Granet Museum, Musée Granet, Aix-en-Provence, France It’s not surprising that the smart, prosperous town of Aix-en-Provence has a major art gallery – especially considering the fact that two major artists were born here. Before the start of the French Revolution, the town hall housed a collection of historical and archaeological objects and in 1821, a cabinet of curiosities belonging to…
Cathedral of St Saviour, Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur d’Aix-en-Provence, France The elegant town of Aix-en-Provence has an unexpectedly low-key cathedral. There isn’t a huge square in front, there’s only one bell tower, and the outside looks a tad decrepit. Once you go inside, however, the dark interior gradually brightens up and offers a cosy space for exploration and worship. The cathedral is…
Aix-en-Provence, France The smart, attractive southern French town of Aix has quite a different vibe to it’s neighbour, Marseille. It’s sleepy, it’s refined, it gave birth to the delightful confection, the calisson… and it’s served as an inspirational spot to paint for countless artists. Certainly if you are a fan of Cézanne, Aix is worth a visit. He was born…
Mora Church, Mora kyrka, Mora, Sweden Right at the end of Mora’s main shopping street are two of its main attractions: Zorngården, which is dedicated to local boy, Anders Zorn, and a grand church. I say grand, but it’s not grand in a south European sort of way – it’s grand by Swedish provincial standards. And that makes it charming…
Zorn’s House, Zorngården, Mora, Sweden Behind the yellow-painted timber walls of this modestly sized house, lies the delightful home of Anders Zorn and his wife Emma, right by the Mora Church. Unfortunately you aren’t allowed to take pictures inside, nor are you really allowed to linger, because you have to take guided tours. This isn’t an ideal combination for me,…
‘Zorn and Carl Larsson – Art and Friendship’ Exhibition, Zorn Museum, Zornmuseet, Mora, Sweden It’s funny how sometimes a small town can be famous for some major things. Mora, quiet, tiny and generally unobtrusive, is famous for three symbols of Swedishness: the Dala Horse (produced in a village nearby), the sturdy, multifunctional Mora knife, and the artist, Anders Zorn. As…
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Zermatt, Switzerland If you’re into hiking and skiing, the area around Zermatt is a paradise, with just so many options it’s incredible. If you’re not so into those sorts of things, then you have the exciting option of going up Europe’s highest aerial cableway to the mountain station in the Alps. Now, I’ve never been up a mountain…
Without any doubt, one of the most wonderful times to be in the sedate town of Geneva is during the Escalade. To commemorate the bravery of the town back in 1602 when it was attacked by Savoyard forces, Geneva holds a weekend of events which celebrates the brave Genevois and allows you to join in. I have written about the…
Montreux Christmas Market, Montreux Noël, Montreux, Switzerland I am the hugest fan of Christmas markets and for the past few years I’ve been lucky enough to visit at least one each season. Two years ago we visited the one in Basel, which was pleasant. Last year we went to Zurich, which I assumed would be more Germanic, but I found…
St Mauritius Church, Pfarrkirche St. Mauritius, Zermatt, Switzerland In the heart of the small town of Zermatt is the comparatively dominant Catholic church of St Mauritius. From the outside, it doesn’t look too grand, and inside it’s not that grand either – but it is charming and definitely worth a brief visit. The first mention of the church is from…
St Peter’s Church, the ‘English Church’, Zermatt, Switzerland Perched on the hills that steeply rise from the central street of Zermatt, is the little English Church. From the outside, it looks sort of Swiss. But inside – well, it feels awfully English. Which is the way it should be. The church is English. From 1862 the visiting English held services…
Museum of Ancient Art and Ludwig Collection, Antikenmuseum Basel und Sammlung Ludwig, Basel, Switzerland Recently, Sister-Chickpea asked me why I’d never ended up writing up a post about the Basel Museum. Honestly, it’s because I’ve had such a backlog of posts to write, I’d forgotten about it. Then I found out that they were closing many of the galleries to…