When The Estérel Turned Red: The Exhibition That Reveals the Artistic Soul of Saint-Raphaël’s Coast

 

There are landscapes that are beautiful, and then there are landscapes that seem almost impossible to paint realistically.

The Estérel is very much the latter.

With its extraordinary red volcanic rocks plunging toward an intensely blue Mediterranean, pine-covered hills and brilliant Provençal light, the coastline between Saint-Raphaël, Agay, Anthéor and Le Trayas has long possessed an almost theatrical quality. At the beginning of the 20th century, a generation of painters discovered that this landscape offered something more than a picturesque view: it offered a completely new way of thinking about colour, light and form.

That story is now being explored in a remarkable exhibition at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Draguignan: “Les roches rouges — Éclosion artistique dans l’Estérel à l’aube du XXe siècle.” Running until 31 October 2026, the exhibition brings together around 50 paintings and graphic works, along with archival material, to examine how the Estérel became an important setting for artistic experimentation.

For anyone who loves the Côte d’Azur — and particularly the Saint-Raphaël area — it offers an entirely different reason to visit the region.

The Landscape that Painters Couldn’t Resist

Today, it is easy to take the Estérel for granted. Drive the Corniche d’Or between Saint-Raphaël and Cannes and the landscape seems almost designed for Instagram: rust-red cliffs, turquoise water, umbrella pines and tiny coves appearing around every bend.

For artists arriving here more than a century ago, however, the landscape was something much more radical.

The intense red of the volcanic rock set against the deep blue of the Mediterranean and the greens of the vegetation created a combination of colours that seemed to demand a departure from conventional landscape painting. The exhibition explores precisely this phenomenon — how painters searching for stronger colour, light and material expression found an extraordinary laboratory in the Estérel.

Among the artists drawn to the area were Louis Valtat, Albert Marquet, Charles Camoin and Armand Guillaumin, alongside artists associated with post-impressionism, pointillism, Nabis and Fauvism.

The Estérel wasn’t simply somewhere they painted.

It helped change the way they painted.

Agay, Anthéor and Le Trayas Became an Artists’ World

At the turn of the century, the coastline around Saint-Raphaël was becoming considerably more accessible.

The opening of the Corniche d’Or in 1903 helped transform Agay, Anthéor and Le Trayas from relatively remote coastal locations into destinations that could be reached and explored by artists, tourists and travellers. Contemporary guides described the area as a “colonie nombreuse et distinguée d’artistes” — a sizable and distinguished colony of artists.

That combination of accessibility and extraordinary scenery proved irresistible.

Louis Valtat was among the artists who became particularly associated with the area, and his enthusiasm helped attract other painters. His Les Roches rouges à Anthéor, painted in 1901, is now part of the exhibition in Draguignan on loan from the Centre Pompidou.

The painting is a perfect example of what made the landscape so compelling: the rocks aren’t treated as a passive background. Their colour, shape and texture become the subject itself.

The French government’s Joconde heritage database describes the intense, almost fiery colour of the rocks juxtaposed against the deep blue sea as central to the work’s visual power.

Marquet and The Red Rocks of Agay

One of the names most closely associated with the exhibition is Albert Marquet, whose work helps demonstrate how differently artists could respond to the same landscape.

Marquet, Valtat, Camoin and others presented views of the Estérel around the time of the 1905 Salon d’Automne in Paris, the exhibition traditionally associated with the public emergence of Fauvism.

But the exhibition is careful not to reduce the story simply to Fauvism.

That is one of its strengths.

The Estérel attracted artists with very different approaches. Some pursued intense, liberated colour. Others experimented with pointillist techniques or decorative compositions. Some focused on the changing effects of weather and light, while others introduced human figures into the landscape.

The result is a fascinating reminder that there was never one single “Estérel style.”

There was an Estérel experience.

A Landscape that Became a Laboratory

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Les roches rouges is the idea that the Estérel functioned almost as an artistic laboratory.

The exhibition examines how painters repeatedly returned to the same locations, experimenting with different viewpoints, seasons, atmospheric conditions and techniques. The massif became something they could study, reinterpret and reinvent.

The same red cliffs could therefore become completely different paintings depending upon who was looking at them.

Guillaumin explored variations in light and weather. Valtat responded to the explosive colour of the rocks. Marquet approached the landscape with a more restrained balance between sea, sky and land. Other artists incorporated figures, architecture or decorative elements.

