Musée de La Castre

6 May 2016

Visit Outstanding Exhibitions and Enjoy Stunning Views at this Leading Cannes Museum

Cannes is best known for its fabled film festival, its beautiful Croisette beach and its picturesque old town, Le Suquet. However, it’s also home to Musée de la Castre, an outstanding museum that boasts both awe-inspiring medieval architecture and stunning exhibitions. Displays vary from ancient artworks and music instruments from all around the world, to landscape paintings by 19^th century Provencal artists. Take the opportunity to dive into international culture and arts, and also admire views across the Cannes Bay and Mediterranean Sea…

A Stunning Location

If you’re looking for an authentic venue, a lovely walk in one of the most coveted neighbourhoods in Cannes and a glance at historical monuments in the Southern city, Musée de la Castre is ideal. On the top of Le Suquet hill, Cannes’s beautiful old town, a medieval castle is overlooking the sea: Château des moines des Lérins. To reach it, take the steep streets between the colourful houses of the Suquet, before arriving in front of huge, 6^th century style wooden doors.

The venue boasts architectural features from the Middle-Ages: a dungeon and a 109 steps high, square tower to watch the surroundings and battlements on top of the fortress walls. Inside its walls, a lovely garden welcomes visitors. Mediterranean spices and plants offer an enchanting smell to the site, whilst colourful flowers add to the Provencal feel.

Once home to the city’s Catholic Monks, it ow houses Musée de la Castre, the city’s major location for arts from all over the world…

A Huge Diversity of Permanent Exhibitions

When exploring the nooks of the Musée de la Castre, you’ll discover an array of exhibits presenting international artworks from many eras. Since its transformation to a museum in 1919, the Cannes venue has been articulated into four different quarters: primitive arts found in Himalaya, Arctic, Americas and Oceania, antique pieces from the Mediterranean region, landscape paintings from the 19^th century, and an impressive selection of musical instruments from all around the world.

Animal masks from Tibet are displayed next to Inuit tools, Peruvian wood statues representing feminine figures and boats built by ancient Oceania tribes. Oil painting canvases depicting Cannes Bay are exhibited next to soft-hued, post-Impressionism creations. Pan flutes, tambourines and drums are adorning the walls of the museum, as well as 350 other instruments.

This outstanding arts venue offers visitors the chance to escape through time and space via poetry and diverse objects. While, those wishing to enhance creative skills can also take part in painting and craft workshops for adults and children. Asian marionettes, Tunisian mosaics, floral landscapes… every week presents different activities during Arts Plastiques sessions at Musée de la Castre, ensuring you can make the most of your stay in Cannes.