Vence · Saint-Paul-de-Vence · the baous
VTC in Vence: the old town, Matisse’s chapel and Saint-Paul
At the foot of the baous: a transfer to your door, or a half day that takes in Saint-Paul-de-Vence too, with no hunting for a parking space.
Rather talk? 06 25 03 03 20 · English, Italiano, Français
- Population
- 19,917 inhabitants
- Postcode
- 06140
- Nice airport
- 12.8 km as the crow flies
- Saint-Paul-de-Vence
- 3,203 inhabitants · 06570
Vence, the first town of the hills behind Nice
Vence is a town of almost 20,000 people set on a plateau at the foot of the baous, the limestone cliffs that close off the horizon north of Nice; you drive up from the coast through Cagnes-sur-Mer or through Saint-Paul-de-Vence.
As the crow flies, Vence is less than 13 km from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport and from the centre of Nice. By road, you have to cross the plain and then climb: that is the difference between the coast and the hinterland, and the reason visitors without a car come here less often than to Antibes or Monaco.
The results Google shows for “vtc vence” are almost all about Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the neighbouring village. Yet Vence is worth the trip in its own right: its medieval town, its Place du Peyra, and a chapel designed from start to finish by Henri Matisse.
A bishops’ town within its ramparts
For centuries Vence was the seat of a bishopric: the old town still has its ramparts, its gates, its former cathedral and its squares with fountains, all within an area you can cross on foot in a few minutes.
You enter the old town through its gates, among them the Porte du Peyra, which opens onto the square of the same name and its fountain beneath the plane trees. The former Cathedral of the Nativity of Mary stands at the centre, and the lanes lead from one shady square to the next, past workshops and café terraces.
For a visit, the simplest plan is to be dropped at one gate and picked up at another: Thierry waits on the boulevard that runs around the old town. For lunch in the old town, the restaurants page explains how to arrange the trip there and back.
The roads up to Vence from the coast
From Nice airport or the coast, you reach Vence through Cagnes-sur-Mer and La Colle-sur-Loup, through Saint-Paul-de-Vence, or through Saint-Laurent-du-Var and Saint-Jeannet; each road has its busy hours.
| Route | Via | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Via Cagnes-sur-Mer | La Colle-sur-Loup, then Vence | The most direct from the coast west of Nice |
| Via Saint-Paul-de-Vence | The foot of the village, then the climb | Busy at visiting times in high season |
| Via Saint-Jeannet | The Var plain, then the foot of the baous | More bends, lovely views |
Thierry chooses the road according to the time and the day; you are given the journey time when the ride is confirmed.
If you have a flight to catch, allow a wider margin than from Cagnes-sur-Mer or Villeneuve-Loubet: the road down to the Var plain and the airport gets busy at rush hour.
The medieval town: where Thierry drops you
The heart of Vence is a walled medieval town with pedestrian lanes: the car stops at the gates, and the visit is on foot.
| Place | What you’ll find | Drop-off |
|---|---|---|
| The medieval town | Place du Peyra and its fountain, the former cathedral, the lanes | At the town gates; the rest on foot |
| The Chapelle du Rosaire | Matisse’s chapel, on the road to Saint-Jeannet | In front of the entrance |
| The hills and the villas | Second homes along the lanes in the hills | At the gate: give us the lane and how to get in |
| Saint-Paul-de-Vence | The fortified village, the Fondation Maeght | At the foot of the ramparts, or in front of the Fondation |
Many of the houses in the hills above Vence are reached by narrow lanes, sometimes with no number visible from the road: the name of the lane, a landmark and the gate code save time at pickup.
The Chapelle du Rosaire, Matisse’s work in Vence
The Chapelle du Rosaire in Vence was designed and decorated by Henri Matisse from 1947 to 1951 for the Dominican sisters, from the architecture to the stained glass and the furniture; it was consecrated on 25 June 1951.
Matisse considered it his masterpiece. Inside are his blue, green and yellow stained-glass windows and his Stations of the Cross drawn in black on white tiles; outside, the blue-and-white tiled roof topped with a wrought-iron cross can be seen from the road.
The chapel is small and its visiting hours are limited: check them before you set the day. With a car, it pairs well with the Musée Matisse in Cimiez, in Nice, to follow the painter from one place to the other — see the museums page.
Vence and Saint-Paul-de-Vence in a half day, timed
With the four-hour half day from Driver, Let’s Go! (€320, 100 km included, tolls and parking included), you see Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the Fondation Maeght and the old town of Vence without ever looking for a parking space.
| Time | Stop | What you do there |
|---|---|---|
| 0 h | Leave from Nice or Antibes | Pickup at your hotel |
| About 30 min | Saint-Paul-de-Vence | Drop-off in front of the Fondation Maeght |
| 1 h 45 min | The village of Saint-Paul | Ramparts, lanes, a view of the sea |
| 2 h 30 min | Vence, the old town | Place du Peyra, the lanes |
| 3 h 15 min | The Chapelle du Rosaire | If it is open that day |
| 4 h | Return | Drop-off at your hotel, or at a table for lunch |
Times are a guide, to be adjusted to the season and the opening hours of each place. Booked more than 30 days ahead, the half day costs €288.
