1. Follow an outdoor art trail in the south of France
![Follow an outdoor art trail in the south of France Follow an outdoor art trail in the south of France](jpg/image-913.jpg)
![Follow an outdoor art trail in the south of France Follow an outdoor art trail in the south of France](jpg/image-914.jpg)
To avoid the swarm of summer tourists in Provence, I head to the region’s outdoor art spaces. In my hometown of Marseille, the Friche d’Escalette strikingly blends an industrial nineteenth-century lead factory with the natural paradise of Calanques National Park. Amble between hills and remnants of brick walls to see contemporary art like Jean Prouve’s movable pavilions.
North of Aix-en-Provence, Chateau la Coste is a sprawling 500-acre estate where a contemporary art walk weaves around rows of grapevines. Of the 40 works, I’m particularly fond of the recently installed Prune Nourry’s Mater Earth, an enormous pregnant woman emerging from a grassy field. After working up an appetite, my friends and I treat ourselves to fire-roasted food at Francis Mallmann’s restaurant.
Take the boat from Hyères to Ile de Porquerolles. Perched above idyllic beaches and breathtaking cliffs, Villa Carmignac houses rotating exhibits with top artists from Basquiat to Warhol. The best part? You walk around barefoot, just as you would on the nearby beaches. I’m looking forward to the Infinite Woman show this summer.