Highlights
- Visit 2 villages and Fondation Maeght: Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Tourrettes-sur-Loup
- Visit the iconic Fondation Maeght, entry included (Miro, Giacometti, Chagall)
- Enjoy a private electric-car tour for up to 4 with an EN/FR guide
Description
Step away from the busy coast and into the artistic soul of the French Riviera on this immersive private day tour. Your English- and French-speaking guide-driver picks you up directly at your Nice hotel in a comfortable electric Renault Megane E-Tech (max 4 passengers), and we take the scenic backroads into the hills behind the coast.
Our first stop is Saint-Paul-de-Vence, one of the oldest medieval villages in France. Walking through its 16th-century ramparts, built in 1538 by King Francis I, you will discover narrow cobbled lanes lined with art galleries, fountains and ateliers that inspired Picasso, Matisse, Chagall and Modigliani. We stroll past the legendary auberge La Colombe d'Or, where painters once paid for meals with their canvases, and pause at the Grand Fountain of 1615 and the 14th-century church.
Just outside the village walls, we visit the world-renowned Fondation Maeght, France's first independent modern art foundation, opened in 1964. Designed by Catalan architect Josep Lluis Sert in collaboration with Braque, Miro and Giacometti themselves, the building is as much a work of art as the masterpieces it houses. Your entrance ticket is included. Wander through the Giacometti courtyard, the playful Miro Labyrinth, mosaics by Chagall and one of the world's largest 20th-century art collections.
Finally, we drive to Tourrettes-sur-Loup, the City of Violets - the only place in France where violets are grown as a main crop. Perched on a rocky spur, this authentic medieval village hosts around thirty artisan workshops where potters, jewelers, ceramicists and weavers sell their handcrafted wares. Far less touristy than Saint-Paul, Tourrettes-sur-Loup is where you feel the real Provencal pace of life. Taste local violet specialties such as jam, syrup and candied flowers, and admire panoramic views over the surrounding countryside.
Throughout the day, your guide shares the stories behind the artists, the villages and the landscapes - stories you will not find in guidebooks.
Includes
Private English & French speaking guide-driver
Comfortable air-conditioned electric vehicle (Renault Megane E-Tech, max 4 passengers)
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Nice
Fondation Maeght entrance ticket
Bottled water
All taxes and fuel
Easy cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
