5 must-visit art foundations in the South of France From the coastline to the hills of Provence

Carmignac Foundation (Porquerolles Island)

The experience begins with the ferry crossing to Porquerolles, the largest of the Hyères Islands. Once docked on this island heavily explored by bicycle during the summer season, tourist map in hand, visitors reach this institution - created in 2000 and opened to the public in 2018 - either on foot or on two wheels. The site houses its collections both within the main building and across its wooded grounds. Open until November 1st, the exhibition Sea, Pop & Sun reaffirms founder Édouard Carmignac’s close ties to Pop Art. A former regular at The Factory - Andy Warhol even painted his portrait - he has established himself as the premier French collector of Roy Lichtenstein, growing his holdings from an initial acquisition in 2002 (Fishing Village) to a total of 17 works by the American master. Curated by art historians Dieter Buchhart and Anna Karina Hofbauer, the exhibition brings together over 80 pieces, including 15 from the Carmignac collection. Icons of the movement (Lichtenstein, Warhol, Marjorie Strider, Evelyne Axell, Martial Raysse) sit alongside contemporary visual artists who extend or challenge its codes (Théo Mercier, Derrick Adams, Cosima von Bonin, Judy Chicago). Here, Pop Art takes on the fragrances and light of the Mediterranean.

Château La Coste (Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade)

North of Aix-en-Provence, in Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, low-profile Northern Irish businessman Patrick McKillen has transformed this wine estate - purchased in 2002 - into a world-renowned artistic and architectural statement. A true sanctuary combining fine dining (with eight restaurants in total) and high-end accommodation in its villa and inn, the estate impresses with its architectural density: it features creations by six Pritzker Prize laureates - Oscar Niemeyer, Tadao Ando, Renzo Piano, Richard Rogers, Frank Gehry, and Jean Nouvel. Summer provides the perfect opportunity for a 2.5-hour bucolic trail through the outdoor spaces, where more than 40 works, often monumental, by artists such as Louise Bourgeois or Alexander Calder are dotted across the landscape. On the exhibition side, the Niemeyer-designed auditorium showcases work by American artist Rashid Johnson, while the estate simultaneously presents pieces by his wife, Iranian artist Sheree Hovsepian.

LUMA Arles (Arles)

With the Rencontres d’Arles photography festival in full swing since early July, the Parc des Ateliers confirms its status as a cultural epicenter under the leadership of LUMA Foundation founder and president Maja Hoffmann. Dominated by the twisted, reflective metallic tower designed by Frank Gehry and anchored in the redevelopment of former industrial wasteland, this experimental complex brings together culture, environment, design, and research. Designed to integrate actively into the artistic, intellectual, and social fabric of Arles and its region, LUMA Arles has already commissioned and presented the work of over 300 artists and innovators. The summer program highlights Gerhard Richter’s painted photographs (Overpainted Photographs), while giving pride of place to moving images through video installations: In the Veins by Camille Henrot and Delta by Verena Paravel.

Fondation Maeght (Saint-Paul de Vence)

Inaugurated on July 28, 1964, by André Malraux, the Fondation Marguerite et Aimé Maeght remains France’s first private art foundation and today houses one of Europe’s most significant collections, boasting more than 13,000 works. Visionary post-war art dealers, publishers, and printers - notably responsible for organizing the legendary International Surrealist Exhibition in 1947 alongside Breton and Duchamp - the Maeghts conceived this project following a pivotal trip to the United States, inspired by the Barnes, Phillips, and Guggenheim collections. Architect Josep Lluís Sert was entrusted with transforming their living quarters into a complex where works by artist friends dialogued naturally: Joan Miró, Alexander Calder, Fernand Léger, Georges Braque, Alberto Giacometti, and Marc Chagall. Still deeply rooted in contemporary creation to the point of hosting fashion shows - such as Jacquemus’s "Les Sculptures" collection in February 2024 - the site is offering two major exhibitions this summer: Ellsworth Kelly – Aux bords de l’eau, the first retrospective focusing on the theme of water in the American master’s work following his death in 2015; and Peter Knapp: Le Temps Courrèges, an exploration of the 1965 stylistic revolution.

Vasarely Foundation (Aix-en-Provence)

Inaugurated on February 14, 1976, in the presence of Claude Pompidou, then-Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, and Secretary of State for Cultural Affairs Michel Guy, the Vasarely Foundation immediately stood out as a singular architectural statement. Constructed between 1973 and 1976, this extraordinary building defies traditional labels while embodying 1970s aesthetics through its use of glass and anodized aluminum, achieving a seamless synthesis between architecture and technological design. The artist integrated 42 in situ works specifically designed to merge with the structure itself. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary - a pivotal milestone sealing the institution's rebirth after decades of family legal battles - the foundation is presenting the exhibition Projet pour une révolution, Vasarely et l’architecture until November 1st. Conceived jointly with two curators from the Centre Pompidou, this exhibition explores the Op Art master’s vision of architecture, set at the heart of what the Parisian institution directly calls "the Sistine Chapel of Op-Kinetic art."