Renoir in Cagnes and the seaside

Back in 1908, Auguste Renoir purchased Les Collettes in Cagnes-sur-Mer for its gentle climate, and despite crippling arthritis he would complete over 400 canvases here before 1919. Among gnarled olive trees and the south‑eastern light of his preserved studio, the ridge lines of the Loup valley and the curve of the Baie des Anges snap into focus. Just 3 km uphill, medieval Haut‑de‑Cagnes clusters around the Grimaldi Castle (14th–17th centuries), whose terrace ties together brushstroke, sea, and backcountry in one clean sweep.

Collected from your Saint‑Paul‑de‑Vence hotel, you settle in while your driver handles the road: Mercedes comfort on standby, flexible pauses, and waiting time built in. First stop, the Renoir Museum (about 10 minutes), then the lanes of Haut‑de‑Cagnes (five minutes more), before rolling down to Cros‑de‑Cagnes for a fish lunch beside the traditional pointu boats. On the Riviera, a dedicated chauffeur turns short hops into extra minutes for art and the table.