While traveling by road or rail between Nice and Antibes through coastal development ranging from undistinguished urban sprawl to uncompromising architectural folly you might just glimpse inland a picture-postcard-pretty hilltop village. This is Haut-de-Cagnes and the reality of the place is not a disappointment.
As you start to ascend the Montée de la Bourgade and leave behind the seaside town of Cagnes-sur-Mer the road narrows and the quaintness factor begins to rise. At the summit a fairy-tale castle is set amidst a maze of narrow lanes, alleys and courtyards lined with charming little houses bedecked with window boxes and flower pots. The castle is infact the Château Grimaldi, originally built in about 1300 as a defensive fort by Rainier Grimaldi, Lord of Cagnes, and later transformed into a palace by Jean-Henri Grimaldi in about 1692. The castle is now a museum with exhibits dedicated to the importance of the olive in Mediterranean culture as well as an important collection of paintings relating to the area.
It is remarkable the way in which the fabric of the medieval town has survived, more-or-less intact, into the twenty-first century and the atmosphere of the place has been a draw for artists and writers for almost two centuries. Towards the end of his life Pierre Auguste Renoir made his home at Domaine des Collettes, just across the valley from the old town. His presence created an irresistable draw to the area for other artists, notable amongst them being Henri Edmond Cross, Pierre Bonnard, Auguste Rodin, Henri Matisse, André Derain and Amedeo Modigliani. His home has now been transformed into the Musée Renoir and presents a moving recreation of his life and work in the final years of his life.
Writers and actors such as Georges Simenon, Brigitte Bardot and Greta Garbot have all had homes here contributing to the village’s reputation as the “Montmartre of the French Riviera” after World War II. Suzy Solidor, a well-known singer and actress established her cabaret and restaurant in the village and this is now the venue for exhibitions of modern jewellery. Contemporary artists still find inspiration in the area and they find a venue for regular exhibitions at La Maison des Artistes.
HOW TO GET TO HAUT-DE-CAGNES
By air The nearest international airport is Nice Côte d’Azure
(5km from Cagnes-sur-Mer) which is well served with regular flights from several airports
in the UK.
By train Cagnes-sur-Mer is a local station between Nice and Antibes and is well-served by regional trains.
By bus The whole Alpes-Maritime region is served by Lignes d’Azur and Cagnes-sur-Mer is well served with connections to Nice and Antibes. For more information and timetables go to www.lignesdazur.com.
By car Cagnes-sur-Mer is close
to the main highway serving the South of France, the A8 or “la
Provençale”. If approaching from Marseille take exit 47 or exit 48 if approaching from Nice and follow signs for “Centre Ville”. If you want to go straight to the top of the old town park in the town centre and take the free shuttle bus from Square Bourdet (No. 44).
Tourist information in Haut-de-Cagnes Place du Docteur Maurel, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer Tel: 04 92 02 85 05 Fax: 04 92 02 05 86 Website: www.cagnes-tourisme.com E-mail: othdc@orange.fr Open:
July–August every day 10.00–13.00 and 14.00–18.00; September–October and March–June, Monday–Saturday 14.00–18.00; November–February Monday–Saturday 14.00–17.00. Please note that the main tourist information office for the area is downtown at 6 Boulevard Maréchal Juin, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer (Tel: 04 93 20 61 64, Fax: 04 93 20 52 63, E-mail: info@cagnes-tourisme.com). Open July–August Monday–Saturday 09.00–13.00 and 14.00–18.00; September–June Monday–Friday 09.00–12.00 and 14.00–18.00, Saturday 09.00–12.00.
