Antibes is a city in the French Riviera. The Cap d’Antibes is the break between the Bay of Cannes to the south-west and the Baie des Anges to the north east. Old Antibes and the port of Antibes are on the mainland on the side facing the Baie des Anges, while Juan les Pins is on the Cannes side and the magnificent Fort Carré lies between the port of Antibes and the rest of the Baie des Anges. Although Antibes is best known for its coast, the municipality does stretch up the hills inland.
During the summer, the place is packed, primarily with French families. In the evenings, everyone is out at the many outdoor restaurants in the old part of Antibes and in Juan les Pins. A fun place for a relaxed vacation.
Geography
Antibes is located on the edge of the Mediterranean. Antibes is located 205 km east of Marseille (regional capital), 23 km southwest of Nice ( regional capital), 15 km south-east of Grasse (regional capital) arrondissement) and about 10 km east of Cannes. Its population places it in third position in the Alpes-Maritimes department.
The city is located north of Cap d’Antibes, with a seafront facing the Baie des Anges and Nice clearly visible to the east. East Cape offers sandy beaches, called Garoupe, then closer downtown, Salis, Ponteil, and finally Gravette beach, nestled at the foot of the ramparts. Beyond Fort Carré, stretches to Villeneuve-Loubet, the pebble beach of Fort. To the west of this cape, Juan-les-Pins, a seaside resort administratively attached to Antibes, offers sandy beaches facing south and a view of the Lérins Islands. This seaside district is articulated on the beaches and the port of Golfe Juan.
History
Antibes was founded by the Greeks over 2000 years ago with the name Antipolis. Shortly afterwards it was incorporated into the expanding Roman Empire when it was known as Antiboul. With the fall of the Roman Empire Antibes was a target of pirates and raiders until the growing power of Genoa removed most of these menaces.
Around the 11th century AD Antibes was a feudal town whose eventual overlord was the Pope. In 1384 it passed into the hands of the Grimaldi family – the former Genovese merchant princes who had now moved westwards to Monaco and Nice – as collateral to a loan that the Pope could not repay. Shortly after this Antibes became the easternmost port of the kingdom of France – at that time Nice was part of Savoy – and thus was extremely important. Over the years, and particularly during the 100 years war, it’s port was continually fortified and expanded, culminating in the Fort Carré and the Port Vauban finished in 1710.
The first tourists arrived at Cap d’Antibes in the 1880s and the adjacent town of Juan les Pins was built at the end of the 19th century. Although it expanded, during the early 20th century Antibes was less developed than its neighbors on the French Riviera and was thus a haven for artists such as Picasso and later Nicolas de Staël. This under-development did not last and as the 20th century drew to a close the combined municipality of Antibes-Juan-les-Pins was just a part of the unbroken development between Nice and Cannes.
Antibes Juan-les-Pins is the second city of the department with more than 73,000 inhabitants, the leading marina in Europe. Its economic development revolves around clusters of activities oriented towards seaside, cultural and sports tourism, trade and also new technologies with the technopole of Sophia-Antipolis.
Sights
Monuments
The Cap d’Antibes
The Tire-Poil trail, former customs road.
The Provencal market
Marineland d’Antibes, created in 1970 by Count Roland de La Poype
The Picasso museum
The Museum of Archeology (with the Galet de Terpon)
Espace Mer et Littoral de la Batterie du Graillon: The Battery of the Graillon after a long military past became in 2013 property of the Conservatoire du Littoral. The Municipality of Antibes and the Conservatoire du Littoral wanted to create a real environmental education tool there, allowing everyone to discover the habitats and marine and terrestrial species that we find in our corner of the Mediterranean, and everything particularly in the Natura 2000 site “Baie and Cap d’Antibes – Iles de Lérins”. Since 2014, the Graillon Battery has thus enabled visitors to discover the natural riches and marine habitats of Cap d’Antibes through exhibitions and events. As an extension of these visits, the public can discover these natural spaces and their hosts with a naturalist guide through an underwater trail, a kayak excursion along the Cap d’Antibes, or a ride along the customs road. Finally, the Graillon Battery hosts a treatment center dedicated to sea turtles found injured on our coast. Once recovered, the animals are released into their natural environment. Espace Mer et Littoral is thus part of an operational program to preserve endangered wild species.
