Saint Paul Old town of Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Fondation Maillot. Sights from the Golden Dove to the present day

Conducted by Ekaterina Istomina

On March 28, 1985, Marc Chagall, who sincerely loved this small town, died in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. At the beginning of the 20th century, Léger, Miro, Matisse, Picasso and Braque lived here. In 2003, an exhibition of Russian avant-garde was held here, and, as Liberation wrote then, “it featured 150 paintings by the largest representatives of the Russian avant-garde from 1908 to 1930.” But don’t think that Saint-Paul-de-Vence is some kind of luxurious artistic place.

The town of Saint-Paul de Vence, often called a village, is located in a triangle between Grasse, Cannes and Nice, in the depths of the French Riviera, 30 minutes from the sea by car (15 minutes from Cote d airport `Azure). This is a true provincial hole, a small medieval town, which, having survived to this day, very wisely did not want to change - there are cafes of the 16th century, ceramic workshops and souvenir shops of the 15th century, cars are not allowed here. Saint-Paul-de-Vence is an authentic Middle Ages village like the village of Eze, near Monaco.

If you try to count all the houses in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, you will get somewhere around 50 stone buildings - low-rise, with crookedly cut windows, narrow doors. It is difficult to call them houses in the modern sense of the word, and it would be wrong to divide them into separate buildings. They have grown together a long time ago. As in the Middle Ages, distances are measured here not by individual houses, but by entire streets, of which five have accumulated in Saint-Paul-de-Vence over the centuries. Saint-Paul-de-Vence is somewhat similar to a shell overgrown with other shells, younger and smaller. Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a town as old as a turtle, as sedentary, but alive as a single organism.

The town stands on a hill surrounded by a pine grove, which smells hot when the sun hits the trees. The first buildings here date back to the 12th century, in other words, by the standards of homegrown Provence, Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a very young city, a new building. At first there was a tower on the hill, then the tower was surrounded by a fortress wall, it was destroyed, but the holes in the walls were plugged with new stones - and now you can see how medieval masons “darned” the fortifications. The construction heyday of Saint-Paul-de-Vence dates back to the reign of Francis I, a respected king in France, who waged bloody wars in Provence (including with the Grimaldi rulers of Monaco), and after winning, he ordered the destroyed province to be rebuilt. Thus, the residential center of Saint-Paul-de-Vence was the work of the masons of Francis I, and since then the houses have hardly been rebuilt. Under Francis, a new fortress wall was also built, beyond which the city has never gone beyond, which is why Saint-Paul-de-Vence is also called not only a village, but also a fortified city.

The style of Francis I is a mixture of rustic Provençal and Genoese. And this is Feng Shui - there is always water in the form of fountains (stone flowerpots, bowls and even lion faces), there are flowers and trees - in flowerpots or wooden tubs. More modern buildings, erected after Francis I, were built under the hill, but they also look like shell antiquity - a small market, two pharmacies, a bank.

Try living in a medieval house for a day - a great adventure. There are two hotels in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the oldest is called Hotel Le Saint-Paul. It is located on Grande Street, which means Central. The fact that this is a large and serious street can be judged by the fact that not two people, but three can pass on it (along other streets of the fortress city, even two can hardly pass). Hotel Le Saint-Paul in the distant past was an ordinary inn with a ceramic shop, and in the 16th century, this courtyard was bought by a bourgeois who got rich in the production of olive oil and turned it into his own city house. It is difficult to say why this bourgeois did not rebuild it at all - there is not a trace of the French bourgeoisism we know here.

Medieval people were shorter, but also plumper than us. Having settled at Hotel Le Saint-Paul, we realized that medieval Europeans were very tiny: where a family lived, today even one person can hardly turn around. Hotel Le Saint-Paul is a stone labyrinth, a hive, where instead of honeycombs there are hotel rooms with walls made of limestone fragments and undersized iron furniture.

