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France
The Côte d'Azur offers art for all the senses. Start in Grasse, the charming historic centre of the perfume industry where you can tour the factories and make your own fragrance at Galimard. Cannes is worth a visit if only for a walk around the marina which provides art at its most bling. For something more traditional and tranquil, head for Renoir’s house at Cagnes-Sur-Mer with its own orange grove. At Nice, make the effort to climb the hill and visit the cemetery where the drama of the statuary is enhanced by the fabulous backdrop of the town and sea. Inland, don’t miss the fortified hilltop village of St Paul Vence which is pretty as a picture and jam-packed with art galleries to rival the biggest cities.
galimard.com, +33.4.93.09.20.00, €45 for 2 hours and your own fragrance.
Leave Nice and travel east five kilometres to the delightful town of Villefranche-sur-Mer with its deep natural harbour and wonderful selection of seafood restaurants.
Note the splendid Baroque church at the top of the hill and wind your way down the medieval streets to the amazing chapel by the sea, lavishly decorated by Jean Cocteau and dedicated to fishermen in the area who initially refused to enter because of the flamboyant naked male angels painted on the walls.
If you like Cocteau's work, travel onwards to Menton to a very camply decorated registry office and a wonderful museum, containing a huge Cocteau collection.
This very friendly gay/lesbian bar has a wide selection of wines and other drinks. Generous portions of freshly-prepared snacks are also available.
Also worth a visit for the super murals on the wall, and it offers a showcase for local artists working in various media.
Clientele is mainly, but not exclusively, lesbian and gay.
5 rue Halévy, 06000 Nice
Tel +33 04 93 87 07 04
The Mamac offers the holiday maker a view of avant garde movements since the 1960s. The second and third floors contain permanent collections. The first floor is reserved for temporary exhibitions. The building itself is an open exhibition, with a mural by the artist Sol LeWitt. The facade of the museum entrance is decorated with a monumental painting by Claude Viallat. The Esplanade features a series of sculptures by artists such as Alexander Calder and Niki de Saint-Phalle.
Mamac is closed on Mondays and certain bank holidays. Entrance prices are €4, discount prices €2.50.
There are guided tours: Wednesdays at 4pm in French, and English tours by appointment. Price €3 and €1.50.
Tip: museums are free on the first Sunday in every month.
Shop available, selling catalogues for all exhibitions and a selection of products.
Musee-promenade des arts, buses 1,2,5,6,7,9,10,14,16,17,15. Phone 04 93 62 61, www.mamac-nice.org
St Paul de Vence is a medieval hilltop town, little changed, which is a haven for real art and local crafts.
It has a great feel and there is a brilliant old-fashioned bar at the entrance to the town surrounded by a boules rink.
St Paul de Vence is about 10km (35 mins) away from Nice - you can hire a motorbike and scoot your way west towards Antibe and Cannes - although you turn north before you get there at a place called Cagnes-sur-Mer.
Motorbike hire from Nicea Location Rent just near the railway station (Gare Nice Ville) in Rue de Belgique.
An exceptionally beautiful small museum hovering above a lake in the Parc Floral Phoenix (bus 23 westbound stops almost directly outside).
There are sections covering Japan, China, India and Cambodia.
Exceptionally restful, light and airy.
Every day except Tuesday; €4.5.
405 Promenade des Anglais
Arenas, Nice
www.arts-asiatiques.com
Not only does this museum have a great collection of modern art, but the icing on the cake if the amazing 360° panoramic view that you get from the roof terrace.
It's an amazing place to just sit and watch the sun go down as you can see almost the whole city.
Like most museums in Nice, it's free on the first and third Sunday of every month.
Promenade des Arts, in the old town;
www.mamac-nice.org
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