The (Wannabe) Local’s Guide to Antibes France

An Overview of Antibes

What can I say about this lovely provençal town that will convince you to stay the heck away plan a trip immediately?!?

Seriously, Antibes has everything going for it: location, weather, food, wine (Rosé all day) beaches…what else? Oh, food and location and weather. Did I mention beaches, sur La Côte d’Azur? La Côte d’Azur people!!! What more could a gal ask for?!?

I was first introduced to Antibes by a very dear friend of mine. We met in 2016 at the Alliance Française de Chicago while learning French. It was pure kismet that we met — we were in different classes initially — but by a stroke of luck, our classes were merged, and the rest, as they say, is history.

You’re probably scratching your head right now wondering how this chance meeting resulted in my love affair with Antibes? It’s another kismet situation! One day out of the blue she asked me if I wanted to go to France with her and one of her other friends to learn French in a French immersion school. Um, hell yes I do! And that is how my love affair with Antibes began.

Where is Antibes

À la Côte d’Azur, bien sûr. What else do you need to know? Book your flight now!

Okay, if that’s not enough to sell you, Antibes is located about 22 km South-West of Nice Ville and about 12 km East of Cannes (you know, that place with the festival?). It’s really the perfect base for your French Riveria vacation — easy to get to from most places in the world (not all, but most with only one stop) — and the ideal base for day trips!

How To Get There

The easiest way to get to Antibes is by flying to Nice International Airport. From there, you can either take a Taxi, Uber, train, or bus.

Taxi and Uber

• Taxis will cost you around 50€ to 60€ while the cost of an Uber depends on the day, time of day, traffic, etc, but varies between 30€ and 50€.
• Taking a taxi or Uber is the easiest option and takes between 30 and 60 minutes depending on traffic and the route you take (the coastal route vs. the highway).
• If you’re staying in the Old Town, be aware that in most places, you cannot be dropped off directly in front of your hotel/rental apartment.

Train

• This is my preferred way to get to and from the airport because it’s fast, convenient, and very affordable, but it’s not for those with a lot of luggage.
• The duration takes about 15-20 minutes depending on the number of stops on that particular run.
• There are luggage racks available for larger bags, which I typically take advantage of while keeping my smaller bags with me at my seat.
• The cost for a one-way ticket is around 4€.
• I buy my tickets through the SNCF app, so it’s all digital and I don’t have to worry about validation.
• In order to take the train, you can take any of the tram lines from the Nice Airport to the first stop, called Grand Arenas, get off, and then follow the signs to the train station.
  • It’s about a 15-20 minute walk from this stop. Taking the tram to this stop is free from the airport and will save you time and energy depending on the amount of luggage you have with you.
  • For more information, please refer to this great blog, which I have used in the past for figuring out how to get around this region.

Bus

• The #250 bus route is an express bus that runs between the Nice Airport (at terminal 2) and Vallauris.
  • The cost for a one-way ticket is 11€ and for a round-trip ticket it is 16.50€.
  • Tickets can be purchased ahead of time here or on the SNCF app.
  • There are only 5 stops between the airport and the Antibes Pole d’Echanges bus station.
  • This option takes about 30 minutes.
• Another option is the #200 local bus.
  • There are 27 stops from the cloests stop near the airport (which is not at the airport).
  • It takes about 1 hour to get from the airport to Pole d’Echanges.
  • There is not a lot of room for luggage, as this line is targeted for locals or other people not traveling from the airport. I believe there are addititional fees for luggage.
  • I clearly do not think this is best option, but it’s an option.

What to do in Antibes

It really all depends on you and what you like to do, but here are some of my favorite things to do while in Antibes:

Take A French Class

• Take a French immersion class — as previously mentioned, this is what brought me to Antibes initially, and it’s what keeps me coming back. I take classes at the Centre International d’Antibes, or CIA for short. Look for my post upcoming post that details what it’s like taking French immersion clases in France. I’ll update this post once it’s up!

Go To The Beach

• Go to the beach — another one of my favorite pastimes is relaxing on the beach. I love to grab a bottle of wine and some items at the marché for a quick picnic. Bonus! They’re meticulously clean.
• My favorite beach is Plage de la Gravette (see the picture above if you need more convincing).
• Plage du Ponteil is also very lovely. There are benches along the promenade and it’s one of my favorite places to go running in Antibes. The shoreline is more narrow here, but I still really enjoy it here.
• All of the beaches can and do get crowded, so be prepared to go early or late to get a good spot.

