Set against a backdrop of deep-blue sea, luscious vineyards and charming rural villages, the wealth of fine art in Nice and on the Côte d’Azur is astonishing. Following a period as a playground for the English aristocracy in the 18th century, la Belle Époque saw a flourishing of artistry in the area, perhaps best encapsulated by the spectacular Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild at Cap Ferrat. Since then, the Côte d’Azur has seen the rise of numerous important museums and collections. This includes the Fondation Maeght, which arguably contains France’s most important collection of modern art.

Our tour will brought to life a region saturated with creativity and brimming with cultural heritage, highlighting the most important museums and showcasing prominent collections. Aside from the area’s artistic wealth, there was of time to enjoy the dramatic scenery and architectural gems, from the imposing Château Grimaldi to the picturesque town of St Paul de Vence.

Members visited the New Art Centre at Roche Court on a glorious summer’s day in June when everything was still green. We were able to explore the park and gardens in the company of an excellent guide.

We were greeted by Lady Bessborough who had founded the New Art Centre in London’s Sloane St in 1958. Her vision of encouraging young artists had continued and expanded at Roche Court which now welcomes visitors to exhibitions of contemporary art in a wonderful outdoor setting as well as four contemporary galleries.

There were small porcelain installations by Edmund de Waal, large scale sculptures by Anthony Caro, Peter Randall-Page, Anthony Gormley, and Michael Craig-Martin, land art by Richard Long, and amongst these a huge variety of works by lesser known artists. Some were challenging, some disturbing, some amusing, all demanded our attention.

Our 2 hour guided tour of the house was split into 2 groups of 20 and was followed by a short visit to the formal gardens. The 16th century castle contains many great art works including portraits by Reynolds and Gainsborough and some historic furniture. The Earl of Radnor’s family have been partnered with the National Gallery for many years.

The visit was followed by an excellent buffet lunch in the nearby Radnor Arms.

After lunch the coach dropped us near to the Cathedral Close in Salisbury where there were opportunities to visit the Salisbury Museum, the cathedral or the National Trust Mompesson House

Several members opted for the shops!.

In June 2019 we made our first visit outside Europe and spent 10 days in Jerusalem – a fascinating city with a complicated history and an uneasy present. With the help of two excellent guides, one Jewish, one Palestinian we toured ancient and modern Jerusalem and made trips to the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, Masada, Bethlehem and Acre.