
Henri Matisse, a Nun, and a Chapel in Vence, Provence
“Night Nurse Needed – Should be young and pretty.” This was the ad Henri Matisse placed with the nursing school in Nice, France in 1942. He was seventy-two years old and still working while recovering from a serious surgery. He required constant care and needed someone to fill in while …
“Night Nurse Needed – Should be young and pretty.” This was the ad Henri Matisse placed with the nursing school in Nice, France in 1942. He was seventy-two years old and still working while recovering from a serious surgery. He required constant care and needed someone to fill in while …

The Artist and His Objects: Matisse in His Studio
I’ve just been to a wonderful exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. It was called Matisse in the Studio, and it shows how the objects that Matisse surrounded himself with appeared in his art. Henri Matisse was a collector: He had an array of vases, chairs, carpets, furniture, …
I’ve just been to a wonderful exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. It was called Matisse in the Studio, and it shows how the objects that Matisse surrounded himself with appeared in his art. Henri Matisse was a collector: He had an array of vases, chairs, carpets, furniture, …

Matisse’s Chapelle du Rosaire at Vence
By aixcentric If you are inspired to visit Tourrettes Sur Loup (see last post) you should have time to call in to see Matisse’s famous chapel at nearby Vence which the artist called his ‘masterpiece’. Recovering in Nice from cancer, Matisse had hired young Monique Bourgeouis to nurse him, and …
By aixcentric If you are inspired to visit Tourrettes Sur Loup (see last post) you should have time to call in to see Matisse’s famous chapel at nearby Vence which the artist called his ‘masterpiece’. Recovering in Nice from cancer, Matisse had hired young Monique Bourgeouis to nurse him, and …

Nice Biennial of Arts Museums Celebrate with Flowerworks
Flowerworks – that’s the theme for 10 museums and galleries across Nice from now until autumn and, in some cases, 2023. The Musée Massena has ‘Nice Queen of Flowers’, which looks at how flowers have provided motifs for local architecture and the decorative arts. But, of course, the painters loved …
Flowerworks – that’s the theme for 10 museums and galleries across Nice from now until autumn and, in some cases, 2023. The Musée Massena has ‘Nice Queen of Flowers’, which looks at how flowers have provided motifs for local architecture and the decorative arts. But, of course, the painters loved …

Vence, France the Many Reasons to Live Here
Steve Wilkison is a web designer, writer and photographer who lives in Vence, France, with his wife Carole Richmond and their dog Myla. Originally from southern California, he first became enchanted with France when he backpacked throughout Europe at the age of 18. He fell in love with Vence the …
Steve Wilkison is a web designer, writer and photographer who lives in Vence, France, with his wife Carole Richmond and their dog Myla. Originally from southern California, he first became enchanted with France when he backpacked throughout Europe at the age of 18. He fell in love with Vence the …

10 Reasons We Love Nice, France
Nice is a fascinating city on the beautiful French Riviera. Annexed to France from Italy in 1860, you can feel the French and Italian cultures combined, creating a unique local lifestyle. There are many reasons we love Nice, and here are our top ten. Fabulous Food One of the reasons …
Nice is a fascinating city on the beautiful French Riviera. Annexed to France from Italy in 1860, you can feel the French and Italian cultures combined, creating a unique local lifestyle. There are many reasons we love Nice, and here are our top ten. Fabulous Food One of the reasons …

2022 Summer Festivals in Provence & Cote d’Azur
What’s On in the South of France? During the summer in Provence and the Côte d’Azur, daytime temperatures range from warm to hot. So, you don’t need an excuse to laze by the pool. The lavender is in bloom at this time of year, and the sunflowers put on a …
What’s On in the South of France? During the summer in Provence and the Côte d’Azur, daytime temperatures range from warm to hot. So, you don’t need an excuse to laze by the pool. The lavender is in bloom at this time of year, and the sunflowers put on a …

Provence Painting Weeks with Jill Steenhuis Embrace the Soul
Have you ever dreamed of painting in the place where Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and many others found inspiration? If so, join Jill Steenhuis, an American who has spent four decades studying the same landscapes as these masters, for a painting week in Provence. Provence …
Have you ever dreamed of painting in the place where Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and many others found inspiration? If so, join Jill Steenhuis, an American who has spent four decades studying the same landscapes as these masters, for a painting week in Provence. Provence …

Winter in Provence Events Calendar 2022
Winter Festivals and Events in Provence What is winter like in Provence? It’s a good question. So, many images of the South of France are summer scenes; ribbons of blooming lavender fields, glasses of rosé with beads of condensation and beautiful people in enjoying their holidays. Perhaps wintertime in Provence garners less …
Winter Festivals and Events in Provence What is winter like in Provence? It’s a good question. So, many images of the South of France are summer scenes; ribbons of blooming lavender fields, glasses of rosé with beads of condensation and beautiful people in enjoying their holidays. Perhaps wintertime in Provence garners less …

Cuisine Nissarde Savoury and Sweet Recipes from Nice
Museums dedicated to the works of Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall, a dynamic old town centre, shopping, and music are some of the many reasons to visit Nice. The largest city on the French Riviera with the shimmering Baie des Anges and famous beaches, the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department …
Museums dedicated to the works of Henri Matisse and Marc Chagall, a dynamic old town centre, shopping, and music are some of the many reasons to visit Nice. The largest city on the French Riviera with the shimmering Baie des Anges and famous beaches, the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department …