MUSEUMS AND PLACES OF INTEREST
Musée Renoir Renoir made trips to the South of France from 1882 to spend creative time with his friend Paul Cézanne and so he was no stranger to the attractions of the region. In his later life Renoir suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and after making short visits to the area and renting a house in the town he felt that a permanent move would be beneficial for his health. He became aware of an estate with an old farmhouse set amidst a grove of ancient olive trees just across the valley from Haut-de-Cagnes. He was captivated by the place and so it was that he purchased Domaine des Collettes. A new villa was built and the Renoir family took up residence in 1908. Renoir spent the rest of his life here, increasingly afflicted by crippling arthritis, but continuing to paint, sculpt and entertain a wide circle of influential figures from the art world. The house and garden are now fully restored and provide a fascinating insight into the life and work of one of the masters of Impressionism. Chemin des Collettes, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer Tel: 04 93 20 61 07 E-mail: renoir@cagnes.fr Website: www.cagnes-tourisme.com Open: June–September 10.00–13.00 and 14.00–18.00 (garden open 10.00–18.00), October–March 10.00–12.00 and 14.00–17.00, April–May 10.00–12.00 and 14.00–18.00. Closed: Every Tuesday and January 1, May 1 and December 25. There is an entry fee.
Château-Musée Grimaldi In an area often fought over and subject to attacks by Barbary raiders the chateau was originally built in about 1300 by Rainier Grimaldi, Lord of Cagnes, as a fortress to protect the town. In more settled times it was transformed into a richly decorated palace by Jean-Henri Grimaldi in 1620. It was purchased by the town in 1937 and since 1946 it has been a museum dedicated to the “olive” in Mediterranean culture and home to an important collection of paintings relating to the local area and a venue for more contemporary works. Haut-de-Cagnes, Place du Château, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer Tel: 04 92 02 47 35 E-mail: chateau@cagnes.fr Website: www.cagnes-tourisme.com Open: May–October 10.00–12.00 and 14.00–18.00, November–April 10.00–12.00 and 14.00–17.00. Closed: Every Tuesday and January 1 and December 25. The museum will also be closed November 24–December 12 in 2017. There is an entry fee.
L’Espace Solidor Suzy Solidor was a well-known singer and in 1960 she opened a restaurant and cabaret at the corner of Place du Château which contributed greatly to the avant garde and slightly risque reputation of the town. The Grimaldi Museum now houses the collection of portraits of this formidable character by a host of notable painters. The establishment is now the venue for exhibitions of contemporary jewellery. Haut-de-Cagnes, Place du Château, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer Tel: 04 93 73 14 42 Open: Wednesday–Sunday 14.00–17.00. Closed: Monday–Tuesday. Free entry.
La Maison des Artistes Tucked away behind the Château, this is a venue for the work of contemporary painters and sculptors. Haut-de-Cagnes, Place du Château, 06800 Cagnes-sur-Mer E-mail: mdacagnes@yahoo.fr Open: Wednesday–Sunday 10.00–12.00 and 14.00–17.00. Closed: Monday–Tuesday. Free entry.
L’église Saint-Pierre et Saint Paul Entrance to the church is in Place Grimaldi, a lovely courtyard behind the château. The original medieval church was restored and enlarged in the 16th and 18th centuries and there is some internal decoration dating from these periods. There are also more contemporary murals featuring villagers who posed for the artist Charles Barkev. Open: Every day 10.00–17.00 (10.00–18.00 in summer). Free entry.
La Chapelle Notre Dame de la Protection Positioned on the corner of Montée du Château and Rue Hyppolite Guis, the origins of this place of worship date back to the 14th century. In the apse there are frescos by Andrea de Cella from 1530 which were rediscovered in 1930 under a layer of plaster. Open: Saturday–Sunday 14.00–17.00. Free entry.
It is remarkable the way in which the fabric of the medieval town has survived, more-or-less intact, into the twenty-first century and the atmosphere of the place has been a draw for artists and writers for almost two centuries. Towards the end of his life Pierre Auguste Renoir made his home at Domaine des Collettes, just across the valley from the old town. His presence created an irresistable draw to the area for other artists, notable amongst them being Henri Edmond Cross, Pierre Bonnard, Auguste Rodin, Henri Matisse, André Derain and Amedeo Modigliani. His home has now been transformed into the Musée Renoir and presents a moving recreation of his life and work in the final years of his life.
