Visit Antibes, the Mediterranean city-state

1.  Visit the heart of Vieil-Antibes

Head for the old town to bring yourself up to speed with the pace of the Côte d’Azur. Here, the watchwords are warmth and friendliness; everything you need to immerse yourself in the local colour and visit the Provencal market.

Fish, fruit and vegetables, traditional dishes and local crafts folk: give yourself over to the flavours of the Mediterranean, strolling between the stalls in this typical market. It is open every day in summer and from Tuesday to Sunday the rest of the year. With your basket full and the sun at its zenith, it’s time to go back and taste your discoveries!

Take a detour via Rue du Saint-Esprit: you will pass the Saint-Esprit d’Antibes [Holy Spirit of Antibes] chapel and Notre-Dame de l’immaculée Conception [Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception] cathedral. Two ochre-coloured monuments that are worth the climb!

2.  Be amazed at the Picasso Museum

The fascia of the Picasso museum sets the tone: art, a view and charm. At the gates of Vieil-Antibes, in the Grimaldi chateau beside the sea, the museum devoted to the artist Picasso blends with the white stones of the ramparts! Whether you choose to visit alone or with a guide, the works of Picasso, Nicolas de Staël, César and Modigliani will no longer hold any secrets for you.

The benefits of a guide? Learn more about the background to the creation of the works as well as the link between the artists and the town of Antibes.

Don’t leave the site too quickly! The museum visit continues outside its walls, on its pretty panoramic terrace that affords you a tableau combining azure blue and sculpture by Mirò. What better than to leave with stars in your eyes!

The Picasso Museum is not the only art centre in the town! To continue your artistic visits, here are a few museums not to be missed:

●     Peynet Museum: humorous and satirist drawings

●     Museum of archaeology: the story of Antibes during Antiquity

●     Postcard museum

●     Tower museum: customs and costumes from the 19th and 20th centuries in Antibes

4.  Head up to the famous La Garoupe Chapel

For a beautiful end to your visit to Antibes, what if you were to enjoy one of the prettiest views in the region? To get there, take the Chemin du Calvaire bordered by a forest and head up to the La Garoupe plateau. A panoramic view over the Mediterranean, the coasts of Cannes and Nice: breathe… you’ve arrived!

Can you see the La Garoupe lighthouse? It is one of the most powerful on the Côte d’Azur, with the light intensity of over 2 million candles!

Then head for the La Garoupe sanctuary: it houses the famous Chapel of Notre-Dame de la Garoupe [Our Lady of La Garoupe], a listed historic monument. Dating from the end of the Middle Ages, the building comprises a tower, the Notre-Dame de la Garde [Our Lady of La Garde] chapel and the Sainte-Hélène chapel. While some believe this is the most beautiful chapel in the world, it is without doubt one of the heritage jewels of the town of Antibes!

To fully enjoy this idyllic setting, the menu at the café terrace on the plateau offers: Pissaladière, farcis niçois and pan bagnat! A certified Perfect Moment!