Musee Renoir, Cagnes sur Mer
A museum at the house where Renoir & his family used to live
The world-famous painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir lived at La Ferme des Collettes with his family from 1907 until his death in 1919. Renoir moved to Cagnes-Sur-Mer in the hopes that the warm climate would improve his arthritis, which eventually confined him to a wheelchair. The house in which he spent the last 12 years of his life is set in a beautiful estate full of citrus and olive trees, looking out along the coastline all the way to way to the Cap d’Antibes.
The house and estate were fully renovated in 2012/13 and now has two additional rooms on display, the kitchen and the hall, where you can see 17 sculptures and two original canvases. The renovations have also made the house accessible to disabled visitors.
Renoir lived in the house with his wife, Aline, and their three children Pierre, Jean and Claude. The house itself is quite sparsely furnished, save for a few pieces of furniture there is little to make it feel like a “lived-in” home. However, the rooms are full of photographs of the family, of Renoir at work and of the house and gardens through the years. There are also a few personal artefacts and you can see some of Renoir’s easels and special chairs that he used when painting.
Directions
Public transport to Musée Renoir is tricky, there is a bus but it doesn’t run often. The easiest option is to take the bus to Cagnes-Sur-Mer and get off at Square Bourdet, from where you can follow signposts and walk to the museum in about 10-15 minutes. If you come by car you’ll find free parking at the entrance to the estate.
When to come
The estate is open year-round from 10:00 to either 17:00 (October to March) or 18:00 (April to September), depending on the time of year. Please note that it is closed for lunch from midday (or 13:00 in July and August) to 14:00 and all day every Tuesday.
How to get passes
Entry is 6€ per person (concessions available) but you can get a joint ticket for 8€ that includes Chateau Grimaldi, the castle that you can see from the house. Free for people under 26.
