Saint-Paul-de-Vence

Saint-Paul-de-Vence (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ pɔl də vɑ̃s], literally Saint-Paul of Vence; Occitan: Sant Pau de Vença; Italian: San Paolo di Venza) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France. One of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera, Saint-Paul-de-Vence is well known for its modern and contemporary art museums and galleries such as the Fondation Maeght, and for the 17th-century Saint Charles-Saint Claude chapel, which in 2012–2013 was decorated with murals by French artist Paul Conte.

Until 2011, the commune was officially called Saint-Paul.

Notable people

Saint-Paul-de-Vence has long been a haven of the famous, mostly due to the La Colombe d'Or hotel, whose former guests include Jean-Paul Sartre and Pablo Picasso. During the 1960s, the village was frequented by French actors Yves Montand, Simone Signoret and Lino Ventura, and poet Jacques Prévert.

Saint-Paul is also well known for the artists who have lived there, such as Jacques Raverat, Gwen Raverat and Marc Chagall and more recently the couple Bernard-Henri Lévy and Arielle Dombasle. Former Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman has a home there. American writer James Baldwin lived in Saint-Paul-de-Vence for 17 years until his death in 1987. British actor Donald Pleasence lived there until his death in 1995.

Former football player Vincenzo Rennella was born in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Actress and artist Rebecca Dayan was raised in a hotel there.

American comic actors Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner were married in Saint-Paul-de-Vence by its mayor on 18 September 1984.