On a lovely stretch of the Mediterranean coast, between glamorous Nice and sparkling Antibes, Cagnes-sur-Mer is a hidden gem that’s well worth seeking out says Janine Marsh.
Around 15 minutes by train, or a short drive from Nice, Cagnes-sur-Mer is quite different from its famous neighbour. The lower town, Cros de Cagnes has 3.5km of pebble beaches where the temperature of the sea is said to be so mild you can swim there year-round. Inland, Les Collettes is where painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir built his dream home and lived out his last years. And Haute-de-Cagnes – a medieval upper town that’s a real treasure, the kind of place you stumble upon and never want to leave. And many didn’t – especially not the painters, poets, and bohemians who made this sun-drenched haven their home.
Maison Renoir: A Glimpse into the Artist’s Life
At the heart of Cagnes, and a 20-minute walk from the train station, lies Les Collettes, a sprawling olive grove estate that became Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s final retreat.
Success was slow in coming to this giant of impressionism, though by the 1880’s his fortunes were on the rise. Approaching his 50’s and living in Paris, he was beginning to suffer from arthritis in his hands and thought the warmer climate of southern France would be beneficial, so he started to spend more time in Provence. In 1907 he purchased a farm in Cagnes called Domaine Les Collettes and had a purpose-built house and studio constructed. Set amidst ancient olive trees and with stunning views of the old town of Cagnes and the coast to Cap d’Antibes and beyond, this was where he spent his remaining years.
He described the olive trees as “silver fountains of light,” and painted them again and again. His house, now the Musée Renoir, is a deeply personal space. The studio is as he left it—sunlight slanting across palettes and half-finished canvases. You can peer at his wheelchairs and brushes, marvel at how he painted with hands twisted by illness, even binding brushes to his fingers to keep creating.
Renoir died here in 1919, but his spirit infuses the garden paths and terraced olive and citrus orchards where birds sing and enjoy the exquisite views of the town below. In spring, the air is perfumed with orange blossom; in summer, cicadas chirrup in the olive groves. It’s a quietly moving place—one that captures the soul of an artist who never stopped seeing beauty.
Haut-de-Cagnes
A short walk from Maison Renoir brings you to Square Bourdet from where you can take a free shuttle bus to Haut-de-Cagnes. Perched atop a rocky spur, the village is a labyrinth of sleepy, steep cobbled lanes, vaulted passages and flower-draped medieval stone houses, their shutters faded to perfect Provençal pastels. The village is topped by the Château Grimaldi, built around 1300 by Rainier Grimaldi, which today houses two museums: the Olive Tree Museum and the Solidor donation, where you can see some 40 portraits of Suzy Solidor, a sultry French 1930’s cabaret singer and actress who retired to Cagnes-sur-Mer to run an antique shop which now houses a museum of contemporary jewellery.
The village’s tranquillity and luminous light made it a magnet for 20th-century creatives including Brigitte Bardot and Greta Garbo who had villas here, writer Georges Simenon, creator of Inspector Maigret and Irish novelist and playwright Samuel Beckett, seeking solace and silence. The poet Paul Valéry was known to stroll the stone paths, sketchbook in hand. Raoul Dufy painted here, intoxicated by the colours of the coast.
Russian-born artist Chaïm Soutine and Japanese painter Tsugouharu Fujita found in Haut-de-Cagnes a muse in its light and landscapes when they visited in 1918 with Amedeo Modigliani. When the friends ran out of money, their baggage was confiscated to settle their debts. Soutine returned five years later, taking a taxi from Paris to Nice after selling 60 paintings to the American collector Albert C Barnes. Their presence brought life to the sleepy streets; they filled the tiny cafés where they held spirited debates, especially at the legendary Chez Charlot, a favourite of Modigliani. The little village became known as the “Montmartre of the Cote d’Azur.”
The legacy of these artists endures, woven into the village’s fabric. Studios and galleries abound, many tucked behind heavy wooden doors or beneath vine-draped arcades. Every street is a photo opp – and don’t miss the medieval church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul – enter via a door which leads to the mezzanine floor which looks down on the pews where the poor sat. Filled with paintings and frescoes, it’s a beautiful building. Head to the main plaza for a choice of restaurants and stupendous views over the countryside or on a sunny day, the terrace of the restaurant of Hotel Chateau Le Cagnard in a 13th century building perched on the ramparts.
Seaside fun
Leave the hilltop behind and roll down to the coast, where the former fishing quarter of Cros-de-Cagnes is now a dynamic seaside resort of pebbled beaches (the little beach hidden behind the port is sheltered and a favourite with the locals), and rustic seafood bistros like Jimmy’s from where you have magnificent views over the chateau and the mountains the locals call ‘baou’.
The coastal town is a mix of modern and traditional with a unique open-air shopping centre, renowned racecourse on the seafront with superb views and year-round events. Don’t miss the Allée des Villas Fleuries where you’ll see enchanting old fishermen’s houses festooned with flowers. The air smells of grilled sardines and fresh rosemary, and the rhythm of pétanque games drifts over the clink of cutlery. If you’re there in March and April, feast on local speciality poutine, a sardine that’s served only for 45 days accordingly to tradition, fished from local wooden boats called pointus that bob in the port.
At sunset, sip a cocktail at a beach café or from the bar on the rooftop of Éclat hotel in the lower town, and watch the Mediterranean sea turn the colour of molten gold.
It’s easy to see why so many creatives found their muse here.
Find out more at explorenicecotedazur.com
Janine Marsh is the author of several best-selling books about France. Find all books on her website janinemarsh.com
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