The second hotel is world famous - “Golden Dove” (Hotel de la Colombe d`Or) with a restaurant of the same name. This is one of the most famous hotels on the Cote d'Azur, but in appearance it is a simple village tavern. The wedding of Yves Montand and Simone Signoret took place at the Golden Dove, and on the walls of the hotel there are many black and white photographs confirming this fact: Montand with a cigarette, Signoret with a scarf around his neck and a glass of white wine. Opposite the hotel they still play boules, or rather petanque, as Montand played here many years ago.

But much earlier, in the 1920s, the Golden Dove had one wonderful owner, his name was Paul Roux. A sublime, enthusiastic and in many ways progressive nature, this Monsieur Roux was absolutely delighted with the avant-garde and tried to paint himself - Pablo Picasso suggested him to do this, most likely for the sake of a joke. Paul Roux was unable to draw the way he wanted. But failures did not embitter him; Paul Roux wanted to see and hear artists in his own home, in his “Golden Dove,” and became a long-term friend, assistant and interlocutor for many of them. Braque, Matisse, Picasso, Robert and Sophie Delaunay, Léger were guests in Roux's house. They left paintings here, just like that, just as a gift to the owner, and so gradually the hotel and tavern turned into a worthy art gallery. Paintings by great masters quietly adorned the walls of the lobby and restaurant. Unfortunately, the “Golden Dove” was mercilessly looted 20 years ago; however, all the paintings were later found, but now you cannot enter a hotel or restaurant without a prior reservation. Jacques Prévert, François Truffaut, Brigitte Bardot, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Romy Schneider - all these people visited the Golden Dove more than once, leaving noisy villas and secular hotels of the brilliant French Riviera for it.

There are also real museums in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. This is a charming museum of musical instruments, which will be more fun than a similar museum in Vienna (it is located next to the Golden Dove). But on the other side of the hill, in a pine grove, in 1964 a foundation museum of modern art, also known as the Maeght Foundation (La Fondation Maeght), was built. It was built by the architect Louis Ser, the interior design was done by Miro and Braque, and the wall mosaic panel was made by Chagall - the great artist lived here for almost three decades. Marc Chagall is buried in the local cemetery of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, located outside the South Gate.

You can't come to Nice on holiday without visiting Saint-Paul-de-Vence, a small, picturesque village located just a few kilometers from the city. This village is a real, living work of art, where every street has its own charm.

A little history

The settlement was founded in the 8th century by settlers from the coast. People living on the shore were subject to constant raids by the Saracens, they were forced to flee to the mountains, where they founded new fortified villages, Saint-Paul-de-Vence became one of them. Many years later, when the settlement became part of France, by order of King Francis 1, the outpost acquired a stone wall and was recognized as an important strategic site. Perhaps this town would have remained an ordinary outpost if famous artists of the 20th century had not fallen in love with it. Artists from all over France came here in droves, trying to find their inspiration here.

All these celebrities stayed at the only hotel with the unusual name “Golden Dove”. Many guests paid for their shelter with their original works. Now the hotel has turned into a real gallery. Here you can see works by such famous artists as Picasso, Modigliani, Dufy, Bonnard, Chagall. The last of them loved this place so much that he lived here for the remaining years of his life and was buried in the local cemetery. Over the years, the popularity of this picturesque town has only grown, and now you can meet celebrities from all over the world here.

Attractions

The entire village consists of houses from the 16th to 18th centuries, each of them is a piece of history in itself. Now these buildings house artists' workshops and art galleries dedicated to various artists.

Arcachon France

In the squares of Saint-Paul-de-Vence you can see various sculptures by famous masters, one of them is an authentic copy of “The Thinker” made by Rodin himself. The original sculpture is kept in the Rodin Museum in Paris.

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Guide to Paris and France

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Outside the city there is a pine grove in which the Mayo Foundation is located. This building is a real architectural masterpiece; it was built by the Catalan architect José Luis Sertom. They also like to call it “The Louvre on the Cote d'Azur”. This gallery contains paintings by artists who worked in the 20th century.

Within the city limits there is the world-famous Golden Dove Hotel. The hotel has thirty rooms and twenty apartments. Famous artists, actors, poets and writers constantly stay here. At one time, Alain Delon, Sophia Loren, Brigitte Bardot and many others stayed there.

Where to go in Saint-Paul-de-Vence?

