WHAT TO SEE & DO
Overview Table
| Name | Appeal | Type | Visit | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Town | ✦✦✦✧✧ | Old Town | Self | Free |
| 2 | Matisse Chapel | ✦✦✧✧✧ | Chapel + Garden + Panorama | Self | Paid € |
| 3 | Vence Museum | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Exhibits - Art | Self | Paid € |
| 4 | Cathedral | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Cathedral | Self | Free |
| 5 | Viewpoint Moutet | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Panorama | Self | Free |
| 6 | Food & Craft Market | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Food & Craft Market | Self | Free |
| 7 | Gombrowicz Space | ✦✧✧✧✧ | Cultural Center - Writer | Self | Free |
1. Old Town
Appeal ✦✦✦✧✧
Type Old Town
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Cité Historique
The Old Town of Vence has preserved its entire setting within its circular medieval enclosure. This charming area invites visitors to stroll through its narrow, winding streets lined with historical stone houses, picturesque squares, medieval gateways, colorful façades, and local shops.
2. Matisse Chapel
Appeal ✦✦✧✧✧
Type Chapel + Garden + Panorama
Visit Self-guided
Cost Paid
French Names
Chapelle du Rosaire
Chapelle Matisse
Located outside the town center, the Matisse Chapel, also known as the Rosary Chapel, is a small yet striking chapel constructed in the mid-20th century and designed by the French artist Henri Matisse, featuring stained-glass windows and minimalist interiors.
The chapel caused a stir upon its inauguration, as it challenged traditional notions of religious art with its bold colors and modernist approach.
There is also a small museum space where officiants’ chasubles, whose design was also a project by Matisse, are on display.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Exterior
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
⚙️ Visitor Info (Official Website – Fr)
The site also has a garden and offers views of the surrounding countryside, as it is perched on a hillside.
3. Vence Museum
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Modern & Contemporary Art Exhibitions
Visit Self-guided
Cost Paid
French Name
Musée de Vence
This museum is dedicated to modern and contemporary art through thematic exhibitions.
It is housed in the town’s former small castle.
⚙️ Visitor Info (Official Website)
Exhibitions sometimes take place outside the castle, notably in small chapels around the town, which are only open for these occasions.
4. Cathedral
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Cathedral
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Cathédrale de la Nativité-de-Marie
The cathedral, one of the smallest in France, originally dates back to the 11th century and was remodeled numerous times over the following centuries. It combines several styles: Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Exterior
5. Viewpoint Moutet
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Panorama
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Belvédère Fernand Moutet
At the western entrance of the Old Town, there is a stone terrace offering a panoramic view of the surrounding area.
6. Food & Craft Market
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Outdoor Food & Craft Market
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
The town’s food market takes place from Tuesday to Sunday mornings, with a larger market on Friday mornings.
On Wednesdays mornings, it also features antiques and collectibles.
7. Gombrowicz Space
Appeal ✦✧✧✧✧
Type Cultural Center
Visit Self-guided
Cost Free
French Name
Espace Muséal Gombrowicz
The Gombrowicz Space is a small cultural center dedicated to the 20th-century Polish writer Witold Gombrowicz, who lived in Vence during the last years of his life. It is located within the tourism office building.
🏞️ Google Images Overview – Interior
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