A small guide for a holiday dedicated to sun, sea and relaxation in and around Antibes and Juan-le-Pins. Breathtaking places and good food for a seven-day guide to one of the most beautiful coasts of France 🏖️🇫🇷

Île Sainte-Marguerite, Cannes, Francia

Villefranche-sur-Mer, Francia

Cannes, Francia

Nice, Francia

Antibes, Francia

Cap Ferrat, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Francia

Monaco

Juan-les-Pins, Antibes, Francia

Little guide to a Week in Antibes, Côte d'Azur

Parking lots in Côte d'Azur are usually with white lines (it is difficult to find them in other colours) and the word Payant in the row if it is a paid one. The machines are easy to use and almost always require the license plate of the car.

The first 30 minutes are usually free, but always look for a nearby totem to be safe. Parking, even in central areas, is never overly expensive.

Beware of velox cameras in tunnels. On the motorway, there are many speed cameras in the tunnels of the A8, so be careful with your speed.

Nice and Cannes are definitely popular places, but personally, to best experience the French Riviera I recommend looking for a house/apartment/hotel in Antibes or Juan-le-Pins.

I recommend the old town of Antibes, a really stunning area and practically all pedestrianized or Juan-le-Pins, a little less romantic, but convenient by car and with many little gems!   

• Smaller places and easy to reach on foot

• Less expensive but generally better places

For the first day, I always recommend planning a little and exploring the surrounding area on foot. Depending on the time of arrival, you can easily reach the nearest beach and enjoy the sunset, becoming familiar with the place.

If you are staying in Antibes, I find the Plage du Ponteil beach underestimated cute. It has parking (inexpensive and free for the evening from 7 pm - ideal for then reaching the old town by foot).

One of my favourite beaches is Beach Port Gallice - Small and sheltered from traffic. The bar la Crique is ideal for an aperitif, but offers food and drinks all day. Perfect for watching the sunset!

🎆 Keep an eye out on the Thursdays nights of August for the fireworks show organized by Port Gallice. Grab a bite to eat, a carafe of wine and enjoy a magical show!

Home - Port Gallice

There are several things to visit or activities, but in my experience, it is worth it, especially for the sea and the wild nature.

Near the port is the old town of Villefranche, just before Cap Ferrat. It has a picturesque and quite special style. It is remarkably reachable by public transport, not the same as by car - you have to be lucky enough to find available parking spaces by the port.

Cannes is one of the most famous and popular locations. For this reason, unless you are looking for partying, I do not recommend it on weekends. It is always very crowded and busy, for this reason, I also suggest showing up early at restaurants or making reservations (especially in high season).

Arriving by car, park at the port in the morning so it's easier to find a place. If there is a space, you can park along the seafront. In this case, I advise you to download the parking app: to spend less, re-do the parking ticket every 2/3 hours to take advantage of the discounted rate and not pay for daily parking (much more expensive). Just set the alarm on your phone and re-do the procedure directly from your phone on the beach! 

Have a big breakfast/brunch so you can avoid lunch. Bring water and snacks to the beach, but be careful of pigeons and seagulls when leaving food unattended and not in closed backpacks!

All along the beach of Cannes there are small kiosks that sell food and drinks. Don't worry, they are relatively expensive. The beach is equipped with showers and also public toilets.

The Walk Of Fame is close to the beach and is easily reachable on foot. Outside the festival period, it's nothing special, but if you're a fan or care about it, you can always pop in.

If you want to spend a day out or have dinner in Cannes, I absolutely advise you Le Grain de Sel - One of my favourite restaurants in the South of France!

Cap Ferrat is a must-see because of its beaches. It is quite easy to reach by bus from Nice or Villefranche. By car, you sometimes have to look for a long time for parking and it is quite expensive. The cheapest is at the port, but it is small and it is difficult to find a free spot.

There are several beautiful beaches and the center of the small town is also adorable! Bring your camera and explore the area!

After a day out and about, it's easy to be tired and not feel like overdoing it in the evening. For this reason, I recommend dinner near home at Chez Jules: you eat well and the portions are perfect if you want to share by taking more things!

A bit of culture/Picnic in Villa Ephrussi

Villa Ephrussi is a wonderful place to visit during the day to enjoy the light and the gardens, but also magical in the evening. In the summer there are evenings when you can go for a glass of wine or a picnic (you can also book a full dinner). Since it is an extremely elegant place, I wouldn't go there directly from the beach though!

Villa et Jardins Ephrussi de Rothschil

Nice is a real city, the most beautiful area is the old port, but it is still very pleasant if you know where to go and if you avoid the more basic tourist areas.

One of my favourite, if not my favourite place to have brunch is Clay. Amazing food and it takes the worry out of your mind about lunch, so you can enjoy the beach or the surroundings with a full belly. I love both sweet and savoury options!

If you want to spend a day at the beach. Beautiful water, a rocky beach and frequented by all ages.

Very nice and super good restaurant! Highly recommended for a girls' night out. The location is also perfect for going out after the meal. With clubs and places of all kinds, the port area is definitely, as I said, the most lovely zone of ​​Nice!

If the day is not sunnier or you want to indulge in some culture, these are the recommended museums. I would opt for the Musée Matisse or the Musée du Palais Lascaris – the one of modern art (MAMAC) might not be to everyone's liking.

From Tuesday to Sunday, the famous flower market takes place in the heart of Cours Saleya. If you want to feel like a local, this is the place to go!

At Place Garibaldi you can find the Marché Artisanal Nocturne (night craft market) every evening (except Monday) and during the day on the first Sunday of the month.

Especially if you have never been there, Monaco is a pretty fixed stop for its appeal and charm. Super easy to reach both by train and by car (many parking lots are free or cost a few cents in the evening and you can try the special asphalt in the centre designed for the F1 race). Very beautiful and iconic the view during the day, but in my opinion it is more suggestive at night.

The ultimate guide to little gems for eating, drinking coffee and enjoying the evening in and around Nice. I travelled with a friend, and we mostly went to budget-friendly places.

Little guide to a Week in Antibes, Côte d'Azur

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