An Artist’s Journey in Nice : Guest Blog

Today’s guest blog is from Erick Sabelskjold, the Managing Director of a Nice-based fine art agency, Sabelskjold Art Agency.   I would like to thank and acknowledge Erick’s input in writing this blog article and sharing some of his favorite places to enjoy art in Nice and the surrounds.  Enjoy!

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Art in Nice and surrounds

I have the fantastic fortune to live in Nice, France, the heart of the French Riviera.  Every day here feels like you are transported to years gone by when Sophia Loren would grace the promenade with her beauty and elegance. Nice is a magical city filled with excitement, beauty and romance.

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There is so much more to Nice then the nightlife, trendy cafes, and incredible cuisine.

For those of you that have visited Nice before you know the city is bathed in stunning captivating art. This art in not just in galleries, the city itself is a work of art.  From Promenade des Anglais to the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, there are new discoveries waiting around every turn.  It is difficult to narrow down the best places to see art in Nice so I will go with my personal favorites.

promenade-art

My favorite part of Nice hands down is Old Town.  The walking streets of Old Town (Vieux Nice) slows the pace of the city and as you make your way through the butchers and leather makers that have been here for generations you become captivated by the character and beauty of the city.

The streets of Old Town are lined with talented, passionate painters and sculptors. There are several art tours available in Nice but believe me discovering these hidden gems is much more exciting on your own. Rue Droite is an excellent place to start your adventure through old town walking streets.  Here, you will find many internationally collected artists.

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One of the most interesting Old Town locations to see art in Nice is Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate.  The captivating murals painted inside the church are just the beginning.  The church also has 3 organs and an altar with the remains of the martyred St Reparata. The story of St Reparata found within the church is fascinating; and then to see the altar of her remains in such a picturesque church is moving.

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No trip to Old Town Nice would be complete without a breathtaking view from Tower Bellanda.  You can either take the stairs to the the top of the tower or pay a small fee for the elevator. Looking out over the turquoise water of the Mediterranean Sea, you can understand why for centuries artists have been inspired and motivated to create art in Nice.

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There is no shortage of Museums in the city of Nice and surrounding areas, from public to private and even the homes of famous artists that lived in the area. At the top of my museum list is the Picasso Museum in Antibes, just a short train ride away.  The museum is set in an old castle fort right on the sea with views looking out over the yacht marina to the snow capped Alps.

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The museum houses an amazing collection of Picasso’s work while he lived in Antibes including paintings, sculptures and intimate photos of him working in his studio. There are also several other famous artists in the Museum like Nicolas de Stael. The museum has a patio that looks directly over the sea with interesting sculptures.

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You don’t have to be an art aficionado to enjoy all the art that Nice has to offer.  Awe-inspiring art surrounds you everywhere you go in this beautiful city.  From the cafe lined streets, to the museums and art studios, there is art in Nice for everyone to be moved and fascinated by.  In the heart of the French Riviera, I know you will find something beautiful that will touch your soul.

Sabelskjold Art Agency, located in Nice and South Florida, specializes in art collecting experiences and helping clients create the perfect custom piece of art for their space. We also partner with interior designers sourcing the perfect piece of art to complete their project.  Sabelskjold Art Agency is client forward focused and provides unmatched client experiences and services.

http://sabelskjoldartagency.com/

Carpool to a château or art gallery? Why not! CovoitureArt

Now, having no car or adversity to using public transport is a thing of the past if you desire to visit art galleries, museums or historical places of interest throughout France – welcome to the concept of CovoitureArt!

We’ve all seen car sharing sites emerge such as BlaBlaCar, ID Vroom, La Roue Verte and Covoiture Libre, but CovoitureArt aims to specifically bridge the link between carpooling and art.

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The concept

Many cultural sites throughout France – châteaux, museums, religious sites, festivals – require the use of a car, however more often than not the resources of using the car (petrol, parking expenses etc) are wasted. Why not meet others who share cultural interests to visit these sites of art, culture and heritage?

