New English art tours launch on France’s extraordinary 150km trail

A new tour in English will introduce tourists to one of France’s most unusual collections of art, spanning 150km across mountains in the south-east of the country.

Refuge d’Art was created by British artist Andy Goldsworthy in collaboration with the Musée Gassendi in Digne-les-Bains (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) and is the world’s largest collection of his work in a public space.

It is a single, integral work of art, designed to be experienced over a 10-day hike.

“The route connects three imposing dry-stone cairns called sentinelles, as well as refuges – restored shepherds' shelters and former churches, each housing one of Mr Goldsworthy's works – which welcome hikers for the night,” said Luc Richard, a mountain leader and art guide for the Musée Gassendi.

Through the association Art en Chemin, Mr Richard organises guided trips along the trail. 

The main offering is a six-day trek (from €790), during which hikers sleep in two of Mr Goldsworthy’s art shelters, as well as gîtes.

The route includes most of the sentinelles and refuges, as well as works by other artists including Herman de Vries, Joan Fontcuberta, and Paul-Armand Gette.

Visitors with less time can opt for a more concentrated, 48-hour experience that includes a hike, taking in some art, and sleeping inside a refuge.

While trips have so far been conducted in French, Art en Chemin is developing new tours dedicated to English-speaking travellers that will launch in 2027. 

These will include a six-day ‘Refuge d’Art’ trek and a hotel-based version, with daily hikes from one base. Both will include an extra night in a hotel in Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône), followed by a day at wine estate Château La Coste, including visiting its art installations, lunch, and a tour of the estate's wine cellars (starting from around €1,400). 

Visit sculptures by candlelight

It is hoped that encountering artworks outdoors will give travellers a new perspective on art. “Many guests discover that days of walking through these landscapes change how they see [the world around them],” said Mr Richard.

“Art here isn't behind glass; it's embedded in stone, in weather, in the slow work of time. Several people have told us they came for the hiking and left understanding something new about what art can be.

“Mr Goldsworthy has always insisted his work cannot be separated from its site – and here, the site is the mountain itself, its geology, its weather, its seasons.”

The experience catches many travellers off guard, he said. 

“There's something about the combination – the physical effort of walking, sleeping inside one of Mr Goldsworthy's sculptures by candlelight, cooking dinner over a fireplace in a centuries-old refuge – that stays with people long after they return home.”

Typical travellers so far have been aged between 45 and 70 and regular walkers “without being athletes”. They have come from a range of backgrounds, including teachers, cultural workers and retirees. While most are French, around a quarter come from English-speaking countries.

“They're not looking for extreme adventure or luxury escapes,” said Mr Richard.

“They want something rarer: experiences that ask something of them – physically, intellectually – and offer meaning in return.” 

Find out more: refugedart.fr and artenchemin.fr.

Other art trails in France

Modern art on the Côte d'Azur 

Some of France’s most famous artists were drawn to the south coast, inspired by the spectacular scenery and laid-back lifestyle. Cultural tour company Martin Randall offers a seven-day ‘Modern Art on the Côte d'Azur’ tour (from £3,240), led by two art experts. It takes in works by Picasso, Renoir, Cocteau, Chagall and Matisse, among others, and visits coastal towns and villages that inspired these artists. Most tourists are over 65 and many are solo travellers. 

Van Gogh in Arles 

Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh had a special relationship with the city of Arles (Bouches-du-Rhône), where he moved in 1888. 

It is easy to plan a self-guided tour using the website Van Gogh Route, which maps a number of sites related to the artist in Arles, and lists whether they are accessible or not. Places that were immortalised in his paintings include the café on the Place du Forum (Café Terrace at Night), the Roman amphitheatre (Les Arènes) and the house where Paul Gauguin stayed with him (Yellow House). 

Monet in Normandy 

This year marks the centenary of the death of Claude Monet, who painted extensively in Normandy. His Impression, Sunrise (1872), depicting the port of Le Havre, gave Impressionism its name. It is part of a series of six paintings showing the port at different times of day.

His most famous work, the Water Lilies series, was painted in the gardens of his home at Giverny (Eure), capturing the water garden and Japanese-style bridge he created.

Events to celebrate Monet in 2026 include the exhibition Monet in Le Havre at MuMa (Musée d'art moderne André Malraux) in Le Havre, focusing on the artist’s time in the city.

Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence

In Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône), a route marked with bronze studs bearing a ‘C’ takes visitors to notable places connected to Paul Cézanne, who was born in the city and made Aix and the surrounding area the subjects of many of his paintings.