The Maeght Foundation at a glance
Located in the hillside village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, about 15 miles from Nice, the Maeght Foundation is a hub for modern art that draws over 200,000 visitors every year. Modeled after American institutions like the Guggenheim, it represents the life work and passion of Aimé and Marguerite Maeght. These postwar art dealers and publishers collaborated with an influential circle of artist friends, including Henri Matisse, Georges Braque, Marcel Duchamp, André Malraux, Marc Chagall, and Joan Miró.
Inaugurated in 1964, this private institution was built with a vision for artistic outreach rather than commercial trade. Aimé Maeght was a pioneer in organizing major exhibition events featuring temporary installations and performances. He also distributed his art journals, Derrière le miroir, for free, which quickly earned the foundation a dedicated following among fine arts students and international visitors alike.
The collection holds nearly 13,000 pieces, making it one of the largest modern art collections in Europe. It includes over 1,000 paintings and sculptures, 600 drawings, 6,000 prints, and 30,000 books. This diverse and educational collection is housed in a unique structure, the first building in France designed with high environmental standards, created by Catalan architect Josep Lluis Sert.
If you are short on time, the foundation offers a focused tour called Morceaux choisis (Selected Pieces). This route highlights works by masters like Bonnard, Braque, Calder, Chagall, Giacometti, Kandinsky, Léger, Miró, Tal Coat, and Ubac, alongside contemporary artists such as Adami, Calzolari, Chillida, Christo, Del Re, Dietman, Garouste, Immendorff, Kelly, Lam, Mitchell, Monory, Takis, and Tàpies.
Before you leave, make a stop at the foundation café, where every piece of furniture, from the tables and chairs to the lamps, was designed by Diego Giacometti.
In the middle of the forest, in the mid-mountain range, where the roads wind along the slopes, I did not expect to find such a big, modern museum. You will find contemporary and surrealist art from well-known and lesser-known artists. Best reached by car, I highly recommend this visit.