What's Happening at Château La Coste?

For anyone interested in wine, design, sculpture or architecture--or simply experiencing very unusual and beautiful places--a visit to Château La Coste is a must.

On the 600-acre property you’ll find organic grapevines spread out in lush sun-baked rows and a shimmering olive grove, a gorgeous hotel and spa, restaurants (from casual to Michelin starred), a state-of-the-art winery, a wine shop, a book shop and a world-class Art & Architecture Park.  You need at least three hours to do it justice but you could easily spend a whole day.

If you haven't been to La Coste in a few years, there are plenty of new things to discover. It's definitely a work in progress!

While the newest incarnation of Chateau La Coste is roughly 20 years old, there's been agriculture and winemaking here as far back as Roman times. On the property are cobbled Gallo-Roman pathways, dry stone walls, bridges, underground wells...and the vestiges of an intricate watering system currently undergoing restoration. A lovely Venetian-style villa in a rosy pink hue has stood here since 1682.

It was in 2002 that the current owner (the Irish art collector, real-estate developer and hotel investor Patrick “Paddy” McKillen) bought the property and decided to transform what was a fairly nondescript wine domaine into a world-class destination where art, architecture and agriculture would blend seamlessly. The idea had already been successful in the Basque city of Álava, headquarters of Vinos del Marqués de Riscal, where Frank Gehry had been commissioned to build a hotel. Here in France, McKillen and his family expanded on that idea, inviting artists and architects from all over the world to “visit, explore and find a place...that inspired them to create.” 

Today this "starchitect winery," roughly 20 minutes north of Aix, has a large visitors' center designed by world-famous architect Tadao Ando, plus numerous installations and buildings crafted by other luminaries such as Jean Nouvel and Frank Gehry. Viewed from the country road that winds into the agricultural village of Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, the rounded aluminum Jean Nouvel winery glints silver in the distance and is joined by a Frank Gehry-designed music pavilion, two more buildings by Ando and sculptures by Richard Serra, Louise Bourgeois and many others.

The list of artists with work on view here grows every year and currently includes sought-after names such as Alexander Calder, Michael Stipe, Andy Goldsworthy, Paul Matisse, Tracy Emin, Ai Weiwei and many others.  A Renzo Piano-designed gallery opened in 2017; 2018 welcomed a permanent piece (“Dead End”) by Sophie Calle and a permanent installation (“Komorebi”) by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. See the full list of current artists and architects here.

Ongoing and future projects include a piece by Tony Berlant and Frank Gehry, a sculpture by Per Kirkeby and a “massive” project by Louise Bourgeois and Jean Nouvel.  A Richard Rogers pavilion is also being planned.

To see the major features of the Art & Architecture Park, plan for a two-hour stroll with some gravel and gentle hills. To do it on your own, you'll be given a map of the 30-some installations. Guided tours are also available and can be public or private; more info on that is below.

A gorgeous five-star hotel called Villa La Coste was completed in 2017 by the Marseille architecture firm Tangram. It has 28 "villa suites," spectacular views, an elegant spa, art by Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol (among others), a tapestry by Fernand Léger… and not one but two restaurants from Michelin three-star chefs. An ornate 19th-century tea pavilion was shipped over from Vietnam.

If the timing is right, you should definitely start or cap your visit to Château La Coste with a meal. Be sure to check the website or phone ahead for winter hours and reservations.

The one-star restaurant Louison from Marseille-based chef Gérald Passedat currently serves lunch (during the weekends) and dinner (every day); expect to pay 100€ or more for lunch or dinner, beverages excluded.

The second restaurant is the Salon, which they describe as "bistronomic" (blending gastronomic and bistro). The Salon is open every day for lunch and dinner; expect to pay from 38€ per person for lunch and from 50€ for dinner, without wine.

In 2017, Château La Coste also opened the first Francis Mallmann restaurant in Europe. Serving  "New Argentinian" cuisine, it's open for lunch (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and dinner (every day); expect to pay roughly 80€ per person for lunch or dinner, beverages excluded.

