Provence
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Provence - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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21 Recommendations
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1. Collection Lambert
Housed in two elegant 17th-century mansions, this impressive assembly of contemporary artworks came out of the private collection of Paris art dealer Yvon Lambert, who founded the museum in 2000 in honor of Avignon's designation as European Capital of Culture. The museum is known both for the breadth of its collection—more than 1,200 pieces dating from the 1960s to the present—and the scope of its three to four major exhibitions per year, as well as its cultural events, lectures, and arts eduction programs, done independently or in conjunction with other arts institutions worldwide. The foundation closes three months out of the year between exhibitions, so be sure to check before going. The impressive bookshop carries dozens of original, limited-edition works by artists represented in the collection, including prints by Cy Twombly, Sol LeWitt, and Jenny Holzer, and the breezy courtyard café offers gourmet snacks, beverages, and light lunches under the shade of sleepy plane trees.
5 rue Violette, Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84000, France04–90–16–56–20Sight Details
Rate Includes: €10, Closed Mon. Sept.–June -
2. Fondation Vasarely
After three decades of neglect, the Centre Pompidou's splendid 2019 retrospective of the father of "op-art" placed Victor Vasarely in his rightful place among the great artists of the later 20th century. Whether a fan of the genre or not, a visit to this exhilarating museum, a short drive or bus ride (lines 2 and 20) from Aix center, will delight art fans of all ages. The building itself is an architectural wonder, composed of 16 hexagonal galleries each housing six of the artist's monumental tapestries, mosaics, paintings, or sculptures. Upstairs, a detailed timeline of Vasarely's life and work reveals the versatility and genius of an artist both of and ahead of his time.
1 av. Marcel Pagnol, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13090, France04–42–20–01–09Sight Details
Rate Includes: €15 -
3. Musée des Beaux-Arts
The centerpiece of this early-20th-century building, stunningly refurbished by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, is a vast ancient mosaic depicting a marriage ceremony that provides intriguing insights into the lifestyle of Roman aristocrats. Also in the varied collection are seven paintings devoted to Cleopatra by 18th-century Nîmes-born painter Natoire Italian, plus some fine Flemish, Dutch, and French works (notably Rubens's Portrait of a Monk and Giambono's The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine).
23 rue de la Cite Foulc, Nîmes, Occitania, 30000, France04–66–76–71–82Sight Details
Rate Includes: €5, Closed Mon. -
4. Musée Granet
Once the École de Dessin (Art School) that granted Cézanne a second-place prize in 1856, the former priory of the Église St-Jean-de-Malte now showcases eight of Cézanne's paintings, as well as a nice collection of his watercolors and drawings. Also hanging in the galleries are 300 works by Bonnard, Picasso, Klee, Rubens, David, and Giacometti.
Pl. St-Jean-de-Malte, Aix-en-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13100, France04–42–52–88–32Sight Details
Rate Includes: From €6.50, Closed Mon. -
5. Villa Carmingnac
Set amid gardens, vineyards, olive groves, and woods, this stunning outpost of a Paris-based foundation has a world-class art collection that would be right at home in any major city. The foundation is in a renovated farmhouse, whose historic status necessitated creating a separate space to house the art. The result was a 20,000-square-foot, belowground gallery, whose rooms are ingeniously illuminated via a ground-floor pool that doubles as a glass ceiling. You can also see dozens of site-specific works on a stroll through the property. Afterward, sip a glass of local wine at the on-site café.
Piste de la Courtade, Hyères, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 83400, France04–65–65–25–50 -
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6. Carrée d'Art
Directly opposite the Maison Carrée and looking a bit like an airport terminal, the glass-fronted Carrée d'Art was designed by British architect Sir Norman Foster. It literally reflects the Maison Carrée's creamy symmetry and figuratively answers it with a featherlight deconstructed colonnade. In addition to a library and archives, the sleek, modern structure houses the Musée d'Art Contemporain (Contemporary Art Museum), with a permanent collection of works that date from 1960 and onward and fall into three categories: French painting and sculpture; English, American, and German works; and Mediterranean styles. There are often temporary exhibits of new work, too. Atop the museum, enjoy spectacular city views over lunch at the Ciel de Nîmes. The restaurant, which closes at 6 pm, is also an excellent spot for afternoon tea or a drink.
