Listed buildings:
Parish Church de Saint-Paul :
Located at the highest point of the village, the church is topped by
a square bell tower which served as the château's belfry dungeon.
Constructed in the 13th century - as confirmed by the Roman choir -
it possesses a single nave whose square appearance is accentuated by
the gothic side aisles added during the 15th century. Its chapels house
some remarkable pieces including an alabaster Virgin dating from the
15th century and a baptistery in Carrare marble. Thanks to Antoine Godeau,
Bishop of Vence, the parish church became the Collégiale de la
Conversion de Saint-Paul (Collegiate Church of the Conversion of Saint
Paul) in 1666. Louis XIV gave is approval on 20 June 1667.
12th-century Town Hall Tower :
Of the former château only the dungeon remains today ; since the 18th century it has been occupied by the town hall. The building’s facade comprises some stonework from a medieval building. At the summit of the dungeon hangs a bell cast in 1443, driven by a medieval device inscribed with the following motto: « Hora est jam de somno suggere » (the hours invite us to dream).
Ramparts and Cemetery :
Throughout the Middle Ages, Saint-Paul's fortifications were the most
visible sign of the village's seigniorial power.
Monuments registered in the inventory of French Historical Buildings :
The "Vence" and the "La Tour" gateways :
The Vence gateway forms a full-centred arch and marks the entrance to
the village. The machicolation tower, dated to the second half of the
15th century and with a conical vault on the first floor, was kept in
service for the 16th-century defence system. The main objective was
to protect the northern entrance to the village.
The main Fountain :
The fountain at the heart of Saint-Paul is one of the most famous in
France. It dates from 1615 and was registered in 1850. The fountain
is in the Provençal style. Iron bars above the fountain's bowl
were used for hanging jugs - today, the bars are bent. Peddlers would
set up their stalls on Place de la Fontaine.
The "Pontis" :
A tiny covered bridge giving access from one building to another. Dating
from the 15th century, the "pontis" was recorded in the inventory
of historical monuments in 1932.
Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Gardette aka Saint
George's Chapel :
This Chapel was already standing at the end of the Middle Ages. It was
located in a neighbourhood called La Gardette, a hilly spot to which
the villagers fled for refuge. It was restored in the 18th century and
embellished with stucco decorations and trompe l'oeils. During the course
of that century, it became the chapel of the Villeneuve-Thorenc family;
their château stood further up in Passe-Prest. When the chapel
of Saint George, former patron saint of Saint-Paul, was demolished to
make way for François I's ramparts, St George's alter was transferred
to the Chapelle de Notre Dame de la Gardette, hence its alternative
name. The chapel is also known as Notre Dame de la Pitié. Opposite
the entrance stands an imposing wayside cross dated 1702. Between 1926
and 1930, Germaine Laporte and Marthe Larcher painted frescos in the
chapel depicting scenes from the life of Mary. They are set against
the landscape of Saint-Paul and were inspired by visits from Anne Catherine
Emmerick (a German mystical nun).
The Fondation Maeght building - 20th-century
heritage :
When Joseph Lluis Sert drew up the plans
for the Fondation Maeght, he aimed to adapt a functional building to
a natural setting & to settle a museum in the midst of nature.
The pitch of the land, peppered with trees,
was painstakingly respected; rooms were set at different levels to avoid
monotony. Simple materials were favoured: stone extracted from the hills
was used for boundary walls and retaining walls, raw concrete was left
bare and pink bricks were shaped by hand and baked in a wood fire in
the local tradition. The huge impluvia that top the construction and
add a lightweight feel to its appearance are used to gather rain water.
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