Discover art & history in
the south of France
Immerse in the grandeur of Provence exploring the Roman ruins, Romanesque architecture, as well as works by Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne, among other artists.
Explore the colourful, street art in the backstreets of places like Toulon and Marseille. This kind of highly-visible, spontaneous creativity is a “modern” occurrence.
Artists are now, finally, appreciated for what they bring to society. This recognition is a big difference from the way Paul Cézanne was regarded for most of his life. He was desperate for money, just like Monet. Van Gogh only sold one painting in his lifetime.
Discover famous Architects and Designers’ Works at Chateau Lacoste!
​
Driving into a Provençal vineyard, the last thing you expect to see, surely, is a superb Louise Bourgeois spider sitting in the middle of an enormous plane of water, reflecting the surrounding hills and vineyards.
It is a stunning setting for the sculpture and is in fact the beginning of an art trail that takes the visitor around the 600 acre site.
Witness a true masterpiece of ancient architecture:
the Pont du Gard aqueduct is one of the most beautiful Roman ruins in all of Europe. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.
​
The Pont du Gard was part of an extended channel built to carry water to Nîmes from a source immediately to the north of the city.
The construction of the aqueduct has long been credited to Augustus' son-in-law Marcus Agrippa (64/63-12 BCE), but more recent excavations suggest the construction may have taken place between c. 40-60 CE.
Wherever your interests lie,
we can organise a personalised tailored tour for you -
including:
Artists such as Gaughin, Matisse, Chagall, Raoul Dufy and Signac were camping out down the road on the French Riviera, many others resided in Provence, in towns like Aix en Provence and Arles:
​
​
Paul Cézanne
Paul Cézanne is the most most well known resident of Aix en Provence and the town is dedicated to his life and work. You can take the ‘Cézanne trail’ to visit his workshops and paintings.
The Picasso Museum in Antibes
Cézanne's biggest love was the Mountain Sainte-Victoire, which sits just outside Aix and offers amazing views over the surrounding countryside – he painted the mountain 87 times. Cézanne’s work inspired many later artists, particularly Picasso, who called Cézanne ‘the father of us all’.
Pablo Picasso
Spanish Picasso was a fan of the French Riviera, but he eventually followed Cézanne into Provence. He was so moved by Cézanne that he bought many of his paintings for himself and in later years bought a 17th century castle in Vauvenargues. The castle is on the northern slopes of the Sainte Victoire (Cézanne’s beloved mountain). ‘I have just bought myself Cézanne’s mountains’, he said. Picasso painted the Mont Sainte-Victoire in ‘Nude under a Pine Tree’ in 1959.
​
Picasso lived in Vauvenargues from 1958-1965 with his second wife, Jacqueline Roque, for the last 20 years of his life. Although he died elsewhere, he chose to be buried here. His sculpture, ‘Woman with a Vase’ is at his tomb, now shared with his wife, who committed suicide in 1986. The castle is still privately owned by Jacqueline’s daughter, but she does open the castle for limited visits
The Château at Vauvernargues where Picasso spent many of the last years of his life painting, and where he chose to be buried
See Picasso's burial place
Learn the art of Mosaic
Explore the Mosaic Academy: this isn’t just a place to learn the technique of the ancient art. It’s also a place to relax and meet other people, those engaged in the same artistic pursuit. In Crillon-le-brave, the discovery of mosaic is a hands-on approach accomplished with time-honored care and devotion. Through leisurely conversations in the gardens surrounding the MOSAIC ACADEMY studio, you will also become acquainted with the history of mosaic, throughout the centuries: This region of France is reputed for the tradition of mosaic art, the art form introduced by the Romans.
Mucem & Fort Saint Jean, Marseille
When Marseille became the European Capital of Culture in 2013, the city unveiled its cultural tour de force, with the Museum of European Culture and Civilisations. It houses a lot of permanent artwork and also holds many temporary exhibitions, but the beauty is really the building itself. Head next door to the recently renovated Fort Saint Jean, where you can run through the old tunnels. Both buildings are linked by a suspended walkway.
MUCEM, Marseille
Vincent Van Gogh
The Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh was a lover of Arles (he moved from Paris to Provence to try to cure his manic depression). You can follow his trail to discover the places that he put in his paintings, like the Quai du Rhône which is in ‘The Starry Night’ and ‘Pont de Langlois’. You’ll find the Van Gogh Foundation in Arles. It is in this very city that he famously cut off his ear after a fight with fellow artist, Paul Gaughin.
Starry Night Over The Rhone, painted in Arles in September 1888
Van Gogh is also heavily associated with the town of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. This sleepy village is home to the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole Monastery. It used to be a clinic and is where Van Gogh went to be treated for his depression in 1889, during which time he spent many hours painting.
Explore Van Gogh's trails!
Painting courses in Provence
Discover the magic of painting in Provence during a painting workshop.
This is a truly immersive art experience in which you will live like a local and paint from some of the best spots Provence has to offer.
Available for both confirmed painters and beginners, we can organize workshops found focus on primarily on color, mixing a harmonious palette, oil and water color painting techniques, and the creative process.
Participants embark on a journey to explore Provence in a unique way, drawing and painting from nature – en plein air – at the sea, in the hill towns, at the markets, and at the sites of the Provençal masters
Chagall’s Stained Glass Windows in Nice
Painter Marc Chagall was of Russian descent and lived in Nice, where you’ll now find his stained glass windows in the Musée Chagall. He was so admired for his religious work (creating glass in the big cathedrals all over France and reinterpreting the New Testament) that Picasso is said to have said, “When Matisse dies, Chagall will be the only painter left who understands what colour really is”.
Chagall’s stained glass windows
Pierre Paul Puget
The bust that commemorates Pierre Puget in Marseille
More hot spots
in Marseille
Sculptor Pierre Puget (1620-94) was deemed Provence‘s answer to Michelangelo. He was a Marseille boy, whose work never lost its Provençal flavour and attitude.
​
He began by sculpting ornaments on the galleys built in his local shipyard, before he was called to Rome to sculpt on grand ceilings. His life took him all around the region to Nice, Toulon, Aix, as well as Italy. He was considered one of the best sculptors – while he was alive – and is quoted in Charles Baudelaire’s poem ‘Les Phares’ (The Beacons) alongside other masters like Rubens, Rembrandt and Da Vinci. The Mont Puget, one of the mountain ranges bordering Marseille, is named after him. Today, his sculptures can mostly be found in Toulon and in the Louvre in Paris.
Perseus and Andromeda by Pierre Puget at the Louvre