The Fondation Cab building, which offers guest rooms alongside contemporary art

The south of France and Monaco are becoming among the hottest destinations in the art world, literally as well as metaphorically. The scenic region, once a celebrated home to artists and patrons, has seen a new influx of foundations, private museums, philanthropists and collectors who are supercharging the Riviera vibe. Here, four leading lights from the area, Simon de Pury, Marie-Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, Christian Levett and Catherine Loewe present the inside track of what’s “ouf” between Marseille and Menton

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Fondation Cab, Saint-Paul de Vence

With views over the Cap d’Antibes peninsula, the Riviera branch of Hubert Bonnet’s Fondation Cab houses a minimalist and conceptual contemporary art collection and offers seasonal exhibitions and artist residencies, all in a restored modernist site.

Quatre couronnes circulaires entremêlées, 2020, by Felice Varini, from the Fondation Cab collection

“My friend Hubert Bonnet was always passionate about architecture, art and design. His Fondation Cab was born from his desire to support artistic creativity and become a source of inspiration. In 2021, the foundation opened a second location in Saint-Paul de Vence. It is a must see in the area! I love the renovation of this 1950s’ house by the architect and interior designer Charles Zana and the beautiful Maison Prouvé in the garden.”

– Marie-Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre

Mater Earth, 2023, by Prune Nourry, on the Château La Coste estate

Château La Coste, Puy-Sainte-Réparade

The historic organic vineyard near Aix-en-Provence inaugurated an art and architecture park, established by Paddy McKillen, in 2011, as well as a hotel and restaurants.

Read more: Inside Milan with Francesco Maccapani Missoni

The Oscar Niemeyer Pavilion, conceived by the architect between 2010 and 2013, and unveiled in 2022 in a vineyard on the Château La Coste estate

“The sculpture garden at Château La Coste is a wonderful and unforgettable experience. At the entrance by Louise Bourgeois’s Crouching Spider is the start of an Art and Architecture Trail, which winds through the hills and vineyards of the estate. Designed by Tadao Ando, the art centre reveals a meticulous attention to materials and textures, and blends seamlessly into its surroundings. Other architectural pavilions, such as those by Renzo Piano and Oscar Niemeyer, are also worth a visit.”

– Marie-Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre

The 1960s Dragon Hill building, designed by Jacques Couëlle along ecological lines

Dragon Hill, Mouans-Sartoux

The pioneering art residency, founded by London gallerists Jonny Burt and Joe Kennedy, is located on a mountaintop above the village of Mouans-Sartoux, near Cannes. Curators, academics, patrons and collectors are welcomed for visits by appointment.

Read more: A tasting of top Napa Cabernet Sauvignons with Paul Hobbs

A sculpture by Claudia Comte on the Dragon Hill grounds

“Dragon Hill’s dreamy Riviera villa designed by visionary architect Jacques Couëlle is a place one never wants to leave. It is a retreat for artists and writers to revel in the natural beauty, tranquillity and cultural legacy that this part of the world is famed for. I am excited to be curating a special exhibition there for two brilliant women with strong ties to the region, Maryam Eisler and Nicole Farhi.”

– Catherine Loewe

Villa E-1027 is set before Le Corbusier’s Le Cabanon on the Riviera coast

Eileen Gray Villa E-1027, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin

Built in the 1920s and overlooking a small beach beneath a dramatic coastal path, Gray’s villa was fully restored in 2021. The site can be visited from April to October by guided tour and prior booking only.

Read more: A sojourn in Egypt

The furniture was designed for the space by Eileen Gray

“E-1027, the iconic Eileen Gray modernist villa built between 1926 and 1929 in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and lovingly restored by Michael Likierman is the perfect destination for a hike along the sea from Monaco.”

– Simon de Pury

The Abstract Expressionist Gallery at Famm

Famm, Mougins

Founded by collector and LUX Contributing Editor Christian Levett, Femmes Artistes Musée Mougins (Famm) opened in 2024 in an historic village near Cannes. The collection, which unfolds across four floors, features artists including Berthe Morisot, Nan Goldin and Jenny Saville. The museum can be visited year round.

