3 outdoor cultural visits to discover on the French Riviera

The Carmignac Foundation in Porquerolles, contemporary art in the heart of a remarkable archipelago

In this authentic Provencal farmhouse, financier and art collector Edouard Carmignac wanted to share his contemporary artworks. Inaugurated in June 2018, the Villa Carmignac houses 2,000m² of underground exhibitions and 15 hectares of gardens where the works rub shoulders with and marry the nature of the Port-Cros National Park.

The artistic and event program echoes this remarkable environment. Thus, the exhibition “the imaginary sea” honors this summer the underwater treasures and inspirations unexplored or revisited by artists. You are “invited to a crossing of several seas: an imagined sea, fantasized, which intrigues the artists of all times, a more artificial sea found in natural history museums, recreated, a bit fake and a sea that disappears. A natural history museum for a summer, the Villa Carmignac can be savored to the sound of cicadas as you walk barefoot through the extraordinary garden where the works of Tom Sachs, Jean Denant or Alexandre Farto AKA Vhils are revealed during your visit. The Fondation Carmignac changes throughout the day to host quality events in the evening. Take the time to enjoy an evening of outdoor cinema or the Porquerolles Jazz Festival before returning to your yacht. If you arrived by helicopter on the island of Porquerolles, you can then join the Mas du Langoustier at the end of this out-of-time day. After such a discovery and emotion, the night will be delicious.

In practice, the Villa Carmignac can be visited from April to October, from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 am to 6 pm and on Thursdays until 9 pm.

The Maeght Foundation, another version of Saint-Paul-de-Vence

The Maeght Foundation is the result of a meeting and a friendship between art dealers Marguerite and Aimé Maeght and emblematic artists. Here again, the works are sublimated inside and outside, thanks to the azure luminosity so sought after by the greatest artists. Since 1964, the Maeght Foundation has been internationally renowned for the quality of its exhibitions. Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Alberto Giacometti, Georges Braque, Alexander Calder and Fernand Léger are among those who have participated in the realization of this visionary project. Art and nature are in total harmony to compose one of the most beautiful collections of European works. Along with the sculpture gardens and the Giacometti courtyard, the highlight of the show is the Miro labyrinth, renovated this winter. This route brings together sculptures in marble, bronze, concrete, iron or ceramic in a spirit of poetry.

On the occasion of its reopening, the Maeght Foundation unveils its new exhibition, “The Giacomettis: a family of creators” the unprecedented reunion of five artists from the same family, all masters in their field: from modern sculpture, to Swiss post-impressionist painting, through architecture and design.

To soak up all the richness of this magical place, it is possible to organize a private visit or a reception. You can easily dazzle between 20 and 450 guests. A detour is a must for art lovers visiting the French Riviera. To get there, rent your luxury car with Excellence. This mythical place is a great alibi for a trip in a convertible or supercar. The Maeght Foundation and Saint-Paul-de-Vence are less than an hour away from Cannes and Monaco. If you stay in Saint-Tropez, choose the helicopter to Nice airport and a driver will take you to your destination.

In practice, the Maeght Foundation is open all year round, every day from 10am to 7pm in July-August and from 10am to 6pm the rest of the year.

The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, a dive into the Riviera of the Belle Epoque

Feel the unique atmosphere of the French Riviera in the early twentieth century by going to Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat to discover the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, built in 1912 at the instigation of the eponymous baroness. This Italian Renaissance-style residence is among the most romantic sites on the French Riviera. The villa, now a museum, is in symbiosis with its 9 gardens that you can explore as a couple or with your family for a trip back in time during an afternoon or an evening. Patios, rooms, lounges and other apartments are revealed during a visit, marked by the masterpieces which are there, among which paintings of Fragonard and François Boucher or Porcelains of the Royal Manufacture of Sevres. The 9 gardens are conducive to meditation and contemplation: French, Japanese, Spanish, Florentine, exotic, lapidary, Provencal and the sublime rose garden recall the travels of the baroness and her invitation to make you travel through your discovery of the place. Numerous intimate spaces make the place more magical; kiosks, pergolas, ponds and waterfalls create an enchanting, somewhat old-fashioned atmosphere, which gives it an eternal charm.

To fully immerse yourself in the place, give in to the experience of lunch on the grass of the French garden. This unusual picnic will seduce you and immerse you in the French art of living. Finally, the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild can also be enjoyed in the evening on Mondays and Tuesdays in July and August, when the gardens are illuminated by hundreds of candles placed around the paths and pools of the French Garden. Music, concerts, dance performances by two dancers from the Nice Ballet, luminous fountains, a champagne bar and a romantic dinner transform the villa into a spellbinding place. An enchanted interlude in your trip on the French Riviera. To live intensely the experience of the Ephrussi de Rothschild villa, Excellence reveals a selection of sumptuous villas available for rent around Cap Ferrat. By also renting one of our sublime luxury cars, you will be able to reach the villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in style for a journey through time. Renting an exceptional yacht is also an ideal solution to reach the villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, since you can anchor in the bay of Villefranche and use your dinghy to reach Cap Ferrat.

In practice, the villa is open 365 days a year from 10am to 6pm except :
From February 1st to October 31st: from 10am to 6pm and until 7pm in July and August.
From November to January included: weekdays from 2pm to 6pm, and weekends and during school vacations from 10am to 6pm.