Saint-Paul-de-Vence changes completely at the end of the day. The coaches leave, the hurried visitors disappear, and the village returns to its own pace, its inhabitants, and its light. This is the best time to discover it, and it is at this time that Pierre will take you there.
Meet at the Café de la Place, at the entrance to the village. You'll start the tour at the Saint-Charles Saint-Claude Chapel, where one of the most beautiful panoramas of Saint-Paul-de-Vence awaits you. From up high, you can see the village bathed in the golden light of the low sun and the Mediterranean turning red in the distance. This is a moment to take your time, listen to Pierre recount the history of the village, and take your best photos.
You will then head back down through the narrow cobblestone streets. Pierre will take you past La Colombe d'Or, the legendary inn where Picasso and Matisse paid their bills with paintings. The Porte de Vence and its cannon welcome you at the entrance to the fortified city, before you walk along the 16th-century ramparts to the view of the Baous.
It is here, at an exceptional vantage point, that Pierre sets you up for a Provençal aperitif as the sun finishes its descent. Rosé de Provence, tapenade, olives and local cheese. You watch the light change, the Mediterranean turning from pink to orange, and you are exactly where you needed to be tonight.
You will then head back to Place de Gaulle to end the evening like the locals of Saint-Paul: with a game of pétanque on the court that runs along the entrance to the village. Pierre hands out the boules and explains the rules to you if you're not familiar with them. Each game ends with a friendly little competition, with a souvenir of Provence for the winner.