The Cemetery of Saint-Paul de Vence

Beautiful landscaped cemetery in Saint-Paul de Vence

The cemetery of Saint-Paul de Vence was built in the old medieval district of Puy in the 16th century and the presence of Marc Chagall especially attracts the tourists.

The Puy Plateau, on which the present cemetery is located, is the original core of the urban area (between the year 1000 and the beginning of the 12th century). At that time, a habitat was probably built around the Church of Saint Michel, the existence of which is attested back to the middle of the 14th century.

In addition to its religious function, this church was the place where representatives of the community gathered to make major decisions, as evidenced by an archival document dated from 1356. The current chapel Michel dates from the 16th century and was built on the foundations of the original church by Francois 1er.

The tombs of the famous

Among the personalities buried in Saint-Paul Cemetery, Marc Chagall occupies a special place since living in the village from 1966 to 1985. For almost 20 years, he painted countless landscapes in Saint-Paul de Vence in his workshop, in which lovers, goats and roosters hover over the village and the ramparts in the scent of huge bouquets of flowers.

On the second plateau of the cemetery, Aimé and Marguerite Maeght rest with their son Bernard, who died at the age of just 11 years. They were the founders of the famous art museum Fondation Maeght, located here in Saint-Paul de Vence.

The famous French chef and writer Georges Auguste Escoffier is also buried here. He almost single-handedly revolutionized the operation of restaurants in France, and has his own museum in Villenueve-Loubet.

By Tommy Sverre – 2023