Journey Through Cannes and Le Cannet: Art, Culture, and Transport Tips. Exploring Art and Cuisine in Provence’s Charming Towns. Part 4.

Urban sketching. Travel, Architecture and Art

Le Cannet: Home of the Bonnard Museum and Artfully Avoiding Cannes’ Crowds!

And then on another direction, the second trip was separate. It was a one-day independent journey from Antibes to Cannes and Le Cannet.

Provence is famous for its art museums in every small town or village. Le Cannet is a small suburb of Cannes. In North America this suburb would be part of a big city, for example Greater Toronto or Greater Vancouver.

The Central Train Station in Cannes is located in the heart of the city. To get there, take the bus # Bus Palm Express n°1. Within 10 minutes, you will reach Le Cannet famous museum Bonnard. Location: 16 boulevard Sadi Carnot, 06110 Le Cannet

House-museum artist Bonnard. Bonnard lived in Le Cannet for 25 years and created his Provencal paintings, saturated with sunlight, light and air. We were waiting for an exhibition that just opened during our vacation in Antibes. The temporary exhibition of collection Nahmad (De L’Impressionisme À Bonnard et Picasso) showcased the Impressionist artists. It organically blended into the permanent collection of Bonnard museum.

Cannes’ famous Red Carpet

We made a delightful pit stop in the glamorous city of Cannes on our journey back to Antibes. The famous film festival is very common!

We were all set to strut our stuff on Cannes’ famous Red Carpet. We perfected our best “I just won an Oscar” walk. It was finished with invisible awards and imaginary paparazzi trailing our every move!

Metal plaque with handprints and signature, set into the ground, showcasing the date '17/05/03'. — Hand prints of a celebrity set into the pavement, commemorating their visit to the Cannes Film Festival.

In my picture, the celebrities’ prints shoot up to the sky. They resemble a really ambitious road vying for a spot in a cloud competition!

Watercolor sketch of Cannes featuring a train, handprints, and beach scenes. — A watercolor sketch capturing the scenic views of Cannes, featuring a charming train and vibrant beach landscape.

Transportation: Our Hilarious Misadventures and Tips for Traveling in Provence

Embarking on my inaugural journey through the enchanting region of Provence was a delightful escapade fraught with unexpected adventures. The warmth and hospitality of the local residents, as well as fellow travelers, provided comfort during moments of disorientation in this picturesque landscape. My encounters with the complexities of train travel, compounded by my limited proficiency in the French language, led to a series of amusing misadventures, including missed connections and unforeseen challenges.

Yet, amidst the chaos, I discovered clever local transportation tips that may serve to conserve both time and money for future travelers. Intriguingly, these transportation mishaps ultimately enriched my experience, transforming potential frustrations into cherished memories that added a unique charm to my journey. :)

The topography of the area is a mountainous terrain. If you do not want to rent a car in a foreign country, there are a few alternatives to driving.

The first choice is the train. They are convenient, quick, comfortable, inexpensive, and all trains have an efficient schedules with small gaps in between 2 trains. For example, from Nice to Grasse the train’s cost was 10 Euros (2019). But, this choice has a disadvantage that you rarely can get to see small towns by trains.

The second choice is the bus. The advantage of buses is their routes reach even the smallest mountain towns. This is the cheapest choice. The inconvenience is that sometimes you have to take a transfer between inter regional buses and local city’s buses. Most importantly, the bus trip will be longer than any train.

The third option is like a hybrid of the first two—or you can just go with a travel company. Do you want to hop between a bunch of quirky little mountain towns in just 1-2 days? Let the pros handle it. Those local or international tour operators are like your cool travel buddies. They are always ready for an adventure. (And they know where to find the best snacks). And hey, there’s something for you at the end of this post. You’ll find a link to Viator. It’s your ticket to hilarity wrapped in sightseeing!

I absolutely adore my one-day trips to the French Riviera—it’s like speed-dating with beautiful landscapes! I dash around, sketching everything from tiny crannies to towering giants. I try to look like a sophisticated artist, not just some tourist with a fancy pencil and watercolor palette and brush:)

Join me on this thrilling adventure. Every moment holds the potential to uplift your spirit. It can bring joy to your life!

