A getaway on the Côte d’Azur? Don’t miss the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence! Inaugurated in 1964 by André Malraux, this exceptional museum combines visionary architecture, an exceptional collection and sculpture gardens.
The building, in dialogue with the Mediterranean light, houses works by Miró, Giacometti, Chagall, Braque and many other 20th-century masters.
In this article, you’ll find some useful tips to help you prepare for your visit and have a wonderful time!
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Why visit the Maeght Foundation
NB: We discovered the Maeght Foundation in 2023, just before the extension works inaugurated in July 2024. This article is therefore only a partial reflection of the new experience you’ll have on site. If the spaces have evolved, the spirit of the place and the major works we describe remain…
Is the Maeght Foundation worth it? Our opinion:
Absolutely! This unique cultural venue is a major reference in the art world! Between the exceptional architecture, the outstanding collection of modern art and the sculpture gardens, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy! We loved wandering through the Miró Labyrinth and discovering Giacometti’s open-air sculptures. The extension, inaugurated in 2024, allows even more works to be admired in luminous spaces opening onto the pine forest. It’s one of the best things to do in Saint-Paul-de-Vence!
Why is the Maeght Foundation so famous?
The Maeght Foundation is famous for many reasons. In 1964, it became the first cultural and artistic foundation in France to be recognized as a public utility.
It houses France’s most important Miró and Giacometti collection, with over 13,000 works. Finally, it embodies a unique model of collaboration between a visionary gallerist, major 20th-century artists and a genius architect, all united to create a place where art dialogues with Provençal nature.
Our favorite
What a thrill to see The Life of Marc Chagall, the largest painting ever by Chagall, created especially for the Maeght Foundation. We were carried away by the symbolic richness of this canvas, which encapsulates the artist’s entire existence. Chagall recounts his childhood in Vitebsk, his love for Bella and then Vava, the acrobats and musicians who populated his imagination, and his years in Paris. But also heartbreak: exile in the face of pogroms, flight to New York during the Second World War when the Nazis branded his art “degenerate”. Biblical motifs run throughout the story. Chagall’s entire visual grammar concentrated in one monumental work…
WHERE TO STAY IN Nice
Our favorites: neighborhoods and hotels
On the waterfront, with sea view:
Anantara Hotel – See prices, photos and availability
In the new town, close to the sea:
Hotel Apollinaire, elegant and bright – See prices, photos and availability
In the old town, with all the charm:
AparthotelAMMI Vieux Nice very practical and pleasant – see prices, photos and availability
History in brief
Here are the milestones of the Maeght Foundation:
- 1950s: Following the death of their son, Aimé and Marguerite Maeght decided to create a place entirely dedicated to art in Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Through Joan Miró, they meet the architect Josep Lluís Sert.
- 1960-1963: Construction of the building with its sculptural volumes and geometric shapes.
- May 15 1964: Official donation of the Maeght family to the Foundation.
- July 18, 1964: Recognition as a public utility, the first cultural and artistic foundation to obtain this status in France.
- July 28, 1964: Inauguration by André Malraux, Minister of Cultural Affairs.
- 2024: Major expansion with the opening of 500 m² of additional exhibition space.
How to get there: Fondation Maeght, Saint-Paul-de-Vence
Where is the Maeght Foundation?
The Maeght Foundation is located at 623, Chemin des Gardettes in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Provence, on a hilltop surrounded by umbrella pines and Mediterranean vegetation.
- 10-12min walk from the village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence
- 15min drive from the A8 freeway
- 35min from Nice
How to get there?
You have two options:
- By bus: From Cagnes-sur-Mer, take line no. 655 (Nice-Vence via Saint-Paul-de-Vence). You can get off at the Fondation Maeght stop (10-12min walk with a fairly steep incline) or at the St Paul Village stop (10min walk along the Chemin de Sainte Claire at the entrance to the village).
- By car: From the A8 freeway, take exit no. 47 Villeneuve-Loubet, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Vence from Marseille, or exit no. 48 Cagnes-sur-Mer, Vence from Nice or Italy. Then follow La-Colle-sur-Loup and Vence on the RD 436. Allow 15 minutes from the freeway. Free parking is available on site.
