We’re off on an excursion to view the many facets of Cagnes-sur-Mer: Haut de Cagnes, a medieval village perched on a rocky outcrop, Cros-de-Cagnes, a fishing village, and the Renoir estate, a house museum surrounded by beautiful olive trees.

Haut-de-Cagnes – medieval village

On a pretty hill overlooking the Var estuary, proudly stands the little medieval village of Haut-de-Cagnes. In 1948, the whole settlement was classified as a French historic site; around 600 people still live there throughout the year.

Haut-de-Cagnes offers pleasant strolls through its narrow steep lanes, lined with houses steeped in history. As recently as the 1960s, many artists set up their ateliers in Haut-de-Cagnes because of the Mediterranean light it offered and its unique surroundings. They included Suzy Solidor, Georges Simenon and Yves Klein who helped build the reputation of the village as the “the Montmartre of the Côte d'Azur".

To learn more about this pretty medieval village, why not go on one of the Tourism Office’s guided tours, available every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 10am all year round?

Cros de Cagnes

On the other side of Cagnes, along the seafront, lies the ancient fishing village of Cros-de-Cagnes. In 1920-1930 it was the largest fishing port in the Alpes-Maritimes; nowadays about a dozen fishermen still do this difficult job. As a result, you can still see the region’s traditional little Pointus fishing boats leaving very early in the morning, and returning by the coastline pulled along by handles fixed on land.

If you want to buy incredibly fresh fish from the fishermen of Cros-de-Cagnes, go to Saint-Pierre Church close to the little port. For decades the fishermen have lived in the area around the clock tower. Their authentic houses all look the same, with pretty colours and small flower gardens.

Just like Haut de Cagnes, you can visit this quarter every Tuesday at 10am from April to September thanks to tours organised by Cros-de-Cagnes’ Tourism Office.

The Renoir Estate

At the beginning of the 20th Century, the master of Impressionism, Paul-Auguste Renoir also moved to Cagnes-sur-Mer. He built a beautiful home here that today serves as a museum. The interior is almost identical to when Renoir lived there. The museum holds several paintings and sculptures.

The grounds of the Domaine des Collettes are open to the public (free entry), and include a beautiful olive grove that boasts several hundred year old trees. It is the perfect place for family strolls, for picnics or tea!

Further information on Cagnes-sur-Mer