The museum tour that traces the history of Antibes to the 20th century
The Garoupe lighthouse, the old lighthouse of Antibes provides views from its lofty hilltop. To get here, you must walk about one kilometre up the Chemin de Calvaire from the Plage de la Salis. It makes for a nice half-day stroll.
The Fort Carré and the Vauban ramparts of old Antibes
The Port Vauban, one of the largest marinas of Europe
The Cap-Eden-Roc hotel
The internationally renowned Peynet and humorous drawing museum on the illustrator creator of the “lovers”, known as Peynet
The Postcard Museum
The Salé castle where Bonaparte and his family stayed. It is located at the end of a dead end behind the Church of the Assumption, avenue Philippe-Rochat
The association house, built on the old Sainte-Claire chapel
The theater, built on the old chapel of Mercy
Grand Hotel, Place du Général De Gaulle
The old herb store, Place Nationale.
Door of the Antiboulenc library.
The wash house, rue du lavoir.
Memorial on the mobile gendarmerie barracks, 24/6 squadron, rue Général Vaudenberg.
Column in the Place Nationale.
Door of the old masonic lodges.
House which was laid by mistake plaque indicating the custody of prison place of Napoleon I, because it was actually locked in Masonic lodges.
Gravette beach, between the old town and the port Vauban.
The sandy beaches of Juan-les-Pins
Civil heritage
Fort Carré built mid 16th century under Henry II by Jean Renaud de Saint Remy and retouched late 17th century under Louis XIV by Vauban. Property of the City of Antibes since 1997, it has been open to the public since 1998. Classified as historic monuments by successive decrees of November 7, 1906 and August 20, 1913, modified by decrees of October 17, 1937 and October 19, 1976.
Fountain and Roman column, rue Georges-Clemenceau. (In the middle of the café terrace) Listed on the Additional Inventory of Historic Monuments by decree of March 31, 1928.
Grimaldi Castle, home to the current Picasso Museum. xv th and 16th centuries. Classified as historic monuments by decree of April 29, 1928.
Remains of the Clausonnes aqueduct, in private property, in a place called “Vallon du Fugueiret”, straddling the town of Valbonne. Listed on the Additional Inventory of Historic Monuments by decree of July 25, 1936.
Remains of the Roman aqueduct of Font Vieille whose origin is in the valley of the Brague, towards Biot. Some parts were reused after restoration at the end of the xviii th century.
Roman cistern with a capacity of 60 m 3 recovering rainwater, located in the Montée Dor de la Souchère, found in 2009.
Undated remains, of a Greco-Roman enclosure, in a private property. Listed on the Additional Inventory of Historic Monuments by decree of February 16, 1939.
Bastide du Roy and its gardens, property of a private company, avenue Jules-Grec. Building from the xviii th century, partially protected. Listed on the Additional Inventory of Historic Monuments by Order of June 6, 1988. Gardens created in 1927. Classified on the Additional Inventory of Historic Monuments by Order of February 8, 1990 (Cad AE 84).
Garoupe lighthouse, at the top of the Cap d’Antibes peninsula. Built on the site of an old lighthouse from 1837 destroyed in 1944 by the Germans. Listed by historic monuments, without being protected. Magnificent 360 ° panorama.
Château Salé, hidden at the end of a dead end behind the Church of the Assumption and the city of Laval avenue Philippe Rochat. Bonaparte stayed there in 1794 when he commanded the Army of Italy and the painter Joseph Vernet produced his work Port d’Antibes, visible at the Musée National de la Marine in Paris and a copy proposed to Marineland, of this strategic location before the urbanization of this area of the French Riviera.