It is a reminder that the Côte d’Azur has always been more than a pretty backdrop.

It has been a place of experimentation.

And Suddenly Saint-Raphaël Looks Different

This is where the exhibition becomes particularly interesting for anyone considering Saint-Raphaël as a place to visit — or even to live.

Seeing these paintings and then travelling out toward Agay, Anthéor or Le Trayas changes the experience of the landscape.

You begin recognising the views that captivated the artists.

The enormous red formations of the Cap Roux. The coastline around Anthéor. The sweeping bay of Agay. The rocky coves. The strange collision of Mediterranean blue with the rust and ochre of the volcanic massif.

And you realise that the artists weren’t exaggerating.

The colours really are that extraordinary.

The Exhibition is Also a Reason to Explore the Real Estérel

The smartest way to experience Les roches rouges may be to treat the museum as the beginning rather than the end of the experience.

See the paintings in Draguignan, then drive back toward the coast.

Follow the Corniche d’Or.

Stop at Agay.

Continue toward Anthéor and Le Trayas.

Look at the rocks.

Look at the sea.

Then look again.

The museum’s programme also includes guided visits and activities connected with the exhibition, including walks in the Estérel. Guided tours are scheduled on Wednesdays and Sundays at 11 a.m., with additional Friday tours during the summer and autumn holiday periods.

There is even a September conference exploring the artistic journeys between the Creuse Valley and the Estérel and the role of plein-air painting and improved transportation in the development of artistic communities such as Agay. 

A Fascinating Chapter of Côte d’Azur History

There is a tendency to tell the history of the French Riviera through its most famous names and destinations: Nice, Cannes, Monaco, Saint-Tropez.

But the artistic history of the coast is considerably more complicated — and considerably more interesting.

The Estérel was not merely somewhere artists stopped on their way elsewhere.

For a remarkable period around the beginning of the 20th century, it became a destination in its own right, attracting painters who were looking for new subjects and new ways to express the modern world.

And the landscape around Saint-Raphaël gave them exactly what they were looking for.

Go Before the Rocks Disappear Behind the Crowds

There is something particularly appealing about discovering this history today.

Saint-Raphaël remains one of the Riviera’s more understated destinations. It has the Mediterranean, the beaches, the marina, the Belle Époque architecture and the restaurants, but beyond the waterfront lies something even more remarkable: an extraordinary natural landscape that still looks remarkably close to the one that captivated those early modern painters.

Les roches rouges gives visitors the opportunity to understand why.

The exhibition runs until 31 October 2026 at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Draguignan, 9 rue de la République. The museum is less than 50 kilometres from the Estérel itself, making it particularly easy to combine with a day exploring Saint-Raphaël, Agay and the Corniche d’Or.

And perhaps the best part is what happens after you leave the museum.

You drive back toward the Mediterranean, round a bend on the Corniche d’Or, and suddenly the landscape opens in front of you.

Red rock.

Blue sea.

Green pines.

Brilliant light.

For a moment, you see exactly what the painters saw more than a century ago.

And you understand why they kept coming back.

Saint-Raphaël: The Côte d’Azur’s Understated Sweet Spot

 

There is a version of the French Riviera that most people know: the glamour of Cannes, the yachts of Saint-Tropez, the international energy of Nice and the extraordinary wealth of Monaco. But spend a little more time exploring the coast and another Riviera begins to emerge — one that feels less performative, more relaxed and, for those thinking about actually living here, surprisingly compelling.

Saint-Raphaël sits in that sweet spot.

Located between Cannes and Saint-Tropez, at the foot of the spectacular Massif de l’Estérel, Saint-Raphaël combines the things people dream about when they imagine life on the Côte d’Azur with something that can be harder to find: a genuine sense of everyday life. The town centre sits directly beside the Mediterranean, while the surrounding territory stretches through beaches, coves, pine forests, red volcanic landscapes and residential neighbourhoods.

It is beautiful, certainly. But beauty is only part of the attraction.

A Riviera Town that Feels Lived In

Saint-Raphaël has the unmistakable character of a traditional Mediterranean town rather than simply being a resort assembled around tourism. Its old town is a network of narrow, shaded streets, while the waterfront, markets, cafés and restaurants give the centre a rhythm that continues beyond the height of summer. The town’s Belle Époque heritage is also evident in the villas and architecture left behind by the development of Saint-Raphaël as a fashionable seaside destination in the 19th century.

