Hôtel la Colombe d’Or

La Colombe d’Or is located opposite the main square at the gates to the fortified town of Saint Paul de Vence. The hotel is attractive and elegant in its rustic ambiance: antiques, worn over the years to a warm patina, are placed on terra-cotta floors set under rough wooden beams before open fireplaces, walls are washed white and contrasted by heavy wooden doors. Throw pillows, wall hangings, and flower arrangements introduce colors of rusts, oranges, browns, and beiges. The hotel also boasts a fantastic collection of art. In the past, a number of now-famous painters paid for their meals with their talents—and now the walls are hung like a gallery and the reputation of the inn dictates that the value of the art complements the cuisine. The restaurant of La Colombe d’Or is both excellent and attractive. Dine either in the intimacy of a room warmed by a cozy fire or on the patio whose walls are draped with ivy at tables set under the shade of cream-colored umbrellas. In the evening, stars and candles illuminate the very romantic setting. After a day of sightseeing, return to La Colombe d’Or and enjoy its refreshing pool set against a backdrop of aging stone wall and greenery.