Fountain erected in recognition of Colonel Louis d’Aguillon, engineer of the kings, who undertook the restoration of the ancient Roman aqueduct, again bringing drinking water in abundance to Antibes in 1785.
Marine door.
Elm gate with remains of the Greco-Roman enclosure in the lower part.
Bastion Saint-André, archaeological museum.
The Porte de France, Place Guynemer.
Fountain, rue de la Tourraque.
Rostan Fountain, James Close Street.
Pont du Bourget, or Roman bridge over the Brague or Moulin du Roy bridge.
Hôtel du Cap-Eden Roc. This villa, set in “a forest” at the tip of the Cap d’Antibes peninsula, re-creates a nineteenth-century château. Since 1870 the glamorous white-walled Hotel du Cap on the French Riviera has been one of the most storied and luxurious resorts in the world. Guests who flocked there included Marlene Dietrich, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Winston Churchill. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton conducted an affair and honeymooned there.
Religious heritage
Church of the Immaculate Conception, which was a cathedral in the Middle Ages, now Notre-Dame-de-la-Platea cathedral in Antibes, rue Christian-Chessel. The central church in Antibes was first built in the 11th century with stones used from earlier Roman structures. Its current façade was constructed in the 18th century and blends Latin classical symmetry and religious fantasy. The interior houses some impressive pieces such as a Baroque altarpiece and life-sized wooden carving of Christ’s death from 1447.
Church of Our Lady of Garoupe, 14th century. Listed on the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments by order of October 29, 1926, famous for its many votive offerings, rue du Phare.
Parish church: chapel of the Holy Spirit and Grimaldi tower. Built in the xii th century, on the site of an early Christian church, then rebuilt in the 17th century. Partially classified as historic monuments by decree of October 16, 1945, rue Saint-Esprit.
Chapelle Saint-Jean, 17th century. At that time, property of the brotherhood of Saint Jean-Baptiste and Notre-Dame-de-le-Garde. Located at the crossroads of the Saint-Jean road and the Saint-Maymes road. Listed on the Additional Inventory of Historic Monuments by Decree of December 14, 1989.
Chapelle Saint-Bernardin, 14 rue Rostan. Partly the 16th century. Listed on the Additional Inventory of Historic Monuments by decree of March 13, 1995. Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs. Remarkably restored. (Mass on Friday, visit on Saturday)
Church of the Assumption, built in 1959, avenue Philippe Rochat.
Sainte-Thèrese Church, built in 1932, route de Grasse.
Joan of Arc Church, started in 1943 and completed in 1983 due to lack of materials during the war, in Juan-les-Pins, avenue de Cannes.
Notre-Dame de la Pinède church, built in 1899 and growing several times, in Juan-les-Pins, rue Saramartel.
Saint-Joseph d’Azurville Church, built in 1923, place Jean Aude.
Modern Church of the Sacred Heart, built in 1969, replaces the prefabricated Notre-Dame-de-la-Route church of 1958, rue du docteur Chaudon.
Modern Sainte-Marguerite church, built in 1985, in Semboules, boulevard Guillaume Apollinaire.
Saint-Benoît church, built in 1926, at Cap d’Antibes, boulevard Francis Meilland.
Rural chapel of Saint-Claude, Romanesque style, Chemin Saint-Claude.
Chapel of Mont-Calvaire, built in 1652 for the Bernardine sisters, at Cap d’Antibes, route de Phare.
Notre-Dame-de-Lumière chapel, at the Fontonne hospital, chemin des Quatre Chemins.
Chapel St. Lawrence at Fort Square, 16th century Fort Carré trail.
Notre Dame de Bonté chapel, 27 chemin Peyregoue.
Chapel of the old Saint-Jacques hospices, built in 1843, bell tower 1851, formerly managed by the nuns of the Holy Trinity. Currently Fersen College, Arazy Street.
Saint-Roch orthodox chapel, avenue du Onze Novembre.
Castle chapel of the Caroline domain Tanagra domain, avenue du châtaignier.
Temple of the Reformed Church, built in 1908, rue Niquet.
