The Book Collector’s Riviera

Nice: Markets, Modern Libraries & Photographic Interludes

On Mondays, Cours Saleya in Old Nice transforms from flower and produce stalls to an open-air antiques and book market, where vendors lay out everything from 18th-century leather-bound encyclopedias to mid-century photography monographs. A few streets away, the Musée de la Photographie Charles Nègre offers a complementary visual escape, with exhibitions featuring icons like Cartier-Bresson and contemporary image-makers.

For a modern architectural contrast, walk to the Bibliothèque Louis Nucéra, a public library famously housed inside La Tête Carrée, a monumental square head sculpture by artist Sacha Sosno. Its interior is quiet, air-conditioned, and ideal for a midday pause between museums.

While in Nice: Add a visit to the Musée Matisse, located in a 17th-century Genoese villa in the Cimiez neighborhood—where the artist lived and worked.

Antibes: Camus and the Sea

Just up the coast, Antibes offers an unexpectedly rich literary stop: the Médiathèque Albert Camus, named for the Nobel laureate who lived in nearby Lourmarin and spent his final years immersed in the Mediterranean’s rhythms. The library offers programming tied to French and Algerian literature, often highlighting Camus’ legacy.

While in Antibes: Pair your library stop with a walk to the Musée Picasso, housed in the old Château Grimaldi, where Picasso worked in 1946. Cap it off with dinner at a terrace overlooking Port Vauban.

Cannes: Villa Rothschild & Médiathèque Noailles

Begin in Cannes, far from the flashbulbs of the Croisette. Set back in a residential district lies the elegant Villa Rothschild, a 19th-century estate with lemon trees, stone fountains, and a sense of faded grandeur. Since the 1940s, it's been home to Médiathèque Noailles, the city’s public library and cultural hub. Inside its pastel-hued salons, you’ll find everything from vintage posters to early film archives, alongside rotating art exhibitions and literary events. The gardens themselves are classified historical monuments—worth lingering in with a novel or notebook.

While in Cannes: Wander to La Malmaison for contemporary exhibitions, then enjoy a quiet lunch on Rue Hoche, a local favorite for bakeries and cafés shaded by fig trees.

Vence: Antiquarian Books, Matisse’s Chapel & Modernist Retreats

High in the hills beyond Nice lies the medieval town of Vence. Tucked along its winding streets is the Librairie Basse Fontaine, a charming antiquarian bookshop specializing in old French volumes and Provençal literature. Time your visit with the midday bells and browse under vaulted stone ceilings.

Nearby, the Chapelle du Rosaire, also known as the Matisse Chapel, is a pilgrimage site for lovers of sacred modernism. Designed entirely by Henri Matisse—stained glass, robes, altar and all—it’s a striking, contemplative space in blue, green, and yellow light.

While in Vence: Reserve a table in advance at La Colombe d’Or in nearby Saint-Paul-de-Vence, where Miró and Léger once paid with art, and round out your day with a visit to the Fondation Maeght, home to works by Giacometti, Calder and Chagall set within forested sculpture gardens.