Matisse Museum

At the beginning of the 17th century, a modest country house occupied by sharecroppers stood on the Gubernatis family estate. The plain building was nestled in the remains of the Roman city of Cemenelum between olive groves, crops, vineyards and pastures. The head of the Gubernatis family, Jean-Baptiste, was first consul of Nice in 1618 and 1629. His heir, Jean-Jérôme, president of the Senate and ambassador of the dukes of Savoy decided to build a mansion named “Palais de Gubernatis” on the site while the sharecroppers settled in the Roman thermae.