Visit museums dedicated to individual artists including Matisse, Chagall and Picasso
Discover the varied collections held at the Fondation Maeght and the beautiful Ephrussi de Rothschild Villa
Embark on day trips to the coastal gems of Antibes and St Tropez
“I was impressed by the content and venues visited and learned a lot!”
- ACE customer on a 2024 Art on the Côte d’Azur tour led by Suzanne Fagence Cooper
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 Chagall, home to the twelve great paintings that make up the Biblical Message series.
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.
A day trip to Antibes will feature the Picasso Museum, home to an abundance of the artist's work, housed within the former Château Grimaldi. We will also enjoy a visit to the port town of St Tropez and the Musée de l'Annonciade, where a series of eight rooms utilises colour and the original architecture in a unique interplay between space and art to generate a fresh experience.
We will stay throughout at the Splendid Hotel & Spa in Nice, a stylish and centrally-located four-star hotel. Just a short walk from the Promenade des Anglais, our accommodation features comfortable rooms and panoramic views of the coast from its rooftop terrace.
Suzanne Fagence Cooper
Suzanne is a curator and historian whose specialisms include 19th and 20th century British and French art. She is an Arts Society accredited lecturer and was a curator and Research Fellow at the V&A Museum for 12 years.
This tour will be led by Suzanne Fagence Cooper, MA, PhD, a curator and historian whose specialisms include 19th and 20th century British and French art. An Arts Society accredited lecturer, she was a curator and Research Fellow at the V&A Museum for 12 years and has collaborated with many of Britain’s regional museum collections. She is the author of To See Clearly: Why Ruskin Matters (2019) and How We Might Live: At Home with Jane and William Morris (2022), and curated the 2019 exhibition Turner, Ruskin & the Storm Cloud at York Art Gallery.
8
£3295
ARC3-26
This tour is fully booked.
Please contact the office for further information on 01223 841055 to be added to the waiting list.
Included: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a premium twin or double bedded room, seven breakfasts, one lunch, five dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, harmony double room for single use supplement £395.
