GAVIN COOKE visits the South of France on the trail of some of its greatest artists WHAT images does mention of The French Riviera conjure up for you? I tend to think of Bardot’s bikini, huge yachts parked in fashionable harbours or maybe those advertisements for an inferior French lager. But if we aim our brows a little higher it’s as clear as the famous light that suffuses this region that the Cote d’Azur is more than a millionaires’ playground. Some of the greatest painters in history including Picasso, Renoir and Matisse have lived here, been inspired by the extraordinary setting and have left a rich legacy of inspired creations. I joined a guided tour of the artistic culture the Riviera is heir to. We began our journey on a hillside about six miles inland from the hustle and bustle of the coast in the picturesque market town of Vence. This is where the magnificent Villa le Reve is located, the house where Henri Matisse lived from 1943 to 1949. In this town Matisse created what he referred to as his “masterpiece”, the Chapelle Matisse in the centre of Vence. Matisse designed and decorated this small suburban building between 1947 and 1951, and it’s an incredible work. From the outside it looks like an ordinary Provencal house but inside everything is white, except for the small stained glass windows that create a marvellous collage of lemon, green and blue light. On the back wall Matisse’s simple black line mural, the Stations of the Cross, shows Christ’s progression towards Calvary. I was surprised to feel quite moved by the spectacle and, despite any atheist misgivings, believe that it would be a sin to miss it. What’s left of the glamour of the old Riviera remains in the gorges and narrow valleys that rise behind the coastal roads which run as far as the Italian border. There, far from the tourist hordes, are some of the world’s most fashionable villages like Mougins, Vence and St- Paul-de-Vence. St-Paul-de-Vence is almost too perfect . . . a feudal village perched on top of a rocky hillside, surrounded by its original ramparts and still perfectly intact. It was heaven walking around these walls taking in the breathtaking vista of the countryside dotted with the olive and citrus fruit trees which grow here in abundance. The most famous hotel and restaurant at St Paul-de-Vence, the Colombe d’Or, was a favourite haunt of many painters including Picasso, Miro and Chagall. Original works by these artists adorn the walls of this most exclusive eatery which regularly plays host to stars from the world of rock and film including Elton John, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, to name but a few. All we got was a quick peek inside. If you want to eat there make sure you bring a stuffed wallet as the prices are stratospheric. More affordable are the street food stalls that sell socca, a thick pancake made with a batter of chickpea flour, olive oil and water, cooked quickly on large flat pans and served piping hot. It is a traditional snack for the area’s building workers, I was told, and tasty indeed. Just outside the town is the Fondation Maeght, considered to be one of the best modern art museums in the world. In its gardens are statues by Miro and Chagall as well as more modern work by Braque and others I had never heard of, begging your pardon. But to paraphrase the Simpsons’ Montgomery J Burns, I know what I hate and I didn’t hate any of this. Our last day was spent in the old port of Antibes with its scenic old town featuring a lively covered market which first traded in the fourth century BC. As a nod to the great artists’ favourite tipple I took an early morning sniff of absinthe, which I found undrinkable. This was followed by lunch at La Taverne du Safranier, a traditional seafood restaurant popular with visiting families and locals. It excels in seafood and those dishes that combine the olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and herbs that are the essence of Provencal cuisine. The octopus I ate was delicious, enhanced by the warm October sunshine and the al fresco setting. This is the best time to visit the French Riviera, when the locals are friendlier and the former fishing ports along the coast regain some of their original charm. So you don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy the best of what the French Riviera has to offer. SEE the La Ville le Reve, for details see the website at www.villalerevevence.com VISIT the Renoir museum at Cagnes sur Mer, see www. cagnes-tourisme.com SPEND a day at the beautiful hillside town Mougins. VISIT the Atelier Madoura in Vallauris where Picasso trained in pottery. WALK round the old town of Antibes and sample absinthe at the bar Baade en Provence. GAVIN travelled courtesy of easyJet which flies to Nice from Newcastle with prices from £19.99 one-way, including taxes. For immediate bookings log on to www.easyjet.com HE stayed courtesy of Maison de la France, the French Government Tourist Office. Telephone 09068-244123 for more information or visit www.franceguide.com MAGNIFICENT Villa le Reve | 
