7 Best Sights in France

Housed in a stately Belle Époque mansion set on the river, this vibrant contemporary sculpture center is one of the most respected establishments of its kind in Provence. Its talented, far-sighted curators scour the European arts scene for ingenious theme shows that mix established names with up-and-coming sculptors. While the shows change only once a year, they are always revelatory, with artwork cleverly installed in every room of the house, including the old shower stalls, the pretty garden, and even from trees hanging over the canal.

Had Jules Verne (a son of Nantes) and Leonardo da Vinci somehow got together when they were both in a particularly whimsical frame of mind, they may well have established this unique and engaging workshop-gallery. Their spirit certainly lives on in the imaginative, artistic, and mechanically brilliant creations that are built and displayed here. The Grand Eléphant gets most attention—hardly surprising, since the 50-ton giant, just short of 40 feet high, regularly "ambles" along the quay carrying 49 passengers. Inside the gallery are works in many shapes and sizes—some of them interactive—and you can watch more being made in the workshop on weekdays. The eye-popping Carrousel des Mondes Marins (Marine Worlds Carousel) is located just outside the gallery on the banks of the Loire.

Some of the town landscapes captured in paintings by Picasso, Gris, Dufy, Braque, Chagall, Masson, and others are on view in this fine museum.

One of the finest of L'Isle's mansions, the 18th-century Hôtel de Campredon has been restored and reinvented as a modern-art gallery, mounting three temporary exhibitions per year.

If you need a culture fix, check out the world-class contemporary and modern art exhibitions held at the Malmaison, a 19th-century Belle Époque mansion reimagined as Cannes’ international art center. The rooftop offers spectacular views over the bay. 

At the behest of the Fondation Entreprise Galeries Lafayette, Rem Koolhaas and his OMA studio transformed this 19th-century industrial space into a streamlined, six-floor "laboratory of innovation" that supports and exhibits the work of up-and-coming contemporary artists and designers. Each year, the foundation chooses three or four artists and presents their work over a span of three months, enhanced by live performances and discussions. The foundation also hosts a program of live music as well as the Closer music festival for "adventurous" music every March. Pluto, a sleek café and bistronomic restaurant on the ground floor, is a great choice for lunch, dinner, an afternoon coffee break, or teatime in a chic industrial space loaded with contemporary art. 

Located in the northwestern corner of the Luxembourg Gardens, this former orangerie (a greenhouse for orange and other warm weather trees) for the Palais du Luxembourg became the city's first public painting gallery in 1884. It now features excellent temporary exhibitions that are often worth a visit.