La Colombe d’Or: a hotel in the heart of Provence that holds a unique art collection
The hotel is located in the picturesque and historic Provencal village of Saint-Paul de Vence. It comprises 13 rooms, 12 suites, a beautiful terrace, a fine-dining restaurant and a swimming pool. The restaurant serves traditional local dishes and offers 70 seats in the main dining hall, 30 seats in a private room and 100 seats on the beautiful spacious garden terrace.
But from the first moment what you can experience there is the sophisticated artistic and the pleasant atmosphere of this very special place.
How an hotelier came to discover art
The owner of the building Paul and his wife Titine decided to take advantage of the growing popularity of this place and in the 1930’s they expanded its facilities. It was reopened under the name La Colombe d’Or as a hotel with a restaurant and 3 guest rooms. Its friendly atmosphere together with Paul’s profound interest in art attracted many well-known artists to the hotel and in short order its walls were soon covered with paintings. Artists were leaving them there as a repayment for their lodging or the hospitality that they enjoyed in the restaurant.
In 1940, the south of France became a “free zone” and a number of famous thinkers and artists started to move to the Cote d'Azur. The place where they then liked to regularly and often meet was this already renowned restaurant with accommodation - La Colombe d’Or.
La Colombe d’Or; a matter of the heart
Slowly the hotel was expanding and a new façade was built using stone from the ancient Aix-en-Provence Castle and Architect Jacques Couelle designed a fireplace that became covered with the handprints of the people who had collaborated with him in the construction. At the end of the war new visitors started coming to La Colombe d’Or while new friendships were being created there.
After Paul and his wife had run the hotel it was taken over by his son Francis and his Danish wife and they continued together in the footsteps of Francis’s parents. The art collection grew gradually right up to the present day. The latest work is a large ceramic sculpture by the Irish artist Sean Scully that is located alongside the pool.
Hotel full of art
You can admire paintings by Picasso and Matisse in the restaurant and in the hotel. There is also the work of the Franco-Russian artist Marc Chegall and painter and sculptor Fernand Léger. One of the unique mobile sculptures of Alexander Calder lies in the outdoor pool area. Georges Braque, who was co-founder of cubism with Picasso, has also some of his art here.
You will not find another similar hotel in the entire area of Provence. Furnishing of the hotel is simple and it refers both to the local folk-style and to the glorious history of the area. While the use of natural materials that excel in regard to their precision craft processing together with the valuable artworks that are everywhere around act as balm for the soul.
