Circuit ” In the footsteps of Aristide “.

The child of the country

Maillol marked his time

Born in Banyuls in 1861, Aristide Maillol moved to Paris at the age of 20 to study at the École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle. His first works, tapestries, were made in Banyuls under the influence of contemporaries such as Pierre Puvis de Chavannes and Paul Gauguin. The sculptures of female bodies with generous curves that earned him his great success, and which are the forerunners of works such as those of Henry Moore or Alberto Giacometti, did not see the light of day until the artist was 40 years old. He died in 1944 and is buried in the garden of his house “La Métairie” in Banyuls, where he lived from 1910, in the quiet of the Roume valley. This house has now become a museum open to the public.

The neighborhood of his birth

Typically Catalan

With Aristide Maillol, through his work, discover the neighborhood where he lived: Cap d’Osna. Facing the sea, always in the sun, this district typical of Catalan architecture developed at the end of the 18th century. Sheltered from the prevailing winds, the fishermen-winegrowers of Banyuls built their houses there, including the “pink house” where Maillol lived. The district has retained all its charm with its staircase lanes lined with colorful houses and cascades of bougainvillea.

©Cuircuit Dans les pas d'Aristide|Laurent Lacombe

Follow the circuit

Touring the area

Discover the secrets of his work through the tour “In the footsteps of Aristide” which winds through the typical streets of the Cap d’Osna, the old fishermen’s district, where he lived. From the Tourist Office, walk past the Town Hall and the Paul Reig square, then along the beach and the cafe terraces towards Port-Vendres. At the end of the beach, keep left on the Avenue de la République which leads to the Place Bassères. Then continue the circuit by taking the stairs of the street Aristide Maillol which opens in front of you. Finish your journey by following the signs at your own pace until you return to the Place Bassères.

Stroll through the city

In search of sculpture

Once the tour is over, why not venture into the city to admire Maillol’s sculptures on display in the open air? Among his works visible in the city, you will find his “Monument aux morts pacifiste” (Monument to the dead pacifist), behind the Town Hall the “Jeune fille allongée” (Young girl lying down), along the Allées which bear his name or even “Île de France sans bras” (Island of France without arms) on the esplanade.

There are a total of 7 sculptures exposed outdoors, can you find them all?

Et terminez par

a visit to the Maillol Museum

Complete your discovery of the artist by visiting the Maillol Museum, lost in the back country. It is in this true haven of peace that he rests, in his tomb decorated with the statue “The Mediterranean”. You will also find ceramics, bronzes, paintings… You will also discover his workshop, and in its walls finally, his daily life, which makes it possible to better understand his progression and his work.