Pursuing good food and good old art, as well as Rebecca’s innovative approach of introducing more dynamic meetings, we gathered in Avignon on the 21st of May for another Network Provence gathering
Not to fix what ain’t broken from our Carpentras gathering in March, we started with a good lunch. Restaurant Le Violette is a pleasant hidden treasure with a huge shaded garden in the courtyard of the Collection Lambert Museum (a contemporary art museum). The outstanding setting probably allows staff to be too relaxed with service and the kitchen with meat, but overall, it’s a strong 7.
A short 5-minute walk from the restaurant, and we were at the Musée Calvet. It was then time for a feast for the eyes. Although one cannot find much information about the Musée Calvet online—their website and brochure are practically non-existent—the visit is more than worth it. Note that the entrance is free.
The building’s facade, interior stairs, and big halls inspired us to take many photos. When you visit, enjoy 
some time in their garden with its fountain and ancient trees. This is where we had our conversation about the museum collections and the most prominent painters in them. The first floor presents mostly French artists from the 18th and 19th centuries (Corot, Manet, Delacroix, among others) and artists and paintings depicting city life in Provence.
On the ground floor, we can find Egyptian, Italian, and Northern European art, 18th and 19th-century sculptures, and a room with the end of the 19th and the modern art of the 20th centuries (Sisley, Bonnard, Utrillo, Camille Claudel among them).
In the end, if the expectation was for us to discover and enjoy new places in good company and to be able to offer those visits to our guests and friends in the future, it’s fair to say – mission accomplished.
Written by Mimi Barbulovic for Network Provence.