Tools used for my painting Watercolour used Charvin and Van Gogh brands, Derwent Watercolour pencils and Faber Castell artist pens. Paper Strathmore Watercolour and Mixed Media albums, 15×20 cm (6×8 in.)

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)

You are welcome to visit my personal website pages. There, you can find out more about the artwork I am offering in oil and watercolor paintings. You can buy canvas prints, framed prints, and more artwork.

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.

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Links. Transportation

How to get from Antibes to Le Mougins. Take Train to Cannes, then bus to Mougins. Lines 25-27. Cannes – Ranguin <> Gare Routière des Messugues <> Collège Eganaude – Sophia Antipolis, par Mougins

How to get from Antibes to Le Cannet . Take train Antibes to Cannes, bus #1 and 4(?), 15 min =10 stops to Musee Bonnard, Bus Palm’Express n°1, arrêt « Mairie du Cannet

Town of Grasse. http://www.ville-grasse.fr/

Moulin d’Opio http://www.moulin-dopio.com/olives/en/. Address 2, route de Châteauneuf, OPIO

Mougins museum https://mouginsmusee.com/en

Tourrettes-sur-Loup. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourrettes-sur-Loup

Town Gordon https://www.provenceweb.fr/e/alpmarit/gourdon/gourdon.htm

http://www.cannes.com/en/festival-de-cannes/the-festival-in-pictures

https://www.viator.com/French-Riviera/d179-ttd

Le Cannet museum http://www.museebonnard.fr/

https://www.viator.com

Exploring Tourettes-sur-Loup: A Legend of Queen Victoria. Exploring Art and Cuisine in Provence’s Charming Towns. Part 3.

Art workshops, Artist, ArtTravel, France, Uncategorized, Urban sketching, Voyage

Tourettes-sur-loup and its legends

This was amazing little town with an unusual legend.

Just imaging, you are jauntily wandering through the medieval streets. Also trying not to trip over the cobblestones that probably date back to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Meanwhile, admiring the stone facades that looked like they had more stories than my grandma. Actually, this is my story that happens with everyone while traveling in a medieval town, right?:)

And then OMG, the flowers! They were so fragrant that I half expected them to start singing show tunes! It was truly an unexpected adventure in one of the prettiest settlements in France. The buildings are old, but the charm is timeless! :)

As promised, about the local legend. It says that the English Queen Victoria was riding on a donkey with her staff to the town. After this uneasy journey, she tired and ordered a road to be built to this tallest town. Thank you! the English Queen Victoria wanted everyone to see the beauties of this place. And it was completed, so now you can enjoy them too. The main square of the town is named after the Queen, with no doubt. Everybody loves this legend.

Watercolor painting of Tourrettes-sur-Loup, featuring a scenic view with an ice cream cone and a small bowl of fruits, capturing the charm of Provence. — A charming watercolor sketch of Tourrettes-sur-Loup, showcasing the town’s vibrant ice cream and flower motifs characteristic of Provence.

Another Legend about Ice cream while you are exploring the town.

Ice cream transcends the realm of mere treats; it embodies the town’s most cherished secret. Yes, I found it while eating the violet rich ice cream.

As she dances around you, the air fills with the delightful aroma of freshly churned ice cream. It draws forth smiles and laughter from everyone nearby. A simple shout turns into a memorable experience that sugary dreams are made of! Even years later, I still remember this taste and scent.

As you walk around town, you will notice violets everywhere. They are painted on the asphalt and in the ice cream. Violet ice cream was a pleasant discovery for me. It’s worth coming to this mountainous town just for its sake!

The Wobbly Wonders of Cascades du Saut du Loup: Where Waterfalls Take a Dive!

The next stop was the stunning Mountain waterfalls known as Cascades du Saut du Loup. The name comes from the French language. It translates to the mouth of the wolf. I found it’s quite scary name.

