more than 30 artists’

more than 30 artists’ studios and galleries, andseveral museums including the excellent FAMMwhich is dedicated to women artists.Mougins is famously gastronomic and uniquelyholds the Ville et Metier d’Art (arts and crafts)label for gastronomy. The locals best keptsecret, the bar of the luxury boutique hotel LeResérve, is perfect for aperitifs, or coffee witha view.Heading towards the coast, I stopped off inVallauris Golfe-Juan, home of Picasso from 1948to 1955. The town was renowned for its ceramicsand Picasso, who had visited a pottery exhibitionthere a few years earlier, was smitten with theidea of working with clay, and created morethan 4000 pieces during his time in Vallauris.Picasso’s influence is still keenly felt in the town.Don’t miss the National Picasso Museum in aformer 15 th century castle where you can visit the12 th century chapel which the artist decorated,and see many examples of his work. The buildingalso houses the Ceramics Museum. There aremore than 30 pottery studios in the town whichproactively supports artists.Take a break at the Café de France oppositethe Chateau, relax on the lovely beaches ofGolfe-Juan (including Plage Pablo Picasso),catch a boat to the Lerins Islands, samplethe local Neroli orange products includingorange wine.National Picasso Museum, VallaurisThe 16th century fort at Antibes has inspired a legion of paintersincluding Claude MonetA short way around the coast brings you toAntibes, another favourite with Picasso wholived and worked in the Chateau Grimaldiin 1946, which is now a fabulous museumshowcasing his work and other artists whoworked in the area. Claude Monet was alsoa fan of Antibes which he visited in winterwriting that it was “all golden in the sunlight,standing out against beautiful blue and pinkmountains and the Alps, eternally covered insnow.” More recently the town was home toRaymond Peynet, famous for his cute cartooncouple, “les Amoreux”, the lovers. Awarded theVille et Métiers d’Art label in recognition of itsmany artisans and craft trades, this arty towntempted me to stay longer, but Biot beckoned.Saint-Paul-de-Vence has cast a spell over countless artistsmore. I stayed at the ancient Les Arcadeshotel which has a lovely restaurant and asecret art collection (which you can see if youstay there).The Fernand Léger Museum on the outskirtsof the town is bold, colourful and full of joy.The artist spent his last months in Biot, andwhen he died in 1955, his wife commissionedthe museum in his memory. It was the firstmuseum dedicated to modern art in theFrench Riviera and the inauguration event wassupported by Picasso, Chagall and Braque.Golfe-Juan, seaside resort, 300 days of sunshine!Biot’s old town seems frozen in timeIf there’s ever a town that glows in winter,it’s Biot. It’s famous for its glassblowing studiosand if you only have time to visit one, makeit the Verrerie de Biot, where artisans coaxmolten glass into delicate, bubble-filledgoblets and glowing sculptures.The old town of seems almost frozen in time,with steep streets lined with artists galleries,painters, sculptors, leather craftsmen andA short distance from here, before heading toSaint-Paul-de-Vence, I stopped off at Cagnesto see where Renoir lived his last years in abeautiful villa with a stunning purpose-builtstudio in the garden.High on a hill, medieval Saint-Paul-de-Vencehas cast a spell over countless artists, not tomention tourists. Marc Chagall lived herefor almost 30 years, and is buried in thevillage cemetery, Picasso stayed too andBelgian artist Jean Michel Folon, whoseart covers the walls of the 17th centurychapel. A 20-minute walk brings you to the26 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 27