Chapelle du Rosaire Review

Read our French Riviera sights reviews. Or post your own.

Chapelle du Rosaire

  • Address: Av. Henri-Matisse, Vence
  • Phone: 04-93-58-03-26

Fodor's Review:

On the outskirts of Vence "new town," toward St-Jeannet, it's easy to bypass a humble white chapel below the road, indistinguishable from a home except for its imposing cast-iron cross. But the Chapelle du Rosaire (Chapel of the Rosary), decorated with beguiling simplicity and clarity by Matisse between 1947 and 1951, reflects the reductivist style of the era: the walls, floor, and ceiling are gleaming white, with color provided by the light streaming through the small stained-glass windows of green and blue. Stylized biblical characters are roughly sketched in thick black outline; in the annex behind the chapel you can see that earlier versions were more detailed. "Despite its imperfections I think it is my masterpiece…the result of a lifetime devoted to the search for truth," wrote Matisse, who designed and dedicated the chapel when he was in his eighties and nearly blind.

  • Cost: EUR 2.50
  • Open: Tues. and Thurs. 10-11:30 and 2-5:30; Mon., Wed., and Sat. 2-5:30
Find more sights in The French Riviera »

Member Reviews and Ratings

Be the first to review this property

Get Advice From Other Travelers

Visit the Travel Talk forums for help on planning your trip



Get the Fodor's Newsletter

For more travel ideas, tips, and deals, sign up for the Fodor's newsletter here. Read the current issue. Browse previous issues.




Copyright © 2010 Fodor's Travel, a division of Random House, Inc.