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The oldest part of the town comprises narrow streets and a small shaded square. Two ancient gateways remain. This area contains the cathedral and the Picasso Museum which is a modern art gallery housed in an ancient Grimaldi castle. The old town spreads northwards, and includes Rue Georges Clemenceau where our apartment is in a building near the Mairie and Marché Provençale which is pictured above. Some of the buildings in this area are very old at least in their foundations. The local museum, built into the Ramparts contains a Roman mural removed from one of the houses in our street. There are many restaurants and bars within the old town. Ownership can change a little too often, but please ask us for our up-to-date reviews of the restaurants. |
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Antibes fortifications survived until the early 20th century when much was demolished as the town expanded inland. The Ramparts used to reach from Forte Carre in the East, around the bay which is now the yacht harbour, and enclosed the town. A souvenir from the time when Antibes remained the most eastern French town on the Mediterranean, and Nice was part of Piedmont. The picture above is taken from the top of the Bastion which remains at the Western end and now houses the local museum. There is a pathway along the Ramparts from the Bastion to the Port. |
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Place Charles de Gaulle is in the heart of the newer town, late nineteenth to early twentieth century, which was built once the ramparts came down. The local bus station is to the South, and the Nice to Cannes bus services stop as they go around the square. The square is surrounded by shops, banks, and the Office de Tourisme. It has recently been re landscaped with fountains, and is sometimes used for public events. |
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The Gravette Beach is formed as though a small port beneath the old town walls but no boats are allowed to enter. It has a sandy beach with fresh water showers at the water's edge. The floor of the sea is stoney but this attracts fish and other small sealife. Two cafes are set up on the beach in summer. Ten minutes walk to the west are the Salis and Ponteil beaches which are broad sandy beaches leading into shallow, sandy floored sea. Beaches to the east of Antibes are usually stoney. Neighbouring Juans les Pins is sandy but most of the beach is dominated by beach clubs with fees charged for access. |
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The town has developed continuously but is not over planned. 1930's architecture is mixed with much older town houses as is seen here. Elsewhere there are boulevards reminiscent of Paris, but also narrow streets of "maison villages" which are reminiscent of hilltop villages.
The Marché Provençale is open every morning in summer and sometimes closes on one morning a week in winter. There are also small supermarkets in the town and many small specialist shops, particuarly good in Rue Sade. Car Parking: the Mairie is deliberately limiting parking within the old town although there remain some metered parking bays near the apartment. There are two large open air car parks between the Ramparts and the Port. These are fee paying during the summer season and unless there are special events occupying one of the car parks. For example, there is a major antiques fair in Antibes over the Easter weekend and this occupies one car park over the period of two weeks up to Easter and the week afterwards. There are also car parks at the Ponteil and Salis beaches, and two multi storey car parks in the town. |
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