This small town is very popular with tourists, so in order to avoid standing in traffic jams for hours and not to participate in the crush on public transport, it is best to come here early in the morning. The city has several observation platforms from which you can admire the beauty of the Alpes-Maritimes and the Provence Valley.

The settlement is full of various restaurants and cafes, each of which allows you to touch art and get inspired. But don’t be fooled; no one here will die of starvation. People here love to cook not only beautiful, but also delicious dishes. The favorite delicacy of the residents of this town is sea bass with fennel (stuffed fish baked on the grill). When talking about food, one cannot fail to mention la porchetta (roasted suckling pig) and panis (chickpea flour dough fried until golden brown).

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Guide to Paris and France

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Drink lovers simply must visit the wine cellar in the very center of the city. It was built back in the 14th century and houses the largest collection of Provençal wines. Here you can try the best vintage wines from all over France or buy them as a souvenir.

Holidays

No self-respecting city can do without themed holidays; there are more than 15 in Saint-Paul-de-Vanstuches. The most interesting of them:

Christmas market in December;
chestnut festival in October;
cultural heritage day in September;
Saint Clare's Day in August;
Provençal pentak competition and ball in July;
outdoor festival in summer;
Saint Jacques's Day in June;
Poets Day in March;
exhibitions at the Fondation Mayo gallery in winter and summer.

Le Havre France

During the holidays, it is almost impossible to find a hotel room, so it is better to stay overnight in Nice. And in the morning you can go to a holiday; you can get to the village in just an hour. All events amaze guests with their diversity and rich program.

Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a small, pretty medieval town in the Alps, of which we had somewhat different impressions. But before going to the mountains, we drove around the outskirts of Cannes a little more.

Content:

Tanya writes the reports here, and I just supplement the text with inserts in green italics.

6. Saint-Paul-de-Vence

The morning in Cannes began again with the sea. It was so warm and wonderful that more than once I later regretted that I had succumbed to Serezha’s persuasion in the afternoon, instead of the beach, to go to the mountain village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence.

In Cannes, we also had a few attractions left, so for lunch we went to the Grand Jas cemetery, where the first burials date back to 1866 and, in addition, several famous people are buried. Unfortunately, at the entrance there is no map with the names of those buried, as, for example, there was one in the cemetery near the Church of Peter and Paul, where Kafka is buried. Therefore, we did not find any of the famous personalities - neither the jeweler Carl Faberge, nor the writer Prosper Merimee, nor Olga Ruiz-Picasso - the first wife of the famous artist, nor the pilot Nikolai Popov, who was the first to fly over the Lerenes Islands in 1910, nor the microbiologist Louis Pasteur, who proposed pasteurization technology.

But we noticed how many centenarians are buried here. Every tenth person lived more than ninety years, and several people lived more than a hundred. Probably, the opportunity to live in comfortable conditions still affects life expectancy.

Well, Grand Jas is an ordinary European cemetery that is nothing special.

In the Grand Jas area, Cannes is similar to your average southern European city. Here you don’t feel that literally a kilometer away the streets are lined with expensive restaurants and hotels. On the contrary, we had difficulty finding where to have lunch. It turned out to be a cheap pizzeria run by Arabs. The taste of the pizza corresponded to the few euros we paid for it - to be honest, we were not delighted.

And after lunch, we went to see the villa of the popular French fashion designer Pierre Cardin. It is also called the Bubble Palace and looks amazing in the photographs. We typed “Boulevard de l"Esterel, 33” into the navigator and arrived in the wrong place, because we needed to go to a neighboring village called Théoule-sur-Mer, and we ended up on a boulevard with the same name in Cannes. And, of course , we didn’t see anything unusual, except for a large white cat posing for us from the window of one of the houses.

As we found out later, Pierre Cardin's villa is located at 33 Boulevard de l'Esterel 06590 Théoule-sur-Me, coordinates N43.488579, E6.943510.

But there was nothing to do, so we went to Saint-Paul-de-Vence. The drive from Cannes took us only 50 minutes and was quite nice.

Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a medieval village located on a mountain, which became famous largely due to the fact that in the 20th century it was chosen by such personalities as Modigliani, Chagall and Picasso. Thanks to them, Saint-Paul-de-Vence has become a cult destination for fans of fine art and a must-see for celebrities visiting Provence. Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Sartre, and many others have been here.

Now it's just a cute little town consisting of several streets, which somehow reminded me of San Marino. There is everything here for tourists - an atmosphere of comfort, preserved and restored medieval squares with fountains, chapels and stone facades, hundreds of restaurants and coffee shops, shops with souvenirs, paintings, wine and jewelry.

Our acquaintance with Saint-Paul-de-Vence began with unusual sculptures. Blue women, pink elephants, robot cats - they are everywhere here.

Having parked the car in a paid parking lot (2.5 hours cost us 9 euros), we walked along the fortress wall to the cemetery. The fortress walls of Saint-Paul-de-Vence were built in the mid-16th century, they form a ring only 1 km long - you can imagine the size of the village. This is one of the first bastions of France.

The Saint-Paul-de-Vence cemetery is interesting because Marc Chagall, who lived here for the last twenty years of his life, is buried there.

There is also a Collegiate Church, the construction of which lasted from the 14th to the 18th centuries. She's very pretty on the inside.

But the main attractions of Saint-Paul-de-Vence are, of course, its streets, where you want to wander without any maps, just admiring the stone facades, small galleries, stopping at the windows of cozy shops, inhaling the smell of coffee and pancakes frying in numerous pancake shops .

We went into one of these shops and bought a lot of memorable and useful little things - several sets of Provençal herbs, eau de toilette from the perfumery capital of Grasse, olives and lavender honey, tomato-basil sauce. We also found a wine cellar where we bought alcohol, which we read about in the same book “Provence from A to Z” - pastis and muscat wine Beaumes-de-Venise, which really turned out to be one of the most delicious we tried. But it costs accordingly - 14 euros for a 0.375 liter bottle.

We had lunch there, in a pancake shop located under the arch of one of the houses. They made my little dream come true - to eat pancakes in a cozy, atmospheric place in France.

The town is literally filled with little cute details. The gaze stops either at a very nice mailbox, or at beautiful antique vases displayed on the windowsill for everyone to see, or at an unusual sculpture in the depths of the courtyard of some house. All this creates the atmosphere of such towns and villages, and that is why I want to return to them again and again.

And on the way back to the parking lot, we watched men - older and not so old - play the national French game of petanque, the meaning of which is that players of two teams take turns throwing metal balls, trying to place their ball as close as possible next to a small wooden ball , called a cochonette (from the French word for “pig”). In this case, the metal ball can hit the jack or knock down the opponent’s ball in order to push him away. The main thing is that at the end of the game one or more team balls are closer to the jack than the opponent’s balls. For each such ball, one point is awarded.

Before the cold weather sets in, we often play petanque at work during our lunch break. I can honestly say that despite the apparent simplicity of the game, the process is incredibly exciting!

Overall, Saint-Paul-de-Vence certainly left a positive impression. But since I had already seen similar villages, I was not very interested, and I would have preferred to spend this day on the beach. But if you've never seen anything like it, it's definitely worth a trip.

And I really like these medieval villages, even though I have also been to similar places more than once. There's something about them. Cozy and soulful.

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We were moving to Provence from Northern Italy, through Genoa, an overnight stay on the first day was planned near the Verdon Gorge, so according to the map it was ideal for us to stop by the famous town of Saint-Paul-De-Vence. This town is one of the most visited on the Cote d'Azur, located very close to Nice. Surrounded by a 16th-century fortress wall, the city lives its own life, unlike other cities. Medieval streets, of which there are very few in the city, form a kind of pilgrimage route through the city’s numerous art galleries. Modigliani, Picasso, Soutine, Matisse, Cocteau, Colette, Sartre, Yves Montand and Garbo, Sophia Loren and Alain Delon at one time lived in this picturesque fortress.

