In France, Antibes is one of the popular cities located on the island. It is famous for its luxurious parties and yachts, but it also has some very interesting attractions and entertainment options for everyone, both for party lovers and for families.
Brief description of the city
In France, Antibes is the second largest city on the Cote d'Azur, second only to the well-known Nice. It is located between Nice and Cannes. At the height of the holiday season, the population of this city increases several times. But tourists visit it at any time of the year.
Antibes is located in that part of the Cote d'Azur that has the most favorable climate in all of France. The presence of the sea and mountains creates all the suitable conditions for sailing and a relaxing holiday on the beach. The prevailing weather in this city is dry and warm, which is especially conducive to relaxation.
Walking around the old district of the city
A leisurely walk is a great opportunity to get to know all the sights as best as possible. An important feature of French cities is the presence of special ancient districts, which are distinguished by their special architecture. In Antibes, such an area is located in a very beautiful place known as the Bay of Angels.
The cobbled, winding streets are perfect for leisurely strolls, allowing you to soak up the special French atmosphere. You can diversify your route by visiting boutiques and small restaurants with local delicacies, which are located on these streets. In France, Antibes has the typical atmosphere and appearance of an old Mediterranean town.
In addition to the opportunity to enjoy the magnificent architecture, you have the chance to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables and other products traditional to Provence. Also, when you take the bus to this part of the city, you can admire exceptional panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea.
Beaches of Cap d'Antibes and Juan-les-Pins
Of course, all vacationers like to enjoy the sun's rays while lying on a sun lounger. In France, Antibes beaches are considered one of the most popular. On the coast of Golfe Juan you can see a beautiful cape. It is a kind of border between Antibes and Cannes. Beach lovers can also enjoy the view of pine groves.
Tourists can easily rent a room in one of the coastal hotels. There are a total of 13 beaches in the Antibes area. Their distinctive feature is that the pebble part turns into sand. Most of them are equipped with showers and toilets for the convenience of visitors. It's no surprise that the beaches are one of the most popular tourist spots in Antibes.
Picasso Museum
One of the attractions of France (Antibes in particular) is the museum of the famous artist Picasso. It is located in the stone castle of Chateau Grimaldi. In the 13th and 14th centuries the castle was inhabited and served as a defensive tower. The history of this museum is interesting.
While in Antibes, France, Pablo Picasso was looking for a studio that would be spacious and bright. And he was kindly offered to organize it at Grimaldi Castle. It was there that the artist’s famous masterpiece “Night Fishing in Antibes” appeared. This painting became the starting point in creating a collection that was gradually replenished with works by other artists. Now the Picasso Museum, located in Antibes, is one of the largest and most famous cultural centers on the Mediterranean coast.
Fort Carré
Another attraction of Antibes (France) is Fort Carré. It is also called the symbol of the city. These are ancient fortifications built in the shape of a four-pointed star. The fort is located on the Saint-Roch peninsula at an altitude of 26 meters above sea level.
It was built by order of King Henry II in the second half of the 16th century. Around Fort Carré there are park areas with flora and fauna typical of the Mediterranean coast. Since the fort is an active French military base, the fortifications can only be admired from the outside.
Cape Antibes
It is the main attraction of the Mediterranean landscape. On the cape there is the Group lighthouse and a beautiful old chapel that serves as a museum. There are some very interesting relics of Russian origin that were brought there since the Crimean War. Vacationers should also definitely take a walk through the Thuret garden.
The year the garden was founded is 1857, its creator is the famous French botanist and researcher Gustav Thuret. There you can find a large number of plants - more than 3000 species. In addition to the listed attractions, vacationers will be able to admire the picturesque landscapes.
Bastion of Saint-André and Chapel of San Bernardini
Another landmark of Antibes is the Bastion of Saint-André, built in 1698. In 1928, the bastion was converted into an archaeological museum. Its first exhibition presented a small number of finds that dated back to the Halo-Roman era. The museum was officially opened in 1963, and now visitors can admire exhibits that are more than 2.5 thousand years old.
There are ancient chapels in many cities in France. And Antibes is no exception: the Chapel of San Bernardini, built in the 16th century, is one of the most popular attractions in this city. It was built in the neo-Gothic style and is one of the most beautiful French chapels. Inside it is decorated with paintings, stucco and stained glass.
Family-Friendly Options
This city is visited not only by lovers of fun parties and luxury yachts. Many travel with their entire families. In France, a holiday in Antibes is a great opportunity to enjoy the wonderful Mediterranean climate. This city has many wonderful places to visit with the whole family.
