Vence

"Vença" redirects here. Not to be confused with Venca.

Not to be confused with Venice.

Vence (French pronunciation: [vɑ̃s]; Occitan: Vença) is a commune set in the hills of the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France, north of Nice and Antibes on the Mediterranean coast.

Vence Vença (Occitan)
Commune
A view of Vence with the Mediterranean Sea in the background
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Vence
Vence Vence
Coordinates: 43°43′25″N 7°06′51″E
Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Alpes-Maritimes
Arrondissement	Grasse
Canton	Vence
Intercommunality	Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Régis Lebigre
Area 1	39.23 km2 (15.15 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	19,415
• Density	490/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Demonym	Vençois
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	06157 /06140
Elevation	40–1,033 m (131–3,389 ft) (avg. 325 m or 1,066 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Ecclesiastical history

The first known Bishop of Vence is Severus, bishop in 439 and perhaps as early as 419.

Among others are: Veranus, son of St. Eucherius, Archbishop of Lyon and a monk of Lérins, bishop before 451 and at least until 465; St. Lambert, first a Benedictine monk (died 1154); Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (1505–11).

Antoine Godeau, Bishop of Grasse, was named Bishop of Vence in 1638; the Holy See wished to unite the two dioceses. Meeting with opposition from the chapter and the clergy of Vence Godeau left Grasse in 1653, to remain Bishop of Vence, which see he held until 1672.

The diocese of Nice now unites the three former Dioceses of Nice, Grasse and Vence.

Demographics

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1968	9,420	—
1975	11,385	+2.74%
1982	13,119	+2.05%
1990	15,330	+1.97%
1999	16,982	+1.14%
2009	19,183	+1.23%
2014	18,536	−0.68%
2020	19,315	+0.69%
Source: INSEE

Sights

Within the historic village, a medieval walled village, there are numerous interesting sights and monuments. The Peyra Gate was remodelled in 1810. The fountain was rebuilt in 1822 replacing an older one dating from 1578. Nearby is an ash tree, donated by François I and planted in 1538. The castle is today the Fondation Émile Hugues, a modern and contemporary art museum. The cathedral was built in the 4th century on the site of a Roman temple. The stone of the western façade dates from 239. Another, on the right, was engraved in December 220. Other stones in the external walls represent funerary dedications. Also on the western side of the church, the Pierre du Tauroble evokes the cult of Cybele and also the Great mother of the Gods of Mount Ida. A chapel in the cathedral has a mosaic by Marc Chagall, dated 1979. The rue des Portiques is a section of the old Roman road.

The town has a small chapel, up above the Cité Historique Chapelle du Rosaire (1948, completed in 1951), decorated with stained glass and other fittings by Henri Matisse, who owned a home in the village towards the end of his life.

Vence is famous for its spring water, which can be collected from numerous fountains in the town.

Education

Nursery schools

• École Maternelle lei bigaradie
• École Maternelle du Signadour
• École Maternelle de l'ouest

Primary schools

• École primaire du Suve
• École primaire Saint-Michel
• École primaire Toreille
• École primaire Chagall
• École Célestin Freinet

Grammar school

• Collège La Sine

High school

• Lycée Henri Matisse

See also

• Vence Cathedral
• Saint-Paul-de-Vence
• Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department

External links

Media related to Vence at Wikimedia Commons

• Vence travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Pictures of Vence Cathedral: [1], [2]
• French language Wikipedia Article about Henri Calet
• French language Wikipedia Article about Émile Delavenay

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Diocese of Nice". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.