Vence, France

/ This small picturesque village of Vence, with its pedestrian zone makes a very worthwhile daytrip -- It's an easy bus ride from Nice -- it takes just over one hour to get there.
They used to have a wall around it as you see in the surviving gateway. That was part of the original fortified wall around the village and any time you have a wall and the medieval village you're likely to find a well-preserved old town, as we have done once again here in Vence.
Vence is a small village roughly circular in shape, only about 200 m across, maybe the size of six football fields, so you can easily see it in a few hours walking around which is what we're going to be doing.
You cannot get lost when you're inside the old town of Vence because it's so small but you might get a little confused from these twisting lanes. Just keep in mind there are several main lanes and several main plazas and just feel free to wander. Walk along the main lane and deviate down the little side alleys, come on back to the main lane and walk both directions, it's interesting whether you are coming or going. When you exit the old town through the stone gateway and then turn and looked back at the outside of the wall, you find that the wall has been converted into homes.
And we've got a couple of little town squares, more of these arches across the street forming a tunnel-like atmosphere as you wander these narrow lanes. You notice it strictly for pedestrians -- these roads are much too narrow for cars to get through. Of course the odd delivery car might come through but during the day it's a very peaceful spot, particularly in the off-season.