Vallauris-Golfe-Juan Attractions

The only relic of the Middle Ages is the Romanesque chapel, in the beautiful crypt of which Picasso painted between 1952 and 1959 his famous picture "War and Peace". The monastery, which was fortified in the 12th C., was destroyed in 1569 and rebuilt during the Renaissance. Today it houses the Musée National d'Art Moderne (modern art). In front of the church - where there is a market in the morning - stands Picasso's sculpture "Man with a Sheep".

Pottery has been important in Vallauris since the time of the Romans. After the Second World War the activity of Pablo Picasso gave the place a fresh impetus. It was here that in 1946 Picasso got to know the ceramic-artists Suzanne and Georges Ramié and became enthusiastic about this new material. Today there are about 100 potters working in Vallauris and their products are sold in the streets. The biennial pottery fair assures the future of this craft. The Madoura workshop near Avenue Clémenceau, headed by Alain Ramié, still produces pottery based on Picasso's designs as well as some fine work of its own.

The Magnelli Museum has collections of art nouveau, pre-columbian art as well as prints and ceramics by Picasso.

The Vallauris Picasso Museum has several original Picasso works, the most notable is "La Guerre et la Paix" ("War and Peace"). The museum also houses works by Alberto Magnelli, a pioneer of abstract art.