ILL
US
TR
AT
IO
N:
M
AR
TI
N^ H
AA
KE
2 AIX-EN-PROVENCE
Next, drive on to Aix-en-Provence,
where post-Impressionist Paul
Cézanne was born in 18 39. Seek out
the nearby Bibémus quarry, one of
his favourite beauty spots, before
heading to the Atelier de Cezanne,
the workshop where he crafted
some of his most famous works,
including The Bathers. Don’t forget
to visit Musée Granet, home to 10
Cezanne paintings, including an
early still life and a portrait of his
contemporary, writer Émile Zola.
cezanne-en-provence.com
4 VALLAURIS
Head east to Vallauris, a small
town known for its oranges,
ceramics and pottery. Pablo
Picasso lived here between
1948 and 1955 and was involved
in local life, working with the
Madoura studio. Traces of his
works are everywhere here: don’t
miss his bronze statue L’Homme
au Mouton, and the Picasso
National Museum; a romanesque
chapel adorned with his
masterpiece La Guerre et la Paix.
vallaurisgolfejuan-tourisme.fr
1 ARLES
Begin where Vincent van Gogh
spent a prolific 15 months between
1888 and 1 889, painting some of
his best-known masterpieces,
including Sunflowers. Discover
the locations that inspired his
work: Le Café de Van Gogh on
Place du Forum; the starry
night-time riverbank; Place
Lamartine; and the flowery
Espace Van Gogh, the former
hospital that admitted him when
he infamously severed his ear in
- arlestourisme.com
6 NICE
Hop over to Nice to pay homage to
Henri Matisse, who moved here in
1917 to recuperate from bronchitis.
The Musée Matisse has one of the
world’s largest collections of the
artist’s work, including paintings,
photographs and decorative
objects from his personal
collection. Afterwards, head to
the Colline du Chateau (Castle
Hill) and enjoy beautiful views of
the harbour where the artist used
to row. explorenicecotedazur.com
SARAH LAVIGNE
5 CAGNES-SUR-MER
Just 10 miles away is the
Domaine des Collettes, where
Pierre-Auguste Renoir spent his
final years in the 1910s. Inside
the villa, now repurposed as
a museum, walls are adorned
with photos of the artist. Despite
advanced rheumatoid arthritis,
he continued to paint portraits
here, some of which still hang on
the walls. Perhaps less expected
are the sculptures, many of which
Renoir co-created with sculptor
Richard Guino. cagnes-sur-mer.fr
3 MARSEILLE (L’ESTAQUE)
In the early 20 th century,
cubism pioneer Georges Braque
travelled to L’Estaque, a village-
like neighbourhood in west
Marseille. Follow the signposted
‘Chemin des Peintres’ art trail
through sun-soaked residential
backstreets. Along the way, you’ll
spot the views that inspired
Braque’s work, such as the
geometric patchwork of tiled roofs,
whose shapes are believed to have
given the cubist movement its
name. marseille-tourisme.com
ON THE TRAIL
PROVENCE
Follow in the footsteps of some of the world’s
greatest artists on a road trip through
southern France’s historic towns and cities
1
2
3
4
5
6
JUL/AUG 2022 29
SMART TRAVELLER
