Vence - Cathédrale de la Nativité-de-Marie

Vence was known in Roman times as "Vintium". It was the seat of a bishop as early as 419. Parts of the cathedral date back to early Merovingian times.

The first church, built over the foundation of a Roman temple, was probably destroyed by the Lombards. It was rebuilt, damaged, destroyed many times over the century - and by now is a mixture of different styles from Carolingian to late baroque.

The stalls were once used by the Canons of the cathedral. Jaques Bellot from Grasse carved them around 1460. Later some very prudish vandal took a great effort in chiselling off all womanly parts of this mermaid.