Travels Through the French Riviera: An Artist’s Guide to the Storied Coastline, from Menton to Saint-Tropez

by Virginia Johnson

In this irresistible marriage of watercolorist’s sketchbook and traveler’s guide, Virginia Johnson lovingly captures the magic of one of the world’s most storied regions, the French Riviera. We walk the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. Shop for handmade sandals at Rondini in Saint-Tropez. Visit the Madoura workshop in Antibes, where Picasso discovered his genius for pottery. Meet legendary characters like Pierre Gruneberg, a swimming instructor who taught Jean Cocteau, Brigitte Bardot, Paul McCartney, and many others.

Saturated with the limpid colors of sea and sun, the dazzling greens of verdant gardens, and the rose and ochre of sunbaked villas and joyous with paisleys and blue-striped sailor’s shirts and the riotous look of a patisserie window filled with confections, Travels Through the French Riviera is a gift book of visual wonder, the souvenir every Francophile will want. But it is also a quirky yet singularly useful travel guide, whether showing how to order coffee like a local, plan a beach day at Menton, or hike the Cap Ferrat peninsula or where to taste the best ice cream in Antibes (at Amarena—try the mint).
 

Genres: Travel, France, Nonfiction, Art, Memoir

208 pages, Hardcover

Published May 29, 2018

About the author

Virginia Johnson is a Toronto-based textile designer and artist. Her collections of colorful prints on clothing, shawls, and home accessories have been sold around the world in stores including Anthropologie, Barneys, Holt Renfrew, J.Crew, and Liberty London. She is the author of Travels Through the French Riviera, and she also illustrated a series of books for Kate Spade and The Perfectly Imperfect Home for Deborah Needleman.

Reviews

[Sydney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it! I want to make a book like this for every place I travel. Can't wait to go to Nice next month :')

[Anu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book filled me with a desire to go visit the French Riviera, so that's another trip for which I'll need to save. The colours used are lovely, and the paintings makes it easy to visualize the setting. It's a really short, beautiful read. It only takes one sitting to go through the book, and a bit longer to fully absorb and admire the artwork.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. Every page radiates the South of France. I could close my eyes and picture myself there, even the places mentioned that I’ve never visited. That’s how wonderful this guide is. I will definitely be bringing this with me next time I visit the South.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful read. The illustrations are full of such rich colours and the descriptions should make any art lover start packing their bags. I have been to many of the places described and now I'm ready to go back. I think it will be a good gift to entice a couple of friends to accompany me. One question for Virginia - are colours of Menton oils from Charvin?

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

so pretty and interesting.

[Indigo Wayworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

So pretty! And totally reawakened my travel bug.

[Tatiana Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites

[Richard Janzen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful journal-guide for the artist-traveler through the French Riveria. Literally paints a picture of scenes of various towns/cities in the area. Lovely.

[Lancakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so lovely and inspiring and made me SO EXCITED FOR MY TRIP

[Anice Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed very much!

[Austin Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a gem. Such cute drawings and recommendations. Now I’m ready to go

[elizabeth sawyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning yet simple artwork mingles with the author’s beautiful descriptions of the local treasures of the French Riviera: Menton, Nice, Saint Jean cap Ferrart, Saint-Paul de Vence, Vence, Antibes, Saint Tropez. This is not an all encompassing travel guide by any means. However, someone looking to venture there who loves art, color & wandering treasures will find it inspiring & helpful in considering stops in your journey or ideas off the beaten path. Many suggestions are not overly helpful to those traveling by boat with limited ground transportation options in port. Or, anyone who loves to paint/draw as they travel would find this an inspiring short read to consider art journal entries for your next trip regardless of destination.