Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-mer

The Musee Renoir in Cagnes-sur-Mer is a little gem, inviting a very personal view of the artist, his daily life, and the importance of his family.  You can even go into his studio and see his brushes and the colors that were the last on his pallet.

This was Auguste Renoir’s family home; he lived the last 12 years of his life on this beautiful estate and filled it with his sculptures, paintings, furnishings, photographs, and personal effects.

Hours:  Summer (June-September) 10am-1pm and 2pm-6pm.  Winter (October-March 10am-noon and 2pm-5pm. Spring (April-May) 10am-noon and 2pm-6pm. Closed Tuesdays; plus Jan. 1, May 1, and Christmas.

Tickets: 6€ for adults but free for those under 26.  Free admission with the French Riviera Pass.

Tours in English:  Every Thursday at 2pm, they offer a guided tour in English for 3€.  Reserve your place by telephone at +33 (0) 4 93 20 61 07, or email musees-cagnes@orange.fr

How to get there

To get to the Renoir Museum from Nice in summer when the free shuttle is running is relatively easy, but outside of summer it can take a little coordination with the local bus…

By bus from Nice take the bus #620, #622 or #650 for 1.70€ (all leaving from Parc Phoenix -tram stop Parc Phoenix- and you can use your Nice daypass/weekpass as long as you get off in Cagnes-sur-mer.  The bus ride will take 30 minutes, and you get off at the Cagnes-sur-mer center/Gare Routière (bus station) which is right across from the train station. Get to this same spot by train, just get off at Cagnes-sur-mer.

From here during the summer you can take the free shuttle from the bus station (runs every 45 minutes), staying on until the end, then a 10-minute walk.  Otherwise you can take bus #49, which takes you right to the museum, but it only goes once every hour and 15 minutes or so, so check the schedule first; or the bus #42 (get of at La Beal, then a 10-minute walk) which also runs every hour and 15 minutes, so you should be able to catch one or the other every 45 minutes.

By car:  In summer park at Parking Le Cros (near the bus station/Gare Routière), then take the free shuttle which goes every 15 minutes. In winter you can park closer, Parking La Villette – Square Bourdet then follow the pedestrian walk on chemin des Collettes.

• Back up to main Art Museums page

Photo credit: Renoir home by Mossot, licensed under creative commons.