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The 19th-century townhouse built for a Ukrainian princess is a marvel of Neo- Classical excess. It contains one of southern France’s best collections of art from the 17th to early 20th centuries. The highlight is on the first floor, which provides a panorama of 19th-century French art, through to the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists. On the ground floor are 17th- and 18th-century works, while the patio and garden are adorned by Rodin sculptures.

A particularly fine museum, with collections from ancient Greece to the 20th century.

The 19th-century Château Pastre is a marvel in itself – set in grounds between sea and hills, its lovely brick and stone façade expresses Marseille’s Second Empire stature. The interior decor is equally sumptuous and, since 1995, the chateau has contained a fabulous assembly of pottery, ceramics and earthenware from across Europe. There are nearly 1,500 pieces, from the Neolithic period to the present day. If you ever had any doubts, here’s proof that Marseille culture goes deeper than just football.

The museum covers the story of lavender from field to distillery and beyond. There are 16thcentury copper stills and a video explaining distillation.

This museum, in a building designed by British architect Norman Foster, retraces the geological, cultural and environmental evolution of human life in the Verdon and throughout Europe, with an imaginative and fascinating series of displays and interactive exhibits. Guided visits to the caves, where relics of early humans have been discovered, are also offered.

Housed in 18th-century buildings in the heart of the old town, this is one of the best ethnographic museums in France. It tells the story of Provençal life from its earliest days to the beginning of the 20th century with tableaux, models, reconstructions and audio-visual devices.

One of Europe’s finest museums of medieval and Renaissance art, with exceptional early works by Botticelli.

Conceived as a triumphal arch on four marble columns linked by transparent walk-ways, the museum’s modern architecture is startlingly effective. It is an exceptional setting for collections tracing the story of the avant garde from the 1960s to the present day. Particularly notable are the US Pop Artists and European New Realists, including Nice’s own Yves Klein (see Musée d’Art Moderne et d’Art Contemporain, Nice).

Sited opposite the Palais Longchamp, this museum is set in the former private mansion of a 19th-century rich, art-loving Marseille family. Its original decor has been carefully retained, recreating bourgeois life at the peak of the city’s prosperity. If the house itself is elegant and sober, the art collection is wonderfully eclectic. Walls are decorated with a unique collection of Gobelin and Aubusson tapestries, while the 10 different salons boast an overwhelming abundance of sculpture, paintings, drawings and furniture from the 13th to 19th centuries, and much more besides. A discreetly sensual delight.

Many of Provence’s aromatic plants are used in the perfume industry. This museum covers perfume’s 3,000-year history, from both practical and fashion angles. It includes exhibits from the Chanel fashion house and other designer names, plus Marie-Antoinette’s travelling kit and a greenhouse of exotic and regional plants. Perfumes are also available for sale (see Grasse).