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ENTER INTO HISTORY
History isn't confined to history books. It's also in the streets.
Saint-Paul is a perfect example, offering an amazing circuit that begins
at the Vence Gate (Porte de Vence). Next to this arched edifice stands
the Lacan cannon, named after the captain who loaded it. It has survived
since the Battle of Cérisoles (1544), in which François
1 was victorious and Charles Quint defeated. Just beyond this threshold
stands the machicolation tower, a vestige from 14th century fortifications:
the floors of its galleries were pierced with openings through which
deterrents could bedropped on assailants.
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THE RAMPARTS
Rising up towards the light, the ramparts cast their benevolent
gaze across the broad horizon. One has to go right back to the
Middle Ages to find the origins of this wall, today a listed monument.
In ancient times, lords and rulers, confronted by invaders and
looters, had no alternative but to construct walls and towers.
The medieval fortifications were reinforced with more modern structures
under François I; Saint-Paul is a perfect illustration
of the symbiosis between these two architectural styles. The ramparts
marked the creation of Saint-Paul, and structured the life and
buildings within into a coherent ensemble.
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A BREATHTAKING VIEW
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Saint-Paul's incontestably rich heritage includes its surrounding
ancestral lands, worked by peasants and simple labourers to shape
the landscape. From the top of the ramparts, the countryside reveals
its splendours to the discerning eye. Saint-Paul's vineyards grow
Mourvèdre, Braquet, and Clairette et de Fuella grapes for
the village wine. Horticulture continues to play a key role in
the local economy. Greenhouses in the Malvan valley can be see
from the ramparts, echoing the vineyards located lower down, not
far from the cemetery housing the remains of Marc Chagall.
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A STROLL UP LA RUE GRANDE
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Rue Grande is a former Roman road. Its "pontis" - a
bridge crossing the road and linking two houses - adds an extra
touch of style to Saint-Paul. A few steps on from the "pontis"
looms the most famous fountain in France. The emblem of the village,
it dates from 1850. At that time, natural springs were a great
source of rivalry and division. Right up until the 20s, springs
were the cause of many an electoral combat. Water flowing from
Malvan and Font Renaude was needed by the population, animals,
farmers for their crops,and the washerwomen.
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next page of historical
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