In the footsteps of Proust and the artists of the Belle Époque: strolling through Avignon
Avignon is a jewel of the south of France. The city never ceases to surprise travelers in search of beauty, history, and emotion. A city of theater, heritage, and art de vivre. It is also a valuable stopover for culture lovers.
This summer, the Angladon Museum is hosting an exceptional exhibition dedicated to Jacques-Émile Blanche. A memorialist and witness to his time. This exhibition is a unique escape into the sensitive world of the painter of Proust’s Parisian elite. An invitation to stroll through the past… Then, in the evening, it will be time to recharge your batteries in the intimate and verdant setting of the Jardins de Baracane, our guesthouse in the heart of the historic center.
Jacques-Émile Blanche, the painter of a vanished world
Painter, writer, critic, memoirist… Jacques-Émile Blanche (1861–1942) cast a thousand eyes over his era. A close friend of Marcel Proust, he shared his quest for a living memory, for a beauty to be revealed. Through his subtle and luminous portraits, he captured the faces of the artistic and literary elite of the Belle Époque and the interwar period: Cocteau, Gide, Mallarmé, Anna de Noailles, Claudel…
But it is also the hushed interiors, the beaches of Normandy, the banks of the Thames and the canals of Venice that populate his paintings, imbued with delicacy and interiority.
At the Angladon Museum, the exhibition Painting Lost Time brings together some sixty of his works in an intimate setting. Through them, we discover this profoundly Proustian ambition to “show the atmosphere, the tone of an era,” as he wrote to Cocteau in 1918.
The exhibition notably features a rare and moving piece: the only painted portrait of Marcel Proust, which the writer kept at home until his death.
A museum like a jewel box
The Musée Angladon – Fondation Jacques Doucet – is itself a precious stop-off point in the city. Housed in a former eighteenth-century town house, it houses a select collection of modern art: Degas, Van Gogh, Modigliani, Cézanne, Picasso… Masterpieces rub shoulders with more intimate objects, sketches and testimonials from passionate collectors.
This discreet and elegant space, on a human scale, offers a moment of calm and contemplation just a stone’s throw from the bustling streets of the city center. Avignon, between art and lifestyle
Easily accessible by train from Paris, Lyon, Marseille, or Geneva, Avignon is an ideal city for a cultural getaway. Whether for a weekend or a few days in Provence, it offers a unique blend of vibrant heritage and southern charm.
The exhibition dedicated to Jacques-Émile Blanche is one of the highlights of the season. It will appeal to Proust lovers, but also to anyone who enjoys being touched by the faces of another time.
Thus, we look forward to welcoming you to Les Jardins de Baracane, to introduce you to our Avignon—one of secret alleys, intimate museums, and relaxing moments under arbors. An experience combining art, history, and lifestyle.
📍 Exhibition “Painting Lost Time” – Jacques-Émile Blanche
Angladon Museum, 5 rue Laboureur, Avignon
🖼️ Until Oct,12th
🕐 Tuesday to Sunday, 1 p.m.–6 p.m.
🌐 https://angladon.com
🌿 Les Jardins de Baracane – Guesthouse in Avignon
12 rue Baracane, 84000 Avignon
🛏️ 5 rooms with garden and swimming pool
🌐 https://www.lesjardinsdebaracane.fr