Côte d'Azur Top Museums (Musées)

Though northern neighbor Paris is often touted for its variety of museums, the riviera offers quite a selection as well. From museums devoted to art to those that showcase a variety of other specialties of the region, the riviera's museums have something to offer everyone.

Art Museums

The riviera has long been the mecca of French painters and artists: most of the Impressionists spent time here, painting the beautiful landscapes and seascapes and using the culture and their surroundings as inspiration. It makes sense, then, that several of the villages on the riviera are home to museums devoted to the artists of this movement, like the Renoir museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer. In Antibes, you will find the Picasso museum situated inside an old castle.

The village perché, literally: perched village, is found high up in the mountains, a refuge for artists for centuries. Today, the village is nearly entirely made up of small galleries owned by local artisans showcasing their work. The restaurant Le Colombe d'Or is home to several paintings by Picasso, which the artist used as payment for his meals when he had no money. Also in Saint-Paul-de-Vence is the Fondation Marguerite et Aimé Maeght, a museum housing a permanent collection including mosaics by Chagall, sculptures by Giacometti and a labyrinth designed by Miro, and it often invites temporary exhibitions.

For the art-lover, Nice is a gold mine and should definitely feature on your itinerary. Nice is home to a Matisse museum and the Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain, as well as a national museum devoted to Marc Chagall which houses the largest public collection of the artist's work, including over 800 pieces.

Maritime Museums

Located on the sea, it's not surprising that the riviera is home to some of the best maritime museums of the world. In Cannes, you will find the Musée de la Mer - the museum of the sea - located just off the coast on the beautiful Ile-Sainte-Marguerite, which is also the location of the fortress where the Man in the Iron Mask of Hollywood fame was imprisoned.

The Naval Museum in Nice is worth a visit, as is the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco, which is attached to an excellent aquarium.

Other Museums

For those with special interests, perhaps some of these will tickle your fancy.

In Cannes, try the Musée de la Castre. a historical museum with a random collection of artifacts and underwater treasures, the true gem of this museum is the view from the tower at the top. Ask nicely, and you may be allowed to climb to the top and take in the panorama.

In Grasse, visit the Musée International de la Parfumerie - Perfume Museum. Here, you will learn all about the art of making perfume: appropriate considering the fact that Grasse is home to several of the largest perfume companies in all of France including the Parfumerie Fragonard and the Parfumerie Molinard.

A trip to France wouldn't be complete without some sort of food, and at the Musée Escoffier de l'Art Culinaire, you can learn all about the history of every morsel that passes your lips. This museum in Villeneuve-Loubet is actually the former home of famed chef Auguste Escoffier, now a museum devoted to the culinary arts.