Musée Jean Cocteau - Le Bastion
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The Bastion is a small fortification built on the coast in the early 17th century. Its great age make it interesting, its smallness means there isn’t much to see. It houses a “museum” – more of a small collection, really – of works by the Jean Cocteau, the famous 20th century French artist (and poet, playwright, novelist, designer, film director, and critic). Most, though not all, of the Cocteau works are prints or drawings. At the time of this visit (2025), there is an exhibition of brightly-coloured sculptural multimedia pieces by Michèle Kleijnen. Curation was mostly in French only (there might have been a little English, but not much). I felt it was barely worth the handful of euros it cost to get admission. Being inside the beautifully-restored building is a bit of a treat. It’s fascinating to see how this atmospheric bit of history was built, seemingly out of re-purposed bits of other buildings. But there is not much to it: an entrance foyer, then stairs up to one large room which has three or four very small rooms off it. And also the pebble mosaics, inside and out which apparently were hand-made by Cocteau. One unexpected pleasure was the way that one of the narrow windows framed the rocks and sea outside – see photo. Oh, and the smallest museum shop in Christendom, possibly. I’m not one for Cocteau’s art, with the exception of a very few pieces. And I did not think much of the artistry of Kleijnen’s thingies. So this really was not a place for me, save for the architectural history angle. But much better if you appreciate Cocteau.
Marc FreskoMarc Fresko
00
I recently visited the Jean Cocteau Museum and had a delightful experience. The museum is quite small—you can comfortably explore everything in about 30 minutes—but it’s filled with fascinating exhibits, and they change the artwork every two years. As an English speaker, I was touched by how the staff member made a sincere effort to communicate with me. He was exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable, sharing many insights about Jean and recommending other places to see Jean’s creations. The museum’s architecture and location are also stunning. Definitely worth a visit!
Leona LiLeona Li
00
Als Jean Cocteau 1957 in Menton weilte, zeigte er sich begeistert von der Bastion, woraufhin der Bürgermeister ihm anbot, das ungenutzte Gebäude als Museum zu nutzen. Cocteau stimmte freudig zu, denn er war wie verzaubert von diesem Ort. Das historische Festungsbauwerk an prominenter Stelle in Menton mit einem fantastischen Blick auf die Stadt erschien ihm äußerst reizvoll zur Präsentation seiner Werke. Leider erlebte er die Eröffnung nicht mehr. Wer heutzutage das Museum betritt, darf nicht erwarten, dass hier die Hauptwerke Cocteaus ausgestellt sind. Aber es ist ein Ort, an dem die Zeit eingefroren zu sein scheint und an dem diese Zeit für den empathischen Besucher wieder lebendig wird. Und auch Cocteaus Kunst in ihrer Kombination aus Poesie, Film und Malerei wird hier in einer Weise präsentiert, dass sie auch denjenigen fasziniert, der sich mit ihm nur beiläufig oder gar nicht befasst hat. Ein Sammelsurium seiner Kunst, in dem es viel zu entdecken gibt und das dem einst militärisch genutzten Bauwerk eine ganz eigene friedliche Magie verleiht: So gibt es einen kleinen "Spiegelsaal", in dem sich plötzlich auch der Betrachter inmitten der Kunst mehrfach wiederfindet. Sehr reizvoll die Nutzung der Schießscharten, in deren prallem Licht nun statt Kanonen Cocteaus Kunstwerke stehen. Und so ist diese kleine "Schatzkiste" ein sehr persönliches Museum, das aus Menton nicht mehr wegzudenken ist. Wie gut, dass Mentons Bürgermeister damals die Gunst der Stunde nutzte.
Robert WernerRobert Werner
00
Si tratta di un piccolo “scrigno” allestito in un fortino del XVII secolo che oggi costituisce un museo "molto personale" dell'artista francese Jean Cocteau, poeta, saggista, drammaturgo, sceneggiatore, disegnatore, scrittore, librettista, regista e anche attore. Quando egli si trovava a Mentone nel 1957, rimase entusiasta del bastione, al che il sindaco gli offrì di utilizzare l'edificio inutilizzato come museo. Cocteau accettò volentieri perché rimase incantato dal luogo. Infatti, l'edificio storico, con posizione prominente ed una fantastica vista sulla città, gli sembrò estremamente attraente per presentare le sue opere. L'inaugurazione avvenne il 30 aprile 1966. La vena artistica'di Cocteau, nella sua combinazione di poesia, film e pittura, è presentata in modo tale da affascinare il visitatore. Giudico molto accattivante l'uso delle feritoie, alla cui luce brillante stanno ora le opere d'arte, al posto dei cannoni. Molto fornito anche il bookshop che offre una vasta scelta di libri, magliette, borse e penne firmate "Musée Jean Cocteau" cartoline e immagini paesaggistiche calamitate.
