Travel bucket list idea:
Maeght Foundation
Nice, Cote d'Azur, France
Photo Olivier Ansellem Archives Fondation © Succession Giacometti Fondation Giacometti Paris et ADAGP Paris 2021
Last updated: 21 July, 2024
Set in a sublime garden amid playful mosaics, fountains and sculptures by Calder, Giacometti, Pol Bury and Tal Coat, the Maeght Foundation is itself a masterpiece.
Designed in 1964 by Josep Lluis Sert, a student of Le Corbusier, this striking building’s luminous white rooms are filled with natural light – the ideal setting for bold, colour-packed art by the likes of Braque, Chagal, Leger, Bonnard and Miro.
Outside, there’s a sculpture garden, with rotating works by world-renowned sculptors such as Jean Arp, Eduardo Chillida, Erik Dietman, Barbara Hepworth and Joan Miro.
Kids will love the garden with its Miro maze and Pol Bury fountain.
While you’re there
The character-filled, medieval village of Saint Paul de Vence is one of the oldest in the South of France, and arguably the loveliest of all the ‘perched’ villages. It’s long been a haven for famous actors, film stars, and artists (including Picasso, Matisse and Chagall).
The Maeght Foundation is one of many top-notch modern and contemporary art museums located here, albeit the biggest and the best.
Logistics
Price from: £14
Minimum age: 0
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
St-Paul-de-Vence is a half-hour drive outside of both Nice and Antibes. The Foundation is up the hill just before the entrance to St-Paul-de-Vence. If you’re staying in Nice but don’t have a car, you can take the Nice–Vence bus (No.400), which makes two stops in St-Paul – get off at the first one, Village-Fondation Maeght, turn left from the roundabout and walk uphill. By car, just follow the signs as you come into the village.
Guided tours with a local guide are available by prior arrangement, for an additional fee.
After sufficient perusing, have drinks or coffee at the Foundation’s Café, surrounded by art.
When to do it
The museum is open year-round, seven days a week.
