Art in Provence and the French Riviera

The Masters of Impressionism and Modern Art

Please note that this is a "suggested" private group tour itinerary, which can be changed to suit your interests. The tour price will depend on the number of participants, travel dates, type of hotels, etc.

Provence is the ideal destination for an overview of 19th and 20th century French art... so many Impressionists and modern artists lived and worked there! This sunny corner of southern France brings a rare opportunity to experience art in its original setting. You'll have a unique chance to walk in the artists' footsteps and discover first-hand the surroundings that shaped their art.

On this itinerary, you will visit colorful Provence and the picture-perfect Mediterranean coast of France - "la Côte d'Azur." You will also admire paintings by a long list of world-famous painters: Paul Cézanne (a native-son of Aix-en-Provence), Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall and many others. They all chose to work in the south of France because of the unique luminosity of the sky and the landscape.

Take Paul Cézanne for example. He was born in Aix-en-Provence and spent most of his life in this vibrant, but also laid back, colorful city. His house, le Jas de Boufan, is still there, and his studio, les Lauves, is open to the public. Inside, you can still see the artist's easel, his brushes, his coat and hat, various other objects he used for his art, and figurines he used as models for his paintings. Cézanne died only a hundred years ago. Feeling his presence so closely is a thrilling experience. And, the plein-air locations where he painted are also close by: the famous Mt. Ste. Victoire which he reproduced dozens of times, the Mediterranean Sea at l'Estaque, the stone quarry of Bibemus, etc.

In Cagnes-sur-Mer, walking through Renoir's home (now a museum), you will experience the most vivid memories of this giant of Impressionism. In Arles, you will tour places that inspired Vincent Van Gogh, including the St. Rémy asylum where the artist spent some time as a patient and painted some of his most stunning canvases. In Nice you will discover modern art in a grand way: works by Matisse, Braque, Signac and Seurat (to name but a few) and, of course, the grand master himself - Picasso.

St. Paul-de-Vence brings a different artistic experience to this custom tour. There, the Maeght Foundation displays some of the best modern and contemporary art anywhere. In the creation of this museum, painters and sculptors collaborated closely with Catalan architect Josep-Lluis Sert to create works of art that combine the architecture of the building with their art and the surrounding nature: the courtyard by Giacometti, a labyrinth by Miró, mosaics by Chagall, a fountain by Bury and many more.

What better place than the south of France to deepen your appreciation of art! The sight of the vibrant landscapes of shimmering under the Provence sun, together with the discovery of great paintings they inspired, is truly a sublime experience.

There are many more possibilities on this tour route: Les Baux de Provence, St. Tropez, Monaco, etc. Let us know where and when you want to go. We will create a custom program that fits your interests and requirements.

    

Places on this route we have personally visited: Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Toulon and Nice. See pictures from our trips:

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