For more dining options, Le Restaurant de Tadao Ando in the main reception center is open every day for lunch (but again, check the site for seasonal hours). Menus start at 34€; seating is indoors and out.  My friends and I loved everything about our lunch here last November: the sunshine on the terrace, the soothing calm of the reflecting pool, the excellent food and wine and the gracious warmth of our server.  

La Terrace, open from 10 am to 9:30 pm every day in summer and on weekends in winter, serves a lighter menu of fresh salads, chilled soups, home-made tarts, farmers cheeses and organic charcuterie, accompanied of course by Château La Coste wines. The Terrace often has live music.

When you plan your visit, make sure to also leave time for wine tasting in the pretty wine shop...or a tour of the winery ("chai"), available by appointment only. And definitely save time for perusing all the art and architecture titles in the bookshop.

And what about those wines after all? Château La Coste makes wine using biodynamic principals which strive to preserve the fertility of the soil and the terroir in general. The first harvest was in 2008 and the wines earned the organic "AB" distinction the following year. Today they make a wide range of extremely popular reds, roses and whites (from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache, Vermentino, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Cinsault grapes) which range in price from roughly 11€ to 120€. Learn about the wines here and see the wine tasting schedule here.

Château La Coste hosts a number of open-to-the-public events each year including outdoor movie screenings, art exhibits, workshops and classes for kids and adults, concerts, evening visits, wine workshops and more. For the schedule, click here and see the current art exhibits here. You can also sign up to receive a newsletter with alerts about upcoming events.

The Art & Architecture Park is open for self-guided visits year round (you'll be provided with a map; current entry price is 15€ full price and 12€ for students, job seekers, seniors and groups, free for kids under 10 years old).

Guided visits are available in French and English, on a set schedule, seven days a week. In Winter, tours are offered in both French and English at 10:30 and 2:30. In July and August, tours are offered in both French and English at 10:30 and 4:30. Private tours are also available by reservation and groups are welcomed. Seasonal opening times, admission prices, directions and more can all be found on the bi-lingual website.

Chateau La Coste

2750 Route de la Cride

13610 Le Puy Sainte Reparade

France

chateau-la-coste.com

contact@chateau-la-coste.com

+33 (0)4 42 61 89 98

Photos: (1) You've arrived! The entry gate by architect Tadao Ando. (2) Working the vines. (3) The restaurant Louison, from chef Gérald Passedat, who has held three Michelin stars at his restaurant Le Petit Nice in Marseille since 2008.  (4) Restaurant Francis Mallmann. The Michelin-three-star Argentinian chef has restaurants around the world and is known for cooking over live flame.  (5) The hotel surrounded by grape vines. (6) A dish from the restaurant called The Salon. (7) In the hotel, a Pavillon Suite with views of the Luberon Mountains. (8) The hotel spa. (9) Jean Nouvel designed the corrugated-aluminum winery buildings, each 10 meters high. Together they're known as the Cuverie or Chai. (10) New this year: a sculpture called ''Komorebi” by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. (11) The Music Pavillon by Frank Gehry. (12) An installation by Liam Gillick. (13) The sculpture "Drop" by Tom Shannon. (14) An art gallery called Bastide opened this year.  (15) A section of Ai Weiwei's ''Ruyi Path.'' (16, 17). Sculptures by Hiroshi Sugimoto and Louise Bourgeois have become iconic images of Chateau La Coste.

Brand New in Arles: A Hotel for Art Lovers

Maja Hoffmann and her company Les Maisons d’Arles opened their newest property in Arles today, a 35-room, four-story hotel called L’Arlatan. 

Born in Switzerland and raised in the Camargue, not far from Arles, Hoffmann is a philanthropist, arts patron and founder of the LUMA Foundation and LUMA Arles. They’re the ones building the 56-meter (183-foot) Frank Gehry-designed tower in Arles, set for completion in 2020. The tower is the centerpiece of the Parc des Ateliers, a 20-acre experimental cultural center hosting a wide range of art exhibits and events on the site of a former train maintenance depot, a short walk from the city center. Among the shows currently on view (until January 6): Gilbert & George: The Great Exhibition (1971-2016). For other current and upcoming shows, click here. 

