Page 260 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

reach the town, cross the river. came by its stellar art
You’ll pass through a tunnel into collection).
the outskirts of Cagnes-sur-Mer; It’s now one of the
now start following signs to Riviera’s most exclusive
St-Paul.
locations, a haven for
artists, film stars and
the atmospheric Marché TRIP HIGHLIGHT celebrities, not to men-
Provençal will still be tion hordes of sightseers,
in full swing, and then 3 St-Paul de Vence many of whom are here
browse the nearby Musée Once upon a time, hilltop to marvel at the incred-
Picasso (%04 92 90 54 St-Paul de Vence was ible art collection at the
20; www.antibes-juanlespins. just another village Fondation Maeght (%04
com/culture/musee-picasso; like countless others in 93 32 81 63; www.fondation-
Château Grimaldi, 4 rue des Provence. But then the maeght.com; 623 chemin des
Cordiers; adult/concession artists moved in: paint- Gardettes; adult/child €15/10;
€6/3; h10am-6pm Tue-Sun ers such as Marc Chagall h10am-7pm Jul-Sep, to 6pm
mid-Jun–mid-Sep, 10am-noon and Pablo Picasso sought Oct-Jun). Created in 1964
& 2-6pm Tue-Sun mid-Sep–mid- solitude here, painted the by collectors Aimé and
Jun) to see a few of the local scenery and traded Merguerite Maeght, it
artist’s Antibes-themed canvases for room and boasts works by all the
works. board (this is how the big 20th-century names –
Colombe d’Or (%04 93 32
54 p264 80 02; www.la-colombe-dor Miró sculptures, Chagall
The Drive »Brave the traffic .com; place de Gaulle; d mosaics, Braque windows
and canvases by Picasso,
on the D6007 and avoid signs to €250-430; hrestaurant Matisse and others.
turn onto the A8 motorway: it’s noon-2.30pm & 7.30-10.30pm While you’re here, it’s
the D2 you want, so follow signs late Dec-Oct; aWs) hotel
for Villeneuve-Loubet. When you worth taking a detour
northwards to Vence,
where the marvellous
PROVENCE & SOUTHEAST FRANCE 23 RIVIERA CROSSING
Chapelle du Rosaire
DETOUR: (Rosary Chapel; %04 93 58
CORNICHE DE 03 26; 466 av Henri Matisse;
L’ESTÉREL adult/child €6/3; h2-5.30pm
Mon, Wed & Sat, 10-11.30am
Start: 1 Cannes & 2-5.30pm Tue & Thu, closed
West of Cannes, the winding coast road known as mid-Nov–early Dec) was
the Corniche de l’Estérel (sometimes known as the designed by an ailing
Corniche d’Or, the Golden Road) is well worth a side Henri Matisse. He had a
trip if you can spare the time. It’s also a natural link hand in everything here,
with our Var Delights itinerary (p267). Opened in 1903 from the stained-glass
by the Touring Club de France, this twisting coast road windows to the altar and
is as much about driving pleasure as getting from A candlesticks.
to B; it runs for 30 unforgettable coastal kilometres The Drive »Return the way
all the way to St-Raphael. En route you’ll pass seaside you came, only this time follow
villages, secluded coves (sandy, pebbled, nudist, cove- the blue signs onto the A8
like, you name it) and the rocky red hills of the Massif motorway to Nice. Take exit 50
de l’Estérel, dotted with gnarly oaks, juniper and wild for Promenade des Anglais,
thyme. Wherever you go, the blue Mediterranean which will take you all 18km
shimmers alongside, tempting you to stop for just one along the Baie des Anges. The
more swim. It’s too much to resist. views are great, but you’ll hit
nightmare traffic at rush hour.

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