Visit The Local Markets

• There are a few different types of markets in Antibes, but my favorite is Le Marché Provençal d’Antibes.
  • Le Marché Provençal is a food market that runs every day of the week except Monday. On Sunday, there are usually jewerly and clothes vendors too!
  • You can food fresh vegetables and fruits, cheese, meats, spices, and gifts, including the local soaps and other lavender scented items.
  • I find that the prices are a bit higher, but while on vacation, it’s a great place to grab some food for a picnic (practically a national pasttime in France) and head to the beach!
• You can find more information about all of the markets here.

See Some Art

• Antibes is known for its art scene, which is part of the magic of Antibes.
• The Picasso Museum has an interesting history and a lovely terrace that overlooks the sea.
• Another interesting option is The Post Card Museum! I haven’t been yet, but I hear from good sources that it is worth the time and 8€ admission price.
• There is also a ton of street art, such as the piece below. To visit, you can walk along the ramparts in the harbor.

Hike

• Le Sentier du Littoral is a 5 km coastal walk around the southernmost tip of the Cap d’Antibes that takes you by some of the most breathtaking views of the costline and sea I have ever seen.
• It can take as little or as long as you would like as there are places to stop and have a picnic.
• The starting point is not too far from the old town of Antibes, but you can take a bus there too.
• Make sure you have water, sunscreen, a hat, and some snacks if you don’t plan to have a picnic.
• Bring a camera, or make sure your phone is fully charged to make sure you can some beautiful pictures.

Where to Stay

• There are a lot of places to stay in Antibes including holiday rentals, Airbnb, and hotels. I’ve actually never stayed in a hotel in Antibes! I’ve always rented an Airbnb or a holiday rental because I’ve typically stayed for an extended time frame and needed a kitchen.
• My first choice would be to rent an apartment from the lovely Tom and Paul at Antibes Rental. My friends and I have rented with them for 2 years and have already reserved for 2021. I have rented two separate apartments from Antibes Rental and both have been lovely and well equipped. Tom and Paul really go above and beyond to provide whatever you might need.

• Of course, Airbnb is an option too. I have used this service twice in Antibes for two separate rentals…the first time was okay, but not great and the second time was great for a short stay.
• Hotels are always a great option for those that are planning a shorter stay or don’t need a kitchen.
  • I really love using Booking.com for booking places to stay in Europe.

Where to Eat

• There are a lot of different places to eat in Antibes and each year it seems that more and more types of cuisines are available. Vegan? Check. Gluten-free? Check. Traditional French? Obviously, check.
• Here is a short-list of places that I can strongly recommend:
  • The Green Burger Factory
    • Cuisine type: vegan and vegetarian. They offer burgers (including the Beyond Burger!), fries (regular and sweet), salads, housemade juices, and vegan desserts too!
    • My friends and I have come here for three years now and obviously, we missed a year due to the pandemic. On our first visit this year the owner remembered us after not seeing us for almost two years! He even remembered where we were from! It really adds to the joy that we feel going to this place.
  • Le 44
    • Cuisine type: omivore, including a vegan tasting menu!
    • The vegan tasting menu was delicious and they even made us a delicious sparkling ginger cocktail.
  • Lilian Bonnefoi
    • Cuisine type: chocolatier, brunch, breakfast, and lunch. Vegetarian options exist.
    • We had the brunch here and it was wonderful. Their macarons and other pâtisserie were lovely.
  • La Taille de Guêpe
    • Cuisine type: French, with vegetarian and vegan options if requested.
    • I had one of the best meals I’ve had in Antibes here…the chef made me a special meal the FIRST time we went — I think we went a total of two times on this trip — tofu, creamy rice, sautéed veggies, it was simply amazing!
  • Le P’tit Cageot
    • Cuisine type: French. Vegetarian options are possible. Vegan options may be available if you call in advance to request.
    • I had a really nice risotto at Le P’tit Cageot.
    • If you’re interested in trying this restaurant, I recommend you reserve EARLY. We had reserved one night prior to arriving and we were unable to get in again the full three weeks that we were there.

Final Thoughts

If you’re still interested in learning more about Antibes, then I recommend that you consider reading Antibes Insider. It’s a great book put together by the owners of Antibes Rental and they’ve just put out the second edition.

Have you ever been to Antibes? If so, what is your favorite part or memory of your time there? If not, does this blog post make you want to visit?

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