CovoitureArt aims to facilitate the meeting of people who consider carpooling a social resource with a cultural way to get together.

Benefits

Cheaper than the train, faster than cycling – other than the carpooling cost there is a low commission of just €1,90 per passenger regardless of trip length which I think is very reasonable for an A to B journey that saves time with public transport schedules

Meet others with similar cultural interests

Discover lesser known sites and attractions – I noticed most of the major museums/galleries on the map for the French Riviera, as well as the inclusion of lesser promoted museums such Musée National du Sport and Musée Départmental des Merveilles which is great

Special CovoitureArt discounts at partner sites

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Downsides

Dates for visiting must match your needs

Some of the web links I checked for the French Riviera weren’t functioning (e.g. Musée Fernand Léger, Musée Renoir)

Website is in French language only which is a shame for expats whose French is below par and international travellers especially backpackers who would really find this site useful, however navigating on the site is quite intuitive so not reading French isn’t a major issue (it would only pose problems creating your user account which you could easily bypass using online translation tools).

For more information, visit the official website www.covoiture-art.com

 

Art Trails on the French Riviera

The French Riviera has fascinated painters, poets and artists for centuries who have been inspired by the beautiful landscapes and luminous light of the Mediterranean.

From Renoir to Chagall, from Picasso to Monet and Matisse the region is scattered with wonderful art museums and collections from the finest painters.

Follow my guide ‘Art Trails on the French Riviera’ for places to visit with an artistic influence including classic and contemporary art collections as well as off-the-beaten-track suggestions.

Antibes

Musée Peynet

Musée Picasso

Musée Picasso. Antibes

Musée Picasso. Antibes

Biot

Musée National Fernand Léger

Cagnes sur Mer

Chateau Musée Grimaldi

Musée Renoir

Cannes

Centre d’art La Malmaison

Musée de la Castre

Grasse

Musée d’art et d’histoire de Provence

Le Cannet

Musée Bonnard

Menton

Musée Jean Cocteau

Musée Jean Cocteau, Menton

Musée Jean Cocteau, Menton

Mouans Sartoux

L’espace de l’art concret at Château de Mouans Sartoux

Mougins

Musée d’Art Classique de Mougins

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Nice

Galerie de la Marine

Galerie des Ponchettes

MAMAC

MAMAC, Nice

MAMAC, Nice

Monastre de Nôtre Dame de Cimiez (burial place of Raoul Dufy and Henri Matisse)

Musée des Arts Asiatiques

Musee des Beaux Arts

Musée Marc Chagall

Musée Massena

Musée Matisse

Musée Matisse, Nice

Musée Matisse, Nice

Hôtel Negresco

Hotel Villa La Tour

Hotel Windsor

Palais Lascaris

Villa Arson

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat

Villa Santo Sospir

Saint Paul de Vence

La Colombe d’Or

Fondation Maeght

Fondation Maeght, St Paul de Vence

Fondation Maeght, St Paul de Vence

St Paul de Vence cemetery (burial place of Marc Chagall)

Vallauris

Musée National Picasso

Vence

Chapelle du Rosaire

Chapelle du Rosaire painted by Matisse

Chapelle du Rosaire painted by Matisse

Villefranche sur Mer

Chapelle St Pierre

Chapelle St Pierre, Villefranche sur Mer

Chapelle St Pierre, Villefranche sur Mer

La Citadelle (home to the Musée Volti, Collection Goetz-Boumeester and Collection Roux – to read more about these 3 museums read my previous blog post about Villefranche sur Mer here

To see a map of Access Riviera’s ‘Art Trails on the French Riviera’ locations, click on this link (thanks to Wanderant!) where you can click on each location to read more:

If you found this Art Guide informative, please share on Facebook or Twitter. Thanks!

Image credits: Cimiez, Deluxe Drivers, France Culture, Oopartir, Panoramio