An intimate, private art journey to the two greatest treasures of Nice's hilltop Cimiez neighbourhood — Henri Matisse's luminous Chapelle du Rosaire in Vence, and the Musée Matisse set in a 17th-century Genoese villa amid ancient Roman ruins.
What to expect
Your private guide and driver collect you dockside and head up to the hilltop village of Vence, where Matisse described the Chapelle du Rosaire as his 'masterpiece' — its stained-glass windows flood the white interior with jewelled Mediterranean light in a moment of pure transcendence. Back in Cimiez, the dedicated Matisse Museum houses the largest single collection of his works, set within a fragrant olive-grove park that also conceals the remains of Roman baths. The pace is yours — unhurried, intimate, revelatory.
Good to know
The Chapelle du Rosaire (Vence) has limited opening hours — Tuesday and Thursday mornings only, plus some Saturday mornings; confirm before your port date. The Musée Matisse (Cimiez) is open Wednesday–Monday. Allow at least 4 hours for the full experience. Cimiez is a 20-minute drive from the port.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Nice — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.