The village of artists. Of course that's why St Paul is famous. But it's also a picturesque Middle Age village surrounded by XVIth century walls. Unfortunately, that's also a place littered by so called art galeries and souvenir/gift shops where you'll often find the worst.
The artists
The light of St Paul de Vence, the charm of its streets and the landscape to the Sea have attracted many artists all the 20th century long in St Paul. Marc Chagall lived here for almost 20 years and died here. He still rests in the cimetery. Yves Montand and Simone Signoret made the fame of St Paul as Brigitte Bardot did with St Tropez. Calder, Giacometti, Lino Ventura, Serge Reggiani, Fernand Leger, Miro, Braque, Dufy, Prévert, Matisse stayed in St Paul.
Impossible not to talk about Aimé et Marguerite Maeght, art merchants who created here the Foundation Maeght. If you're in St Paul, pay it a visit.
Impossible too not to talk about the "Auberge de la Colombe d'Or". The "golden dove inn". When it was created, among its customers were several moneyless artists who sometimes paid their rooms and their meals with paintings. They still hang on the inn's walls. But their authors have meanwhile become world famous painters. (See some of them in the list above.) The inn has thus become a world known museum. There are few rooms but you'll maybe be lucky enough to get one of them. If you don't, you can still eat there (you should book ahead to be sure). If you want to find an other accomodation in St Paul or simply get an idea of prices and availabilties use this link.
You can go to St Paul from Nice, Cagnes sur Mer and Vence by bus, using the line 400. It is not simple to park in St Paul and that's a good solution.