Do you love art
enough to be interested in the story behind it? In the hills above
sleepy little Cagnes sur Mer on the French Riviera coastline, hides a real
treat for art lovers, especially fans of Pierre
Auguste Renoir. A short walk
from the centre of Cagnes-sur-mer, Renoir’s final home, now open to the public,
is a beautiful sanctuary overlooking olive groves and the glittering
Mediterranean. It's easy to see why, when driven to a warmer climate by
agonising rheumatoid arthritis, Renoir chose to live there.
World-famous
artists seem quite untouchable at times, unreal almost, so it is incredible to
be able to walk through the house that was once his home, and see some of the
views he painted.
Visitors approach
the house through lush Mediterranean gardens and, as you climb the hill, a view
to the left across an olive grove exposes a view of nearby Chateau Grimaldi perched
upon the opposite hill. A sign displays Renoir’s painting ‘Landscape at Les
Calottes’ of the same view, which really makes you feel you are tracing the
exact footsteps of the artist.
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| Musee Renoir, Cagnes-sur-mer, France |
The house itself is
characterful with old photos of Renoir and his family giving an idea of the
lives lived there. Visitors can see Renoir’s studio and marvel at the enormous
windows that bathe the room in the magnificent Provencal light. A few rooms
have become gallery spaces displaying paintings by Renoir and other artists,
while other rooms such as the sitting room, dining room and bathroom have been
left containing some of the original features and furniture.
The house is
perched halfway up a hillside covered in olive trees. On a summer day the house
is bathed in warm sunshine, while the olive trees provide welcome shade. I’ve
long admired Renoir’s intricate depiction of light in his paintings and while
walking around the gardens, and even the house, the magical light is really
remarkable.
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| Renoir's studio, Cagnes-sur-mer, France |
In a second
building a video about Renoir’s filmmaker son Jean Renoir plays in both French and
English.
The house and
gardens are beautiful and well worth a visit, even if you are not a huge fan of
Renoir. Stepping onto the verandah of Renoir’s home and glancing across the
olive trees to the sea really offers a little taste of Mediterranean paradise. It’s
easy to get to too – only a five-minute walk from the centre of bus stop!
Before you go:
Watch the 2012 movie ‘Renoir’
