The vineyards and olive groves overlooking the Mediterranean, the clear light and strong colours, the village café terraces and the food have all drawn some of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Vence (5 kms) attracted painters such as Matisse, Chagall and Soutine as well as generations of writers and poets, including D.H. Lawrence. The old town is still a tightly walled circle of medieval buildings, much as it was centuries ago. Inside, are cafés in the central square facing the beautifully decorated church, where people stroll, meet family and friends and pass the time of day. The market along the narrow rue du Marché is on the same day of the week as it has been for the last seven hundred years. The architectural design and decoration of the Chapelle de la Rosaire is the work of Matisse.

Saint Paul de Vence (7 kms) is a delightful village that sits on a hill with golden stone and russet tiled houses and narrow pedestrian streets have been sensitively conserved. There are shops and art galleries there, and the hotel beside the boules pitch under the plane trees is something of a modern art museum, thanks to the enlightened owner, who has accepted distinguished paintings in exchange for his distinguished fare. Just outside the village is the Maeght Foundation, which has a superb collection of modern works of art and sculpture.

Renoir retired to Cagnes sur Mer, where he continued to paint even though the brushes had to be placed in his arthritic fingers; his house is open to visitors. Grasse of course, means perfumes and essences. Biot is another delightful village, famous for making glass and for inspiring the works of the painter and ceramic artist Fernand Léger.