In addition to the Arles hotel Le Cloître and the cafe next door called L’Epicerie, Hoffman owns the Michelin one-star restaurant La Chassagnette in the Camargue. 

Hoffmann’s newest project blends ultra-contemporary, original art with traditional materials and ancient architecture. Parts of the new hotel date to the 12th century and are listed as a Monument Historique. At one time, this was considered the city’s most lavish hôtel particulier (grand townhouse) and it’s built on an ancient Roman basilica, the remains of which are still visible.

Nestled in the historic center of Arles, L’Arlatan is just a few minutes from the Place du Forum, the Church of Saint Trophime and the UNESCO-listed Roman amphitheatre (Les Arènes) and Baths of Constantine.  It’s five minutes from the Rhône River and a 12-minute walk to the Gare d'Arles train station.

Rooms and suites all have antique furniture, satellite TV and free WiFi. Some feature wood-beamed ceilings, exposed stone walls and/or private terraces.

The hotel owes its striking visual appeal to the vision of Cuban-born American artist Jorge Pardo, who turned walls, doors and guestrooms into unique works of art. The almost two million glazed mosaic tiles used for the renovation (in 11 shapes and 18 colors) were all handmade in the Yucatan.  Pardo’s paintings appear on the hotel’s 100-plus doors. For more about the hotel’s art, design and history, see the recent stories in Wallpaper Magazine and the New York Times.

The hotel restaurant, also called L’Arlatan, features “simple and seasonal” Provençal and Mediterranean cuisine. The menu is being created in conjunction with the team at La Chassagnette. 

L’Arlatan has a bar, a terrace and an outdoor pool. Breakfast and parking are available.

Hotel L’Arlatan

26, rue du Sauvage
13200 Arles
France

 +33 (0)4 90 93 56 66

arlatan.com

contact@hotel-arlatan.fr

Photos: The design and decor of Hotel L'Arlatan was inspired by Provence, the Camargue, Mexico and even Japan. Owner Maja Hoffmann says she hopes the hotel will attract artists of all types...and the travelers who love them. At the bottom, the Frank Gehry-designed tower currently rising in Arles...centerpiece of the Parc des Ateliers, a vast "experimental cultural center" celebrating all types of art including photography, publishing and multi-media.

Two-for-One Meal Deals Oct 1 to 14

From October 1st to 14th, restaurants all over France will be offering special "buy one, get one free" three-course menus in the 9th annual Tous au Restaurant promotion.

Launched in 2010 by superstar chef Alain Ducasse, it's meant to encourage people to eat out: in mom-and-pop bistros, in top Michelin-starred restaurants and everything in between.

So what's the deal? Book online and order the special Tous au Restaurant menu and a second person at the table enjoys the same menu free. (Pas mal!, as the French would say, when something is very good indeed.) Participating restaurants can choose whether to offer the menus at lunch or dinner or both...and on which days at what times. In some cases there's no choice; you eat what the chef is serving. In many cases however, you have multiple choices for each course.  

Last year more than 200,000 people reserved tables to enjoy the promotion in 1500 restaurants. This year, an estimated 2000 restaurants are expected to take part. The booking site went live this morning and restaurants are still being added so if you don't see one you like, check back...but be aware that the most-popular places sell out quickly.

To get started, click here and choose your region or city from the drop down menu. (You might need to play around with it a bit. For example, for Provence you can choose Provence-Alpes-Cote-d'Azur where you'll find all the listings...or choose one of the specific cities that comes up. For Paris you can choose "Paris" or a specific arrondissement.)  Then, click the links to view the restaurants' special menu and prices.  You'll see that most restaurants also publish selections from their regular menu as a convenience...but the two-for-one Tous au Restaurant menu is clearly noted. Then, to see the available dates and times, click the green bar that says Reservez une Table. You'll be asked to choose your day, time and party size...and then be taken to another page to input your name, email, phone and any special requests. I assume they follow up with a confirmation of your booking by email. The site is only in French this year but it's fairly easy to figure out.

