When I was invited to a friend’s wedding in the South of France this summer, I assumed the trip would be a leisurely one, filled with slow beach days and unrushed meals. What I did not anticipate, however, was scurrying from the Nice coast up into the hills of Saint-Paul-de-Vence in a mad (and unsuccessful) attempt to see every art exhibit, museum, or installation that excited me. But museum visits far outnumbered beach days for me, as I searched for the massive Calder installations and under-the-radar Chagall mosaics that dotted the region.
While the South of France may not immediately spring to mind as an art-filled itinerary, it was home to some of history’s most revered artists: Pablo Picasso called Antibes home for many years, while Henri Matisse spent time in both Nice and Vence, and Marc Chagall decamped to the charming Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Though there are many museums dedicated to the artists who lived there, there are also plenty of hidden gems—unassuming restaurants that double as galleries, hotels that mark the site of literary history, and churches that house priceless works. Sure, Paris has the Louvre, but the South of France should be on every art lover’s radar.
Here, read about Vogue’s must-see spots. Nice Musée Matisse de Nice 164 Av. des Arènes de Cimiez, 06000 Nice, France Up in the hills of the Cimiez neighborhood, the sun-bleached Villa des Arènes houses Henri Matisse’s works spanning early paintings to late-in-life collages. During my visit, the museum showed an exhibit about how Yves Saint Laurent engaged with Matisse’s work, displaying Saint Laurent’s clothing alongside the paintings and collages that inspired them.
Musée National Marc Chagall Av. Dr Ménard, 06000 Nice, France Just a few minutes’ drive from the Matisse Museum (I’d suggest you plan to see both in one day, as they’re on the smaller side), the museum’s main attraction is Chagall’s series of Biblical paintings. But the museum also features rotating exhibits—I saw one about Chagall’s costumes for The Firebird.
Try to check out the documentary about Chagall’s life, too—it’s riveting, plus the screening room houses a behemoth of a stained glass window. Villa Masséna 65 Rue de France, 06000 Nice, France Once a winter home for Prince Victor d’Essling, this Belle Époque villa is an emblem of Niçois identity. Right on the touristy Promenade des Anglais, the Villa Masséna houses imperial artifacts—including Napoleon’s death mask and Empress Josephine’s diadem.
But the building itself, with its gilded furnishings, grand oil paintings, and historical garden, is a testament to the bygone era. Antibes Musée Picasso Place Mariejol, 06600 Antibes, France Situated on the edge of Antibes’ old town, Musée Picasso was just a 10-minute drive from our hotel, Hôtel Juana, a Small Luxury Hotels of the World property (which, with its Mediterranean exterior and colorful, patterned interior, was a feast for the eyes all on its own). The museum is home to much of Picasso’s ceramic work—I was particularly charmed by a wall of plates—as well as paintings and sketches dedicated to Greek mythology.
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