Notre-Dame-de-Vie

Notre-Dame-de-Vie Review

You can find Picasso's final home and see why, of all spots in the world, he chose this one, by following D35 2 km (1 mile) south of Mougins to the ancient ecclesiastical site of Notre-Dame-de-Vie. This was the hermitage, or monastic retreat, of the Abbey of Lérins, and its 13th-century bell tower and arcaded chapel form a pretty ensemble. Approached through an allée of ancient cypresses, the former priory house Picasso shared with his wife, Jacqueline, overlooks the broad bowl of the countryside (now blighted with modern construction). Unfortunately, his residence is closed to the public. Elsewhere in the village is the small municipal Espace Culturel & Musée Maurice Gottlob, set in the 17th-century St-Bernardin Chapel at Place du Commandant Lamy. Also of note: the Musée d'Art Classique de Mougins, which opened at 32 rue Commandeur in 2011 and was nominated as European Museum of the Year in 2013. It houses 600 artworks "highlighting the dialogue between the old and the new," as well as the world's largest private collection of antique weapons. The Musée de la Photographie near Porte Sarrazine permanently displays André Villers's portraits of his good friends—Picasso and Dali, among them.