St. Paul-de-Vence (Oct 2015), by Tanja Domijan Blasich, St. Paul de Vence, France

Perched upon a hill top this charming walled town offers plenty of art galleries and souvenir shops. Once a hot spot for many renowned artists and international actors, nowadays a magnet for tourists. I’ve visited St.Paul several times in the past years during my trips to France. My most recent visit was on Saturday during my French Riviera trip. It’s always a treat to see this small medieval-looking Provençal town.

So what can you do in St.Paul? Well, you can’t get lost since it’s tiny but you can lose track of time while perusing its shops and galleries on the main street Rue Grande. I once even bought a painting here that hangs on a wall in my living room now. Of course, you’ll pass by the urn-looking Fountain during your walk down the main street.

Then you could turn left and find yourself at the little square with the Collegiate Church (14-18th ct.) and the Town hall housed in the Keep (12&13th ct); a tower which is the only remnant of the once existing castle. Do you know who got married in the Keep? None other than the famous actors Yves Montand and Simone Signoret (she was the first French person to win an Academy Award). ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).