Read more: Arch Hades in conversation with Catherine Loewe

Les fils du roi, 1906, by Jacqueline Marval, from the Famm collection

“One of the interesting things about having a museum in the south of France is it’s a place where things are happening: Luma and Cab are fairly recent, Carmignac only opened eight years ago. You have Domaine du Muy, owned by Jean-Gabriel and Edward Mitterrand, near Saint-Tropez – another sculpture park in the area. And there’s Dragon Hill as well, open to private tours by collectors and curators.”

– Christian Levett

A Maeght gallery, designed by Silvio D’Ascia and opened in 2024, was conceived to complement the original architecture by Josep Lluís Sert

Fondation Maeght, Saint-Paul de Vence

The renowned foundation was founded in 1964 by Marguerite and Aimé Maeght, friends of the most important artists of their time who left their mark on the building and its extensive gardens. Temporary exhibitions include Ellsworth Kelly, from June to November 2026.

The sculpture garden, including two Personnage sculptures, 1970 and 1972, by Joan Miró

“I am always very enthusiastic about the idea of returning to this magical place, nestled among pine trees and bathed in light. Stroll through the sculpture garden, where you encounter Miró, Giacometti or Calder, then enter the museum to admire Chagall, Braque and so many others. A timeless gem that merges art, nature and architecture.”

– Marie-Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre

Read more: The heart of London’s art circuit at the Royal Academy

An exhibition view of Couleurs! Chefs d’oeuvre du Centre Pompidou, 2025 at the Grimaldi Forum

Grimaldi Forum, Monaco

Inaugurated in 2000, with an extension by Alexandre Giraldi and Patrick Raymond in 2025, the 35,000 square metre waterfront site hosts exhibitions, performances and concerts all year round.

An exhibition view of ‘Monet et la Riviera’, 2023, at the Grimaldi Forum

“Under the lead of Sylvie Biancheri, the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco has been reliably churning out one blockbuster show after another. Its flexible interior is any curator’s dream.”

– Simon de Pury

Krauses Gekröse, 2011, by Franz West at Luma’s Parc des Ateliers site

Luma, Arles

Established in 2013 by founder Maja Hoffman and featuring architecture by Frank Gehry, the singular vision for Luma includes exhibitions of multidisciplinary art and programmes supporting engagement with creative ideas and social issues.

Isometric Slides, two 12-metre-high slides in the Tower building, 2021, by Carsten Höller

“With Luma Arles, Maja Hoffmann has founded the ultimate publicly accessible research laboratory combining art and science. Besides which, she is the cultural dynamo responsible for the Fondation Vincent Van Gogh and for Les Rencontres d’Arles de la photographie.”

– Simon de Pury

Every morning I live with you, 2024, by Dennis Miranda Zamorano

Mexico-based artist Dennis Miranda Zamorano blends nature, humanity and dreamscapes in always surprising ways. Ahead of his new exhibition at Château La Coste, Provence, LUX invites Zamorano to be our artist in residence on these pages, and his gallerist Vanessa Guo reflects on what draws her to his works

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“The history of humanity has been marked by countless terrible events, surviving and overcoming them. However, today we seem to be less prepared and more scattered. I believe we need to strengthen our connections, our listening and our patience toward our surroundings. We must be smarter than those who deceive.” – Dennis Miranda Zamorano, artist, Mexico

Read more: Artist in Residence: Rex Southwick

“I’m drawn to how Dennis ‘excavates’ the canvas, scraping and sanding to peel back layers before reapplying paint to reveal hidden narratives. By upending norms, he urges us to challenge surface illusions and seek authenticity. His tactile, process-driven practice envisions renewal and discovery, resonating deeply amid our present collective uncertainty.” – Vanessa Guo, co-founder, Galerie Marguo, Paris

chateau-la-coste.com

Joel Mesler: Me, you and the sunset. Photograph by Francois Deladerriere

A striking new show by Joel Mesler brings nature, light and life to Château La Coste in the south of France, a place not short of any of these qualities. “Me, you and the sunset” is quite mesmerising

You can’t walk around the grounds of Paddy McKillen‘s Château La Coste without bumping into a museum-spec artwork. A Louise Bourgeois spider here, a Damien Hirst there, site-specific works by the likes of  Tunga, Bob Dylan, Tatsuo Miyajima, or Sophie Calle there. In total, there are about 40 artworks in the grounds.

