French Riviera
Experience French Riviera is one of the nicest way to discover France
With a wild range of scenery, from the coast to the mountain, the region offers something for each of your wishes.
Whether you prefer tasting a glass of wine in one of the many vineyards, relax on a sandy beach or stroll through colorful towns and villages, French Riviera has it for you.
Stroll in the villages
around Nice
A touch of Provence, a pinch of Italy,...
Colorful houses that reflect in the sea.
Wander through the markets and taste oranges
and lemons.
Beautiful landscapes of the South of France
From a deep blue sea, which turns sometimes green, to the majestic French Alps...
From the lavender that grows here and there, to the mimosa trees of the winter....
From the olive trees to the palm trees...
From the white sand to the rocks of the coast...
You don't have to choose, just enjoy all of it !
Art lovers on the French Riviera
You feel this atmosphere that the painters left ?
The sweetness of life of Bonnard, the precision of Signac, the inspiration of Matisse, walking in the footsteps of Picasso,...
Art museums, art galleries, iconic villages and favorite places of the artists.
But also this particular architecture between colorful front houses and the white of the Villas Belle Epoque...
Bonnard’s sweetness of life, Signac’s precision, Matisse’s inspiration, Picasso’s traces, ...
History
French Riviera has been a place of interest for a long time.
The Grand Tour, which was a trip of the elite of Great Britain to improve their culture, helped the region to flourish.
During the 19th century, the nobles came during winter to use the sun as a therapy. The new borough was created for English who settled in Nice. Restaurants, tennis clubs, casinos, were built to satisfy this new population.
After World War 1, tourism changed. People wanted to come during summer enjoy bathing. Hotels started to open all year round.
The painters
The painters and the French Riviera is a long and passionate history.
During 19th century, the painting in France was mostly academic. Artists were going to the school of Fine Arts approved by the State.
With the invention of tubes of paints and easel to carry, painters started to paint outside.
Claude Monet opened a break with his painting : Impression Soleil Levant
He wanted to paint the moment, the air, the light, and not a scenery. This is the beginning of Impressionism.
Many artists were looking for this new way of painting.
Paul Cezanne joined the impressionist movement. He started to paint landscapes of Marseilles and the Mountain Sainte Victoire. Friends of him will follow him to the south, like Renoir and Monet.
They discovered this astonishing light and these amazing colors of the nature.
« Here is only blue, pink and gold, but Good Lord, how difficult it is ! » - Monet
The impressionist movement was only the first step to the new generation of artists.
Seurat and his friend Paul Signac experienced pure colors directly on the canvas.
19th century is also the century of scientific researches, in the US with Ogden Rood and in France with Chevreul. The chromatic circle shows that opposite colors will be brighter if they are just near by. Seurat will get his inspiration from these researches, by using small dots of pure colors for his paintings.
Paul Signac arrived in Saint Tropez in 1892 with its yacht L’Olympia.
He was so astonished by the light and colors that he decided to live here.
« I have something to work with
all my life, it’s the happiness
I’ve just discovered. » - Paul Signac
He made of Saint Tropez the place to be for the artists. Matisse, Derain, Picabia came here to improve their skills and their work.
Many of them settled on the French Riviera, like Bonnard in Le Cannet, Renoir in Cagnes sur Mer, Matisse in Nice.
From this moment, artists found in the French Riviera an inspiration for their work.
Adrien Maeght contributed to the fame of the French Riviera with his museum : Fondation Maeght.
He started to build links with artists such as Matisse, Miro, Chagall, Bonnard. The result of this friendship is a wonderful place to discover the work of brilliant artists.
Let the art be part of your trip !
* Fondation Maeght in Saint Paul de Vence
* Picasso Museum in Antibes
* Chagall Museum, Matisse Museum, MOMAC in Nice
* Renoir Museum in Cagnes sur Mer
* Bonnard Museum in Le Cannet
* Annonciade Museum in Saint Tropez
* Mougins and Saint Paul de Vence for their art galleries and artists’ studios
