The Musée Renoir in Cagnes-sur-Mer preserves the former home and studio of the celebrated Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The artist moved to the Les Collettes estate in 1907, hoping the mild Mediterranean climate would ease the severe rheumatism that affected him later in life.

Renoir remained here until he died in 1919, continuing to paint despite his illness. Photographs from his final years show him still working, sometimes with a brush tied to his hand so he could keep painting.

The house has been carefully preserved and allows visitors to experience the environment where Renoir spent the final years of his career. Inside are 11 of his paintings, including the famous Les Grandes Baigneuses (1892), along with several sculptures and works by artists from his circle, such as Raoul Dufy and Pierre Bonnard.

The property is surrounded by ancient olive groves, which Renoir loved and frequently included in his work. The gardens offer beautiful views across the hills toward the Mediterranean and provide a peaceful setting that helps explain why the artist chose to live here.

👉 Local tip: Walk through the olive grove garden behind the house after visiting the museum. It’s one of the most peaceful spots in Cagnes-sur-Mer and gives a sense of the landscape that inspired Renoir’s late paintings.