Pl. de la Maison Carrée, Nîmes, Occitania, 30000, France04–66–76–35–70Sight Details
Rate Includes: €8 -
7. Château Borély
PradoA gracious 18th-century château houses the collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, de la Faïence, et de la Mode (Museum of Decorative Arts, Faïence, and Fashion). The bright exhibition rooms feature brilliant lacquered ceilings and installations by French artists and designers, all the better to show off the gorgeous tapestries; furniture; Marseille faience pottery dating from the early 17th century; 18th-century hand-painted murals; and fashions from the 15th to 21st century. Touring the museum, taking in the château's large park, and grabbing a bite to eat in the café is the perfect way to spend an afternoon in this lovely part of the city.
132 av. Clot Bey, Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13008, France04–91–55–33–60Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6, Closed Mon. -
8. Fondation Vincent Van Gogh
Located in the beautifully restored 15th-century Hôtel Léautaud de Donines, the Fondation Vincent van Gogh houses a superb collection of contemporary art and hosts temporary art exhibitions, concerts, and other cultural events. Originally conceived in the mid-1980s in response to the 100th anniversary of the artist's arrival in Arles, the Fondation pays homage to van Gogh's legacy and monumental influence via an impressive range of artworks contributed by 90 contemporary artists. Van Gogh's 15-month stay in Arles represented a climax in the artist's career. Enchanted with Arles's limpid light, vibrant landscape, and scenic monuments, van Gogh experienced here what was to be his greatest blossoming as a painter in a decade .
View Tours and Activities35 rue du Docteur Fanton, Arles, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13200, France04–90–93–08–08Sight Details
Rate Includes: From €10 -
9. Musée Angladon
This superb collection of major 18th- to 20th-century paintings and decorative arts was assembled by Parisian couturier Jacques Doucet (1853–1929), who befriended many of the major painters and writers of his day and, with an unerring eye, purchased—or funded—some of the great works of the 20th century (he was the original owner of Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon). He built this mansion toward the end of his life to house works by Degas, van Gogh, Manet, Cézanne, Modigliani, and Picasso, along with important drawings, sculpture, photography, and furniture. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions.
5 rue Laboureur, Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84000, France04–90–82–29–03Sight Details
Rate Includes: €8, Closed late Dec.–Jan., Mon. year-round, and Sun. Nov.–Mar. -
10. Musée Calvet
Worth a visit for the beauty and balance of its architecture alone, this fine old museum contains a rich collection of antiquities and classically inspired works. Acquisitions include neoclassical and Romantic pieces and are almost entirely French, including works by Manet, Daumier, and David. There's also a good modern section, with pieces by Bonnard, Duffy, and Camille Claudel (note Claudel's piece depicting her brother Paul, who incarcerated her in an insane asylum when her relationship with Rodin caused too much scandalous talk). The main building itself is a Palladian-style jewel in pale Gard stone dating to the 1740s; the garden is so lovely that it may distract you from the art.
65 rue Joseph-Vernet, Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84000, France04–90–86–33–84Sight Details
Rate Includes: Permanent collections free, Closed Tues. -
11. Musée Cantini
PréfectureSet in a beautifully restored 17th-century house, this lovely little museum has one of France's foremost collections of Fauve and Surrealist art. It's a must for fans of the genres, with paintings by Signac, Dufy, Léger, Ernst, Arp, and Bacon, as well as Kandinsky and Dubuffet.
19 rue Grignan, Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13006, France04–91–54–77–75Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6, Closed Mon. -
12. Musée d'Art de Toulon
The collection here includes paintings by Vernet and Fragonard, postwar abstract art, and works by the cartoon-influenced Di Rosa brothers.
113 bd. Maréchal Leclerc, Toulon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 83000, France04–94–36–81–15Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Mon. -
13. Musée des Tapisseries
In the 17th-century Palais de l'Archevêché (Archbishop's Palace), this museum showcases a sumptuous collection of tapestries that once decorated the bishops' quarters. There are 17 magnificent hangings from Beauvais and a series on the life of Don Quixote from Compiègne. Temporary exhibitions highlight contemporary textile art. The main opera productions of the Festival d'Aix take place in the broad courtyard.
28 pl. des Martyrs de la Resistance, Aix-en-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13100, France04–42–23–09–91Sight Details
Rate Includes: €4, Closed Tues. -
14. Musée du Petit Palais
This residence of bishops and cardinals before Pope Benedict XII built his majestic palace houses a large collection of old-master paintings, most of which are Italian works from the early Renaissance schools of Siena, Florence, and Venice—styles with which the Avignon popes would have been familiar. Later pieces here include Sandro Botticelli's Virgin and Child and Venetian paintings by Vittore Carpaccio and Giovanni Bellini. The museum café and tearoom, with a picturesque outdoor terrace in the mansion's ancient courtyard, is a favorite spot for lunch, coffee, or teatime (open 10–7).
