Enter the Musée de l'Annonciade in Saint-Tropez at the edge of the town's old port, and you enter a small, intimate two-floored house with white arched walls, high ceilings and a special aura. The museum is a former 16C chapel. In the 1950's, art-lover Georges Grammont transformed the building into a museum and doted the former chapel with 56 paintings from his personal collection.
Today, the little museum houses an impressive collection of paintings by neo-impressionist artists.
Browse around. You admire paintings of the village of St Tropez as it was 100 years ago.
Paul Signac painted it, from his St Tropez house "La Hune" where he invited many of his artist friends. Pierre Bonnard painted it. Albert Marquet painted it. Jean Puy painted it. André Derain painted it. Henri Matisse painted St Tropez too.
Meander around St Tropez through these paintings at the museum and you realize that not much has changed. In the morning and especially in the evening, St Tropez drapes itself in a special natural light, an enhancing glow. Erase the neon around the handful of more obnoxious shops in town, and you find that same glow.
St Tropez, at its heart, remains a magical village. It's a magical village with a magical little museum.
The Museum of l'Annonciade, St Tropez
You'll find the museum tucked on the side of the old port at the end of Quai Suffren, at Place Grammont. The museum closes in November and stays otherwisde open from 10AM to Noon and 2PM to 6PM every day except Tuesdays. Phone: 04 94 17 84 10.
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