Ancient temple at Cap d’Antibes, avenue messieurs Beaumont.
Evangelical Church, avenue du châtaignier.
Synagogue, built in 1990, in Juan-les-Pins, chemin des sables.
Culture
Museums
Archaeology Museum
This museum sits atop the Promenade Amiral de Grasse in the old Bastion St Andre, a 17th-century fortress. The museum’s collection focuses on the classical history of Antibes. Many artifacts, sculptures and amphorae found in local digs and shipwrecks from the harbour are displayed here.
Naval Museum of Napoleon
Housed in a 17th-century stone fort and tower, this museum presents a collection of Napoleonic memorabilia, paintings and naval models. Several wall paintings show historic moments in Napoleon’s reign and there are also pieces of his clothing including one of the hats he wore.
Picasso Museum
This museum houses one of the world’s greatest Picasso collections: 24 paintings, 44 drawings, 32 lithographs, 11 oils on paper, 80 pieces of ceramics, two sculptures and five tapestries.
La Tour Museum
This small museum in the centre of town brings the contemporary history of Antibes to life through its exhibit of costumes, tools, photographs and other objects used by the local people.
Absinthe Museum
The Absinthe Museum is located in a basement in the Roman foundations of Old Antibes. It is dedicated to the manufacture and appreciation of this green liqueur.
Theatre and music
The Théâtre Antibea, Théâtre des Heures Bleues and Café Théâtre la Scène sur Mer all offer a variety of performances from orchestra music to dramatic plays. Music of all types, from live jazz to DJs spinning techno, can be found in the bars and nightclubs and there are a number of festivals and special outdoor concerts during the summer. Jazz is still the speciality around here, and the Juan les Pins Jazz Festival is one of the best in the world. M83 (an electronic band) hails from Antibes.
Festivals
Antibes and Juan les Pins host a number of festivals, mainly during the summer months. There’s not much in the way of traditional cultural festivals in Antibes; most of the festivals focus on music and contemporary activities.
Jazz à Juan remains one of the top jazz festivals in the world. Since its inception in 1960, it has attracted many Jazz artists each year to play outdoors. (July).
Antibes Yacht Show
The Antique Show of Antibes attracts thousands of collectors for two weeks in April. It’s one of the largest shows of its kind in France (April).
Voiles d’Antibes is one of the world’s biggest gatherings of old teak and brass sailing vessels. They converge on the port for one of the most regal regattas in the Mediterranean (June).
The Festival of Saint Peter is the annual celebration of the patron saint of fishermen. A colourful procession through the town is followed by all the local fishermen adorning their boats and floating along the coast (June).
The Festival of Sacred Music takes place in Antibes Cathedral, which has renowned acoustics. Sacred music is the theme of this popular festival, which attracts huge crowds each year (January).
Natural heritage
Beaches
There are 48 beaches along the 25 km (16 miles) of coastline that surround Antibes and Juan les Pins.
Parks and gardens
The Exflora Park
The Exflora Park is a five-hectare (12 acres) garden open to the public. Next to the large olive grove, there are different styles of Mediterranean gardens, from ancient Rome to the exuberant Riviera of the 19th century. Fountains and ponds stretch along the terrace, making a waterway 500 metres (1,600 ft) long. Antibes is renowned for rose production, and rose bushes line the path leading to the sea. The exotic garden and palm grove is reminiscent of the belle époque, when English gardeners succeeded in planting flowers that bloom in winter, the season when the aristocracy visited the Côte d’Azur.
A little further on is the Théâtre de Verdure, inspired by Italian gardens, and a panoramic viewpoint with a view of the sea and the Iles des Lerins. In the style of Provençal gardens of the 18th century, there is a maze with sculpted hedges. Further on, Islamic gardens are featured, with an orange grove where the ground is patterned with terracotta irrigation pipes similar to those in the celebrated Seville Cathedral in Spain. The vegetable gardens and orchards in the Arsat are planted in hollows as in Morocco to protect them from the sun and maximise shadow and humidity. A representation of a Moroccan house pays homage to the painter Majorelle, creator of the blue garden in Marrakesh. In another area, the winter garden contains plants that flower in winter, such as mimosa and camellias.
