Musée Bonnard/Bonnar Museum

The building housing the Musée Bonnard in le Cannet is one of the least examples of Belle Époque architect on the Côte d'Azur: the Hôtel Saint-Vianney, typical of 20th century buildings. This villa bears the name of the founder of the Église Sainte-Philomène, Jean-Marie Vianney.Constructed in 1908 by Mr. Lauthaume, it was used as a private home until 1935. It was bought by an estate agent, which entrusted the architect Briet with modifying its façade and adding a floor to the western part. The villa then became a family home, and from 1943 to 1947 it was a police station before being returned to a hotel in 1990.Saved from demolition by the intervention of a Bâtiments de France architect, it was bought by the town of le Cannet in 1998 with the aim of creating a museum.The renovation of the Villa Saint-Vianney sight developed almost 890 m² of net surface area, o/w 495 m2 from the existing building.The new Musée Bonnard lies in an urban and landscaped setting with multiple sites structured as a walk in the footsteps of Bonnard. An extension was developed on the slopes, housing a reception area, a shop, a classroom and a huge terrace.Much of the façade opens onto Boulevard Sadi Carnot and marks the entrance to the museum.The construction of a glazed column, containing a staircase and elevator cage, connected to the existing building via a walkway, provides access to the exhibition level, while offering an unbeatable view over the surrounding landscape. The internal structure of the villa Saint-Vianney has been completely redesigned, with the spaces being redistributed to offer the largest hanging space possible.The approach preserves the spirit of the place.

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