In the city of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France

To begin with, I’ll immediately warn you that the city is very, very small, and there are very, very many tourists who want to see it. It was the only city in Provence where there were crowds of tourists even without a market. But there is good multi-level parking at the entrance. And in the city itself, try to turn from the main street onto secondary streets, and often there will not be a single person there! The soul of tourists is mysterious, they all walk in the same crowds, without turning anywhere.

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There are very interesting signs in the city.

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Lots of interesting details.

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The city is located on a hill with amazing views!

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Probably, places in this cemetery are expensive.

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The impressive facades of the buildings on the main street date back to the 16th-18th centuries. Now all the streets inside the Old Town are pedestrian. The most important thing is that you are not walking through faceless ruins, everything has been very carefully restored, well organized and planned. And the mountain air is clean and transparent.

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At the beginning of the last century, the town remained very secluded, an ideal place for creativity, truly a paradise, far from the bustle of the city. Artists took a fancy to it at the beginning of the last century and created their own creative center here. Echoes of that time are an incredible number of galleries that still exist today.

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Since ancient times, Saint-Paul-de-Vence has attracted attention for its excellent strategic position. The Celts and Ligurians were the first to choose these places. Then, about a hundred years before our era, the Romans, by the right of the mighty, ousted them. At the beginning of Christianity, the fortified town bore the long name Castrum Sancti Pauli, literally: the fortress of St. Paul. In 1537, King Francis I, recognizing the military importance of the city, ordered the fortifications to be expanded. This is understandable, because the fortress was located right at the borders of his empire. It’s strange, of course, but it’s a historical fact: the entire territory stretching south, right up to the Mediterranean Sea, including even the city of Nice, previously did not belong to France at all. It became part of the country only in 1860. And before that, the places adjacent to Saint-Paul-de-Vence were the possessions of either the kingdom of Sardinia, or the county of Piedmont, or belonged to the Savoy ducal dynasty. All these feudal states have faded into oblivion, and Saint-Paul, once just a border post, has recently found new life and is still blooming today.

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Until the middle of the 17th century, Saint-Paul developed and grew rich. It was given an enviable title at that time - "Ville Royale", which meant - a city under the direct control of the French king. The city was already promised a great future. But in 1746, disaster struck - it was captured by the Austrians. Many buildings were destroyed. The industrious population restored most of the houses, but since then the city's importance has noticeably and steadily declined. What can you do - times are changing, feudal duties are history, and the city no longer controls strategic roads, as it was before. They were laid in other places. And in trade it was clearly inferior to the new settlements that had formed in the valleys and along the coast. The once significant city on the rock is, if not completely forgotten, then at least not taken seriously anymore, and the authorities do not allocate money for reconstruction and repair. But here's the irony of fate! In the long term, this turned out to be even good, because the ancient architectural heritage remained untouched, as if preserved.

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Such miraculously preserved ancient, romantic surroundings attracted young, promising artists here at the very beginning of the 20th century. Since then, a new era of formation has begun for the town. They began to energetically arrange it, but very deliberately, so as not to disturb the ancient flavor. It took a lot of effort to preserve the great architectural heritage that miraculously survived to this day. Architects worked with historians and archaeologists to restore the ancient buildings, meticulously restoring and updating them using intelligent planning to preserve Saint-Paul as one of the most attractive places on the Côte d'Azur. Much credit goes to scientists from the Maeght Foundation and... the owners of the hotel-restaurant Colomb d'Or ("Golden Dove").

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It would seem, what do some innkeepers and shopkeepers have to do with it? Yes, this is an instructive story. The latter became rich under very interesting circumstances. The hotel and restaurant, located in a block of ancient buildings, was once a shelter for poor artists, many of whom paid for their shelter and food with their own creations, because they did not have enough money at that time. Among the survivors were masters who were recognized as geniuses only in the distant future. Can you imagine how much their works were then valued at? But not all masterpieces have gone on sale since then. To this day, the walls and garden of the establishment are decorated with works by Picasso, Braque, Miro, Matisse, Léger, Calder, Chagall and many others.

