Antibes

Old Town

The old town of Antibes is one of those charming villages where you will be enchanted at every street corner: going up from Porte Marine, you can lose yourself in the labyrinth of streets of Old Antibes. To appreciate it at its best, don’t be in a hurry: take your time to stroll through the alleyways, observe the details of the ancient façades and colourful doors, smell the scent of flowers, have a drink on a sunny terrace and admire the blue of the Mediterranean contrasting with the whiteness of the stones.

In the heart of the walled city, hidden alleyways, picturesque squares, artisans’ workshops and art galleries await you. We recommend you stroll through the shopping streets and discover the many small shops and workshops offering gourmet or designer products in rue Sade, rue Clémenceau, rue Thuret, Boulevard d’Aguillon, rue James Close, rue de la Republique. Browse the many restaurants, which have panoramic terraces or hidden gardens for lunch.

Free Commune of Safranier

In the heart of old Atibes, there is a corner where time seems to stand still: in the alleys of Haut and Bas Castelet, you can admire the Free Commune of Safranier. Even today, in France, there are about a hundred free communes, neighbourhood associations whose purpose is to promote the identity of a district within a commune, clearly of medieval origin. The most famous is certainly that of Vieux Montmartre, in Paris.

The free commune of Safranier was created in 1966 to preserve and perpetuate local traditions. Numerous festivals are organised each year, such as the corn festival, the grape harvest festival in September, the chestnut festival in November and the stump festival in December, not forgetting the popular dances organised for 14 July.

The flower-lined streets of this small quarter are enchanting, all to be explored strictly on foot. In Place du Safranier, there is a commemorative plaque commemorating the stay of the Greek poet Nikos Kazantzakis: he wrote all his major works here, including his most famous novel Alexis Zorba, adapted for the cinema under the title Zorba the Greek.

Picasso Museum

At the highest point of the ramparts stands Chateau Grimaldi, home to the Picasso Museum, a must for all lovers of the great master.

The residence of bishops in the Middle Ages, from 1385 the fortress was inhabited by the Monegasque family that gave it its name: Château Grimaldi. It became the residence of the King’s governor, became town hall from 1792 and was transformed into barracks in 1820.

In 1946, Pablo Picasso used part of the building as a workshop: the great artist worked here for two months, producing many works, drawings and paintings. After his stay, he left 23 paintings and 44 drawings on deposit with the city of Antibes: La Joie de vivre, Satyr, Fauna and Centaur with Trident, Le Gobeur d’urchins, La Femme aux urchins, Still Life with Owl and Three Sea Urchins, The Goat, as well as 78 ceramics. Today it houses the Picasso museum with a rich collection of the artist’s works.

From the château terrace, there is a magnificent view of the sea and Cap d’Antibes.

The ancient walls

A marvellous promenade starts from the Picasso Museum and runs along the ancient walls, the Promenade de l’Amiral de Grasse: following the road, you can admire unprecedented views of the town overlooking the sea and watch the boats and fishing boats arrive.

The promenade offers one of the most beautiful views of Antibes. From the ramp of Saleurs, where fish were salted in the past, walk along the sea, following the route of the ramparts built by Vauban in the 17th century to the port. Above your heads, the ancient cathedral and the Grimaldi castle dominate the old town.

Le Fort Carré

Fort Carré was built in the mid-16th century by decision of French King Henri II to monitor the nearby Var border. Today, it is classified as a historical monument due to its extraordinary architecture and preserved natural environment.

Located on the Saint-Roch peninsula, the Fort is built on a rock overlooking the sea from its 26-metre height: its patrol walkway rises to 43 metres and offers a 360-degree panoramic view .

The Fort is surrounded by a 4-hectare protected park, which is home to typical Mediterranean flora and fauna. The park is owned by the Conservatoire du Littoral and is part of the Natura 2000 project.

The Provençal market

Located in the heart of the city’s historic centre, the Provençal market is an unmissable stop during a visit to Antibes.

From Tuesday to Sunday mornings, in Cours Masséna, in front of the Town Hall, some fifty local producers are positioned, offering the best of Provençal gastronomy in a profusion of colours and heady fragrances. You can browse among the stalls of florists, horticulturists, fishmongers, pork butchers, cheesemakers and producers of Provençal handicrafts.

Port Vauban

Facing the ramparts of Old Antibes, the old Port Vauban is Europe’s largest marina and home to the world’s most luxurious yachts, some of them over 100 metres long: the port covers an area of 25 hectares and boasts a mooring length of 4200 linear metres, with 1650 berths, accommodating all types of vessels.

Its international clientele gives the old town of Antibes a cosmopolitan character: English is spoken in many pubs in the area and it is common to meet sailors and travellers from all corners of Europe.

Installed on the seafront, overlooking Port Vauban and its Milliardaire Quay, is Le Nomade, by the Catalan artist Jaume Plensa, a monumental work 8 metres high: it is one of the most Instagrammable places in Antibes.

Plage de la Salis

On the outskirts of Cap d’Antibes and close to the centre lies this fine sandy beach with crystal-clear waters, ideal for a relaxing day at the beach.

With a marvellous view of the town, the beach has small kiosks on the sand and is perfect for a few hours of swimming.

Jazz Festival

In the exceptional site of the Gould pine forest, facing the sea, the Jazz Festival has brought together the greatest jazz musicians from all over the world since the 1960s: it is the oldest and most famous jazz event in Europe. Through this extraordinary musical event, Juan-les-Pins has become a true international capital of Jazz.

Beyond the festival, the Pinède remains the town’s lungs: overlooking the sea, this beautiful green area offers a children’s playground, a merry-go-round, modern sculptures and delightful benches in the sun or in the shade of centuries-old pine trees. In summer, every evening the pine forest comes alive with music, events and shows.

Cap d'Antibes

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the coastal path called Sentier de Tirepoil is located at the southern end of Cap d’Antibes. It is an old customs path, winding along the coast of Cap d’Antibes. It has become a preserved tourist trail, which will take you on an unforgettable walk through wild nature and turquoise-coloured coves.

Along the way, you can also admire huge private villas overlooking the sea. This walk is one of the must-do activities in Antibes: calculate 2 hours round trip from Garoupe beach to the famous Villa Eilenroc, a total of 5 kilometres.

Marineland Park

The Marineland Park is a favourite and recommended family activity. Protected species, breathtaking shows and even the possibility of staying on site, with hotels and restaurants at your disposal, await you.

With your children, you can discover 40 species represented by 3,000 animals, learn how they live, what their environments are, their codes of communication, their rules of life and their habits, through a variety of educational activities dedicated to the world of the sea: a journey to learn about the richness of the seabed and useful gestures for preserving the blue planet.

Within the walls of Marineland, you will also find Aquasplash, one of the largest water parks on the French Riviera, Adventure Golf, a rich mini-golf course, and Kid’s Island, a children’s amusement park with many animals to see.

Garoupe Lighthouse

One of the best vantage points to admire the spectacle of the Antibes creeks is this belvedere, 103 metres above sea level.

While the Garoupe lighthouse has been a powerful landmark and guide for fishermen since the early 19th century, a pretty little church is dedicated to Notre-Dame de Bon Port, in memory of the sailors who braved the storms.