Cagnes-sur-Mer sits between Nice and Antibes on the Côte d'Azur, split between a medieval hilltop village and a modern beach resort below. The two parts barely resemble each other: the lower town, Cros-de-Cagnes, is a functional coastal resort, while Haut-de-Cagnes is a remarkably intact medieval hill village of narrow lanes, old houses, and sweeping views over the coast.
The Château Grimaldi in Haut-de-Cagnes dates from the 14th century and houses a museum of modern art, with a good collection of 20th-century works donated by artists who lived along this coast. The other major draw is the Musée Renoir — Pierre-Auguste Renoir spent his final years here from 1908 until his death in 1919, and his house and the beautiful olive grove garden are preserved much as he left them. It is one of the most evocative artist's houses in France. The lower town has a decent beach and is a practical and more affordable base than Nice or Antibes for exploring the Riviera.