The Eilenroc Gardens
Villa Eilenroc was built on a rock in the middle of a virtual desert. The area was transformed into a garden through the patience and talent of Jacques Greber, landscape architect and consultant to the Great Exhibition in New York City in 1939. He was commissioned by Mr Beaumont to create this park of 11 hectares (27 acres).
The gardens lie thirty metres above the sea with a view across the bay of the Cap. Planted with traditional Mediterranean species such as marine and parasol pines, Alep and Canary pines, cypress, oaks, olive trees, arbutus, lavender, thyme, rosemary, eucalyptus, ficus etc., as well as three kilometres (1.9 miles) of pittosporum hedges, a whole part of the park has been created with plants found in the Antibes area in 1920.
Thuret Park
In 1857, Gustave Thuret discovered the Cap d’Antibes and bought five hectares (12 acres) of land where he built a villa and began the creation of a park. Bequeathed to the state by his heirs, the Jardin botanique de la Villa Thuret is now managed by the INRA (National Institute of Agronomic Research). The collection of trees and exotic plants, and the rich earth, provide many opportunities for learning, and the cross-fertilisation of plant species that grow on the Mediterranean coast.
Marineland
In 1970, Roland de la Poype created this animal exhibition park in Antibes. First, it was a small oceanarium with a few pools and animals, but now it is one of the biggest in the world and receives more than 1,200,000 visitors per year. It is the only French sea park featuring two cetacean species: killer whales and dolphins.
Botanical parks and historic residences
The Villa Thuret, public property, including the botanical gardens is labeled garden remarkably open to the public. Managed by the National Institute for Agronomic Research (INRA), this 4 ha botanical garden presents a remarkable collection of exotic plants and trees, notably 9 coconut palms from Chile. Various species of palm trees, mimosas, eucalyptus, cypresses are well represented among 3,000 outdoor species. Villa Thuret houses the botanical department and several scientific research laboratories. The garden has obtained the labelRemarkable garden of the Ministry of Culture in 2007.
The Château de la Croë, private property, park planted with Mediterranean species, closed to the public;
The domain of La Garoupe and the Villa du Clocher, private domain. The Villa du Clocher was owned by Francis Bouygues. Closed to the public;
The villa Sous Le Vent, a private property bordering the Baie des Milliardaires built by the architect Barry Dierks, a remarkable Mediterranean botanical park. The General de Gaulle held for a time this property, closed to the public;
The villa Eilenroc, public property, exotic botanical park open to the public under certain conditions.
The Coconut Estate, acclimatization park where Jacques Duval d’Eprémesnil (1827-1891) develops many tropical plants. This area was subdivided from 1936. It is the current location of the château de l’Aube.
Ports
There are many yachting harbours which provide moorings for a range of ships ranging from fishing vessels to full sized yachts.
Port Vauban: The largest yachting harbour in Europe, with more than 2,000 moorings, can accommodate craft of more than 100 metres. This old port was the heart of the ancient Greek city of Antipolis and has a long and colourful history which includes Ligurians, Romans and Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. Today, it is the largest marina in Europe, serving both local fishing boats and luxury yachts.
Port Galice: 542 moorings
Port de la Salis: 233 moorings
Port du Croûton: 390 moorings
Port de l’Olivette: Situated in the sheltered cove of the same name, this is a harbour for sailors and their wooden fishing boats who enjoy the old marine, provencal traditions.
Must do
Tradition and tourism, revolve around numerous events of international scope, in particular “Music in the Heart”; the oldest “Juan-les-Pins Jazz Festival” in Europe, “The World Festival of Underwater Images”, “The Antiques and Flea Market” of international renown. The covered market (Marché Provençal) offers fresh products every morning except Monday. It is a magnificent selection of meat, fish, cheese and vegetables. You will find the market close to the harbour. Cap d’Antibes is a beautiful and invigorating walk around the cape. Do not forget the good walking shoes and a bit of water. During bad weather, all or part of the sentier may be closed.