Crounching spider by Louise Bourgeois. Photograph by Andrew Pattman

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Psicopompos by Tunga. Photograph by Andrew Pattman

As if that’s not enough, the estate complex in the heart of Provence also has three exhibition pavilions or galleries that host temporary and rotating exhibitions.

This summer, Californian artist Joel Mesler is showcasing his exhibition “Me, you and the Sunset” in the gallery designed by architect Richard Rogers.

The Richard Rogers Gallery at Château La Coste

Mesler’s show is inspiring. His twelve new paintings represent a series of connections between an individual (the self) and the landscape, as well as the people within it.

Joel Mesler: Me, you and the sunset. Photograph by Francois Deladerriere

The body of work reflects Mesler’s own views during his visit to the Château the previous summer. The paintings and sculptures, reflect the luminous sunsets of Provence.

Read more: MedBodrum: A New Type of Luxury Festival

There’s hints of Van Gogh there, but also the Californian in Mesler, who seems to pick up on the refractions and shades created by the Saharan desert dust that the high atmospheric Sirocco winds carry northwards here, a link to the desert skies in the east of his home state. Mesler’s paintings tell woven, personal tales.

Joel Mesler: Me, you and the sunset. Photography by Francois Deladerriere

The colorful, almost neon-like glowing paintings feature simple words like “ME,” “YOU,” “LOVE,” and “SUNRISE,” reflecting the recurring themes in Mesler’s art.

In the heart of the countryside of Provence lies Terre Blanche, a luxury resort with two renowned golf courses and an oasis for growth biodiversity. Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, Darius Sanai speaks with the Vice-President of Supervisory Board, François Vaugoude, on how on how the resort has been a sustainability pioneer since the early 1990’s, educating its guests and making instrumental environment change in the region.

LUX: How did Terre Blanche come about?

François Vangoude: Between 1978 and 1980, there was a desire to develop the site on which Terre Blanche now sits. At the time, Golf was more of a pretext for town planning and therefore there weren’t all the provisions. There was no internet, there were no regulations on water, there were no impact studies and raising awareness about ecology was not a priority like it has become today. The site therefore benefited from considerable building rights, and with the construction of the golf course there was more than 90,000 square meters of surface area to be built.

When the authorities later realised that the surveys and impact studies had not been carried out, the project came to a complete halt. Dietmar Hopp, a German business and golf enthusiast, had built a golf course in Germany and proposed creating something that brings sports, nature and development together, rather than creating a city within a city. The authorities gave the go-ahead, and we opened the grounds in June 2000.

Le Chateau Golf course

LUX: Was there a sustainability strategy at the time?

FV: Yes, Immediately, I’ve been passionate about sustainability for years, being someone from the countryside and from the sea. I’m also an architect so urban development has always been a passion of mine as well. From the outset, our philosophy was to think about how we could do something sustainable because our objective was to operate long-term. Since 2000, I’ve been involved in the design of our various projects, as I’ve overseen the whole program since its conception and now its management.

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Our guiding principle on the development of Terre Blanche is that all infrastructures that are useless above ground are buried underground. All the infrastructure needed to manage and distribute water is underground. It maintains the permeability of the soil and it’s better for the quality of the resort as a whole because having a view of a forest or green spaces is much better than having a view of a car park, for example. The car park did cost a little more but at the end of the day, the cars are sheltered, there’s more security, and we don’t have to resurface every ten years using petroleum-based asphalt.

The design of our driving range follows the same principle. The Albatros Golf Performance Center is a semi-underground driving range. As a result, you play out of the summer sun, and you’re sheltered from the rain in winter.

LUX: Is what you do, in terms of your sustainability strategy, important to your clients?

FV: Admittedly, in the years 2000-2010, what we were doing was very good but there wasn’t the heightened sensitivity we have today around climate change and the environment. People are now beginning to understand that biodiversity and climate are about the survival of future generations. Everyone now understands and wants to preserve but the term ‘preservation’ doesn’t work for me.

I think ‘to preserve’ is a negative idea as it just means to protect what exists. I think that today we need to take a much more proactive approach and we need to be contributors to the development of biodiversity. That’s what we do. We now have the participation of our customers.

