Photos: Fred Romero from Paris, France, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Basile Morin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Arnaud 25, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo credits
Photos: Fred Romero from Paris, France, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 Basile Morin, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Arnaud 25, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
L'Estaque, the light that drew the Cubists
Your local guide
Rachid Amrani
View profile
Highlights
- A harbour painted by Cézanne and Braque
- Red-roofed lanes simplified into Cubist shapes
- A viaduct that appears in several paintings
- The light that drew painters here
- A village barely changed since then
About this tour
This session follows the harbour and lanes of L'Estaque, the fishing village painted repeatedly by Cézanne and later by the early Cubists working here together. You see the same harbour outline, red-roofed houses and railway viaduct that appear simplified in paintings from the period. It is a painter's route through a village that barely changed after it stopped being fashionable.
We move at an easy pace between the three stops, since the interest is in comparing what you see with what was painted. Questions come in throughout, and I will hold the camera on any detail someone wants matched to a painting. A short list of the relevant paintings follows the call.
This suits anyone with an interest in art history, especially early modernism, without needing expert knowledge. It also works well as a quieter alternative to the busier city centre.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
-
Welcome and sound check 6 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Marseille before heading out.
-
The old harbour 17 min
The camera looks over the small fishing harbour at L'Estaque, painted by Cézanne and later by Braque and Derain when they worked here together. I point out how little the outline of the harbour has changed since those paintings.
-
The red-roofed lanes 17 min
Up from the harbour, the camera follows lanes of red-roofed houses stacked against the hillside, the same shapes that appear simplified in early Cubist paintings made here. I explain what drew painters to this particular light.
-
The railway viaduct 17 min
The walk ends beneath a stone railway viaduct crossing above the village, a structure that appears in several paintings from the same period. I point out the angle most of those painters chose to work from.
-
Your questions 11 min
Time to ask anything about Marseille: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
-
A short list to keep 5 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Bouillabaisse and Vieux-Port, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Paris time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 9 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Marseille, showing you The old harbour and The red-roofed lanes live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need any background in art?
No. The guide explains what matters as you go, whatever you already know or do not.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I carry my phone through the village while we talk.
Times shown in Paris time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Reviews appear here after travellers have completed this tour.
How reviews work
Only travellers who booked and paid through Locals Guide and whose tour took place can leave a review, within 60 days of the tour. Every review is marked "Verified booking". We check reviews before they appear and publish positive and negative ones alike; we remove only reviews that break our rules (insults, personal data, unrelated content). Guides cannot pay for, edit or hide reviews, and ratings are the plain average of all published reviews.
Next: Mon 23 Nov · 9 seats left From 23,00 €
Book