Riviera Pebbles Blog: Musée Marc Chagall

Posted on 28th Feb 2019 in Go & Do

Musée marc chagall

Avenue Docteur Ménard, Nice
Tel 04.93.53.87.31
web site

open
10am-6pm Wed-Mon (May-Oct),
10am-5pm Wed-Mon (Nov-Apr)

€9.50, under 18 years €7.50

“The quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century,” Marc Zaharovich Chagall was one of many celebrity artists smitten by the Côte d'Azur, and he eventually settled in Saint-Paul de Vence, a small commune on the French Riviera.

It’s little wonder then that he chose to house the Musée Marc Chagall in Cimiez, nestled away in the hills of sunny Nice. Dedicated to his biblical works, the museum is a celebration of Chagall’s Jewish heritage, combining surreal imagery taken from the artist’s life (think flying goats, tumbling flowers, and spiralling embraces) with the Old Testament and the Hebrew Song of Songs.

As the largest public collection of Chagall’s work, the space is extremely well-curated. Superb natural lighting shows off vast, colourful canvases that adorn the walls and bring to life the psychological impact of Chagall’s life and symbols of his Jewish faith. There are also three stained glass windows and a mosaic of Elijah (also designed by Chagall) in the gallery.

You’ll need to put aside about two hours to thoroughly explore the gallery, but if you'd like to make a day of it, why not explore the grounds? The museum is set amongst picturesque gardens, and there’s a small café where you can savour a petit café. Frequent evening concerts are held here too – visit the website for further details.

Parking can be tricky so either walk or take the number 15 bus from Place Massena and get off at the Musée Chagall stop.

Top tip: Audio guides are available for free upon the purchase of a ticket. The descriptions are thorough without being too lengthy and make a great accompaniment to the art on show.