OUR TPS FOR RENTING YOUR CAR IN Provence
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is powerful enough (the roads are steep) but compact (some passages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Parking
Free parking is available directly on the Fondation Maeght site.
BEFORE OUR TIPS + PHOTOS
HERE ARE OUR GOOD PLACES IN Provence
Our favorite car rental platform: DiscoverCars
Our guide to planning your road trip: eBook
Our must-see tour: the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel – reserve your time
Our unforgettable outdoor activity: Via Ferrata in Suisse Normande
Our favorite places to stay:
Honfleur – see the best rated accommodations
Bayeux – see the best rated accommodations
Cabourg – see the best rated accommodations
Useful tips: duration, schedules, eating…
Best time to visit
We recommend that you visit the Fondation Maeght in the morning, when it opens at 10 a.m., to enjoy the uncrowded spaces and take advantage of the light. From July to September, visitor numbers are fairly high. Note that peak traffic is from 12pm to 3pm.
Prefer a day of fine weather to enjoy the gardens!
Length of visit and main difficulties
Allow 2 to 3 hours to fully enjoy the interior spaces, gardens and Miró Labyrinth. Part of the site is outdoors, with some gradients. Bring good walking shoes and sun protection in summer. Most areas are accessible to people with reduced mobility. Please ask at reception for an adapted itinerary. Note that the climb from the village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence can be quite steep if you come on foot.
Advice on how to visit
There is no imposed direction of visit. Let your curiosity be your guide, as the site invites you to wander and make unexpected discoveries along the way.
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Visiting with children
The Maeght Foundation lends itself particularly well to family visits. The sculpted gardens and Miró Labyrinth will captivate the youngest visitors with their playful shapes and water features. We’ve also noticed that the alternation between indoor and outdoor spaces keeps children moving and active.
Schedules and rates
The Fondation Maeght is open daily from 10am to 6pm (and until 7pm in summer).
Adult price: €18
For the latest rates and discounts, visit the official website here.
Guided tours
Various audio routes are available for downloading directly onto your cell phone. These audioguides allow you to discover the Foundation at your own pace, with in-depth explanations of works such as the Bonnard painting below! On request by email, the Maeght Foundation can also provide you with a list of tour guides for you to contact.
Lodging
Hôtel Le Saint-Paul offers an exceptional lodging experience in the heart of the historic village. We were charmed by the elegance of this 5-star establishment, which combines Provencal character with modern comfort. Rooms overlook the village rooftops or the surrounding countryside, creating a peaceful, romantic atmosphere. See prices, photos and availability and… Reserve.
Catering
The Sous les pins café-restaurant is available on site at the Fondation Maeght. Enjoy a gourmet break overlooking the gardens.
Find their map on the official website here.
If you prefer to explore the surrounding area, the village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, a 10-minute walk away, is full of typical Provencal restaurants and cafés.
The visionary architecture of Josep Lluís Sert
A fusion of architecture and Mediterranean landscape
We were captivated by the way the buildings of the Fondation Maeght emerge from the hillside of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, like a natural extension of the relief. Architect Josep Lluís Sert designed an architecture in intimate dialogue with the Provencal landscape. The white concrete of the structures blends harmoniously with the local stone, while umbrella pines caress the roofs. You’ll notice that the architectural walk invites you to go up and down, discovering changing perspectives on the works and vegetation.
White concrete vaults combine aesthetics and functionality
The Maeght Foundation’s iconic white vaults play a dual role that we found ingenious. On the one hand, they collect rainwater to feed the Miró Labyrinth’s pools, thus contributing to the site’s ecosystem. They also protect buildings from the intense Côte d’Azur sun. Sert developed an approach in which architecture serves works of art and artists, collaborating with Miró, Giacometti and other creators right from the design stage. We admired the contrast of materials – concrete, wood, ceramics – the dialogue between curved shapes and sharp angles, and the alternation of full and empty volumes. Yet this total asymmetry creates a beautiful harmony!
