Chagall, Matisse, Picasso and their fellow painters came to Saint-Paul-de-Vence for the light. Paul Newman, Tony Curtis, Orson Welles and Brad Pitt went there to escape the hubbub of the Cannes Film Festival and hang out at the legendary artists’ haunt La Colombe d’Or. Actor Donald Pleasence and Rolling Stone Bill Wyman bought homes there, Gene Wilder chose it as the backdrop for his wedding to Gilda Radner, and this gorgeous hill village in the hinterland of the Cote d’Azur remains a magnet for creatives, celebrities and culture vultures.

They come for collectable art, views of the olive groves and the ocean beyond the ancient ramparts and a sprinkle of stardust available nowhere else in rural Provence.

Without the breathtaking vision of print-maker and dealer Aimé Maeght (pronounced Mag), Saint-Paul might have slipped into postwar obscurity. He spent the war years forging passports for Jews while escaping Gestapo spies, then after the war created a world-class museum, which this year celebrated its 60th anniversary. The Matisses, Bonnards, Chagalls, Miros, Braques, Calders and Giacomettis that are part of the permanent collection are worth the trip alone, and more than 200,000 people visit every year.

During the war it was Bonnard who urged Maeght to move inland from Nice, where he had allowed his printing presses to be used by the French Resistance under cover of a gallery opened in the city in the hope of keeping his clandestine activity hidden. When the Gestapo got wind of the ruse, the great post-Impressionist persuaded the dealer to hide out in the hills around Vence. That was where Maeght met Matisse. His wife Marguerite became a muse to the great artist.

Liberation saw the couple opening a lauded Paris gallery, setting up a famed art magazine and building one of the greatest private collections of 20th century modern art. But tragedy struck in 1953 when their second son, Bernard, died of leukaemia. A decade later they transformed their home high above Saint-Paul into a private art foundation to honour their beloved boy.

Perhaps Chagall was thinking of the Jews saved by Maeght’s forged papers when he created a huge mosaic for the exterior of the museum; he also donated a giant floor-to-ceiling canvas as a showpiece for the collection. Today Chagall, his second wife, Maeght and his wife all lie side by side in the cemetery of Saint-Paul de Vence, which all called their home for the final decades of their lives.

Looking every inch a purpose-built museum of modern art today, despite its original incarnation as a residence, Fondation Maeght requires the best part of a day to explore and enjoy, to take in a decent handful of its 13,000 masterpieces. Come in the morning to experience the sea breeze and land a table on the delightful terrace whose café served the best dish of my four-day trip – a plate of the deep-fried courgette flowers, a favourite local starter, here served with a green olive pesto swirled with a touch of lemony mayonnaise.

The galleries have recently been extended to display many more riches previously consigned to the vaults, and as both the permanent and temporary exhibitions are laid out over several rooms, it’s worth punctuating with a sit-down. An alfresco lunch here is so much more than a quick fuel stop, given its striking central fountain and expansive view of the beautiful sculpture garden leading to the galleries.

While the museum is easily reached by car from the Riviera beach resorts, art lovers will find a richer cultural perch in Saint-Paul-de-Vence proper, although tourists are deterred from soaking up the atmosphere of the Colombe d’Or where the famous have hung out for decades at the foot of the walled village.

No such preciousness is practised at the Café de la Place opposite, where back in the day artists chatted over coffee or drinks; it overlooks the town’s pétanque pitch, a small weekly market and an impressive metal sculpture, one of many that stop visitors in their tracks as they ascend the ramparts. You have to be brave as there are no guard rails, although there is also a less scary flat route through the village at their base, as well as a hilly pedestrianised street running through the middle, lined with shops and restaurants.

​Most intriguing of the boutiques is the gallery selling limited- edition cushions bearing designs by Picasso, Miro et al alongside Chagall posters and other affordable souvenirs of the artists who made the village famous. Close by is Chagall’s tomb in the cemetery, a must-see to pay respects by leaving a pebble or two.

There is only one hotel within the walled village – Le Saint-Paul, whose 16th-century stone townhouses have been carefully converted into a Relais & Chateaux hotel, which has a five-star designation. As Saint-Paul is not a resort, facilities such as a swimming pool, spa or even televisions are not present, and there is no step-free access from the street, although an interior lift serves guest rooms. Some suites have balconies, but otherwise outdoor space is limited to a tiny front terrace and a lovely outdoor restaurant, which offers breakfast and an enchanting – if pricy – alfresco option. We ate equally well at Les Remparts restaurant next door, which rewards those who can climb a few steep stone stairs with the town’s most stunning view over hills and olive groves to the not-so-distant Med less than ten miles down the hill. Sleeping in the village is the only way to truly appreciate the charm of Saint-Paul in high season, when throngs of day-trippers can disturb the peace until the magic hour when they disappear, the street lights gradually come on and the peaceful village can be appreciated with an evening stroll around the near-deserted golden stone walls. Staying at the hotel also means you are well-placed for the excellent guided walking tours put on by the tourist office, better enjoyed in the morning than the heat of the afternoon.

Highlights include a visit to the ornate fountain, once painted by Winston Churchill, from where a few steps lead to the top of the hill with its bell tower, village museum and most importantly the exquisite Folon Chapel, decorated in 2005 by artist Jean-Michel Folon in homage to the philanthropic brotherhood known as the Penitents Blancs. Its altar is a glowing golden mosaic, its niches are hand-painted, and the great conversation piece is a sculpture in the middle of the nave. Nearby, the best ice cream in town is at the Dolce Vita parlour perched on the summit of the hill.

Given that Nice is the international gateway to Saint-Paul-de- Vence, it’s worth stopping for a night in the city to take in the major museums dedicated to Chagall and Matisse, both on the same hilly main road to the Cimiez neighbourhood lined with astonishing belle époque villas.

In the same style, though much less grand, is the charming Hotel Villa Rivoli, built in 1890. You can book a stay through cultural specialist tour operator Kirker, which also works with the Hotel Saint-Paul and can arrange museum tickets in advance to beat the queues.

Visitors in the spring will enjoy early sunshine while Britain still shivers and have the village of Saint-Paul all to themselves before the summer day-trippers arrive to disturb the peace and magical ambience.

​

EasyJet serves Nice direct from many UK airports including London, Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh.

Culture specialist tour operator Kirker (kirkerholidays.com) offers three nights’ bed and breakfast at Le Saint-Paul for £1,325 per person including return flights from London to Nice, car hire and entrance to the Maeght Foundation, based on two people sharing  t