If you book and then need to cancel, you can do that through the site as well. If you reserve but don't show, you'll be blocked from making future bookings.

Organizers say the two-week festival is not designed to be a money-maker—many restaurants just break even--but rather to get people out discovering and enjoying. It’s a great opportunity to sample a restaurant you’ve been wanting to try...or to act like a big shot and treat your friends to a fancy meal. Bon Appétit!

Fall in Provence: Cruising the Rhône

The weather is wonderful in Provence right now: sunny days and cool evenings. In Avignon, a nice thing to do on a warm afternoon is a 60-minute site-seeing cruise on the Rhône that's only 12€ for adults and 2 € for kids age 2-8. When I travel I love to get out on the water, if possible, and there aren't so many ways to do that in my part of Provence. This is a good one: easy to book last minute, super relaxing and cheap!

The 60-minute tour on La Saône sails upstream along the town walls, so you can see the Rocher des Doms and the Pont St Bénezet, the famous Avignon  bridge. Then it heads over so you can discover the Philippe Le Bel Tower of Villeneuve Les Avignon and its historic Fort St André.  

In September, the one-hour cruises are offered at 3 pm and 4:15 pm. Reservations aren't required and tickets can be purchased 15 minutes prior to departure. Cruises run every day, until the end of the month.

A slightly longer "Popes Cruise" leaves at 12:30 and returns at 2:30; it's offered September 28, October 2, October 30, November 8 and December 8.

Full-day luncheon cruises are offered in autumn as well. These include one to Arles (leave at 11:30 am, return at 6:45 pm), one to Tarascon (11:30 to 6:15 pm) and a "Winemakers Cruise" (12/12:30 to 4 pm). There's an afternoon Disco Cruise (with music from the '80s and dancing) and a number of dinner cruises as well. Details about all of them are here. The company operates year round, with a schedule that changes each month. 

To see what's offered each day, see monthly schedules here but be sure to choose your preferred month from the drop-down menu.

Where to park? If you know where the Ferris Wheel is in Avignon, that's a great lot to park in; it's called the Le Parking des Allées de L’Oulle (good luck pronouncing that!). But the Ferris Wheel comes down for the season on September 23 so best to just GPS the parking lot, which is directly in front of the tour boats. Or leave your car wherever it is in town and walk over...the dock is just outside the city walls.

Mireio Croisieres

Le Chardonnay, Le Mireio & La Saône
Allée de l'Oulle 
84000 AVIGNON
Tel +33(0)4 90 85 62 25
Fax +33(0)4 90 85 61 14
mireio.net
contact@mireio.net

Note from Julie: Sometimes people ask if they can pay me to write about them but the answer is no, there's no pay for play on Provence Post! I write about the things I think my readers would most enjoy learning about...that's it.  And I make it a point to not to write about my advertisers, for obvious reasons. But no sooner had I posted this story than Google put an ad on my blog for the very same company, Mireio. Those of you who know about Google Adwords know how it works...they place ads on your site that specifically target who they think your readers are and what they think interests them. So if you see that ad like I do (and you may not), well that's how it got there...twasn't my doing and I'm not promoting an advertiser here. I just enjoy these cruises and thought you might too!

Journées du Patrimoine is This Weekend

It's that time again: The wonderful annual Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days) takes place tomorrow and Sunday, September 15 and 16, in cities and villages all over France; a few have activities today as well. The program was started by the French Ministry of Culture in 1984 and has since spread all over Europe (where it's called European Heritage Days). This is the 35th year, the theme is "The Art of Sharing" and roughly 17,000 sites are participating. It's one of my favorite weekends of the year.