Extension work to be inaugurated in 2024
Faced with a collection of 13,000 works and simultaneous temporary exhibitions, the initial 850 m² of exhibition space was no longer sufficient. During our visit, we were delighted to discover the planned 500 m² extension to be inaugurated in 2024, comprising two new underground rooms created under the Giacometti and Miró courtyards. Thanks to this extension, the Maeght Foundation can now host an ambitious international program while respecting the architectural and landscaping DNA imagined by Sert.
An exceptional collection
Aimé Maeght, gallery owner and friend of 20th-century artists
Aimé Maeght was much more than just a gallery owner: he was a visionary who revolutionized the relationship between dealer and creator. In Paris, he ran a renowned gallery and published the famous Derrière le Miroir magazine, accompanied by original lithographs. We discovered that his relationship with artists went beyond the commercial to become a true friendship. Joan Miró, Alberto Giacometti, Marc Chagall, Georges Braque and Alexander Calder were among his close friends!
In fact, many of the works exhibited at the Fondation were designed specifically for this venue, such as the canvas La vie de Chagall, made specifically for the town hall and, at 206cm high, the artist’s largest canvas!
France’s largest Miró and Giacometti collection
The Fondation Maeght houses France’s largest collection of works by Joan Miró and Alberto Giacometti. Nowhere else in France will you find such a concentration of major works by these two artists in one place. The collection is not limited to these two giants: Georges Braque, Marc Chagall, Alexander Calder, Pierre Bonnard and Fernand Léger also enrich the permanent collection. What makes this collection unique is that it continues to grow, perpetuating the spirit of discovery and transmission so dear to Aimé Maeght.
From painting to stained glass: a diversity of artistic techniques
We were struck by the variety of artistic disciplines represented at the Maeght Foundation. You’ll discover paintings (canvases, gouaches), sculptures (bronze, stone, ceramics), monumental ceramics, mosaics, stained glass and even tapestries, reflecting the Maeghts’ vision: to show modern art in all its forms, with no hierarchy between media.
We’ve found that this variety allows everyone to find their own personal favorite.
The open-air trail: gardens, sculptures and labyrinth
An artistic walk under the umbrella pines
As soon as you arrive at the Fondation Maeght, you’ll be greeted by monumental sculptures emerging from the Provencal vegetation. We loved strolling through these gardens, where the works of art interact with the umbrella pines and the southern light. Highlights include Pol Bury’s kinetic fountain, Alexander Calder’s monumental stabile and Takis’ wind sculpture. You’ll also come across creations by Jean Arp, Eduardo Chillida, Erik Dietman, Barbara Hepworth and Joan Miró.
The Miró Labyrinth, a total work of art in the heart of nature
Created between 1961 and 1963 by Joan Miró in collaboration with ceramist Josep Llorens Artigas, the Miró Labyrinth is a total work of art designed specifically for the Fondation Maeght. We loved strolling along this path punctuated by monumental sculptures, brightly colored ceramics, ponds and fountains. The sculptures blend harmoniously with the Mediterranean vegetation: cypress, lavender and rosemary create a fragrant setting. We found this space both playful and poetic: an open-air dream world that enchants visitors of all ages.
The Giacometti Courtyard
Just below the Foundation, the Giacometti Courtyard is equally impressive. This space is home to the stretched, ghostly silhouettes of the famous Swiss sculptor.
Some of the statues may be your size, which is quite disturbing!
Take the time to observe these sculptures from different angles: they reveal their expressive power and poignant fragility.
Note, however, that under this courtyard, a new exhibition room was created in 2024, creating a new encounter with other works of art.
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Frequently asked questions
Are there any temporary exhibitions at the Maeght Foundation?
Fondation Maeght regularly organizes high-quality temporary exhibitions, usually two or three a year. These exhibitions range from modern and contemporary artists to thematic or monographic retrospectives. The extension inaugurated in 2024 (an additional 500 sq. m.) was designed to accommodate ambitious temporary exhibitions simultaneously, while giving greater exposure to the permanent collection of 13,000 works.
Find out more about the program here.
Is there a store at the Maeght Foundation?
Yes, the Fondation Maeght has a store where you can buy exhibition catalogs, art books, posters, postcards and various objects inspired by the works in the collection. We found this store to be particularly well-stocked, ideal for extending the visit experience or offering a cultural souvenir.
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