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Good news, everyone. It is still totally possible that I could become a world-famous painter and create a style that rocks the art world.

OK, maybe not–anyone who has seen my crafting attempts knows that my “style” is just messy. But I was still shocked to learn this weekend that Henri Matisse didn’t pick up a paintbrush until he was 21, got sick and was stuck in bed with nothing to do. His mother kindly bought him some painting supplies to pass the time and his first painting, a beautiful and classic still life, displays his innate talent but has no trace of the Fauvism he essentially created. Just a bit of trivia I picked up this weekend on a visit to the Matisse Museum of Nice.

The museum benefited from a generous donation of original Matisse works from the artist himself before his death. Matisse moved to Cimiez, a suburb of Nice, in 1917, and lived there until his death in 1954. He lived in a large yellow building right next to the farmers market that I frequent, just a few minutes walk from where I live. Matisse is now buried in the cemetery of the monastery right next to the museum, and many of his works are influenced by the colors and lifestyle of the Mediterranean.

The most famous Matisse works can’t be found here–like The Dance series–but I really enjoyed seeing his early works and how his style progressed into Fauvism. I was quite taken with a pointillism study that is stunningly textured in person, as well as a painting of a storm over Nice–particularly considering the weather we’ve been having. There was also an exhibition of Robert De Niro, Sr.’s works that were inspired by Matisse. And yes, that’s Robert De Niro Jr.’s father.

While the museum was interesting–and best of all, it was free!–I most enjoyed the surrounding areas. There is an American jazz-themed park filled with oliviers, people walking their dogs and families having picnics. The jazz references are a bit bizarre in the midst of ancient ruins and olive trees, but who am I to judge? If you wander through the park and follow the signs to the monastery, you stumble upon a Franciscan cathedral. It looks quite unassuming from the outside, but it’s stunning on the inside.

However, the absolute best part of the area is the rose garden behind the monastery. You have a panoramic view of Nice, including the port, Castle Hill and the Mediterranean. There are roses in every hue that you simply can’t help but stop and smell. My favorite part was a long section of what appeared to be wildflowers, haphazardly planted, that included swiss chard! So rare to see vegetables and wildflowers growing in the midst carefully-planted rows of roses.

The Matisse museum is located in Cimiez, which is in the hills behind Nice. Word of warning, it looks quite walkable on a map. (I do admit that I’m not the best with maps, and I usually think that as long as it’s ON the city map, it’s walkable.) However, it takes about an hour from the city center and much of it is up steep, windy hills with teeny tiny sidewalks. In hindsight, the bus that takes you right outside the museum (for just 1 Euro) is a much better choice.

Bottom line: if you visit Nice, enjoy modern art and need a break from the beaches, venture up to the hills of Cimiez for a visit to the Matisse museum and surrounding gardens. On a sunny day, it’s a perfect place to bring a picnic or read a book!