Car-free, but overrun with tourists, Saint-Paul is one of the best-preserved medieval hill villages in the country. It is certainly picturesque – all narrow streets, red roofs and sweeping views of the coast from the 16thC ramparts-but the best reason to stop here is a knock-out modern art museum just off the beaten track 1 km up chemin des Gardettes, opposite the upper entrance to the village.

Founded in 1964, and housed in an inspired creation designed by José-Luis Sert, the Fondation Maeght (www.fondation-maeght.com ) experience begins at the garden gate. Set amidst a back-drop of pines, mirrored in shallow pools and ranged over lawns and split-level terraces, the sculpture garden takes on an increasingly surreal air as you encounter Calder’s brightly-coloured mobiles, Miro’s outsize fork, a massive Zadkine bronze, works by Hepworth and Arp, and Pol Bury’s shimmering tubular water sculpture. Seen through the glass entrance, hall, Giacometti’s skeletal figures are the first of several inside-out perspectives as glass walls blend outdoor and indoor exhibits with the natural setting.

The permanent collection is outstanding – a massive Chagall life cycle, many Braques, whose stained glass can be found in the chapel alongside Ubec’s Stations of the Cross; Kandinsky, Léger, Matisse and more, plus new-generation artists. There are also temporary exhibitions, a cinema, library, café and a seductively well-stocked gallery shop.