Vence, Provence A Quick Tour, Vence, France

It was a hot, humid August day, so we took our time over lunch in a restaurant near the Place du Grand Jardin. None of us had much energy to wander, even though our plan was for Steve Wilkison to give us a walking tour of his adopted hometown. Steve, a self-declared Francophile, finally convinced his wife Carole to move to Vence in May 2019. Before that, they lived in Nashville, among other places in the United States. The long lunch provided the opportunity to have a great conversation with Steve about living in Vence and exploring the Alpes Maritimes on foot, bike, and other means. Here is a fun article about Train de Pignes à Vapeur.

Arriving in Vence from the Mediterranean coast is an easy drive. The town is about a 40-minute drive from Nice. Medieval ramparts still encircled Vence’s old village, with a few preserved gateways leading to or from the newer sections of town. Inside the ancient stone walls (intra-muros) is like opening a treasure chest. Vence’s old streets are pedestrian-friendly and narrow enough to make you wonder how trucks could make deliveries to the restaurants, cafés and food purveyors. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).