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There now follows a self-guided walk and a map of the entire route can be found at Haut-de-Cagnes master map.
This concludes the walk around the old town and it only remains to either spend a pleasureable hour or two wandering around the delightful narrow streets or retreat to one of the many restaurants and cafes for well-earned refreshment. There is, however, a further destination for the dedicated art lover and that is the Renoir Museum at Domaine des Collettes and this is dealt with separately.
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Just a few steps beyond where the roads meet on the left hand side you will see an information panel that shows Mimosas en fleurs à Cagnes, 1921 by Felix Vallatton [1] (Private collection, Schweizerisches Institut fur Kunstwissenschaft, Zurich). Very often when standing where the artist stood the physical changes in the scene are dramatic, but here the biggest difference to be noted is whether or not the mimosa is in blossom. That and, of course, the presence of parked cars or barriers preventing them from doing so. There have been minor changes to the houses on the right and the trees have grown but, in essence, the scene is little changed and on a sunny February morning would provide an artist painting today with almost the same subject.
Continue up the steep, narrow street with every step taking you away from the realities of the twenty-first century into an altogether more historic world with relatively few reminders of the present day. However you do have to be aware of traffic coming down the hill. When you reach Le Manoir restaurant you will find another information panel showing Cagnes-sur-Mer, 1926/29 by William H. Johnson [2] (Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington). Although the artist has rendered the scene with deliberate distortion, the view looking down the hill is still recogniseable. There have been superficial changes to the fabric of the buildings and a degree of ‘prettification’ but the artist would have no difficulty identifying his original view if he returned today. 
Now bear right, uphill towards the church and you will soon come to the next information panel showing La Montée de la Bourgade by Émile Wéry [3] (Château-Musée Grimaldi, Haut-de-Cagnes). The present day reality of the scene is virtually the same although, interestingly, the original subject of the painting which was the installation of the first pole carrying electricity cables has now disappeared. Also there is not much in the way of passing donkey traffic these days. The artist has included himself in this jolly composition positioned in the little alley called Rue de la Courtine Saint-Sébastien and this should be taken to view the next panel.
Descend the brick steps and just round the corner you will find the panel showing Vielle rue de Cagnes, soleil couchant, painted in 1920 by Felix Vallatton [4] (Private collection). Once again there have been minimal changes to the view the artist had – maybe a new house on the hillside in the distance and slight changes to the rendering on the buildings – but otherwise the same and ‘lovely’.
You now need to retrace your steps and continue into Place Docteur Joseph Maurel with the Tourist Information office and the Chateâu on the left. At the end of the square before turning left to the entrance of the museum you will find the next panel showing Place du Haut-de-Cagnes en hiver, 1979 by Monique Giresse [5] (Private collection). Although the fabric of the building is instantly recogniseable the modern world certainly makes its presence felt here. Whereas the dominant feature in the centre of the painting is a wintry tree, the open cobbled space is now likely to be crammed with parked vehicles. However the charm of the place still triumphs – just about.
This is probably a good opportunity to make a visit to the museum if it coincides with opening times. The château itself is a perfect palace in miniature with a delightful inner courtyard. Many of the rooms retain their original decoration including a rather grand reception room with a spectacular trompe d’oeil painted ceiling by Giulo Benso dating from the 1620’s. There is an interesting collection of paintings apart from the Solidor portraits, some by contemporary artists. There is also a presentation of machinery and artifacts relating to the growth of olives and the manufacture of olive oil.
If you are not tempted by refreshment in the delightful square by the château with terrific views across the valley with snow-capped mountains beyond, then continue down Rue du Piolet. At the end of the road turn right and proceed down the steps, noting the plaque dedicated to Pär Lagerkvist – a Nobel prizewinner for Literature. The steps turn sharp left and continue downhill until the path joins Montée du Château and here turn right and immediately left and you will see the next information panel showing Paysages de Cagnes, 1923 by Chaïm Soutine [6] (Art Institute, Chicago). The best place to view the scene is probably by the double green doors to the right with the road descending before you and the distant hills visible. The artist has obviously taken liberties with perspective and scale and there has been some redevelopment of buildings on the right. Again, the biggest disappointment is the presence of parked cars on both sides of the road although maybe this artist would have had no difficulty in weaving them into his eccentric vision – is that someone on a motorbike speeding downhill in his painting?
