The Colombe d'Or restaurant in St Paul de Vence, France, is a famous old French restaurant that has welcomed a whole host of famous diners during its 95 year history. La Colombe d'Or restaurant was opened by Paul Roux and his wife Titine in 1920 as a fairly humble café bar. Its main distinction, was that it had a large open terrace, where people would come at the weekends from the neighbouring villages to dance. Eventually, the cafe-bar was transformed into a small hotel. At the time it only had 3 rooms and even today, there are just 13 rooms.

What made La Colombe d'Or distinct was Paul Roux's passion for art. He cultivated friendships with many local artists, many of whom contributed art works to be displayed in the restaurant (including a piece by Picasso). Later on, artists have decorated various parts of the hotel, including the famous Irish artist, Sean Scully, who has created a large ceramic in the swimming pool area.

During the 1950's, La Colombe d'Or restaurant attracted a loyal following from artists and actors, such as Picasso, Marc Chagall, Henri Matisse, the Spanish artist, Joan Miro; the French film star, Yves Montand and the American sculptor, Alexander Calder. Yves Montand married his bride, the film actress Simone Signoret, at La Colombe d'Or in 1951.

 

La Colombe d'Or St Paul de Vence restaurant, France

Since the 1950's La Colombe d'Or restaurant has continued welcome a whole series of famous visitors. The actors Roger Moore and Michael Caine were regular diners; as was Marlon Barndo, the American singer, Harry Belafonte; U2 frontman, Bono; Victoria and David Beckham, Elton John, Jack Nicholson, Madonna, Sting, Bill Wyman from the Rolling Stones; the American actress, Lynsey Lohan,  to collect art since the 1950's and this restaurant in St Paul de Vence continues to be the coolest place to hang out on the French Riviera. The Roux family continues to run the Colombe d'Or hotel.

The Hotel is located on the edge of St-Paul de Vence and prices for the rooms varies between €250 to €430 (depending on the season and size of the room).

 

Colombe d'Or restaurant St Paul de Vence

The food at the Colombe d'Or is traditional French cuisine, with a Mediterranean feel. The main restaurant seats approximately seventy people, with space for a further thirty people in a private dining room. During the summer the beautiful garden terrace can accommodate one hundred diners.

You can find La Colombe d'Or restaurant at Place du Général de Gaulle, 06800 Vence, France. For reservations call 33 4 93 32 80 02.

 

 

 

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Where to next . . . ?

If you are visiting the South of France this summer, then get the inside track on the best Places to see & visit in the South of France in 2026 (written by people who live in Southern France all year around). Read about the best restaurants to eat at, get local information on the best beaches to visit and discover the best tourist sites, markets and festivals to see during your stay.

 

Best beaches in South France Find the best beaches in South France to visit during 2026. From glitzy private beach clubs on the French Riviera to the long sandy beaches on the Languedoc coast.	Best restaurants South France Discover our favourite restaurants to eat at in South France from Michelin star restaurants to beach restaurants and local restaurants where you can still enjoy a Plat de Jour for €13 euros.
Best festivals in South France  The summer comes alive in the South of France with crazy festivals. Discover everything from large music festivals to local festivals celebrating the humble apricot and Water Jousting!	Best markets in South of France Search out the best local markets to visit during your stay in the South of France this summer. We cover everything from local village markets to antique fairs and truffle markets in Provence.
Villas with private pools in South France Book a villa in the South of France for this summer through Go Languedoc and avoid all the hefty additional bookings fees of Airbnb, VRBO and Booking.com.	Best tourist sites to visit in South France in 2026 Read about the best tourist sites to visit during 2026. Our articles cover Provence, the French Riviera and the old Languedoc region of Southern France.

 

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