...we have a day out in
St Paul de VenceThe routine is as follows. Catch the bus no. 400 (Vence par St Paul) from the Gare Routiere (the main bus station) on boulevard Jean Jaures in Nice.
The bus climbs slowly north of Cagnes and after about 30 minutes you can see the walled mediaeval village of St Paul to your left. You are decanted opposite the
Moulin bistro just outside the village. Cross over to the bistro - this is where you will catch the bus back to Nice and it is a good idea to check the timetable so that you can plan your day.
The main reason I come to St Paul is not for the village, but for the modern art museum,
The Fondation Maeght. Walk up the road to the left of the bistro, cross over the main road and turn left up a steep drive set in woodland to the museum. It is about 10 minutes walk uphill.
It is a few euros to enter and a bit more to take photos. The museum is light modern and airy and full of modern art and sculpture indoors and out. There are permanent pieces of art here such as the skinny Giacometti figures and the chunkier colourful Miros. One of my favourite pieces is a moving, clunking, metal water sculpture outside the tiny chapel.
The temporary exhibitions change every year. Over the last 3 years, there was a wonderful
Nudes of the 20th Century exhibition which included work by Lucian Freud, currently exhibiting in the Wallace Collection in London; two years ago, a Henry Moore retrospective with many of his sketches and sculpture and last year there was a
Russian Avant-Gardes exhibition, which included a few pieces by Chagall. This was my least favourite of the three but I look forward to whatever may be on show this year. The web site is out of date so I will have to wait and see what is advertised on the posters when I am in Nice.
The gift shop here has a nice selection of posters, postcards and arty gifts plus the exhibition guide, a weighty tomb and available in English.
Please go to Part 2...
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Address: St Paul de Vence
Directions: Bus 400 from Nice to the walled mediaeval village of St Paul de Vence, several miles north of Cagnes
Website: http://www.maeght.com/musee/index.html
Other Contact: http://www.saintpaulweb.net/spw/
on Apr 20, 2004