That distinction matters if you are considering the Côte d’Azur as somewhere to live rather than somewhere to spend a week.

You can have your morning coffee near the sea, walk through the old streets, pick up something fresh at the market, have lunch overlooking the marina and still be home before the afternoon heat really arrives. In the evening, the waterfront comes alive again, but there is generally a sense that people are enjoying the town rather than performing Riviera life for an audience.

And that is perhaps Saint-Raphaël’s greatest charm: it doesn’t seem desperate to impress you.

The Sea is Never Far Away

For anyone drawn to Mediterranean living, Saint-Raphaël has an extraordinary amount of coastline to work with. The municipality extends along approximately 36 kilometres of Mediterranean shore, encompassing beaches, rocky coves, calanques and smaller seaside enclaves.

The coastline changes dramatically as you move through the different neighbourhoods.

Closer to the centre, you have the convenience of beaches and the old port practically on your doorstep. Around Santa Lucia, the marina brings a more nautical atmosphere, while Boulouris offers a quieter residential feel. Further along the coast, Le Dramont, Agay, Anthéor and Le Trayas become increasingly scenic, with the red rocks of the Estérel meeting the blue of the Mediterranean.

Agay is particularly seductive. Sheltered between Cap Dramont and Pointe de la Baumette, its bay is surrounded by the distinctive red rocks of the Estérel and backed by the Rastel. It has sandy beaches, a marina and a village-like atmosphere that makes it easy to understand why people fall for this corner of the coast.

For some residents, that is the dream: not necessarily waking up in a famous Riviera resort, but waking up somewhere beautiful enough that an ordinary Tuesday can feel like a holiday.

Then there is the Estérel

This is where Saint-Raphaël becomes particularly interesting.

The town isn’t simply beside the Mediterranean; it is also a gateway to one of the most distinctive landscapes on the French Riviera. The Massif de l’Estérel is famous for its dramatic red volcanic rock, pine forests and extraordinary coastal panoramas. The local tourism authorities describe more than 150 kilometres of trails across the massif and along the coast, making the area particularly attractive for walking, hiking and cycling.

That creates a rather enviable lifestyle combination.

You can spend the morning swimming in the Mediterranean and the afternoon walking through the hills. You can take a bike into the Estérel, follow the Corniche d’Or, stop somewhere for lunch and come home with the kind of views that usually require a holiday.

For people who want an active outdoor lifestyle, this is a major advantage. And even if hiking is not your idea of fun, simply having that landscape on your doorstep changes the experience of living here.

The Neighbourhoods are Remarkably Different

One of the reasons Saint-Raphaël deserves more attention from prospective residents is that it isn’t one homogeneous town. Its different districts offer distinctly different lifestyles.

The centre and old town are ideal for those who want convenience, walkability, markets, restaurants and the sea close at hand. The old streets retain much of the town’s historic character, while the waterfront provides the quintessential Riviera backdrop.

Boulouris has a more residential personality and is particularly interesting for those who want a quieter setting without feeling disconnected. It has its own railway station, shops and local services.

Valescure is altogether different. Known for elegant villas, established residential properties, hotels and golf, it has a greener and more discreet character. It is the sort of neighbourhood that appeals to someone who wants space, privacy and a little distance from the waterfront bustle.

Santa Lucia offers marina living within walking distance of the centre. The port is one of the major marinas in the area and provides an appealing setting for anyone whose idea of happiness involves boats, waterfront restaurants and the Mediterranean immediately outside the front door.

Then there is Agay, which feels almost like its own little Riviera world, followed by Le Dramont, Anthéor and Le Trayas, where the relationship between the mountains and sea becomes increasingly dramatic.

For a property buyer, this variety is important. You aren’t simply choosing Saint-Raphaël; you are choosing which version of Saint-Raphaël suits you.

It has Enough Life without Becoming Exhausting

One of the great challenges of living on the Côte d’Azur is finding the balance between having things to do and being able to escape the crowds.

Saint-Raphaël does that rather well.

There are restaurants, cafés, markets, cultural attractions, beaches, marinas and events, but you are also remarkably close to nature. The town has the infrastructure and amenities of an established community while retaining easy access to quieter coastal and inland areas.

