St. Paul de Vence, 1

Although we've seen our share of Provence and bastides over the years, we thought we'd do another, especially since Provence is just up the hill. We thought about Grasse, but we're going to do a perfume thing in Paris in a few weeks, and Grasse is not really all that attractive, according to Michelin. So we settled on St. Paul de Vence. The L2 tram took us to Parc Phoenix, wherefrom bus #650 took us to old friend Cagnes sur Mer, wherefrom bus #655 took us on up to St. Paul de Vence, definitely a hill fortress town, a bastide. About 10 miles, as the horse flies. It was during the May Day long weekend, but the beauty of the place dwarfed the crowds, and what we saw was probably our best excursion of this campaign. St. Paul de Vence is billed as an artists' town, and, indeed, it is, both historically and presently, with scores of studios and galleries, much public sculpture and other art to admire.

Well, you can see the Cote d'Azur from here, but I
think we're in Provence

On approach, from the bus

Very formidable walls; walkable, too, and never breached

My poubelle filter was not working

Helpful map #17,492; this is a place, however, where you want to
wander, get lost...

Beauty everywhere; local sculptures like this all over 

Peering into a sculpture shop

Interesting conflations of the natural and the man-made

A gallery loaded with authenticated Picassos, Chagalls, etc.

Why didn't I think of that department: fridge magnets of framed
paintings by the great (French) masters

Town fountain; in the frame above, lower right, just below
Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party

Many of the town's mail boxes so decorated

Very old flower box jade plant escaping from the confines of the 
window grill...apparently a thing in St. Paul, something we've not seen
elsewhere

Could be a running gag

Bell tower of the church

Very old Romanesque

Angel dictating gospel to Luke: "no, no, no...'it came to
pass', not 'he came too fast'"

Sanctuary lamp in the church...usually they are just
red, but this is an artists' town, so...

Adjoining Penitents' Chapel