The Coolest Art Bars Around The Globe (II). La Colombe D'or, Saint Paul De Vence

There is no denying it, the art world and drinking go hand in hand. Artists and writers have always been drawn to bars, which is often a creative space.

So, it’s only natural that some bars would choose to feature art, as part of their very concept. It is a trend, especially in big or up and coming cities with a significant art scene. You can find great contemporary artworks, carefully chosen, shown in hip bars from London, New York or Paris, as well as from cities like Cluj-Napoca, Belgrade or Copenhagen.

Which seems extremely cool, as what better place to really enjoy an artwork and take it in, than a place where, by definition, you go to relax and free your mind of daily worries.

So, let’s take a look at the 10 most impressive art bars that we found so far. After Sketch London, today we go to the Côte d'Azur, to:

La Colombe d’Or (Saint Paul de Vence, France)

On our trip to the French Riviera we spent the first night in Cagnes sur Mer. Must admit we were somehow disappointed, since, although the old part has a certain charm, overall the town is far from spectacular. The following day we saw Nice and Cannes, beautiful cities, but surprisingly lacking the vibe we were expecting, based on all the stories we heard about the famous Côte d'Azur.

So we just drove around and randomly picked a place to spend the following night. It was called Saint Paul de Vence and we picked it out on a hunch more than anything else. Little did we know how many artists have been in love with this small town over time and how they left their mark.

But even without knowing the history, you could feel it in the air. There was something so special, a spirit that made the place alive and vibrant, almost out of this world.

The streets were narrow, charming and filled with art galleries. Never seen so many in one place. So, the posters at every corner announcing art events happening in Saint Paul the Vence felt just in place.

And in this art town there is a world-famous art hotel, with an equally famous art bar-restaurant - La Colombe d’Or.

The restaurant was opened in 1920 by local farmer, Paul Roux. During World War II, a series of artists sought refuge from the war on the Riviera and Paul Roux was inspired enough to take them in, in exchange for art works instead of money.

That is how the place has such an impressive collection of works by iconic artists like Matisse, Picasso, Léger, Braque and Chagall. And is even more cool is how casually they hang on the walls, just like any other paintings.

The art collection has grown years after years until today, the latest work installed is a large ceramic by the Irish artist Sean Scully for the swimming pool area.

Next week: a great art bar from Cluj-Napoca, Romania

More info: la-colombe-dor.com