And when you want a change of scenery, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Fréjus and the rest of the Var are within easy reach. Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is approximately 65 kilometres away.

That makes Saint-Raphaël particularly appealing for people who want to participate in Riviera life without necessarily wanting to live in its busiest centres.

The Everyday Pleasures are the Real Luxury

There is a tendency to think of luxury on the Côte d’Azur in terms of penthouses, superyachts and Michelin-starred restaurants.

But after living here for a while, you may come to define luxury rather differently.

Luxury is being able to walk beside the Mediterranean before breakfast.

It is buying fruit and vegetables at a Provençal market.

It is having lunch outside in January because the weather permits it.

It is taking an evening stroll along the waterfront without having to get into a car.

It is having the Estérel as your backyard.

And it is being able to choose between a sophisticated marina, a historic town centre, a leafy villa neighbourhood or a tiny coastal enclave depending on what kind of day you want to have.

Saint-Raphaël offers all of that.

A Place Worth Looking at Before Making a Decision

Saint-Raphaël probably won’t suit everyone. If your dream of the Riviera is a penthouse overlooking Cannes harbour, an international nightlife scene or the extraordinary concentration of wealth found in Monaco, there are other places that will speak more directly to you.

But if what you want is a beautiful Mediterranean environment, a real town, access to nature, an established community and the ability to enjoy the Côte d’Azur without feeling completely consumed by it, Saint-Raphaël deserves a serious look.

It is sophisticated without being pretentious, lively without being relentlessly hectic and beautiful without seeming to know just how beautiful it is.

And perhaps that is the appeal.

Saint-Raphaël isn’t necessarily the place you arrive at because you’ve heard everyone talking about it.

It may be the place you discover, spend a few days exploring, wander into one of its residential neighbourhoods, sit down beside the sea and quietly think:

“I could actually live here.”

That is when Saint-Raphaël starts to make a lot of sense.

The Bal des LICORNES: Nice Gets Ready for a Night of Glitter, Glamour and Queer Celebration

Nice is getting ready for a night unlike any other as the Bal des LICORNES returns for its second edition on September 5, 2026, promising an immersive celebration of creativity, freedom, identity and unapologetic self-expression.

Taking place at Stockfish, 5 avenue François Mitterrand, the Bal des LICORNES is designed to break away from conventional ideas of what a ball should be. Instead, it invites guests into a festive and artistic universe where imposed norms are left at the door and everyone is encouraged to celebrate exactly who they are.

Glitter, glamour, sex appeal and theatricality will take center stage as six artists and four unicorns transform the evening into a continuous spectacle of music, performance and visual entertainment. The event’s immersive production will unfold across four vibrant scenes inspired by balls from yesterday to today, creating a journey through different eras, generations and interpretations of celebration.

Rather than simply watching a show, guests will become part of the experience. As the evening progresses, the atmosphere is expected to become increasingly energetic, with the boundaries between audience, performer and party becoming deliberately blurred.

Music will provide the heartbeat of the night, moving between two distinct but complementary worlds. Pop and queer anthems will bring familiar favourites from artists including Mylène Farmer, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Dua Lipa, delivering the kind of songs that audiences know, sing together and associate with collective celebration. As the night develops, the musical focus will shift toward electro and club sounds designed to keep the dance floor moving well into the night.

The result is intended to be more than simply another party on the Nice events calendar. The Unicorn Ball positions itself as a celebration of individuality, inclusivity and the freedom to express oneself without having to fit neatly into anyone else’s expectations.

There is also a distinctly festive outdoor component to the evening, with Happy Hour before 8:30 p.m., alongside food and drinks in a celebratory setting. Guests can arrive early, settle into the atmosphere and watch the evening build toward its main performances and late-night party.

For Nice, a city already known for its colourful nightlife, artistic energy and diverse cultural scene, the return of the Unicorn Ball adds another distinctive event to the calendar. Its combination of performance art, music, fashion, theatrical production and queer culture gives the evening an identity of its own.

The message behind the event is perhaps its simplest—and most compelling: come as you are, celebrate who you are, and let the night take care of the rest.

