, Henri Matisse settled in Vence in the villa "Mon Rêve", he designed the entire interior of the Rosary Chapel of Vence, also known as the "Matisse Chapel".

But many other artists came to Vence for inspiration. Amongst the most famous are the painters Marc Chagall, Raoul Dufy and Chaïm Soutine. Writers also stayed in Vence, such as Witold Gombrowicz, André Gide, and Paul Valéry.