La Colombe d'Or, Saint-Paul-de-Vence

La Colombe d'Or in Saint-Paul-de-Vence is one of the most celebrated inn-restaurants in France, operating since 1920 from a sixteenth-century Provençal farmhouse at the entrance to the medieval walled village. Its distinction lies not primarily in the food — which is excellent but not the primary reason for the pilgrimage — but in the collection of original artworks that line the dining room walls, the product of a policy begun by owner Paul Roux of accepting paintings in exchange for meals from artists who frequented Saint-Paul in the mid-twentieth century. Works by Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Joan Miró, and Alexander Calder hang in the dining room and terraces as if they were family pictures rather than museum pieces, creating the most extraordinary art-in-dining environment in Provence. The terrace, set beside a swimming pool on the medieval village walls, looks across the Provençal hills toward the coast. The menu is classic Provençal-French: grilled lamb from Sisteron prepared with herbs, bouillabaisse niçoise, and a lemon tart made with Riviera citrus as the standard dessert. The room is formal in dress but warm in atmosphere; the regulars include the art world, the film industry, and European families who have been returning for generations. Reservations should be made two to four weeks ahead in summer; winter visits are quieter but require confirming the hotel is open in the desired window. The restaurant closes December through February.