Antibes is also the famous Picasso Museum, the Peynet Museum which has also given the reputation in Antibes, city of lovers, to be one of the most romantic cities in Europe; Marineland, the famous marine zoo; Villa Eilenroc and the lush properties of Cap d’Antibes where stars and powerful people of this world take refuge.
Sport
Antibes is also one of the most sporting cities in France with more than 27,000 licensees in more than 100 different sports clubs and associations. Cap d’Antibes is a paradise for runners, swimmers, divers, cyclists and ordinary Sunday walkers.
We should also note the presence of high-level athletes through the five Poles France and the National Basketball Training Center. Alain Bernard, Olympic swimming champion, trains and lives in Antibes. Near the famous Fort-Carré, you will find a large athletics track open to the public, so you can work out, run… You can also jog around the Fort Carré.
Buy
Juan les Pins has a number of trendy boutiques
In the old town a number of galleries with art for sale including paintings of local scenes
Supermarkets – Carrefour and the centre commercial by the A8, various smaller ones down the hill. The supermarkets, especially Carrefour, also sell the cheapest petrol locally.
Antibes has a number of natural and health food stores, including le Panier Vert, Biocoop and Amplitude Bio. There are several other smaller health food stores in the area.
The SPAR grocery store on Boulevard Wilson (near Lycée Audiberti) is ‘non-stop’ and has late closing hours (by French standards). They remain open when most other grocery stores do not.
Eat
Antibes features both standard French cuisine as well as local specials focusing on fresh seafood and produce from Provence. Scenic restaurants can be found around the port of Antibes, in the old town, and in Juan les Pins.
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of cafés, bars and salons de thé in Antibes. Tea tends to be expensive (up to €4 per person) and not the highest quality (Lipton tea bags, for example). Coffee from coffee machines (35-50 centimes) is actually pretty decent, and good in a pinch.
Antibes can be a difficult place for vegetarian or vegan travellers. Vegetarians should not have much trouble but vegans can expect ending up with a bland and expensive salad. Servers tend to not be very accommodating and are often visibly insulted if asked to modify a dish. There is hope, however. There is a ‘falafel place’ in the old town near the covered market with vegan options. There is also Chez Helen’s, a vegetarian restaurant with vegan options in the old town. There are also a few Indian restaurants in the old town and, in Juan les Pins, a number of Asian restaurants.
La Passagere, 33, boulevard Baudoin,Gourmet Restaurant. Quintessence of fine cuisine, la Passagère has one of the most popular terraces of the Riviera: panorama over the bay of Juan-les-Pins.
Bistrot Terrasse, 19, avenue Gallice Hip restaurant nestled in the casual, contemporary and cosy atmosphere in an oasis of calm with palm fringed terrace, delicious authentic Mediterranean food, wine cellar and an indulgent pastry corner.
Chamkila, 4 rue Sade. Indian food, plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. Friendly staff, cosy and colourful ambiance.
Drink
One interesting place to drink at is the Absinthe Bar La Balade (25 Cours Masséna, Antibes – Tel. 04 93 34 93 00 -email: [email protected]). Absinthe, the mysterious green liqueur so much associated with 19th century artists and writers such as Van Gogh and Baudelaire, was outlawed for decades because of the health risks associated with its abuse, namely insanity and death. However these side effects seem to have been due to “quality control” issues and the herbs that go into absinthe are in fact good for you. Absinthe was only reintroduced legally again in about 2003, and there are very few places where it is possible to drink it. The bar is set in the basement of the Olive Oil shop by the covered market (Marché Provençal) of Antibes and is full of charm even without the lure of Absinthe. If there is a group of you the host will normally give each member of the group a slightly different absinthe so that you can try the different varieties. It is quite an experience and will set you back a mere €4 for a glass. Given the price of beer in the touristy bars by the port this is a real bargain. On Friday nights there is a piano man. The Absinthe bar also provides you with dozens of silly hats (yes, hats), which everyone wears and trades as the evening goes on.
