Circuit of the fortifications and the Henri Layet trail
The quickest way to understand Saint-Paul: a loop under the Renaissance walls, with open views over vines and hills and the village's history told panel by panel.
Photo: Office de Tourisme de Saint-Paul de Vence / A. Thiebaut
Distance
1.1 km
Time
25 minutes
Difficulty
For walkers of all levels
Start
Place de Gaulle (the pétanque square) – take the path at the foot of the Bastion du Dauphin, to the right as you face the ramparts
Past
The bastioned walls built for François I in the 1540s, a Monument Historique since 1945, Two hectares of vines on terraces and orange trees below the walls, The cemetery where Marc Chagall and Aimé and Marguerite Maeght are buried, La Plateforme bastion, its corner stone carved with the date 1707, Place de la Courtine and the Henri Layet trail panels (with NFC chips for multimedia)
Season
All year (Côte d'Azur France listing). Bring water and proper shoes; check the weather (walkers' code on the itinerary sheet).
With children
Short and suitable for all levels; the tourist office's own photos show families with children on the path. No source covers pushchairs or wheelchairs.