Nice Escorts

Nice is a chic resort city on the French Riviera, known for both its modern contribution to culture and its artistic heritage which in previous times attracted Matisse, Chagall and Nikki de Saint Phalle amongst other greats. Here is a selection of some of its best galleries.
Musee d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain (Modern and Contemporary Art Museum), Promenade des Arts, 06364, cedex 4
Housed in an ultramodern tetrapod arch building, this is mainly a collection of New European Realist, US Pop Art, Minimalist and Abstract work. There are outstanding pieces by Andy Warhol and Ray Liechtenstein. The gallery also offers workshops, lectures and film showings in its stunning 237-seat auditorium.

Musée Massena (Museum of Art History), 65, Rue de France and 35, Promenade des Anglais

The Massena is a 23-room Italian-style villa that was converted into a museum in 1921. Today it houses 15,000 pieces, much of them art-oriented, which chart the glorious history of Nice, focusing especially on the "Earldom" period from the 11th to the 19th centuries. Once you have perused the cultural artefacts, enjoy a stroll in the invigorating gardens designed by the outstanding floral designer of the nineteenth century, Edouard Andre.

Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret, 33, Avenue des Baumettes

With the elegant atmosphere of the mansion it was built into in 1878, this gallery boasts art works dating back over 400 years. There are some fine ceramic pieces by Picasso here as well as paintings by Claude Monet, Raoul Dufy and Alfred Sisley. There is a comprehensive sweep of nineteenth century French art, especially impressionism and post-impressionism.

Musée Picasso (Picasso Museum), 4 Rue des Tailpieces, 06600 Antibes

Containing 150 of the master’s paintings including The Goat and Le Joie De Vivre, the Picasso Museum is situated in nearby Antibes on the acropolis of the Ancient Greek city of Antipolis. It is an essential visit for art lovers.

Musée Matisse (Matisse Museum), 164 Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez, 06000

As the name would suggest, this is devoted to the work of the great Fauvist and Modernist artist Henri Matisse, who lived in Nice between 1918 and 1954. The museum is located in a wonderful setting - on the hill of Cimiez amongst Italian-style gardens and within an olive grove close to the Hotel Regina where Matisse lived for a while. Such classic Matisse works as Themes and Variations and The Bather in the Reeds are on permanent show. On the ground floor of the same building is Nice’s intriguing Museum of Archaeology.

Musée Chagall, Avenue de Dr Menard, 06000

Head south along Avenue de Filirey past the old amphitheatre and paths and you will find this awe-inspiring repository of over 400 of the great modern artist Marc Chagall’s works including paintings, sculptures, mosaics and lithographs. The dominant theme here is Chagall’s treatment of religious and metaphysical issues. The concert hall inside is decorated with a classic example of his stained glass work.

So with little effort or travel required, a visitor can fully enjoy Nice’s artistic atmosphere without fear of running out of places to go and beautiful art to see. A tour round this exquisite city will also be an education in the oeuvres of some of the world’s finest exponents of the creative arts, from Picasso to Monet, Chagall to Rodin and Rauschenberg to Liechtenstein.