Bar Fitzgerald at the Hotel Belles Rives, 33, boulevard Baudoin. The Bar Fitzgerald is part of the much closed circle of Cafés Historiques et Patrimoniaux d’Europe with one of the most popular terraces of the Riviera over the bay of Juan-les-Pins.
Traffic
By train
Both Antibes and Juan les Pins have train stations on the main Nice – Cannes line. There are both regional TER trains as well as long distance TGV and Eurocity trains available.
Antibes railway station (Gare d’Antibes), Place Pierre Sémard. Main station where both regional and long distance trains calls.
Juan-les-Pins railway station (Gare de Juan-les-Pins), 2 Avenue de l’Estérel. Smaller and quiter station, only regional TER trains calls here.
By bus
There is a regular bus service (#200) between Cannes, Antibes and Nice from Place Charles de Gaulle. Alternate buses go to Nice Airport (#250) and to Cap 3000, a large, pleasant but quite expensive shopping centre near Nice.
By plane
The Nice airport is the closest airport to Antibes. It is about 20 km from the airport to Antibes.
By car
The usual method of driving to Antibes is to take the A8 and exit at the Antibes exit (junction 44) and then taking the winding road down to Antibes. It is possible to approach Antibes along the coastal roads (RN98 and RN7) from Cannes and Nice/Cagnes sur Mer. In summer all these coastal roads can be extremely congested as can the main route from the A8. There are, however, very few alternative methods of access and all of them eventually use one of these roads so if you want to go to Antibes then you pretty much have to expect traffic jams.
Get around
Walk. Antibes is a beautiful city. Walking to the old downtown is easy and makes for excellent views.
Bike. Although Antibes may be very hilly in certain areas, riding bikes is certainly beautiful and somewhat rewarding. There are bike lanes starting at about the outskirts of the port on the Route de Nice and Bord de la Mer. You can ride from Antibes to Villeneuve-Loubet, and probably beyond, without much difficulty.
French Riviera
The French Riviera is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is usually considered to extend from Cassis, Toulon or Saint-Tropez on the west to Menton at the France–Italy border in the east, where the Italian Riviera joins. The coast is entirely within the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of France. The Principality of Monaco is a semi-enclave within the region, surrounded on three sides by France and fronting the Mediterranean. Riviera is an Italian word that corresponds to the ancient Ligurian territory, wedged between the Var and Magra rivers.
The climate of the Côte d’Azur is temperate Mediterranean with mountain influences on the northern parts of the departments of Var and Alpes-Maritimes. It is characterized by dry summers and mild winters which help reduce the likelihood of freezing. The Côte d’Azur enjoys significant sunshine in mainland France for 300 days a year.
This coastline was one of the first modern resort areas. It began as a winter health resort for the British upper class at the end of the 18th century. With the arrival of the railway in the mid-19th century, it became the playground and vacation spot of British, Russian, and other aristocrats, such as Queen Victoria, Tsar Alexander II and King Edward VII, when he was Prince of Wales. In the summer, it also played home to many members of the Rothschild family. In the first half of the 20th century, it was frequented by artists and writers, including Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Francis Bacon, Edith Wharton, Somerset Maugham and Aldous Huxley, as well as wealthy Americans and Europeans. After World War II, it became a popular tourist destination and convention site. Many celebrities, such as Elton John and Brigitte Bardot, have homes in the region.
The eastern part (maralpine) of the Côte d’Azur has been largely transformed by the concreting of the coast linked to the tourist development of foreigners from North Europe and the French,. The Var part is better preserved from urbanization with the exception of the agglomeration of Fréjus-Saint-Raphaël affected by the demographic growth of the maralpin coast and the agglomeration of Toulon which has been marked by urban sprawl on its part West and by a spread of industrial and commercial areas (Grand Var).