St Paul de Vence Review
Just out of interest, I checked out reviews on Tripadvisor.
St Paul de Vence
“Charming Hill Top Village”
***** Reviewed 4 weeks ago
The small hilltop village of St-Paul-De-Vence apparently had a quiet and largely uneventful history, until Pablo Picasso took up residence in the 1920s and helped transform it into an artists’ village. Today there are numerous galleries and studios with working artists throughout the narrow alleyways, interspersed with cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and clothing stores.
There are about 300 permanent residents and what seemed like 300,000 visitors each day in summer, or that’s what it seems like in the crowded alleyways and car parks. It is a popular day trip for people staying on the coast in summer. Arrive early to find a parking space close to the village and before the hordes arrive. Worth the later hustle and bustle.
“Beautiful”
***** Reviewed 26 January 2017
St Paul de Vence is very touristy but this isn't a surprise as it's such a gorgeous village high on a hill top. We caught a bus from Nice which took approximately one hour and deposited us just out the old walls of St Paul de Vence. Maps aren't necessary as the village is so compact it's impossible to get lost. We walked around the walls as far as possible and found an empty seat where we gazed over the surrounding hills and villages towards the sea in the south. The artsy shops are extremely tempting and it was difficult to curb the urge to buy at least one unique-looking souvenir. Wonderful smells waft out of restaurants tucked into little side alleys and there is at least one luxury hotel that would be an ideal location for a romantic weekend. Perfect weather - warm with a cloudless sky - topped off a memorable day during our holiday in Nice.
“Far too touristy ”
** Reviewed 17 July 2016
I have visited St Paul de Vence a few times over the decades. In my view it is now drowning in its own beauty. Too many large tour groups, cheap souvenir shops, and average restaurants full of tourists. Any chance of experiencing its true attractiveness as a medieval town needs to be planned for very early in the morning or late in the evening.
“Disappointingly commercialized”
** Reviewed 13 August 2015
We had visited Saint Paul several times in the past and enjoyed walking the same streets as the locals and artists of the 20th century. How disturbing to see the streets chock full of shops catering only to tourists and galleries full of kitsch paintings typical of any tourist venue. The jeu de boules park, once populated with enthusiastic boules players of all ages, is now the location of a fast food truck. Not a single local resident to see, only tourists and shop workers. The only plus was the visit to the chapel with Folons mosaics and paintings, and that is worth the trip. The little historical museum next door is also expertly done, showing the history of the village.
Hotel Les Vergers
“A perfect place for anyone who wants to tour around the French Riviera without moving from on place to another”
***** Reviewed 7 April 2015
This is a lovely hotel, perfectly located in the center of all tourist attractions of the region (assuming, of course, that you have a car). It is a family hotel, with a very kind and hospitable staff, aesthetically designed rooms, beautiful views of the green hills, a pleasant swimming pool (although it was too cold to bathe when we visited the place). Unlike many hotel photos, those you see in the webpage of the hotel do full justice to the atmosphere and beauty of the place. It is good value for money. It is within walking distance of the wonderful village of St Paul de Vence, but since it is not in the village itself (which is very touristy), the hotel is quiet and pastoral. We spent seven nights there and used it as the perfect base for our trips to all the interesting sites from Menton in the East to Cannes in the West.
La Colombe d'Or
“Sunday Lunch”
** Reviewed 24 July 2016
My parents live locally and love this restaurant visiting fairly regularly with friends... Personally I find it highly overpriced, the food is frankly underwhelming at best and half the staff have an air of contempt or fear!
I find it utterly charmless and in my opinion certainly not worth a visit.....unless you are the type to get excited by celebrities at the next table... The only good points are the location and the artwork on display...
“Old world charm”
***** Reviewed 18 July 2016
Other reviewers say it never changes - it doesn't because it doesn't need to. It's simple, good French food with good service. Lovely setting and tranquil surroundings. It's not the cheapest but won't break the bank either. You'll likely need to book well in advance though such is its popularity.
Here are a few St Paul de Vence-related tweets:
Typical street in St. Paul de Vence, Southern France. . . . . . #stpauldevence #southfrance #frenchriviera #cotedazur #PACA #france #visitfr pic.twitter.com/wFLQtQaIz0— France Community (@francecommunity) 10 de julio de 2017
A beautiful calm street in the picturesque town St Paul de Vence in southern France - From the lens of a diplomat pic.twitter.com/Aa5BoeGBZb— PakAmbassadorFrance (@FrancePak) 29 de junio de 2017
La Colombe d'Or St Paul de Vence most romantic restaurant in world? shortlist! https://t.co/OOEc4C8pv5 #Nice #France #restaurant #travel pic.twitter.com/BOdJp4fXnX— BonVoyageurs (@BonVoyageurs) 4 de mayo de 2017
The hill town of St-Paul-de-Vence as seen from our walk to the renowned Fondation Maeght art gallery. #france #art pic.twitter.com/sHYqWLIyQ1— Sandy (@specialforksndy) 23 de mayo de 2017
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Comments
Good hotel off the beaten track. I spent three nights there in early April with my wife and my kids. We chose the hotel due the price of the room and because it was near the centre of the city but not in the hustle and bustle. Easy to find from the vaporetto boat station.
The reception is large and the staff very friendly. It has a peaceful courtyard in the middle of the hotel. Our room for four people was a junior suite distributed in two floors. Clean but a little bit dark. On the overall it was a nice room with wood beams on the ceiling and a window overlooking the canal.