The idea is that a wide range of historic monuments, buildings, estates, gardens and domaines are open for special visits...along with many sites that are normally closed to the public. Most sites have a guide on hand to enhance your enjoyment of the visit (most tours and talks are in French) and most offer free entry. Some may require you to sign up in advance...but for the most part, you just show up. 

The website with all the participating venues is here (or in English here) but you'll do much better checking in with the Tourist Office or the tourism website of the village or city you want to visit. For example, the region-by-region Patrimoine page here lists just two participating sites in my village of St. Remy. But as in years past, the village has published its own terrific guide and this year there are 24 participating sites. You can see them all, with the map, here. You can also pick up a printed copy at the Tourist Office or at most of the participating sites.

The best idea is to choose the village you wish to explore, pick up or download their schedule as early as possible and map your route, because some events happen only at certain times.

Here are some listings for various Provence departments, to get you started: Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches du Rhone, the Gard (not really Provence but never mind), the Hautes-Alpes, the Var and the Vaucluse. 

And here's a list of most of the Tourist Offices in Provence and they should be able to help. Enjoy!

Will Paint for Provence!

When I worked in New York as an editor at Food Arts magazine, our art director Katie Kissane and I became great friends. Then Katie and her husband Paul Viola (an art director at our sister publication Wine Spectator), moved to Aspen and started Kissane Viola Design. That was 1998 and we've stayed close ever since.

So when Katie told me her sister Ann Engelhart and her family were coming to Provence--and could she reach out to me for some advice?--it was almost as nice as if Katie and Paul were coming themselves. I loved helping Ann before the trip and hanging out with her family during. That was a year ago April.  

Fast forward to this week, when Ann sent me these beautiful paintings she did based on sketches she made in Provence. Turns out that not only is she as cool and funny and smart as I would have expected any sister of Katie's to be, she's also extremely talented. I think her work is exquisite and I wanted to share it with you here.

Ann is a New York-based watercolor artist and illustrator who specializes in portraits, landscapes and still life. She has illustrated seven children’s books, creates promotional art for institutions and non-profits, and, for more than 30 years, has taught art and watercolor classes at the elementary, high school and college level. She has a B.A. in Fine Arts and an M.S. in Art Education and lives in Merrick, Long Island. She and her husband Paul have two adult children, Elisabeth and Thomas, who joined them on this trip.

Ann had traveled in France before but never to the Provence region...and says the whole experience moved her deeply. “It seems that beauty permeates every aspect of Provençal life," she told me, "in the architecture and colorful markets, the breathtaking mountain vistas and fields of flowers, in the exquisite food and fragrances, in the textiles and pottery and antiques and in the joyful culture. It’s no wonder that countless artists have been drawn to Provence, since the ancient Romans. I know that the inspiration for my paintings could never be exhausted here.”

And like so many other travelers who come to the South of France and fall totally head over heels, Ann has been plotting her return ever since. "I'd love to lead a painting workshop," she says, "for a day, a week or longer. Or join an ongoing workshop program as a guest instructor or perhaps teach some classes for kids. I'm open to all opportunities and ideas! Definitely will paint for Provence!" 

To see more of Ann's work, click over to her website and her Instagram. She sells original paintings and signed, limited-edition giclee prints; she also accepts commissions. "If you saw something you loved on your own trip to France or anything else for that matter," she says, "you can send me the photos and I'd be thrilled to paint it for you."

To contact Ann directly: annkengelhart@gmail.com, +1 516 987 8312.

