Jas de Bouffan

Jas de Bouffan Review

Cézanne's father bought this lovely estate, whose name translates as "the sheepfold," in 1859 to celebrate his rise from hatmaker to banker. The budding artist lived here until 1899 and painted his first images of Mont Ste-Victoire—the founding seeds of 20th-century art—from the grounds. Today the salons are empty but the estate is full of the artist's spirit, especially the Allée des Marronniers out front. The Jas is a mile south of the center of town and can only be visited on tour by booking a minibus seat through the central tourist office, either in person or online.