La Colombe d'Or

France
Europe

The Experience

Eighty years before art hotels became a global fashion, Paul Roux started a modest cafe in a 16-century house in the hills above the French Riviera. As the business grew into a successful auberge, Henri Matisse became a regular; Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, Jean Renoir and a dizzying array of painters, writers and film artists soon followed, turning the space into a salon and contributing original works in appreciation—or sometimes in exchange for a room. Today, the hotel boasts a breathtaking array of 20th century art—and a clientele whose affection for the place equals that of the artists who built it.

The Rooms

The entire hotel exudes a rustic, rough-hewn charm, its wood and stone construction a striking contrast to the modern art on display throughout. Rooms are unique and spotless, and the management has recently conceded to 21st-century communications needs. Room 25, which has a small terrace with a lovely view of the walled city, is a favorite.

The Service

Usually excellent, although this family-run hotel is nearly always full, despite zero advertising; word-of-mouth has kept them busy for three generations. The restaurant menu, updated daily, leans toward traditional Provencal cooking, with an eye toward the hotel's own rich history; the Plat Picasso, for example, isn't named to honor the artist—it's simply the dish he liked best.

The Highlights

The hotel is perched at the entrance to the village of St. Paul de Vence, a 14th-century hillside fortress in spectacular condition. Views from the ramparts are stunning, with both the Mediterranean and the Alps on view, and the twisting medieval passageways inside the walls are brimming with galleries, artists' studios, and several fine restaurants. Wonderful as that may be, you'll probably soon find yourself returning to the hotel, sitting in the restaurant (looking up at Picassos and Klees) or lounging by the pool (flanked by originals from Calder and Braque), contemplating the sheer density of genius that has thrived here—and perhaps hoping that some of it might rub off.

 

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