commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
set in the hills of the
Alpes Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes (; oc, Aups Maritims; it, Alpi Marittime, "Maritime Alps") is a department of France located in the country's southeast corner, on the Italian border and Mediterranean coast. Part of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, it ...
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (; or , ; commonly shortened to PACA; en, Provence-Alps-French Riviera, italic=yes; also branded as Région Sud) is one of the eighteen administrative regions of France, the far southeastern on the mainland. Its pref ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics ( physical geography), human impact characteristics ( human geography), and the interaction of humanity an ...
in southeastern
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, north of
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard dialect, Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department in France. The Nice urban unit, agg ...
Bishop of Vence
The former French Catholic diocese of Vence existed until the French Revolution. Its see was at Vence in Provence, in the modern department of Alpes Maritimes.
After the Concordat of 1801, the territory of the diocese passed to the diocese of N ...
is Severus, bishop in 439 and perhaps as early as 419.
Among others are: Veranus, son of St. Eucherius,
Archbishop of Lyon
The Archdiocese of Lyon (Latin: ''Archidiœcesis Lugdunensis''; French: ''Archidiocèse de Lyon''), formerly the Archdiocese of Lyon–Vienne–Embrun, is a Latin Church metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. The Archbishops o ...
Antoine Godeau
Antoine Godeau (24 September 1605, in Dreux – 21 April 1672, in Vence) was a French bishop, poet and exegete. He is now known for his work of criticism ''Discours de la poésie chrétienne'' from 1633.
Biography
His verse-writing early won the ...
,
Bishop of Grasse
The former French Catholic diocese of Grasse was founded in the 4th or 5th century as the diocese of Antibes. It was originally suffragan to the Archbishop of Aix, and then to the Archbishop of Embrun. The see moved from Antibes to Grasse in 1244. ...
, 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.
Population
Sights
Within the historic village, a
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
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
Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once ...
and planted in 1538. The castle is today the Fondation
Émile Hugues
Émile Hugues (b. Vence, 7 April 1901 – d. Paris, 10 February 1966) was a French politician and government minister.
With a doctorate in law and by profession a notaire, Hugues was elected in 1946 as a Radical-Socialist ''député'' for the ...
, 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
Cybele ( ; Phrygian language, Phrygian: ''Matar Kubileya/Kubeleya'' "Kubileya/Kubeleya Mother", perhaps "Mountain Mother"; Lydian language, Lydian ''Kuvava''; el, Κυβέλη ''Kybele'', ''Kybebe'', ''Kybelis'') is an Anatolian mother godde ...
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.''Itinéraire découverte de la Cité Historique'', Office de Tourisme de Vence 2011
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
Henri Émile Benoît Matisse (; 31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954) was a French visual artist, known for both his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a drawing, draughtsman, printmaking, printmaker, and sculptur ...
, 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
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Primary schools
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Grammar school
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High school
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See also
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Vence Cathedral
Vence Cathedral (french: Cathédrale de la Nativité-de-Marie de Vence) is a Roman Catholic church located in the town of Vence, France. The former cathedral is a national monument.
The cathedral was previously the seat of the Bishopric of Vence ...