The Mediterranean of artists

Created in 1955, Club 55 enjoys an exceptional location on Pampelonne beach. This is where the mythical 'And God Created Woman' was filmed with Brigitte Bardot. A true institution, the Club has contributed to the popularity and fame of Saint-Tropez. Even today, the de Colmont family continues to welcome international stars, sports figures, politicians, and royalty...

Built in 1903 on the initiative of the Touring Club de France, the Corniche d'Or runs along the sea on the southern flanks of the Estérel massif. A century after being dug into the rock, this road remains one of the most beautiful in France. Each bend offers a new exceptional panorama of the azure blue of the Mediterranean Sea. We recommend traveling in the Saint-Raphaël - La Napoule direction at sunset, when the red volcanic rock “lights up”!

Don't hesitate to venture up the hillside to explore Vallauris, a pottery and ceramics centre. There are craft shops in the village, where you can find out about this traditional art and maybe even be inspired to buy a fine piece. The Museums of Pottery and Ceramics will give you a further introduction and you can view Picasso's thrilling artwork ‘War and Peace' at the Château Museum, shown along with some of the artist's ceramics. Picasso lived in Vallauris between 1948 and 1955.

Still relatively unknown, this museum houses a stunning collection of Egyptian, Greek and Roman works, combined with paintings and sculptures from the Renaissance to the present day. With its avant-garde museography, the place demonstrates how ancient art has influenced contemporary artists. And it's no small surprise to discover works by Rembrandt, Dali, Cocteau, Matisse or Degas between two antique busts.

Unveiled close to the Saint-Paul 'artists' village in 1964, the Maeght Foundation is an extraordinary place for exhibiting modern and contemporary art. In the heart of the vast aerial building designed by Catalan architect Josep Lluis Sert and its adjoining gardens; Aimé and Marguerite Maeght have assembled works by their friends: paintings by Soulages, Léger and Kandinsky, a pool mosaic and stained glass window by Braque, giant mobiles by Calder, mosaics by Chagall and sculptures by Miró and Giacometti. Monumental works in the heart of a green environment...

On the prestigious Cap Ferrat peninsula, in an upmarket vacation resort between Nice and Monaco, there is a must-visit cultural beacon: the Ephrussi de Rothschild Foundation. This Renaissance-inspired Italian villa, designed in the early 20th century by the Baroness de Rothschild, is home to an extraordinary collection of art objects. The furniture, tapestries, paintings and porcelain are matched only by the perfect harmony of the themed gardens, which were designed with the Mediterranean Sea in the background… 

This museum pays tribute to Henri Matisse (1869 – 1954), famous painter and leading light in the Fauvist school and adoptive son of Nice. It holds more than 600 of his works (paintings, drawings, sculptures and etchings) and certain documents about his life. This collection has been housed in the Villa des Arènes, a 17th century Genoese residence and pays tribute to a man who made his reputation with his use of pure, blazing colours, and who was the friend, and indeed rival, of Picasso.

From Saint-Paul, follow the signs for Vence (a beautiful old town) and then Saint-Jeannet (a charming village set at the foot of an impressive cliff) and take the Var cliff road towards Nice. Over about ten kilometers, the splendid views over the Var valley and the hills of the hinterland of Nice, covered with olive trees, vineyards and fruit trees will win you over. A 'secret' and picturesque route before returning to the bright lights of Nice…