The Bal des LICORNES took place on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at Stockfish, 5 avenue François Mitterrand, 06300 Nice. With four immersive scenes, six artists, four unicorns, pop and queer anthems, electro beats and an atmosphere designed to become increasingly uninhibited as the evening unfolds, the Unicorn Ball is shaping up to be one of Nice’s most colourful nights of the season.

Get your tickets now!

La Dolce Nizza: Seeing Nice Through the Sensual Lens of Claudia Bevilacqua

 

There are countless ways to photograph Nice, but few capture the city’s atmosphere quite like black-and-white photography. Beneath the postcard images of turquoise water, colourful façades and brilliant Mediterranean sunshine lies another Nice — more intimate, more cinematic and considerably more seductive. That is the Nice explored in “La Dolce Nizza”, the exhibition by photographer Claudia Bevilacqua, currently on view at the Musée de la Photographie Charles Nègre in the heart of Vieux Nice.

The exhibition runs only until 6 September 2026, making it one of those Riviera cultural experiences that should be moved toward the top of the list before summer disappears and the autumn season begins.

Rather than presenting Nice simply as a beautiful destination, Bevilacqua’s photography offers a more personal interpretation of the city. Through black-and-white images, she strips away much of the visual noise associated with the Riviera and allows the architecture, streets, people and atmosphere to take centre stage. The absence of colour is particularly effective in a city that is otherwise famous for colour. Without the familiar blues, yellows and pinks, Nice becomes something altogether different.

There is a cinematic quality to the work, and that feels entirely appropriate for a city that has spent more than a century attracting artists, writers, photographers, filmmakers and people fascinated by the Mediterranean lifestyle. Nice has always had a talent for performing for the camera, but Bevilacqua’s photographs suggest that the city’s real character is often found away from the obvious tourist spectacle.

Women and the female presence within the city are an important part of the exhibition’s visual language. There is a sensuality to the photographs, but it is not necessarily the polished, luxury-oriented sensuality often associated with advertising images of the Côte d’Azur. Instead, the photographs can feel spontaneous and intimate, capturing moments and gestures that suggest lives being lived rather than a destination being marketed.

That distinction matters. Nice is, of course, one of the world’s most photographed Mediterranean cities, and visitors arrive with a mental catalogue of images already in their heads: the Promenade des Anglais, the Baie des Anges, the colourful buildings of the Old Town and the palm-lined waterfront. Bevilacqua’s approach encourages viewers to look again. Her Nice is not necessarily the Nice found on a tourism brochure. It is a city of shadows, expressions, movement, texture and fleeting encounters.

The choice of the Musée de la Photographie Charles Nègre is equally fitting. Located in Place Pierre Gautier in Vieux Nice, the museum is dedicated to photography and regularly presents exhibitions exploring both historic and contemporary photographic practices. Its location also places visitors directly in one of the city’s most atmospheric neighbourhoods, making a visit to the exhibition easy to combine with an afternoon wandering through the narrow streets of the Old Town.

And that may ultimately be the best way to experience La Dolce Nizza: not as an isolated museum visit, but as an invitation to reconsider the city outside the gallery.

After seeing Nice through Bevilacqua’s lens, step outside and walk. Wander through Vieux Nice. Look at the balconies, doorways and cafés. Watch people moving through the streets. Notice how the afternoon light changes the façades. Walk toward the sea and watch the city gradually open onto the Baie des Anges. Perhaps, for a moment, try to imagine what these same streets would look like without their Mediterranean colours.

That is one of the pleasures of photography. A good photograph doesn’t simply show you somewhere you already know; it can make you realise that you haven’t been looking closely enough.

For residents, La Dolce Nizza offers another perspective on a familiar city. For visitors, it provides an opportunity to move beyond the standard Riviera itinerary and see Nice through a more artistic and intimate lens. And for anyone fascinated by photography, fashion, beauty, urban life or the enduring mythology of the French Riviera, it is a particularly appealing exhibition.

But there is a deadline.

“La Dolce Nizza” remains at the Musée de la Photographie Charles Nègre only until 6 September 2026. With the final weeks of summer approaching, this is one exhibition worth putting on the calendar rather than leaving on the increasingly dangerous Riviera list of “things I’ll get around to.”

Nice has been photographed thousands upon thousands of times. The challenge is no longer finding another photograph of the city. The challenge is finding a photograph that makes you see it differently.

Claudia Bevilacqua may just have done that.