All this happened because the owner of the restaurant named Paul Roux, also an aspiring artist, had a kind heart and showed undoubtedly selfless concern for the starving artists and writers. His first clients were Pagnol, Giono, Prévert, Picasso and Chagall, who later became celebrities. The fame of the hotel owner's generosity grew every day. The number of clients grew, and with it the status of Colomb d'Or as a gastronomic temple of art. Being a regular there was considered prestigious. You could see celebrities there, and even be seen by them. Thanks to this, the restaurant and cafe were expanded, and the hotel was rebuilt for a larger number of rooms. That’s when the “Golden Dove” really became golden. It’s not without reason that they say that “you name a ship, that’s what it will sail.” The artists, the then inhabitants, who later became famous, never forgot either Saint-Paul-de-Vence or its hospitable city. hotel.Paul Roux died in the early 1950s a very rich, and more importantly, famous man. His heirs still maintain this business, only formally maintaining the tradition.

smarty_yulia
16/08/2013

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This is the most ancient city of the island.

Colonial mansions line the coast in a wide strip; the streets are saturated with the atmosphere of France, but at the same time the city has the flavor of a tropical island.

Saint-Paul is a unique African-European cocktail of emotions and impressions!

Climate and weather

The climate in Saint-Paul is the same as throughout Reunion - humid tropical. This means that in summer the temperature in Saint-Paul rises to +31 °C, and in winter it does not drop below +19 °C.

Not the most pleasant feature of the climate of this island is that it falls into the cyclone zone from December to April. This period is characterized by heavy rains and strong winds, with frequent storms.

Nature

Saint-Paul is located on the west coast of Reunion. The coastal zone consists of beaches and a riot of tropical vegetation, and then the mountainous terrain begins, since the island is of volcanic origin. Reunion has volcanoes, mountains, waterfalls, and mountain valleys with rivers and lakes.

Among the vegetation here you can find tamarind (this is an Indian date), bamboo, coconut palms, mango, lychee, bread, lemon and ebony trees. There are also more than 100 varieties of orchids and 240 species of ferns growing here.

The island is inhabited by wild boars, hedgehogs, rodents, and there are snakes, but they are not poisonous. Chameleons, snails and many varieties of butterflies also live here.

Previously, there were many relict forests on the island, and there were huge turtles. Now there are no forests or turtles. Today, other animal species are on the verge of extinction, so their numbers are controlled by local authorities.

Attractions

Saint-Paul is an interesting and colorful town. Previously, it was the capital of the island, where colonialists lived. Since then, colonial-style houses have remained in Saint-Paul.

There are many historical buildings along the seaside boulevard.

In the south of Saint-Paul there is a district Cimetière-Marty. Bright and well-groomed, it is perfect for walking. Wander through its streets and plunge into the past of this amazing city, with colonialists, merchants, merchants, and sailors. Cimetière-Marty is built up with interesting houses and estates that reflect the city's past.

Not far from this area is the largest cemetery Reunion. The Omen Pirate is buried here Olivier Levasseur. His burial place is indicated by a skull and crossbones.

He is considered the last of the Indian Ocean pirates. Levasseur was captured and executed in Saint-Paul in 1730, but there are still dreamers who believe that his treasures are hidden on the nearby islands.

Nutrition

Visit the island and not try the traditional local cuisine? This is impossible! Especially when there are such delicious dishes from the most caring chefs.

A lot of dishes here are prepared with seafood. In Saint-Paul you can try lobsters, barracuda, tuna, trout... And all this is cooked with rice, vegetables and even fruits!

In general, fruits are held in special esteem here: they are also added to dishes with pork and poultry. The food acquires a very original taste and aroma.

The local specialty rugai sauce is often added to food. It is made from lemons, pistachios and tomatoes.

People drink fresh juices and coffee in the city, which here has a very interesting aftertaste. For alcohol, try rum. In Reunion it is prepared not only with sugar cane, but also with herbs and fruits. Well, you can definitely try rum punch only here, so don’t miss this opportunity.

Accommodation

Hotels in Saint-Paul meet the highest standards. The service here is at the European level, and the prices are slightly higher. For example, for a double room you will have to pay 100-150 € per day. The most popular hotels in the city: Novotel St Gilles La Reunion, Hotel Blue Beach and Hotel Les Filaos.