One of the tips is the breakfast, good range of different products and a superb coffee machine. Once you get the hang on it you will not stop having cappuccinos. Kids love the chance of moving around selecting their meal and pressing the buttons for the juice and my coffee.
Other of facilities of the place is the back wharf, where the taxi boats can drop in customers directly from the airport to the reception. Although far more expensive than the water bus it could be an excellent option if the departing day is pouring and you don´t have waterproof garments, as it was my case. Besides, the kids were delighted with the ride.
The hotel is located in a peaceful neighbourhood surrounded by narrow alleys between the canals. Numbers bridges connect the blocks. It is a forty minutes walk from the San Marcos Square or twenty if you take the bus boat. I found it pleasant strolling around watching the small boats doing their chores or supplying the corner shops and restaurants. There were even some barges selling fruits and vegetables.
If you are looking for a quiet place, not far from the centre and you enjoy discovering unique spots this hotel is a good value money.
Daniel
Apologies for not replying sooner. I have fallen way behind with the blog but I always get round to correcting comments sooner or later.
Good hotel off the beaten track. I spent three nights there in early April with my wife and my kids. We chose the hotel due to / because of the price of the room and because it was near the centre of the city but away from the hustle and bustle. Easy to find from the vaporetto boat station.
The reception is large and the staff very friendly. It has a peaceful courtyard in the middle of the hotel. Our room for four people was a junior suite divided into two floors. Clean but a little bit dark. Overall, it was a nice room with wooden beams on the ceiling and a window overlooking the canal.
One of the highlights is the breakfast, good range of different products and a superb coffee machine. Once you get the hang of it, you will not stop having cappuccinos. Kids love the chance of moving around selecting their meal and pressing the buttons for the juice and my coffee.
Another of the facilities of the place is the back quay, where the taxi boats can drop off customers directly from the airport at the reception. Although far more expensive than the water bus it could be an excellent option if on the day of departure it is pouring and you don´t have any waterproof clothing, as was my case. Besides, the kids were delighted with the ride.
The hotel is located in a peaceful neighbourhood surrounded by narrow alleys between the canals. Numbers bridges connect the blocks. ??? It is a forty minutes walk from the San Marcos Square or twenty if you take the bus boat. I found it pleasant strolling around watching the small boats doing their chores or supplying the corner shops and restaurants. There were even some barges selling fruit and vegetables.
If you are looking for a quiet place, not far from the centre and you enjoy discovering unique spots this hotel is good value for money.
A nice review. Better than many of them you find on Trip Advisor - even those written by native English speakers.
Today I want to share a funny story that happened to me a month ago. I hanged out with one of my closest friends whose name is Esther. She had been talking lately with a friend of hers who is a chef in a restaurant located in Chamartin called Zielou. Apparently, it is a very famous one but before going, I had never heard of it. The point is that the guy recommended us to go to that restaurant to have dinner and so we did. We went there and we were really impressed because, even though he had told us that it is an elegant place, it exceeded our expectations.
When we arrived there, we told the waitress that served us to tell Esther´s friend that we were there. Five minutes later, he came to welcome us and thanked us for accepting his offer. After ten minutes talking with him, surprisingly he told us that we didn´t have to pay any bill because he invited us. Since he is a chef there, he prepared us an arranged menu which, by the way, was delicious.
So it was a wonderful night because we had dinner for free in a posh restaurant!!!!
I've been checking out this Zielou on Trip Advisor and I am impressed by the restaurant's replies (in English) to its reviews. It deals with criticism very well.
... I was hanging out with one of my closest friends whose name is Esther. She had recently been talking with a friend of hers who is a chef in a restaurant located in Chamartin called Zielou. Apparently, it is a very famous one but before going, I had never heard of it. The point is that the guy recommended going to that restaurant to have dinner and so we did. We went there and we were really impressed because, even though he had told us that it is an elegant place, it exceeded our expectations.
...
Nica's Education and Technology Center.
I spent one whole month in this School, which was also an accomodation for foreigners that came to visit the country or staying at the school volunteering.
I went there two years ago with two friends. Overall, the accomodation was nice enouh, it boasted a big bedroom for us and 3 meals per day.
But the best thing so far was the attention and caring that we received from the owner. He was glad to explain us the culture and surroundings of the place. It was such a real local experience.
We felt so welcome during the time we spent there.
Appart from this, the owner of the place also provided us with the tools that we needed for our stay. He picked us up from the station, helped us to get internet and explained us everithing about the city.
As well as this, he organised some activities for us, such us visiting the waterfalls, painting a typical drawing, or planting trees.
The only things I was not keen on, was the cold showers and bugs... I think I'd never get use to it.
I've just googled this center and people only have positive things to say about it. Reviews normally provide very different opinions and end up confusing the reader.
I spent one whole month in this school, which also provided accommodation (uncountable!) for foreigners that came to visit the country or volunteers at the school.
I went there with two friends a couple of years ago. Overall, the accommodation was nice enough, it boasted a big bedroom for us and 3 meals per day.
But the best thing by far was the attention and care that we received from the owner. He was more than happy to explain the culture (#VP explain sth) and surroundings of the place. It was such a real local experience.
We felt so welcome during the time we spent there. / We were made to feel completely at ease there.
(Apart from this) Not only that / On top of that / What is more, the owner of the place also provided us with the tools that we needed for our stay. He picked us up from the station, helped us to get internet and explained everything about the city (to us).
He also/even organised some activities for us, such us visiting the waterfalls, painting a typical picture, or planting trees.
The only things I was not keen on were the cold showers and bugs... I think I'd never get use to them.