One of the most popular places is Marineland Park. Here you can find a large aquarium with exotic marine inhabitants. In addition to getting to know the inhabitants of the underwater world, you can also go to the pet farm, which has attractions for children of any age.
If you like water activities, this park has a water park with pools and slides. There is also a golf club there that can teach this game to everyone. This park hosts show programs in which dolphins and fur seals perform. And small children can swim in the same pool with dolphins.
If you are a lover of picturesque landscapes, you should definitely visit Parc Exflora. Here you will find a beautiful landscape, charming meadows with green lawns, large flower beds and an artificial lake. A big advantage for family holidays are specially equipped picnic areas.
Fans of active recreation should visit Soccer Park - this is a sports complex dedicated to one of the most popular games in the world - football. Fans of this game will be able to find a sports bar and fully equipped football grounds there. Due to the fact that there are open and closed areas, the complex is open to the public all year round.
In Antibes you can have a great time at the Lockout - Live Escape Game amusement park. It is aimed at holidays with older children. Visitors are offered a large selection of quest rooms to suit every taste. Antibes Land is a park with classic attractions. Visitors can enjoy roller coasters, carousels and swimming pools.
Children will be interested in visiting the unusual puppet theater. It is unusual in that domestic animals perform there. These performances will be interesting to children of any age.
Antibes, France: reviews from tourists
Vacationers note that this city is one of the best on the Cote d'Azur. This part has the most favorable Mediterranean climate. Tourists say that in Antibes there is an opportunity to find entertainment for every taste and for any age.
But at the height of the holiday season, you should be prepared for the fact that there are a large number of vacationers in the city, which means you should book places to stay in advance. You can stay in both luxury hotels and budget hotels.
In Antibes you can find expensive gourmet restaurants or affordable eateries. In addition to the beaches, this city is famous for its nightclubs - this is where wealthy young people come. Antibes has a loyal attitude towards tourists, which is the advantage of this resort. It may not enjoy the same worldwide popularity as Nice or Cannes, but there are no fewer options for a pleasant holiday. Favorable climate, beautiful nature, attractions and amusement parks - all these are important components of a wonderful holiday.
A wonderful holiday on golden sandy beaches, high-level service in hotels, a variety of entertainment events await tourists and guests of the French resorts of Antibes and Juan-les-Pins. The international jazz festival, ancient castles, museums, parks and gardens are the unforgettable face of the resort.
To fulfill your dream of relaxing in France, you should visit the Atlantic coast of the country, where the most attractive resorts in the world are located. Here, a never-fading cultural life, active recreation on the marvelous sandy beaches of the Cote d'Azur, and the tourist interests of vacationers harmoniously flourish and combine.
Wonderful beaches with the finest golden sand, amazing designer parks and gardens, many restaurants with varied cuisine, music at nightclubs, discos, museums and much more will have a beneficial effect on the health, mood and development of the creative potential of vacationers.
Antibes resort
If your choice falls on the resort of Antibes in France, your vacation will not be in vain. Founded in the 5th century BC, this ancient city is located on the sunny Côte d'Azur between Nice and Cannes. The climate here is favorable for holidaymakers with fairly warm winters (8-10 degrees Celsius) and warm sunny summers (about 26 degrees Celsius).
Climatic conditions
The tables below of average monthly air and water temperatures confirm the favorableness of a holiday at the resort:
Table of average monthly air temperatures:
Table of average monthly water temperatures:
In addition, the length of the beaches at the resort is 24 km, so sunbathe whenever you want and where you like.
Capital of Jazz
The first of the noble persons to visit the city of Antibes was the Duke d'Albany, the son of Queen Victoria. And soon liberated young Americans arrived here with an educational mission, introducing the city to a new trend of life, such as jazz music, giant cars, gramophone machines and etc. The peak of the city's fame and popularity occurred in July 1960, when the first international jazz festival was held here, later called “Music in the Heart of Antibes.” The resort was visited by such jazz masters as Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and others .
Since then, Antibes has been considered the European capital of jazz. Here music always sounds, day and night, at any time of the year. Music and film festivals constantly replace each other.
Hotels in Antibes, France
Attractions
The city of Antibes is considered the center of tourism in France; there is a lot to see and capture. Many ancient medieval ruins and castles. On a cliff overlooking the sea is the ancient Grimaldi Castle. And the Picasso Museum houses a collection of drawings, engravings, and ceramics by the world famous artist. It also houses the Napoleon and Maritime Museum. A magnificent flower park and a unique botanical garden are the decoration of the city.