All hotels offer guests a lot of entertainment: tennis, golf, gym, swimming pool, spa, massage, etc. There are rental shops for bicycles, scooters and water sports equipment near major hotels.

You can rent an apartment or villa on the coast. Their prices depend on the time of year and the size of the housing.

Entertainment and relaxation

The beaches of Saint-Paul are perfect for relaxation: there is a mixture of coral and volcanic sand.

The coast has excellent conditions for diving: coral reefs and underwater caves beckon with their beauty, and tropical fish are eager to play with you!

You can also enjoy surfing and other water sports here. If you do not have special equipment, then you can easily rent it. Rental points are available in most hotels. You can also hire an instructor there if you are a beginner.

Walking tours are popular among tourists. You can go explore the city or its surroundings, because the nature of Reunion is amazingly beautiful!

Saint-Paul hosts various national festivals and holidays. If you get the chance, watch an impromptu dance performance Sega. It is performed to music with songs. According to legend, this was how slaves were distracted from their hard work and everyday worries.

You can also relax in Saint-Paul in nightclubs and restaurants. They will be here for every taste.

Purchases

There are many shops and shopping centers in Saint-Paul. They work according to French rules. For example, their sales are strictly regulated: they start in February and last for at least 6 weeks.

In addition, you can also shop in city markets. The Saint-Paul markets are another unique attraction with a very special atmosphere. This is the best place to buy souvenirs and get to know the locals better.

To remember their trip to Saint-Paul, tourists usually bring figurines made of exotic trees and sea souvenirs. You can purchase handmade embroidery or perfumes. They also often buy high-quality local wine and rum.

Transport

The most convenient transport for moving around Saint-Paul is a car. Here, car rental companies come to the rescue of tourists. Renting a car is simple: you need to have an international driver's license and more than a year of driving experience, and you must be at least 21 years old.

Don't want to rent a car? Then you can use a taxi service. You can also rent a scooter or bicycle. Their rental points are located near many large hotels.

Buses run around the city. And from Saint-Paul to other cities of Reunion there are comfortable minibuses.

Connection

Russian mobile operators provide roaming services in Reunion. Communication here meets the standards GSM 900/1800. If desired, you can use the services of local operators. You can purchase a SIM card in stores or service centers of these operators.

You can make an international call from call centers, or you can order such a call from a hotel. However, the second option will cost you a little more.

There is an internet cafe in the center of Saint-Paul. In hotels and public places, tourists can use wi-fi.

Safety

Saint-Paul is characterized as a calm and safe city. Here you can walk the streets without worrying about your safety.

But still some precautions are necessary. For example, you should not buy food or water from street vendors: there is a high probability of catching an intestinal infection.

Before traveling to Saint-Paul, it is better to get all the necessary vaccinations: against diphtheria, hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus.

Business climate

The business climate on the island and in Saint-Paul is very favorable for investment. Tourism and the service sector are actively developing here. Thanks to economic support from France, industry is developing. True, there are also some disadvantages: the island’s economy is dependent on the French one.

The industry is aimed at export. The main products are rum, sugar, vanilla, essences and flavors.

The main trading partners are France and the EU countries, Madagascar, South Africa and the USA.

Real estate

Real estate in Saint-Denis can be purchased both for recreation and as an investment. Prices here are quite high: for a modest apartment you will have to pay at least 100,000 €. For a villa with a good view of the coast you will need to pay many times more.

You can purchase housing during the construction process - then the price will depend on the specific project.

But the real estate market in Saint-Paul has one peculiarity: prices are constantly rising.

It is prohibited to bring certain types of medicines into the city, as well as food.

Jewelry is subject to declaration.

Rare species of plants and animals cannot be exported from Reunion. Shells and seeds are subject to inspection when crossing the border.

Shops are open in Saint-Paul according to the following hours: from 9:00 to 18:00, with a lunch break from 12:00 to 15:00.

Tips for waiters are usually given in the amount of 5-10% of the bill, and for taxi drivers the amount is simply rounded up.

Insect bites on the island are not fatal, but very unpleasant, so to avoid ruining your vacation, it is better to use mosquito repellent.

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