Paintings from Top: (1) Ann's watercolor of the famous cheese course at Le Bistrot du Paradou, near Les Baux. "Not to be missed for a wonderful meal and experience!" she says. This happens to be one of my favorite restaurants in the region and I knew they would love it too. (2)  "We spent an exquisite week in St. Remy at the loveliest 18th-century hotel, the Château de Roussan," Ann wrote on Instagram about the watercolor above. "I painted this for my daughter, who has loved the sound and feeling of walking on a gravel path since she was a little girl." (3) A still life Ann calls "French Brocante," containing treasures discovered in the markets in Aix and an antique fair at L'Isle sur la Sorgue. (4) Lavender in the gardens of St. Paul de Mausole in St. Remy, the clinic where Vincent Van Gogh spent a year and painted roughly 150 canvasses. "St. Paul was the hospital that cared for Van Gogh during a troubled but prolific time in his life," Ann says. "It's an incredibly beautiful and moving place to visit in the heart of Provence." (5) Ann says the strawberries in this still life are Long Island local, but that the basket and the gorgeous Charvet Editions linen table runner were indeed brought home from France. "And the berries from the Aix and St. Remy markets were the most delicious I have ever tasted!" she adds. (6) The Engelhart family at the Hotel Pigonnet in Aix.

Goat Plans This Weekend?

If you're casting about for something to do this weekend, hoof it over to the small village of Fuveau for the launch of Yoga Chèvre in Provence. Buoyed by the success of a session they held near Nice earlier this month, the founders of Yoga Chèvre will host a second class at the same place at 6:30 pm on Friday...and then, on Sunday, a 6:30 pm class at a peaceful toy goat breeding farm about 25 minutes from Aix. I kid you not!

Turns out that Goat Yoga has been a thing in the US for a while now (in January, CBS News called it "the latest craze") but from what I can tell this is the first time it's happening here in the South of France.

Credit for the trend goes to an Oregon woman named Lainey Morse, who realized, while struggling through an illness and a divorce, that she always felt better after hanging out with her goats. She began offering "goat therapy" to others through Goat Happy Hours, welcoming people to come cuddle her pets. It was at a "kids and kids" birthday party that one of the moms, a yoga instructor, convinced Lainey to add yoga to the mix. The concept grew so popular that Morse soon quit her marketing job to run The Original Goat Yoga full time.

A quick Google search turned up goat yoga across the US, in Canada, South Africa, Australia and beyond. Just before the holidays last year, Denver International Airport created a one-day goat-yoga room, “to surprise and delight our passengers, but also show the world that going to the airport can be unexpected, relaxing and fun,” according to the airport’s communications team. 

When a goat gave birth to twins during a goat yoga class in Georgia in May, the story made the New York Times. The Times also reports that goats are wildly popular on Instagram.

And now we all get to try it too. The founder of Yoga Chèvre is a Nice-born yogi now living in Los Angeles; she discovered it there and is extremely excited about bringing the idea back home. "This is a Hatha Yoga class, more focused on relaxation and meditation," she tells me. "So the benefit comes from the yoga but also from the goats, who definitely add joy and happiness. It's been proven, of course, that interaction with animals is very good for humans but especially interaction with goats, who are particularly playful."

"Goats seem to bring out the best in people," said one instructor online. "They make people feel good. They have no boundaries."

"Yoga is about breathing," said another aficionado. "Goat yoga is about laughing."

The classes in Castagniers (20 km from Nice) and Fuveau will both be taught by yoga instructor Melanie Lopez, a partner in the new venture.

In Castagniers (June 29 and July 22), there will be six goats, plus a sheep and a cat that love to join in the fun.

In Fuveau, you'll be joined on Sunday by 25 "very small, very rare and very friendly" toy goats. There's another class there on July 21st and then one every weekend in August and September. Sessions (priced at 30€ each) will continue throughout the year if there's interest. 

For more info and to reserve, see Yoga Chèvre on Facebook and at yogachevre.com.

Photos: (1-3) From the Yoga Chèvre website. (4-5) Goat Yoga is all over Instagram; these two are from @azgoatyoga and @thatssonif.

Guest Post: What's Up This Month in Aix?

Erin Jordan is an American who's been lucky enough to have called southern France home since moving from Seattle with her husband and two daughters in 2010. Along the way, she turned her passion for the region into a successful business by providing personalized guided walking tours in Aix-en-Provence for English speaking visitors. Erin loves to keep up with everything going on in the area, of course, and when I asked her to share with us some of the cool stuff happening around Aix this month she generously sent this round up.  Some of these events are limited to just a weekend while others extend through the summer. "And this is really just a taste," Erin says. "I hope your readers can get out and enjoy some the wonderful opportunities that Aix offers!" To learn more about Erin's tours go to aixploringprovence.com. To reach her directly: aixploringprovence@gmail.com. And here's what she suggests...

