Pre-trip work!

 April 4, 2025    Our first look around Vence, France.

Vence, France is a city with a history of more than 2000 years.  The historic part of Vence is surrounded by a 13th century city wall that has preserved the medieval housing within. Here is a link if you want to read more about it. Our Airbnb is just outside the wall, a five minute walk away.

More details on Vence

Here are our first pictures from our recon outing. 

First priority, find a bakery/coffee shop. Check! (The white football is meringue.)

Play cards between bakery and walk about town.

Tiny streets of historic Vence.

See picture below:

The current fountain was erected in 1822 on the site of a previous fountain that dated back to 1578. Up until 1882 this fountain was one of only three sources of drinking water in Vence. The other two being the Fontaine Vieille (Old Fountain) and the Basse Fountain (Low Fountain). The water you will find in the Peyra Fountain comes from the Foux, a famous spring on the outskirts of Vence that has been celebrated for centuries.

One of the entry points into the walled city.

Typical street

Lots of potted plants.

There are several public fountains.

American tourists!

The Cathedral of Vence:

This Cathedral is dedicated to “Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativité,” The Mother of Nativity. It dates back to the Roman era, the 11th and 12th century. It was built on the ruins of an ancient Merovingian church which was destroyed by the Sarrazins. The site originally housed a Pagan temple in ancient times and was dedicated to Mars or Cybèle. Inside the church you will find tombs and relics of Saint-Véran (from the 5th century) and Saint Lambert (from the 12th century). There are fragments of a Gallo-Romain sarcophagus and some Carolingian sculptures. Connected to the side of the Cathedral you’ll find the Saint Lambert tower which dates from the 12th century. You might think it’s part of the Cathedral, but in truth it’s not.

Cathedral entrance plus St. Lambert tower. Note the two panels on either side of the door and read on.

At the entrance to the Cathedral there are two stones, one on the left and one on the right. The stone on the left reproduces the dedication from the city of Vintium in honor of the Emperor Gordien the IIIrd. It dates back to the year 239. The stone on the right shows the dedication in honor of the Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Felix, also known as Elagabal. It was engraved in December 220.

We attended Mass at the Cathedral Saturday night. A parishioner asked us to read the intentions, we had to tell her we don't speak French, she smiled, spoke in English and said, no problem! 

That concludes our first cursory look at Vence, France.