The Infinity Pool at the Terre Blanche resort

I’m not going to say what country these people come from, but there are people who can’t stand to see an ant or mayflies. So, we get our customers involved and we organise events to show them what we do, especially as golf today is all the rage.

Golf is a big consumer of water, but we don’t use drinking water, we use natural water. The natural cycle is respected, which means that since 2000 we have been pumping water from the Saint-Cassien lake, just five kilometres from our property.

We have financed networks and pumping stations so as not to use drinking water. We’ve had a policy from the outset of asking ourselves what Terre Blanche will be like in ten, fifteen, twenty and even thirty years’ time.

LUX: Is it important for you to do a bit of customer education, or is it more something that exists and if customers are interested, they can ask?

FV: It’s something that needs to be understood and accepted. For example, a golfer wants to find his ball on the course. We only mow once a year, at a very specific time, with a cutting height to avoid destroying everything on the ground. The golfer’s first reaction is to say, “Well wait a minute, you’re saving on maintenance and I’m losing more of my balls.” Then we explain to them why we’re doing this. We’re preserving the nesting period of birds on the ground, invertebrates, insects, and honey plants. Then they say, “Ah yes, you’re right” and they accept that we need to implement these kinds of provisions, and they become supporters.

Another example is unfortunately, we have quite a high mortality rate of trees that are not from the region and that have been brought in and can no longer withstand the rising temperatures and lack of water.

So, when the tree dies, we leave them in place and let them rot. The first reactions I received were, “You leave them there because you don’t have time to pick them up.” We then explain that if you leave a log in a given place, six months later you’ll have a profusion of animals. To motivate them too, we’ve set up an application, that’s also managed by the naturalist organisation on site, in which people can take a photo of an unknown plant or insect and upload it onto our application.

The organism is automatically geolocated on the network and it’s passed on to our naturalist society. At the end of the year, we have a census of everything discovered on Terre Blanche and whoever has made the most observations, with the most interesting organisms, wins a prize. This motivates people to take part. It’s not just on golf courses and in the forest, but under a stone near the Terre Blanche resort.

LUX: Is there a focus on art in the hotel too and do you link art and biodiversity?

FV: There is an art collection at the hotel, but it is not something we shout about. It’s known through word of mouth. The collection is for our guests to enjoy. We have a press book about the works of art that are on display, which is available upon request. Guests can follow a route to see the artworks around the property if they want to. As the works are scattered throughout nature, we naturally create this intersection between nature, biodiversity, and art. When I tell people that we have over 300 works of art and they ask where they are, I tell them to open their eyes. That’s what biodiversity is all about as well. It’s about taking an interest.

LUX: Are there any other plans you have for biodiversity?

FV: We have a huge number of developments on the resort. We’re creating an atlas on biodiversity to monitor the species, fauna and flora that exist on Terre Blanche. We did a first census in 2018, and another in 2020 and 2023 to see what changes there have been in relation to all the measures we’ve implemented on Terre Blanche.

I went to see the Mayor of Tourrettes and asked him why we weren’t doing this at a commune level. It makes sense to do it on a much larger scale. The hope is to demonstrate to them that Terre Blanche has become a zoological wildlife park and not just a resort for the wealthy. It’s about showing we are well ahead of the game, and that they too can contribute to the preservation and expansion of biodiversity.

LUX: Do you organise biodiversity events?

FV: Absolutely. We organize events and golf tournaments focusing on biodiversity, with workshops for people to ask questions and help them understand. We’ve put up information panels all over the resort to educate people.

These aren’t the kind of information panels you buy in the shops, but ones we’ve put together explaining how the watering system works, how the lakes work, what’s in front of them etc. It helps to open people’s minds.

We explain why we’ve installed bat shelters and nesting boxes. Instead of watching TV and looking at a tablet, we buy nesting boxes in kit forms for the kids to build their own nesting boxes, like Lego, and they install them themselves afterwards. Once you’ve captured the children’s’ attention, the parents are right behind and they follow.

Find out more: terre-blanche.com

Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort is celebrating its 20th Anniversary, marked with a series of activities and experiences that highlight the resorts commitment to eco-responsibility. The resort is now open for the season. 

