Second Château of the Lords of Villeneuve built on the ramparts in the 17th century
The Tower dates from the 12th century. Its west facade retains its original appearance, with its archways indicating an internal staircase. It is not known where the entrance door was. Its foundations are probably several metres below today's ground level. In the 15th century, the Villeneuve family, Counts of Provence and Lords of Vence, annexed it to their castle despite protests from the Commune. This tower is one of the last well-preserved remnants of the name given to Vence at that time, ‘Turris Civitatis Vencii’: Vence, the town of (several) towers.
Château de Villeneuve, the Lords' residence, was built in the 17th century. The fresco in the watchtower, dating from the 18th century, was used as the basis for the colours on the picture rails. Since 1992, it has been home to the Emile Hugues Foundation - Musée de Vence. Dedicated to temporary exhibitions of twentieth-century plastic arts, it has two main focuses:
- the stays in Vence of great artists such as Matisse, Dufy, Chagall, Dubuffet...
- an approach to contemporary art in all its diversity.
A specialised bookshop has a wide selection of books, posters, maps and objects related to the Museum's current activities.