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The painter Pierre Bonnard spent the last twenty-five years of his life in the South of France in the town of Le Cannet, and in 2011 a museum was opened there in his honor. It is the first dedicated to his work. Housed in lovely Belle Epoque townhouse, the Musée Bonnard displays the painters’ works, including many landscapes inspired by the region, on four floors. Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, except for Mondays, with later hours in summer and on Thursdays.

See South of France Itinerary for Art and Food Lovers for suggested dining nearby.

One of France’s most memorable small museums, the Fondation Maeght was founded by art lovers Marguerite and Aimé Maeght in the hills of Saint Paul near Vence. The contemporary art collectors collaborated with painters and sculptors and Catalan architect Lluis Sert to create a site where art and sculpture was integrated into the art. Among the highlights are a Giacometti sculpture courtyard, a Jean Miró labyrinth, or sculpture garden, as well as mural mosaics by Chagall and stained glass windows and pool mosaics by Braque. The intimate art oasis contains one of the most important collection of contemporary art in Europe with paintings, drawings and sculptures by such greats at Kandinsky, Calder and Léger as well as contemporary artists such as Adami, Del Re, Kuroda and Takis. Don’t miss the Braques chapel, Chagall’s largest painting or the Bury fountain. With its powerful Giacommeti sculptures in the courtyard and Miró’s labyrinth of giant wild creatures, the Fondation Maeght makes for a great family-friendly art expedition. Open every day. 10am to 7pm July through Septmeber; 10 am to 6 pm, April through June; 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 6 pm, October through March.

The multi-faceted artist Jean Cocteau, who was a painter, poet, novelist, playwright and filmmaker created his own memorial in the seaside town of Menton in the 1950s when he discovered a 17th century fort (bastion in French) and was given permission to renovate it, adding floors and walls with his fanciful mosaics and niches to display his famous ceramics. It remains as a wonderful testament to the artist, however, in 2012, the town inaugurated a larger museum to honor Cocteau. The seafront building was designed by Rudy Ricciotti, a well-known “hedonist” architect, to be as Cocteau-like a structure as possible. The whimsical black and white façade has been described as a reflection of Cocteau’s obsession with dreams and reality and light and darkness. Within the building are exhibits revealing Cocteau’s many talents, from his early portraits to his Mediterranean ceramics and film clips from his famous Orpheus film trilogy as well as many photos, recordings and notebooks. Severin Wunderman’s collection constitutes the bulk of the collection and includes more than 1,800 pieces. In addition to his 990 of Cocteau’s works, there are works of his contemporaries such as Picasso, Modigliani and Miro as well as a collection or works related to Sarah Bernhardt, one of Cocteau’s stars. Open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, except Tuesdays and holidays. Open until 10pm on Fridays in July and August. Guided tours are available at 1:30 and 2:30.

NB: For Cocteau fans, there is also a Cocteau chapel in Villefranche that was an old fisherman’s chapel that Cocteau decorated with religious themes in 1956.

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While this is not one of the most special small museums in the South of France, for lovers of Matisse’s work it is worth a stop. Housed in a charming villa in a park in Nice, the collection includes 68 oil paintings, 236 drawings, 57 sculptures as well as designs and plans for his chapel in Vence. Open from 10 am to 6 pm daily, except for Tuesdays and major holidays. Free entry; open tk.

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Located in Cannes, this museum was opened in the early 1950s to promote art and history in the region. The whimsical collection is deeply personal, with archeological artifacts from Egypt, Greece, Iran, Syria and Cyprus. There’s also a primitive art collection as well as 19th-century landscapes of Cannes.

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This museum was founded by the artist’s widow in the 1950s to celebrate his life and work.

See South of France Itinerary for Art and Food Lovers for suggested dining nearby.

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This former home of Pablo Picasso was the first museum dedicated to the artist. (There are now other more substantial ones in Paris, Barcelona and Malaga.) Picasso only lived in the 17th century chateau, which was once a stronghold for Monaco’s Grimaldi family, for six months, but he painted many great works in the South of France, so it is fitting that the region contain a temple to his creative genius. In addition to housing a number of works that Picasso himself donated to the city of Antibes, the museum also features paintings donated by Jacqueline Picasso as well as the works of important contemporaries of his such as Miro, Balthus, Hartung and de Stael. Don’t miss the studio on the second floor or the sculpture terrace. Open daily, except Mondays.

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The last home of the painter Auguste Renoir, the Domaine Les Collettes, has been turned into a fabulous museum dedicated to the artist. Featuring its original furniture and décor, the building also contains the artists’ studios and many of his works, including paintings, sculptures and drawings. One of the studios contains the artists’ wheelchair, which stands near an easel, giving the sense that the great master has just departed. Closed Tuesdays.

Tip: Remember to watch Camille Claudel, the wonderful movie about one of Renoir’s lovers and muses before visiting.

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One of the most beautiful palaces on the French Riviera was created by Baroness Beatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild on Cap Ferrat (between Nice and Monaco) and is now open to the public. It is well worth a visit for those who love the decorative arts and gardens. Built between 1905 and 1912, the house was furnished with no expense spared and is filled with Sevres porcelain, Goeblins tapestries and precious art and antique furniture. The free audio guide recounts the colorful life of its patroness and anecdotes and details about the collection, which also includes personal items such as ballgowns, all of which reveals just how lavishly one could live in the South of France when money was no object. Surrounding the house are nine spectacular gardens of various themes, including a Spanish, Japanese, French and Rose garden. As you wander the grounds, you will discover waterfalls, ornamental ponds, columns and rare trees. Be sure to look out for the musical fountains, which “perform” every twenty minutes. Open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with afternoon hours only from November to February, and until 7 p.m. in July and August.

Note: There is a pleasant café in the Belle Epoque dining room for tea or a light lunch.

See South of France Itinerary for Art and Food Lovers for suggested dining nearby.

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This stunningly sited villa on a promontory in Beaulieu-sur-Mer was the labor of love of archaeologist Theodore Reinach. Built between 1902 and 1908, the villa is a faithful recreation of an aristocratic Greek villa on the island of Delos from the 2nd century BC but with modern amenities so, for instance, the bathrooms are tiled in Greek style and the tubs are carved of solid marble but the water comes up from below grates as it would in thermal baths. Among the treasures are the furniture which was commissioned by the villa’s architect Emmanuel Pontremoli; pieces are exact replicas of ancient Greek items but were made by the era’s top French cabinetmaker Bettenfield. The wonderful audio tour allows you to punch numbers associated with particular pieces and topics (you can key in a specific mosaic or cooking and eating) and offers great explanations about life in ancient Greece. Adults and kids will be fascinated as they learn about slaves, children’s schedules and why the dining room is set with long chaise like chairs as the Greeks took their meals lying down. Those interested in design will marvel at the decorative ceilings and inlaid mosaic floors. Beneath the villa is a gallery of Greek statues.

Note: Ceramic workshops in mosaics and pottery are offered to children and adults in July and August from 1 pm to 6:30 pm. For information, call 33 (6) 13-27-18-05.

See South of France Itinerary for Art and Food Lovers for suggested dining nearby.