Roberto MorettoRoberto Moretto
00
Si tratta di un piccolo “scrigno” allestito in un fortino del XVII secolo che oggi costituisce un museo "molto personale" dell'artista francese Jean Cocteau, poeta, saggista, drammaturgo, sceneggiatore, disegnatore, scrittore, librettista, regista e anche attore. Quando egli si trovava a Mentone nel 1957, rimase entusiasta del bastione, al che il sindaco gli offrì di utilizzare l'edificio inutilizzato come museo. Cocteau accettò volentieri perché rimase incantato dal luogo. Infatti, l'edificio storico, con posizione prominente ed una fantastica vista sulla città, gli sembrò estremamente attraente per presentare le sue opere. L'inaugurazione avvenne il 30 aprile 1966. La vena artistica'di Cocteau, nella sua combinazione di poesia, film e pittura, è presentata in modo tale da affascinare il visitatore. Giudico molto accattivante l'uso delle feritoie, alla cui luce brillante stanno ora le opere d'arte, al posto dei cannoni. Molto fornito anche il bookshop che offre una vasta scelta di libri, magliette, borse e penne firmate "Musée Jean Cocteau" cartoline e immagini paesaggistiche calamitate.
Roberto MorettoRoberto Moretto
00
Ma visite au musée Jean Cocteau de Menton a été une expérience globalement positive, même si elle a été quelque peu gâchée par la fermeture de limmeuble principal du Musée. J'ai attribué à ce musée une note de 4/5, car malgré cet inconvénient, j'ai été fasciné par la découverte de cet artiste multidisciplinaire. Le musée offre un bel aperçu de l'œuvre de Jean Cocteau, à travers des expositions bien conçues et des informations claires et concises. J'aurais aimé pouvoir explorer davantage l'œuvre de Cocteau. Le musée a réussi à piquer ma curiosité. Je suis reparti avec l'envie d'en apprendre plus sur cet artiste et son œuvre. Je vais certainement approfondir mes recherches et je reviendrai avec plaisir au musée lors d'une prochaine visite à Menton.
Hugo R. MartinHugo R. Martin
00
Nearby Attractions Of Musée Jean Cocteau - Le Bastion
Jardins Biovès
Plage des Sablettes
Casino Barrière Menton
Basilique Saint-Michel Archange de Menton
Cinéma Eden
Plage des Sablettes Est
Résidence Les Citronniers Pierre & Vacances
Tutti Frutti
Pierre et Vacances residence Shores Park
Plage du Casino
Jardins Biovès
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Le Stanley
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Leone Restaurant Menton
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Le Paris Palace
Fleur De Sel
Vanilla Bakery Menton
Le Stanley
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Leone Restaurant Menton
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Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIBasic Info
Address
Quai Napoléon III, 06500 Menton, France
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Phone
+33 4 89 81 52 50
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Website
museecocteaumenton.fr
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Overview
4.2
(148 reviews)
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cultural
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family-friendly
Description
The Bastion Museum is a museum of works by Jean Cocteau, on the harbour wall of Menton, on the French Riviera, in the Alpes-Maritimes department of France. The Bastion was built in the 17th century by Honoré II, Prince of Monaco.
attractions: Jardins Biovès, Plage des Sablettes, Casino Barrière Menton, Basilique Saint-Michel Archange de Menton, Cinéma Eden, Plage des Sablettes Est, Résidence Les Citronniers Pierre & Vacances, Tutti Frutti, Pierre et Vacances residence Shores Park, Plage du Casino, restaurants: Le Stanley, La Mandibule, Leone Restaurant Menton, Al Vecchio Forno, McDonald's Menton Bord de Mer, Coté Sud, Restaurant Des Artistes, Le Paris Palace, Fleur De Sel, Vanilla Bakery Menton
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