One of my absolute favorite annual events is Salon Vivre Coté Sud, a home décor and garden fair celebrating the Mediterranean lifestyle. The exhibition will be held at Parc Jourdan, with lots of fabulous local and regional exhibitors to discover, from June 8 to 11. This year marks the 20th anniversary of this fun and well-organized event.

For outdoor music paired with a chilled glass of rosé, be sure to check out Les Musicales dans les Vignes de Provence. The program is hosted by different wine domains from May 11 through August 19, and includes live performances set in some the most beautiful scenery anywhere in the Provence.

Also not to be missed is Aix en Juin, a prelude to the famous Festival d’Aix in July, with exceptional artists, young talents and renowned world-class musicians. Aix en Juin begins on June 9 and offers everything from concerts and performances to master classes and public rehearsals, so there will be something for everyone to enjoy as a tune up to the main event next month.

The beautifully restored Hôtel de Caumont kicks off its Les soirées Jazz à Caumont concert series on June 16 with live evening performances on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the summer. The Caumont is a major art museum in Aix and if you haven’t experienced it, you must! The historic architecture of the mansion was meticulously renovated several years ago, while the sculpted gardens and intimate outdoor café provide an in-city oasis unlike any other in Aix. Currently on view is a show dedicated to Franco-Russian painter Nicolas de Staël, known for his colorful and highly abstract landscapes. With 71 paintings and 26 drawings from public and private collections, the exhibit focuses exclusively on the year he spent in Provence (1953/4). It opened in late April and runs until Sept 23, 2018. All the info is here.  

The "Picasso-Picabia" exhibit at the Musée Granet launches June 9, part of the international cultural event "Picasso Méditerranée" with 60+ museums celebrating his Mediterranean work. This particular show is the first to compare the work of Picasso to the French cubist Francis Picabia, who declared in 1922, "Picasso is the only painter I love." Through masterpieces and lesser-known works, it explores "50 years of rich, diverse and uninterrupted artistic production." The show runs until Sept 23. 

The 11th annual Flaneries D'Art Contemporain happens the weekend of June 16 and 17. It's a perfect opportunity to see some beautiful private gardens on the Cours Mirabeau and in the Mazarin neighborhood while taking in art exhibits, listening to lectures by several authors and enjoying opera, jazz and even tap dance performances. Entrance to the public is free.

And finally, the summer solstice festival on June 23, known as Le Feu de la Saint-Jean, culminates with the arrival of a flame that's come all the way from Catalonia. Spectators will be invited to write their “vows,” attach them to wood and place them in a pile near the Fontaine de la Rotonde. Around 9 pm, the flame will ignite the vows and wood into a blazing bonfire to release the magic of Saint John. Music and dancing will follow until 1 am.

Photos: (1-4) These shots from previous years show the range of activities and beautiful displays you'll see at Salon Vivre Côté Sud. Top shot © S. Spiteri.  (5, 6) Two paintings from the Nicolas de Staël in Provence exhibit at the Caumont Art Center in Aix. (7) The beautifully restored Hôtel de Caumont houses the museum. (8) The Caumont kicks off its evening jazz series on June 16 with shows on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the summer. (9, 10) Two from the Picasso-Picabia show at the Musee Granet: Picasso's Femme à la mantille (Fatma), 1917, and Picabia's Andalouse (Espagnole à la mantille), 1923-1926. (11) Pablo and Olga Picasso with Francis Picabia at the Château de Mai in Mougins, 1927. (12)  The Michel Pellegrino Quartet at the Château Thuerry in Flayosc, during the Music in the Vineyards festival. (13) Poster for this year's Feu de la Saint-Jean festival, celebrating the summer solstice.