With an eight-hour day (€600), you can add lunch and the Musée Renoir in Cagnes-sur-Mer, or the castle in Haut-de-Cagnes, on the way back. The hourly hire page sets out the options.
Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the village next door
Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a separate commune of 3,203 inhabitants, just south of Vence: a fortified hilltop village, closed to traffic, and the Fondation Maeght, opened in 1964 among the pines.
It is one of the most visited sites in the hinterland, and the car parks at the foot of the ramparts fill up fast in high season. Arriving with a chauffeur, you get out at the entrance to the village and get back in at the same spot.
The two communes are side by side: you go from one to the other in a few minutes. A ride that starts in Saint-Paul and ends in Vence, or the other way round, is booked as a single half day.
The baous and the road over the Col de Vence
North of the town, the baous — the Baou des Blancs, the Baou de Saint-Jeannet — tower over Vence, and the road over the Col de Vence climbs towards the high plateaus of the hinterland.
These narrow, winding mountain roads offer the finest views of the coast, from Nice to Antibes. They are easy by car to reach a trailhead or for a scenic drive — provided you don’t have to drive back yourself.
For a family staying in Vence, a half day by the sea — a beach in Cagnes-sur-Mer, the harbour in Antibes — is the same road taken the other way.
How much a VTC costs in Vence
Vence is not one of the four fixed fares of Driver, Let’s Go!: a transfer to or from the airport is priced when you book, and a visit is done as hourly hire.
| What you need | Option | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Airport ⇄ Vence or Saint-Paul | Transfer | Given before the ride, depending on the address |
| Saint-Paul + Vence, from Nice | Half day · 4 h | €320 (€288 booked more than 30 days ahead) |
| Hinterland + lunch + Cagnes | Full day · 8 h | €600 (€540 booked more than 30 days ahead) |
| Dinner in Vence with a return after 7 pm | On quote | Ask when you book |
The competitors we looked at for “vtc vence” quote €55 to €85 for the airport, depending on the car class and the time. With Driver, Let’s Go!, the price is given for your exact address, and it does not change afterwards.
What Thierry checks before a ride in Vence
In the hinterland, a smooth pickup comes down to four details given when you book.
The lane and the gate
Up in the hills: the name of the lane, a landmark and the access code.
The exact commune
Vence, Saint-Paul-de-Vence or a neighbouring commune: the address sets the price.
Opening hours
Chapelle du Rosaire, Fondation Maeght: the order of visits is planned around their opening times.
The return time
Thierry drives from 7 am to 7 pm; later than that, on quote.
VTC in Vence: your questions
The questions that come up for rides to Vence and Saint-Paul-de-Vence.
How long does it take from Nice airport to Vence?
Vence is 12.8 km from the airport as the crow flies, but the road crosses the plain and then climbs. Thierry gives you the journey time and the price when he confirms the ride.
Can we see Vence and Saint-Paul-de-Vence on the same day?
Yes, the two communes are side by side. A 4-hour half day at €320 is enough for the Fondation Maeght, the village of Saint-Paul and the old town of Vence.
Is the Chapelle du Rosaire open every day?
No, its visiting hours are limited. Check them on the official website before you set the day; Thierry adjusts the order of the visits.
Can you pick up a guest from a villa in the hills?
Yes. Give us the name of the lane, a landmark and the gate code: many houses in the hills have no number visible from the road.
Can we have dinner in Saint-Paul-de-Vence and get back to Nice?
Yes, on quote: Thierry drives from 7 am to 7 pm, and a later return can be requested when you book, with the planned time.
Is there a child seat for the drive up to Vence?
Yes, a child seat or booster is fitted on request. Give the child’s age when you book.
The neighbouring towns, and the services
Cagnes-sur-Mer is at the bottom of the Vence road; Villeneuve-Loubet and Antibes are on the coast.
VTC in Cagnes-sur-MerHaut-de-Cagnes and the Musée Renoir, at the bottom of the road.Read the page 
VTC in Villeneuve-LoubetThe village, the Marina and the Musée Escoffier.Read the page 
Museums of the RivieraMatisse in Nice and in Vence, Maeght, Renoir, Picasso.Read the page 
The western loopCagnes, Saint-Paul, Vence and Antibes in one day.Read the page 
The whole area we serveThe five towns and the other destinations from Nice.Read the page
Vence, Saint-Paul, or both: tell us about your day.
A transfer to your address or a half day with a chauffeur: you get the price before you book.
Call 06 25 03 03 20Population, INSEE codes (Vence 06157, Saint-Paul-de-Vence 06128) and postcodes: French government Géo API (geo.api.gouv.fr), consulted on 27 October 2026. Straight-line distance calculated from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport. Chapelle du Rosaire: City of Vence website and Wikipedia (designed by Henri Matisse from 1947 to 1951, consecrated on 25 June 1951).