Ellerman House’s art collection features nearly 1,000 works

Hotels have long housed art collections, and now many are opening their own gallery spaces alongside art-focused programmes to offer guests unique cultural experiences. In his latest column for LUX, Abercrombie & Kent’s Founder Geoffrey Kent handpicks his favourite art hotels across the globe

Ellerman House, Cape Town, South Africa

Art lovers will delight in staying at this landmark hotel on Cape Town’s coast. Within the elegant Edwardian mansion of Ellerman House, close to 1,000 works of art reflect the changes in South Africa’s social and geographical landscape since the 1930s. Artists in the collection include John Meyer, Erik Laubscher, Jan Volschenk, Cathcart William Methven, and Pieter Wenning to name but a few. Guests can take a self-guided art tour with an electronic tablet providing insight into each piece. If you prefer, the in-house guide is on hand to take you around the extensive collection and beyond – guests can request guided excursions to the city’s local galleries, enjoying behind-the-scenes access and unmatched insight.

ellerman.co.za

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The bathroom of the Royal Suite at The Silo, Cape Town

The Silo, Cape Town, South Africa

A disused grain silo may seem an unlikely candidate for a museum and an art hotel. Yet, this imposing building on Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront has been transformed in recent years into a bastion for the African arts. The lower portion of the building is now my friend Jochen Zeitz’s eponymous Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. It’s home to the continent’s most extensive collection of contemporary African art. I’m proud to be one of its founding members and to support its primary aim of encouraging intercultural understanding. It’s a fantastic collection in an extraordinary building. Above, the museum is the beautiful Silo hotel in which I stayed for a few days before departing for the South Pole on one of my Inspiring Expeditions. The six storeys of luxury accommodation are brimming with curated artwork. The Silo’s owner, Liz Biden of The Royal Portfolio, has used the space to display her collection of African pieces. There are works by upcoming artists as well as more established names, such as Nandipha Mntambo, Cyrus Kabiru, and Mohau Modisakeng. The hotel even features its boutique gallery The Vault.

theroyalportfolio.com/the-silo

Hotel B is Lima’s first and only art hotel

Hotel B, Lima, Peru

For those of us who travel often, firsts are increasingly hard to come by, yet Hotel B is that rarest of things. Lima’s first – and only – art hotel is aptly situated in the city’s most bohemian district amid galleries and fashion boutiques. The building itself is brimming with character, converted as it is from a 1920s colonial mansion. Stay in this restored ‘grand dame’ to admire its private collection of more than 200 artworks, proudly displayed across the landings. Hotel B’s close relationship with nearby Lucia de la Puente Gallery allows guests to request private viewings easily; the gallery offers a fantastic insight into the world of contemporary Peruvian art.

hotelb.pe

Read more: In conversation with Iranian artist and filmmaker Shirin Neshat

‘Crouching Spider’ sculpture by Louise Bourgeois at Villa La Coste in Provence

Villa la Coste, Provence, France

The pastoral landscape of Provence is impossible to upstage, so the owners of Villa La Coste have sought instead to adorn it with dazzling flourishes of creativity. Throughout the biodynamic vineyard of Château La Coste and art hotel, sculptures are tucked amid verdant woodland, hills, and lawns – including works by acclaimed artists Ai Weiwei and Tracey Emin. You can enjoy a two-hour private art and architecture walk with the curator, learning all about the eclectic collection while taking in the beautiful Provençal countryside. Also, the hotel is home to its very own arts centre and hosts temporary exhibitions throughout the year. Stay here, and you’ll never be short of art to admire (nor home-grown wine to sip as you do).

villalacoste.com

MONA Tasmania offers visitors the chance to stay on the museum grounds in a contemporary pavilion

MONA, Tasmania, Australia

Set on the banks of the River Derwent, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is Australia’s largest privately owned gallery and museum. It was masterminded by gambler and mathematician David Walsh and exhibits his diverse taste in art – from Ancient Egyptian relics to quirky dioramas. Whilst the museum isn’t strictly a hotel, visitors have the opportunity to stay in one of eight contemporary pavilions, each with its own unique character. As well as access to an enclosed lap pool, sauna, and gym, you’ll have a museum chock-full of eclectic and eccentric artwork right on your doorstep. Enjoy unfettered access to MONA’s permanent collection, and utilise its ‘O’ device during self-guided wanders to learn more about the art.

mona.net.au

Find out more: abercrombiekent.co.uk