Antibes is inseparable from the name of Pablo Picasso who said that Antibes was a town that knew “joie de vivre” (”joy of life”). Indeed, this resort town of Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France, on Cote d?Azur on the Mediterian Sea, is full of life and quiet, fashionable and democratic at the same time.
Anyway, its marvelous beaches surpass all expectations and are better than ones in Cannes and Nice. By the way, Antibes is situated between Cannes and Nice (20 km from Nice, 12 km from Cannes, 48 km from Italy). It is separated from Nice by bay, therefore, Greeks, its founders, called it Antipolis (Antibes) in 43 BC.
Population of Antibes is about 80000 people.
The best beaches are located in Juan-les-Pins, other resort near Antibes, which is actually its part now, and their names are integrated together in Antibes Juan-les-Pins.
Antibes is a well-known port. Nature itself protected the town from the sea. Therefore, Antibes always was very attractive town to a lot of countries: first ? Greece, then (during 500 years) ?Roman Empire, Goths, West-Goths, the Grimaldi kings, and finally ? France (since Louis XI, the king of France).
Now a lot of beautiful luxury yachts and local fishing boats are tied up at this harbour and among them two or three large yachts owned by Abramovich, Russian multi-millionaire and the owner of the “Chelsi” soccer club. Port Vauban is the largest yachting harbour in Europe with more than 2,000 moorings, Port Galice - 542 moorings, Port de la Salis -233 moorings, Port du Crouton - 390 moorings.
Wealthy people from around Europe live in Antibes or visit this resort. There are a lot of fashionable villas around Antibes.
The old Grimaldi castle (XIII century) was bought by the local municipality in 1926 and then became an art museum. Pablo Picasso visited Antibes in 1946, lived there for 6 months, and was invited to live and work in the castle of Antibes. He presented all his works made in the castle to the museum.
You can walk along old beautiful streets in the centre of Antibes, visit the Picasso museum, famous hotel “Du Cap Eden-Roc”, “Fort de Carre”, and see the Alps in the distance.
Other places of interest:
-Â Archaeology Museum in the old Bastion St Andre, a 17th century fortress
-Â Museum of Napoleon in a 17th century stone fort and tower
-Â ”La Tour Museum” in the centre of town
-Â The Exflora Park a five hectare garden open to the public
-Â The Eilenroc Gardens
-Â Thuret Park
-Â Church of the Immaculate Conception (first built in the 11th century, reconstructed in 18th century, the Baroque altarpiece)
- Villa “Hôtel du Cap-Eden Roc”?
To get to Antibes you can from the Nice airport and then by train.
France Destinations