DAYS
8
TOUR CODE
ARC2-27
COST
£3495
DAYS
8
TOUR CODE
ARC2-27
COST
£3495
Our classic tour to the South of France is brimming with world-class modern art. From a base in Nice, we will consider what drew Matisse, Picasso and others to the region, and experience their enduring creative legacies at dedicted musuems and cultural sites.
Overview
From the late 19th century onwards, the vivid colours of the Côte d’Azur, as well as the region’s mild climate and dramatic landscapes, captivated a succession of Europe’s leading artists.
Following in the footsteps of Cézanne, Monet and Renoir both visited the south of France in the 1880s. Matisse arrived in Nice in 1917, and it was not long before his friend and rival Picasso joined him on the Côte d’Azur.
During our week in Nice and its environs we will consider what drew these artists and others to the south of France and explore the legacy they left in the region: from Matisse’s stunning Chapelle du Rosaire to Picasso’s work at the former Château Grimaldi in Antibes and Jean Cocteau’s ‘Salle des Mariages’ at Menton. A number of these artists have museums dedicated to them, amongst which are the Musée Matisse and Musée National Fernand Léger.
Above the beautiful walled village of Saint-Paul de Vence lies the Fondation Maeght, its pine-wooded grounds adorned with work by Giacometti, Calder and Miró. The Foundation possesses one of Europe’s most important collections of 20th century painting, drawing and sculpture: Braque, Chagall, Léger and Calder are all represented.
The Ephrussi de Rothschild Villa and Gardens, erected between 1907 and 1912 in the style of a Venetian palace, displays the superb collection of Baroness Béatrice. Paintings by the masters are shown alongside porcelain, furniture and decorative items from the 15th to the 19th century.
This departure will also include an excursion exploring minimal and abstract art, taking in the fascinating Cistercian Abbey at Le Thoronet and the nearby chapel of Sainte Roseline, with its Chagall mosaic, as well as the Espace de l’Art Concret, a contemporary arts centre housing abstract art in Mouans-Sartoux.
CLASSICISM ON THE COTE D'AZUR
New for 2026, we are pleased to be including a visit to Villa Kerylós, an expertly reconstructed Greek Villa. From elegant marble columns to sprawling frescoes and intricate mosaics, this stunning refuge encapsulates the sacred and luxurious atmosphere of ancient properties on the island of Delos, further enhanced by its location on the rugged cliffside of Beaulieu-sur-Mer.
Tour Director
Andrew Spira
This tour will be led by Andrew Spira, a highly experienced tour guide who has conducted cultural tours throughout Europe, including to France, Italy and Russia. Andrew has worked at a variety of institutions including the Temple Gallery and a curator at the Victoria & Albert Museum.
Andrew Spira, MA, studied at the Courtauld Institute of Art and City University, London. He has worked as a specialist in Byzantine and Russian icons at the Temple Gallery, London, and as a curator at the V&A Museum. Andrew was subsequently Programme Director at Christie’s Education, and has been leading tours to cultural sites in Russia, Armenia, Georgia and all across Europe for over 20 years. His recent publications include The Invention of the Self: Personal Identity in the Age of Art (Bloomsbury Academic, 2020), Simulated Selves: The Undoing of Personal Identity in the Modern World (Bloomsbury Academic, 2020) and Foreshadowed: Malevich's Black Square and Its Precursors (Reaktion Books, 2022).
- ACE customer on a 2024 Art on the Côte d’Azur tour led by Andrew Spira
Our Accommodation
We will stay throughout the four-star Hôtel Beau Rivage, located in the Old Town of Nice. Our accommodation resonates closely with the content of our tour as Henri Matisse resided here when he first moved to the South of France in 1917. Enchanted by the quality of light, Matisse took the hotel as an inspiration and painted numerous interior scenes here. Today the hotel offers us modern and elegant interiors, and is well-located beside the Promenade des Anglais.
Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London Heathrow 0920 on British Airways, arriving Nice 1230. Transfer to Hôtel Beau Rivage, Nice, for seven nights. Orientation walking tour and short visit to the Musée Masséna (presenting the history of Nice, located in a 19th century villa). Evening lecture.
Day 2
Morning excursion to St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat for Ephrussi de Rothschild Villa and Gardens (paintings, sculpture, furniture and magnificent gardens). Afternoon: Musée des Beaux-Arts (Old Masters) and Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St Nicholas.
Day 3
Morning: Musée Matisse. Afternoon: Villefranche-sur-Mer (Cocteau murals in fishermen’s chapel) and Villa Kérylos (reconstructed ancient Greek villa built between 1902 and 1908). Free evening.
Day 4
Morning: Fondation Maeght (20th century art including Miró, Chagall and Léger) and walk down the medieval Chemin Sainte-Claire to St Paul de Vence. Afternoon: Matisse’s celebrated Chapelle du Rosaire. Evening lecture.
Day 5
Excursion to Menton via Modernist villa E-1027 (Eileen Gray Villa) for Salle des Mariages. Afternoon: Musée Jean Cocteau le Bastion and ‘Association Diocesaine' Sanctuary of Notre Dame de Laghet (beautiful small church with extraordinary votive paintings from the last 300 years).
Day 6
Excursion to the Cistercian Monastery at Le Thoronet and Chapel of Sainte Roseline (Chagall mosaic). Afternoon visit to Mouans-Sartoux for Espace de l’Art Concret (contemporary arts centre with collection of abstract art). Free evening.
Day 7
Morning: Musée National Fernand Léger in Biot. Afternoon in Antibes: Musée Picasso (Château Grimaldi) and Château Vallauris (Picasso collection and chapel).
Day 8
Short morning visit to Musée Renoir. Depart Nice 1545, arriving Heathrow 1700.
Frequently Asked Questions
To read our full list of frequently asked questions please visit our general FAQs here.
What is the maximum group size of this tour?
What is the deposit cost for this tour?
What tour staff will be on this tour?
Am I fit enough to travel on this tour?
Fitness Requirements
The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature. To make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy – there are often several visits included each day. As such, our tours require a certain minimum level of physical and mental fitness, mobility and stamina.
Many visits will involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and could involve embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains and cruise vessels. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm. Some tours may involve long coach journeys.
It is essential that all customers are sufficiently fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.
We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.
A good level of fitness is required for this tour, as some visits will be made on foot. Participants must be prepared to navigate steps and walk for up to a mile at a time, occasionally uphill and on uneven ground. There are short but steep climbs to the Fondation Maeght and in Biot. To access the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Nice participants are required to traverse a number of steps, as there is no ramp, and the museum does not have a lift to reach the first floor. For more information on our minimum fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.
As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:
- Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
- Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
- Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes
- Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
- Carry or otherwise move your own luggage
Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.
UK Government Travel Advice
For additional travel information from the UK government please consult the following pages.
Flight Information
For customers who wish to make their own travel arrangements, ACE is pleased to be able to offer a flight reduction of £190.
Cost Details
Art Treasures of the Côte d'Azur: Impressionist & Modernist Masters
October 25 - November 1, 2027
Included: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a superior city twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, superior city double room for single use supplement £545.
Upcoming Departures
Art Treasures of the Côte d'Azur (Third Departure)
26th October–2nd November 2026
with Suzanne Fagence Cooper
Join art historian Suzanne Fagence Cooper to explore galleries and museums that inspired Matisse, Picasso, and more across the stunning Côte d'Azur.
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Sussex Modernism: Artists & Writers on the Downs
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with Suzanne Fagence Cooper
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Art Treasures of Tuscany & Umbria: Masterpieces of the Renaissance
10th April–17th April 2026
with Andrew Spira
Explore picturesque medieval towns in the provinces of Tuscany and Umbria and discover the unique churches of the region, with Byzantine and Russian iconography specialist Andrew Spira.
Get in Touch
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