Now turn right and go to the viewing area in front of the church and you will find two further information panels. The first of these is of a work by Ferdinand Deconchy titled Chapelle Notre-Dame de Protection, c.1900 [7] (Château-Musée Grimaldi, Haut-de-Cagnes). The initial impression is that very little has changed but then you notice that the portico now only has two arches and not three and the cypress tree has moved position. This rather brutal remodelling must be as a result of road-widening – but it is still a charming spot. The interior of the church, which has its origins in the 14th century, is decorated with frescos by Andrea de Cella dating from 1530 which were discovered beneath a layer of plaster in 1930. Renoir, who was great friends with Deconchy painted a very similar view and this may well have inspired the present picture.
The other panel shows a painting by Chaïm Soutine entitled La Route de la Colline painted in 1922 or 1924 [8] (Tate Modern, London). This depicts the road leading away from the church with the low wall on the left an the tree that features in the painting may well be the same one that grows today. This is another visually turbulent image and specific details of architecture are difficult to identify but, in essence, the the place is relatively unchanged. Now retrace your steps and proceed downhill with the church on your right and then turn left into Rue Xavier Blanc.
There is a delightful public garden on the right and here you will find the next information panel featuring another work by Soutine called La Montée de Cagnes but also known as L’homme bleu sur la route from 1923/24 [9] (Musée des Beaux Arts, Bordeaux). There have been changes to the road layout and the rather indistinct area of foliage on the right is now where the public garden is located. There are also now some rather dominant cypress trees which do not figure in the artist’s original somewhat tortured vision. Parked cars are everywhere and its probably wise not to linger in the middle of the road – the cruciform figure acting as a danger signal!
To find the next panel retrace your steps to the main road, Rue Sainte-Anne, and turn left. Follow this until you reach a junction where five roads converge and on the left you will see a panel showing Paysages de Cagnes by Soutine, painted in 1924 [10] (Museum of Art, Philadelphia). The panel is not exactly where the artist must have stood and there have obviously been some changes since the picture was painted, mainly related to road-widening. Combine this with the artist’s idiosyncratic style and making a comparison with present reality is a bit of a challenge. The central building towards the top of the picture with the four windows in a square formation is still recogniseable. There is a very tall cypress tree that obscures much of the building on the extreme left – not evident in Soutine’s vision but which must pre-date the painting. Some of the buildings to the right have been remodelled or demolished to allow for road improvements but inspite of all this it is still a charming corner inspite of the continual flow of traffic coming and going in all directions.
The penultimate panel can be found by turning left down Montée du Cimetière and following it until it intersects with the main road. Just across the road there is a panel showing Les Cyprès à Cagnes painted by the Neo-impressionist Henri-Edmond Cross in 1908 [11] (Musée d’Orsay, Paris). However, just behind you there is a slip road that goes up to to a private garage and from the top of this road you get a much better view. It is also, blissfully, away from the traffic and it is easy to believe that Cross positioned himself here to paint his picture. Trees have grown, disappeared, been replaced but the scene retains the essential elements of the artists original painting.
To find the final panel follow Montée du Cimetière back towards the old town. This will soon turn into the Rue du Château and continue to follow this past Parking Le Planastel until it reaches Rue Xavier Blanc. Here turn right and follow the road round to the left going uphill. You will soon come to the place where the road diverges and one branch ascends to Porte Saint Paul. At this point you will find the panel showing Paysages de Cagnes by André Derain painted in 1910 [12] (Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, UK). The artist has rendered the scene in a dramatic, angular fashion but it is obvious that this is where the artist stood. There have, of course, been changes – notably much more development on the hillside in the middle distance.
