Vence Museum

Vence Museum is Located in the Old Chateau De Villenueve

Situated in a 17th-century building on the western parapet of the old city wall, the exhibited art is framed with a special historical atmosphere.

The museum offers temporary exhibitions dedicated to contemporary art and reminders of other famous artists’ stays in Vence such as Matisse, Chagall, Dufy, or Dubuffet.

In its bright rooms, the museum offers a year-round program of themed exhibitions representing modern French and international art.

Experience the Watchtower, which Dates Back to the 12th Century

Chateau de Villenueve was built back in the 17th century by the Seigneurs de Villeneuve next to a watchtower, which still stands today and dates all the way back to the 12th century.

The chateau was home to the Villenueve family, also known as the lords of Vence until the French Revolution.

For a period, the building was owned by Émile Hugues (1901-1966), a former French minister and mayor of Vence. He bequeathed Chateau de Villenueve to the city of Vence, thus creating the Fondation Émilie Hugues.

Chateau de Villenueve was renovated in 1992, and a fresco in the watchtower inspired the color choice for the restoration overseen by architect Jean François Bodin, who has also been responsible for the restoration of the Museum of Modern Art in Paris and the Matisse Museum in Nice.

Cozy Little Shop and Bookstore

A specialized bookstore at the museum’s exit offers a selection of books, posters, cards, and objects related to the museum’s current events and art in general.

Arman (Armand Fernandes 1928-2005)

In front of the museum entrance, you can see one of Arman’s artworks, “Accord Parfait” from the Atlantis series from 2005, just a year before his death.

Arman was a French-American artist, painter, sculptor, and plastic artist, known for his “accumulations,” where he used already manufactured objects as art material.

He was born in Nice, spent a lot of time in New York, and lived in Vence from 1968 until his death in 2005. He is now buried in Paris at the Père-Lachaise cemetery.

The Immortalized Ash Tree by Chaïm Soutine

Chateau de Villenueve is located right across from the legendary ash tree immortalized by the Russian Chaïm Soutine in 1929. The ash tree is said to have been planted in 1538 to commemorate the visit of François I and Pope Paul III to Vence.

At the end of Place du Frêne lies Belvedere Fernand Moutet, where there is a good view of the 4 Baous; Baou des Blancs and Baou des Noirs, Baou de Saint Jeannet and Baou de la Gaude – the gigantic cliffs that rise behind the city.

By Tommy Sverre – 2022