South of France… Cote d’Azur… La Provence… Say these words and images of deep turquoise waters of the Mediterranean and the lovely scent of lavender and pine trees fill your mind. The South of France was made to savor. Painters and sculptors took notice and lucky for us, the region’s “villages perches” are dotted with museums and galleries filled with their spectacular work. Let’s go and explore.

SAINT-PAUL DE VENCE AND FONDATION MAEGHT

Most visitors start their trip in Nice, the regional hub and the home port to glitzy Mediterranean yachts. The art lovers quickly leave the bustling metropolis behind and turn away from the sea towards the hilly countryside that hides one of the most spectacular art jewels on the coastline.

As your car approaches the entrance to this beautiful medieval village, resist the urge to head straight in and instead make a left turn. Follow the scent of pine trees up the hill towards the entrance to Fondation Maeght. You will be glad you did. The Fondation Marguerite et Aimé Maeght is France’s most important private art foundation. Created by a visionary couple who happened to be friends with many artists seeking inspiration in the enchanting landscape of the region, the museum now showcases works by the greats of the 20th century: Joan Miró, Alexander Calder, Fernand Léger, Georges Braque, Alberto Giacometti, Marc Chagall and many others. The museum’s unique design by Josep Lluís Sert blends art, nature and architecture in perfect harmony. You can unwind by walking through Miró’s whimsical sculpture garden or take in the views from one of the rooftop terraces.

The Fondation wisely offers a shuttle service that quickly descends the steep hill to drop you off right at the medieval walls of Saint Paul, mere steps away from another gem, La Colombe d’Or. This is a Riviera institution. A rustic inn and a restaurant, La Colombe has drawn the best of the best in modern art for decades. Over the years, the restaurateurs accumulated a collection that many a museum would envy. If you are lucky and have made a reservation (reservations are a must here these days), peel away from the table and walk through the unassuming rooms. Artworks start to emerge: a Matisse sketch here, a Picasso there, tucked away as if not to detract from the bon vivance that gave the restaurant its original raison d’etre. Close your eyes and imagine Pablo Picasso pulling up at the bar or James Bond’s alter ego Roger Moore enjoying a hearty meal on the terrace. La Colombe holds a lot of art history and its rustic charm continues to draw the brightest stars away from the glamour of the Cannes Film Festival to this day.

When you’re ready to move on, walk past the petanque patch and enter the village of Saint-Paul through its stone walls. Take a stroll through its cobble-stoned streets and dip in and out of the many galleries nestled in its nooks and crannies. The juxtaposition of the contemporary art with the medieval surroundings is spectacular in its own right.

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VISITING WITH PICASSO IN ANTIBES

A fifteen-minute train ride from Nice, Antibes is another pretty stop along the sparkling French Riviera. Stroll through its market and take in the bright sunflowers, ripe peaches and local raspberries and admire the intricate olive patterns imprinted on artisanal table cloths and linens. Venture just outside town to the glitzy Cap d’Antibes to admire the beautiful estates and the spectacular grounds of L’Hotel du Cap, home to the famous faces during the Cannes Film Festival and the cool crowds at the Cannes Lions. When you’re done playing, I encourage you to walk up the old city ramparts and find the Picasso Museum. Tucked into the ramparts, this former studio of the artist now houses his violin renderings and ceramics.

LOOKING FOR THE GOLDEN GOAT IN EZE

As another sunny day dawns on the Riviera, head east through the beautiful homes of Villefranche-sur-Mer and Saint Jean Cap Ferrat on your way to another gem, the medieval village of Eze. The tiny parking lot at the foot of the Eze hill fills up quickly so you may have to wind your way up, up, up another hill for what seems like eternity until you can finally bring your vehicle to a stop at a gravel lot operated by a stern and somewhat curmudgeonly couple. Fear not, though, their shuttle van is standing at the ready and will hurtle back down the hairpin bends to deposit you right where you started in no time at all. From there, you’re on your own power to climb the many steps to the gate of this walled off beauty. Throw out the map and just wander its meandering streets. You can’t get lost as all roads in this magical little village ultimately lead to “the place to be” - Le Château de la Chèvre d'or, or the “castle of the golden goat” with its magnificent views over the Mediterranean.

NICE MODERN

The city of Nice is a busy regional hub, but you should not underestimate its modern art credentials. The artists drawn to Riviera’s ethereal light have left an indelible mark on the city. Hop in a taxi or Uber and ask for the Musee Matisse. Soon you will be dropped off at the entrance to a dark pink seventeenth-century villa that is home to one of the world's largest collections of Matisse’s works, from his artistic beginnings through his last works.

Contemporary art lovers will not come up short, either. The Musée d'art moderne et d'art contemporain (Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art), also known as MAMAC, has been drawing art lovers to its doors since it opened in 1990. Located at the appropriately named Promenade des Arts and overlooking the Place Yves Klein, the museum will satisfy even the most demanding art lover with works of Yves Klein, Christo, Niki de Saint Phalle, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Indiana, Claes Oldenburg, Tom Wesselmann, Ellsworth Kelly, Larry Poons, and Frank Stella.

There is much, much more one could write in this love letter to the Riviera. Teasing your amygdala as you make your own perfume in Grasse, watching the bubbly molten glass take shape at La Verrerie in Biot or taking a temporary reprieve under a blue-and-white striped sunbrella on the pebbled beach, the south of France is a place you will want to come back to, again and again. I know I do.