Entertainment
Walks through the old town, parks and gardens; visiting casinos, discos, nightclubs and music festivals; taking air and sea baths; visiting the most exquisite shops will lift the spirits and improve the health of vacationers.
Resort Juan-les-Pins
The resort of Juan-les-Pins in France is located on the Cote d'Azur. The city itself is administratively subordinate to the district of Antibes, in fact it is its continuation and is considered one of the most luxurious and prestigious resorts in France. A natural attraction of the Juan-les-Pins resort is a pine grove along the beach, covered with fine sand.
Thanks to such a beautiful location, the resort is attractive for wealthy tourists, as well as for vacationers with children. A magnificent water park, a butterfly park, and an aquarium will make your holiday unforgettable for children.
Hotels Antibes, France
Guests and tourists coming to these beautiful places can choose Juan-les-Pins hotels according to their taste. The gardens of the Belles-Rives Hotel, where Francis Scott Fitzgerald, the famous American writer, stayed, descend to the coast. The hotel has preserved the room of the Fitzgerald family, which was used as a smoking room, as a rarity. For relaxation, the hotel has 43 comfortable rooms, 27 of which overlook the sea, offering a charming view.
The Juana Hotel is located on the coast of the resort, surrounded by gardens. In a small mansion, 5 apartments and 35 rooms are always ready to receive guests.
Antibes - Juan les Pins, France
Near a pine forest, surrounded by green palm trees, the Ambassadeur Hotel has rooms designed in a modern style. The Meridien Garden Beach Hotel, which is located in the city center and on the seashore, provides 177 luxurious rooms for relaxation.
A magnificent view of the well-kept garden and the sea coast opens from the windows of the rooms of the small cozy hotel Le Pré Catelan. The hotel, which is located 200 meters from the cozy sandy beach, has 24 rooms decorated in Provencal style.
Between Nice and Cannes is located the second largest resort town of the Alpes-Maritimes - Antibes/Juan les Pins. A relaxed atmosphere of relaxation and harmony with nature accompanies everyone who decides to visit this amazing resort.
Magnificent gardens and landscaped parks, luxurious hotels, sea yacht trips, snow-white sandy beaches of the Cote d'Azur - all this gives the resort Antibes a unique charm that continues to be an integral attribute, and moreover, the calling card of this unique place for more than one century.
From Antipolis to the splendor of Antibes
The ancient Greeks dubbed this city Antipolis, that is, literally translated, the city opposite Corsica. The Roman era became a landmark for the city, bringing the development of trade and turning this place into one of the trading centers of the Mediterranean. In the 19th century, the city acquired strategic importance, being the border between the possessions of France and Italy, although even then the magnificent views attractions and the unique climate attracted wealthy visitors to this resort.
But it was the arrival of the Americans at the beginning of the 20th century that really brought life into the strict society of the Riviera. Nightclubs were located on the prim streets, black jazz began to sound, and the jukebox began to replace live music. Nightlife began to boil with renewed vigor: millionaires, journalists and actors - the whole flower of society flocked to these narrow streets, where jazz flows from every window, gradually filling the history of the city with romantic legends. Scott Fitzgerald, Mary Pickford, and Marlene Dietrich were here at different times. gave shelter and inspiration to such geniuses as Picasso, Graham Greene and Hemingway.
Carefree, sea and jazz
The first world jazz festival could only be held here, in , where musicians from 15 countries gathered. The world had never seen such a constellation: Miles Davis and Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie were here. It was here that the musical star of Ray Charles rose, whose fame spread throughout the world. Now the Jazz Festival “Music in the Heart” is held every year, invariably attracting thousands of fans of this genre.
In addition to music, the city is full of other sights. Grimaldi Castle (Le chateau Grimaldi), built in the 12th century on the site of Roman military fortifications, at one time served as a refuge for Pablo Picasso, who worked there for several months. Subsequently, the Picasso Museum was founded here, for the exhibition of which the great artist presented the city with many drawings and the painting “Night Fishing in”. In the museum you can also see works by Modigliani, Leger, Picabia.
In the Bastion of Saint-André, to which the luxurious curtained promenade Amiral de Grasse leads, there is an archaeological museum. In addition, lovers of marine themes in the city will be interested in the Maritime Museum, and the flower park with all its riot of colors and the cozy alleys of the botanical garden will certainly become a favorite place for walks. The unique Marineland water park not only features a unique exhibition dedicated to marine flora and fauna, but also features magnificent shows with dolphins and killer whales, taking place in one of the largest pools in the world.
