Not only Provence, but also many other places in France have inspired artists and painters with their unique atmospheres, like Paris, the French Riviera, and Corsica.

Traveling these routes by bicycle or on foot allows you to experience them in a more authentic way, living the landscape and its fragrances, learning to know them in a slower and more sustainable way. So today we talk about the places of impressionism, which you can explore on your next trip!

Van Gogh's Provence

There are places that remain in the heart in a special way, for their scents, colors, atmospheres. Somewhat magical places that, once visited, become an indelible memory: one of these places is Provence.

Anyone who has taken a trip to Provence will find themselves as if in an imaginary world, surrounded by endless fields of sunflowers and lavender, accompanied by the singing of cicadas that keep company at every moment of the day. This is because Provence is not just a land to visit, but above all a place that gives emotions, and in the past there have been many artists who have portrayed this land in their works. One of these was Vincent Van Gogh, in whose canvas one can literally immerse oneself simply cycling through the fields of the region or walking through the streets of Arles, where the artist spent several years of his life producing more than 300 works, inspired by the light of the south.

In Arles, you can follow the Circuit Van Gogh, a route that identifies the precise points where the artist set up his easel. Among the most famous is the modern Café Van Gogh, at Place du Forum, portrayed during one of his many nocturnal wanderings in the work Terrace of the Café in the evening.

St. Remy de Provence, always linked to the name of Van Gogh, is one of the most famous places for impressionism in France. In this small Provençal-style village, the artist stayed for a long time due to his mental problems. During this time, Van Gogh made over 150 works portraying unique and unmistakable views, among shops, squares and the same clinic of Saint Rémy, where he was hospitalized.

Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence

In Aix en Provence, the birthplace of Paul Cezanne, the artist portrayed the typical southern atmospheres, dominated by the warm southern light, stately buildings, plane trees, and fountains, a symbol of the city itself. Not to be missed here is the artist's birthplace (28, Rue de l’Opéra), his workshop and the Granet Museum, where some of his most important works are kept. Finally, for those who want to follow in Cezanne's footsteps, there is the Chemin du Bibémus, a route that leads to the quarries portrayed by the artist.

Normandy and Monet

But among the most important places of Impressionism, there is certainly Normandy, since it was here that the movement originated, led by Monet, who revolutionized the history of painting.

Upper Normandy is the region where Monet used to go to portray the famous water lilies. The most important city for the French painter was definitely Giverny, where the Fondation Monet is still located. It is a charming pink farmhouse with emerald green shutters, set in a beautiful flower garden. The painter personally took care of the design of the huge garden, a real oasis, containing small streams and surrounded by beautiful weeping willows. Immersed in lush vegetation stands the famous wooden bridge in Japanese style, covered with wisteria, became the protagonist of a collection of paintings representing the subject in various seasons. The enchanting bridge serves as a walkway over the small pond dotted with water lilies, a plant much loved by the artist and which became the center of his poetics during his stay in Giverny.

Do you feel like setting off right away to discover the places of Impressionism? Set off on a bike trip between art and nature, choose your itinerary, and leave with one click!