EXCURSIONS

Nice Excursions

Antibes

Antibes is a pleasant excursion a few miles east of Cannes. It has one of the best markets on the coast and an excellent Picasso museum in its ancient seafront castle, the 16th-century Château Grimaldi. Picasso was lent a room in the castle to use as a studio in 1946. Several extremely prolific months followed before he moved to Vallauris, leaving all his Antibes output to what is now the Musée Picasso. Although Picasso donated other works later, most of the collection dates from this one period. The best known work is Ulysses and his Sirens. There are also works here by some of Picasso's contemporaries including Nicholas de Stael. Picasso himself is the subject of some of his paintings. Alongside the castle is a cathedral which dates from Medieval times; only the choir and apse survive from the original Romanesque building, the nave and magnificent facade are Baroque. Nearby is a market which is open every morning over the summer and overflows with local produce.

Website: www.antibes-juanlespins.com; Opening time: Mus�e Picasso open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm (June to September); rest of year 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm. Please note however that the museum is closed until further notice due to renovations; Admission: �4.58

Nice Excursions

Phoenix Parc Floral de Nice

Outside Nice, near the airport, this vast tourist attraction includes a botanical garden and a bird and insect zoo where visitors can tour a greenhouse full of wonderful butterflies. There is also a tacky theme park with automated dinosaurs and mock Mayan temples but the highlight of the park is the Musée Départemental des Artes Asiatiques, which houses a collection of ethnographic artefacts, including silk goods and pottery, as well as traditional and contemporary art.

Address: 405 Promenade des Anglais; Telephone: (0)4 9229 7700; Opening time: Museum 10am to 6pm (May to September), 10am to 5pm (October to April); closed Tuesdays. Park 9am to 7pm (March to October), 9am to 5pm (November to April); Admission: �5.34 (museum); �6.10 (park)