Fun of millionaires
It is rightfully considered the center of yachting sports. The magnificent coastline of sand and pebble beaches includes five ports where luxury yachts moor. Port Vauban - one of the most famous and prestigious harbors welcomes yachts from all over the world - it’s not for nothing that the cape Antibes called the "Cape of Millionaires". Needless to say, it is a city with an extraordinary atmosphere that envelops everyone, giving lightness and a romantic mood.
Book an excursion to Antibes
Take the opportunity to contact the guide directly, because no one will answer questions about the excursion better!
- Contact your guide before booking to discuss all tour details to ensure you make the right choice.
- Book the excursion in advance so that the guide does not take up this time with another order, and then discuss all the details.
If you try to describe in a few words the atmosphere that reigns in French Antibes, regardless of the time of year or your mood, then the good old phrase “art de vivre” is best suited for this.
Here on the French Riviera, in a town located exactly between Cannes and Nice, you absorb the “art of enjoying life” with every breath.
To catch this feeling, you just need to walk along the embankment, where in the evenings fishermen feed voracious seagulls with fish scraps, or walk to the park, on the paths of which local residents play petanque with genuine passion.
In the photo: playing petanque on the embankment
In the film “Midnight in Paris,” Owen Wilson’s character, Gil Pender, dreamed of Paris in the 20s of the last century, where he ended up every night, getting into another retro car driving along a quiet street of the French capital.
In Antibes, the feeling that you, like the hero of Woody Allen’s comedy, found yourself in that wonderful era when you could see the Fitzgeralds or Pablo Picasso at the next cafe table, arises from early morning and does not disappear until midnight.
In the city where Picasso created perhaps his most cheerful painting “La Joie de vivre”, and Fitzgerald worked on the tender and sad novel “Tender is the Night”, the past is felt no less clearly than the present, and therefore the mood reigning here is desirable. compare with expensive French wine, the bouquet of which, like floral notes, combines echoes of different eras: from antiquity and the Middle Ages to the Belle Époque and the roaring twenties.
It’s worth coming to Antibes not only for the beaches and the party scene, although both are available here, and the city beaches, unlike other places on the French Riviera, are still free. Antibes is an atmospheric and romantic French place, the same “la vie est belle” as we used to imagine it.
OLD CITY
Getting to know Antibes inevitably begins with the old town. It was founded in ancient times; on a stone in the body of the ancient tower in the center of the city you can still find the inscription “Antipolis”, which is what Greek sailors called the settlement in ancient times.
During the Roman Empire, the city grew and became stronger; in the Middle Ages, Antibes was owned by the House of Savoy, and in 1481 the city became part of France. Even today, the old town of Antibes does not give the impression of an open-air museum frozen in time.
The massive fortress wall that used to surround the city was partially dismantled, now in its place there is an embankment, opposite Fort Carre, where Napoleon was once imprisoned, a yacht mooring has been established, Grimaldi Castle, which during its history even managed to be the residence of a bishop, has been modernized to the Picasso Museum, and next to the museum building there are sculptures by Miró.
When you walk around the old city, you can’t help but want to hum Cole Porter’s song “Let’s do it, let’s fall in love” under your breath.
In the photo: yacht anchorage and Fort Carré, Antibes
The mood of romantic retro is especially vivid in the narrow streets, where the walls of houses are covered with vines, and every window is decorated with red geranium flowers.
In the photo: a street in the old town, Antibes
By the way, it’s surprising but true that local residents even manage to produce wine from the grapes that ripen on the streets of the old city. According to ancient tradition, this wine becomes the property of the Antibes community; it is usually drunk at city events.
In the photo: wine is even produced from grapes that ripen on the streets
ANTIBES AND ARTISTS
The best place to watch sunsets is the embankment near the Picasso Museum. However, one would like to speak about Antibes sunsets in verse, because the transparent, changeable colors of the sky and sea of the Cote d'Azur are as much a landmark of the city as Fort Carré, made in the shape of a quadrangular star.
In the photo: a reproduction of a painting by Henri Cross on the Antibes embankment as part of the Riviera Artists project.
It is not for nothing that the best artists of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries came to Antibes for these sunsets and sunrises, and Clone Monet even stayed in the city for several months longer than planned. The French painter was so impressed by the local sunsets and sunrises that he painted three landscapes in Antibes.
In the photo: we are looking at a reproduction of Claude Monet’s painting “Antibes effet d’après-Midi” on the Antibes embankment.