This evokes an air of mystery and intrigue surrounding this natural wonder. As we approached the cascades, the sound of rushing water grew louder, filling the air with a sense of anticipation.

The scene was surrounded by lush greenery and rocky cliffs. It was breathtaking, with glistening water tumbling down the steep slopes. This created a mesmerizing spectacle. This hidden gem is more than just a beautiful sight. It holds an important place in local folklore. Tales of wolves and their enchanting habitat add to the allure of this captivating location. I think that every waterfalls has its own legends, do you agree with it?

I don’t know what mouth of a wolf it is. Now this is my secret. I personally saw a huge muzzle of an orangutan in the rocks. Everyone in our group was laughing from my imagination:)

Gourdon vs. Gordes:

As we continued our travel, the next stop was Gordon. It is the highest town of our trip. Its magnificent castle is perched 750 meters above sea level on rocks.

Watercolor painting of Gourdon Castle in Provence, surrounded by lush greenery and mountains. — Watercolor sketch of Gourdon Castle in Provence, showcasing the lush landscapes of the region.

A little comment about the tour. Part of our goal for this trip was to see Provencal lavender fields. Our tour operator was also our driver and a cheerful guide.

Meanwhile, he piped up from the passenger seat, “Well, there’s a little hitch in our giddy-up!” Apparently, it would take another hour to reach the lavender fields from this town. Perfect! This was just enough time for him to regale her with his latest theory. He believed a goat named Jean-Claude should have been our co-pilot.

“Just think about it,” he said with a grin. “He’d be the best navigator. Frankly, I’d trust a goat over a GPS any day!” As they continued their winding journey, the fragrant scent of lavender teased their senses. It promised that the true adventure was only just beginning.

Gourdon and Gordes are two different cities. Ops, my bad, I did not see on this day any lavenders’ fields. So, please take my advice, enjoy your day , even you were expecting other views.

Both cities are nestled in the picturesque hills of Provence. Yet, they are distinct places rich in their own unique charm and character.

The tour company made a comical error. They mixed them up. This led to a day filled with unexpected adventures and humorous anecdotes. As the day unfolded, we constantly wondered how the mix-up could have happened. This curiosity gave us an amusing reason to return. We wanted to explore the beautiful regions more thoroughly.

It became our running joke throughout this long day. The joke lightened the mood and brought us closer together. This happened as we navigated the winding roads. We were diligently searching for the iconic lavender bushes. We were also looking for even small patches of planted lavender. Provence is so famous for this.

Every time we stumbled upon anything resembling those fragrant fields, we kept saying, “Well, here’s lavender!” We burst into laughter. What could have been an inconvenience turned into a delightful memory. It’s a memory that we’ll cherish for years to come.

The Lavender Showdown – Who Will Win the Name Game?

The locals told us that in earlier years the lavender fields really bloomed vibrantly around the town. This created a stunning visual spectacle. It attracted visitors from far and wide.

The intoxicating fragrance of the lavender filled the air, making it a beloved destination for tourists and locals alike. One unfortunate year, a particularly harsh cold winter struck. The lavender bushes not survive the frigid temperatures that followed. The once-thriving fields, which had been a source of pride and beauty for the community, fell silent and barren.

After that, despite the people’s longing for the return of the lavender, they were not planted again. This decision left a void in the landscape deeply felt by everyone. It’s truly a pity to witness such a loss of natural beauty and charm.

Watercolor sketch depicting the picturesque landscapes of Gourdon, France, including lavender, buildings, and greenery. — A watercolor sketch depicting the scenic beauty of Gourdon, France, showcasing its charming architecture and lavender foliage.

The mountain road is serpentine. It leads to mountain towns Gourdon and Tourrettes-sur-Loup. We passed through the medieval town. In the sky, we saw a cloud “goose”.

I will continue to post about one-day trips in Nice. Next up is Cannes and Le Cannet. I visited the famous museum of artist Bonnard. After all, who doesn’t want to admire the works of someone who painted like they were on a permanent vacation? More art, less sanity!

Bon voyage! Until the next travel:)

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission.