The Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence, commonly referred to as the Matisse Chapel, is a small Catholic chapel located in Vence, the South of France. It was designed and decorated by renowned artist Henry Matisse and constructed from 1947-1951.

Matisse was invited to design the Chapel by a nun named Monique Bourgeois, who had previously nursed him while he underwent cancer treatment in 1941. While nursing him, Bourgeois would often pose for Matisse’s drawings and paintings. Considered Matisse’s final masterpiece, he worked on the chapel through ill-health, painting from his wheelchair using a long stick.

The Matisse Chapel has gleaming white exterior walls and a decorative blue and white tiled roof. Three sets of stained glass bring luminous blue, green and yellow tones into the building, disrupting the stark whiteness of the interior. There are three murals within the chapel: Saint Dominic, Virgin and Child and Station of the Cross.

Opening Hours

The Chapel has limited opening hours.

It is closed on Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays.

In the summer, it is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 10:00 - 11:30 and 14:00 - 17:30

In the winter, it is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 10:00 - 11:30am and 14:00 - 16:30

There is an annual closure from 21 November to 12 December.

The Chapel is closed on public holidays.

Entrance Fees

Advance booking is not necessary, however we recommend consulting the Kirker Concierge to help plan your visit.

Photographs by Stephen Wilkison from steveandcaroleinvence.com