Pl. du Palais, Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84000, France04–90–86–44–58Sight Details
Rate Includes: Permanent collections free, Closed Tues. -
15. Musée Estrine Présence Van Gogh
The 18th-century Hôtel Estrine now houses this museum, which contains many reproductions of van Gogh's work (along with letters to his brother, Theo) and hosts exhibitions of contemporary art, much of it inspired by Vincent. It also has a permanent collection dedicated to the father of Cubism, Albert Gleizes, who lived in St-Rémy for the last 15 years of his life.
8 rue Lucien Estrine, St-Rémy-de-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13210, France04–90–92–34–72Sight Details
Rate Includes: €7, Closed Mon. -
16. Musée Lapidaire
Housed in a pretty little Jesuit chapel on the main shopping street, this collection of sculpture and stonework is primarily from Gallo-Roman times but also includes Greek and Etruscan works. There are several interesting inscribed slabs, a selection of shabtis (small statues buried with the dead to help them get to the afterlife), and a notable depiction of Tarasque of Noves, the man-eating monster immortalized by Alphonse Daudet. Most items, unfortunately, are haphazardly labeled and insouciantly scattered throughout the chapel, itself slightly crumbling yet awash with light.
27 rue de la République, Avignon, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 84000, France04–90–85–75–38Sight Details
Rate Includes: Permanent collections free, special exhibits €3, Closed Mon. -
17. Musée Pierre-de-Luxembourg
Below the abbey, one of the luxurious, 14th-century cardinals' manors today contains a notable collection of art, including the spectacularly colorful and richly detailed Couronnement de la Vierge (Coronation of the Virgin), an altarpiece painted in 1453 by Enguerrand Quarton. One of the greatest paintings of the 15th century, it shows rows and rows of Avignonnais hieratically sitting around the figures of God the Father and God the Son. Depicted by Quarton—the leading painter of the Avignon School—as identical twins, they bless Mary and hover over a surreal landscape that places Montagne St-Victoire in between Heaven and Hell.
2 rue de la République, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, Occitania, 304000, France04–90–27–49–66Sight Details
Rate Includes: €4, Closed Mon. -
18. Musée Réattu
Three rooms of this museum, housed in a Knights of Malta priory dating from the 15th century, are dedicated to local painter Jacques Réattu. But the standouts are works by Dufy, Gauguin, and 57 drawings (and two paintings) done by Picasso in 1971—including one delightfully tongue-in-cheek depiction of noted muse and writer Lee Miller in full Arles dress. They were donated to Arles by Picasso himself, to thank the town for amusing him with bullfights.
10 rue Grand Prieuré, Arles, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13200, France04–90–49–37–58Sight Details
Rate Includes: €6; free 1st Sun. of month, Closed Mon. -
19. Musée Regards de Provence
Rive NeuveThis beautifully renovated 1948 architectural gem by Fernand Pouillon was once Marseille's station sanitaire, where every immigrant entering France was systematically "disinfected" to guard against epidemic. An absorbing 45-minute film (in English) and the intact machinery tell a fascinating story of Marseille as "gateway to the East." The light-filled second floor has spaces dedicated to the museum's permanent collection of 18th- to 20th-century paintings depicting Provence and the Mediterranean Sea, as well as to temporary exhibitions of works by contemporary painters. There's also a lovely boutique. The museum café (open until 7) has some of the best views of the redeveloped new port and is a great place for a gourmet lunch, a light snack on the terrace, or a restorative beverage.
Av. Vaudoyer, Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13002, France04–96–17–40–40Sight Details
Rate Includes: €8.50, Closed Mon. -
20. Musée Yves Brayer
The Hôtel de Porcelet, which dates from the 16th century, contains this museum with works by the local 20th-century artist Yves Brayer. Figurative and accessible to the point of näiveté, his paintings highlight Italy, Spain, and even Asia, but demonstrate, most of all, his love of Provence. His grave is in the château cemetery. The house at No. 4 on Place de l'Église is also decorated with frescoes by the artist.
Pl. François Hérain, Les Baux-de-Provence, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, 13520, France04–90–54–34–39Sight Details
Rate Includes: €8, Closed Jan. and Feb. and Tues. Oct.–Apr.
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