However, Claude Monet was unoriginal; at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries, every self-respecting painter considered it his duty to come to Antibes. Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonnier, Henri Cross, Eugene Boudin and Henri Joseph Arpigny worked here, but Pablo Picasso stayed in the city the longest.
In the photo: a reproduction of a painting by Eugene Boudin in Antibes as part of the Riviera Artists project.
Picasso first arrived in Antibes in July 1939, but settled here for a long time in 1946, after the curator of the local Museum of History and Archeology Romuald Dor de la Souchère arranged a personal studio for the artist in the Grimaldi Castle. .
Picasso bequeathed all the works painted in Antibes, as well as the figurines and ceramics created here, as a gift to the city. The city authorities did not refuse and opened the artist’s museum in the city, where visitors can see not only the famous painting “La Joie de vivre”, but also sketches of Picasso’s works, as well as the studio in which the founder of Cubism worked. Although Picasso is considered the main artist who worked in Antibes, other artists are also not forgotten here, for example, the Riviera of Artists is organized in the city.
In the photo: installations at the Picasso Museum
The essence of the project is as follows: the city administration installed reproductions of artists’ works in front of the places depicted in the paintings. The Lovers of Raymond Peine, hugging against the backdrop of the old city, look especially touching; this reproduction can be seen on the city embankment.
In the photo: reproduction of the painting “Lovers” by Raymond Peine on the city embankment.
If literature is closer to you than painting, then for the sake of curiosity it is worth taking a look at the famous Hôtel Belles Rives, where Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald lived.
The hotel still has a Jazz Age feel and regularly hosts Great Gatsby themed parties.
PROVENCEAL MARKET
Reproductions of paintings by artists can be found not only on the embankment. For example, a reproduction of “Le marche du Cours Massena a Antibes” by Emile Charles Dameron is installed near the Provençal market, which, as in the nineteenth century, opens every morning in Antibes.
In the photo: reproduction of the painting “Le marche du Cours Massena a Antibes” near the city market
It is worth going to the market not only for the atmosphere, but also for gastronomic discoveries, for example, in order to find out how the famous multi-colored olives from Nice differ from the olives of Provence, taste confiture made from lavender flowers or try soft goat cheeses - another specialty of the region.
In the photo: olives at the Provençal market, Antibes
Around 10 o'clock in the morning at the market there is nowhere for an apple to fall, there is a crowd of people near each counter, as in the old days, by the way, many stalls have been assigned to the families of farmers for more than one generation, this is evidenced by photographs of the grandparents of the current sellers, flaunting on the shelves next to vegetables or between bottles of olive oil.
In the photo: olive oil, confiture and honey at a Provençal market
If you find yourself at the market, be sure to buy home some Provencal herbs and spices, then upon arrival you can delight your guests with ratatouille prepared at home or other dishes of Provencal cuisine. .
In the photo: spices at the Provençal market, Antibes
By the way, literally across the street from the Provençal market there is a very interesting Absinthe bar. The peculiarity of the place is that here guests are offered to taste real 76-degree absinthe. Absinthe Bar(address: 25, Cours Massena 06600 Antibes, tel: 0493349300) looks like materialized scenery from the movie “Total Eclipse”: small round tables on which stand decanters of ice water, with their help the insidious tincture, the excessive use of which can lead you to conversations with the green fairy, is diluted with water.
If you have never encountered absinthe before, here you will be taught how to properly drink the favorite drink of the creative intelligentsia of the early twentieth century, so as to enjoy the process and avoid bad consequences.
However, the main advantage of this place is not that they serve absinthe, but again in the atmosphere of the establishment.
When you find yourself at a table in Absinthe, the feeling that the past is no less alive here than the present is so strong that you involuntarily begin to imagine that the heavy door of the bar will now open and Pablo Picasso in the company of Francoise Gilot or the couple will appear on the threshold of the establishment Fitzgerald.
In the photo: sculpture Lovers by Raymond Peine
And it doesn’t matter that this is nothing more than an illusion, because, as Scott Fitzgerald wrote in The Great Gatsby: “No tangible, real charm can compare with what a person is able to accumulate in the depths of his fantasy.”
ROMANCE OF ANTIBES IN PHOTOS
In the photo: grapevine on the street of the old town
Yulia Malkova is the founder of the website project. In the past, he was the editor-in-chief of the elle.ru Internet project and the editor-in-chief of the cosmo.ru website. I talk about travel for my own pleasure and the pleasure of my readers. If you are a representative of hotels or a tourism office, but we do not know each other, you can contact me by email: [email protected]
