Beaches

There are lots of stunning Cap d’Antibes beaches. Choose from sandy, rocky or private, the Cap has a beach for everyone. Below is my guide to the best ones. It goes without saying that in the high season especially in August you need to get to the Cap d’Antibes beaches early to avoid the crowds. I also advise not coming by car in August if possible as it can be difficult to find a parking space if you arrive after 9am. If you don’t mind a few rocks then there are many little spots along the coast road and the Sentier du littoral where you can escape the crowds.

Plage de la Salis and Ponteil

These are the closest public sandy beaches to Antibes. There are several snacks along both beaches where you can grab some lunch or ice cream.

If you want to work off those Holiday lunches there are often free keep fit classes at the yacht club end of Plage de la Salis. Starting at around 7pm every Thursday throughout July and August just turn up and join in.

If you are an early bird then I highly recommend a sunrise paddle board from Plage de la Salis. Check the sunrise time before you leave as it obviously changes daily. I did this last year and it was incredible!

Both beaches have lifeguards, parking and public toilets.

For visitors who prefer a private beach pop along to the Hotel Royal beach club situated at the beginning of Plage Ponteil.

Insider tip:

If you want to sample a Pan Bagnat (a nicoise speciality) then the best one can be found at Chez Josy on plage de la Salis. A favourite of the locals Chez Josy have been making these classic tuna sandwiches since 1965.

Plage de la Garoupe

An idyllic sandy beach with stunning views of the sea and the mountains beyond. The public part of this popular beach is relatively small so make sure you get here early in the high season.

The Mairie rents sun loungers and parasols here too during the high season at greatly subsidised prices. However, you can’t reserve them, it’s first come first served. The best beds are usually gone by 9am. Read more here.

If you prefer a little bit of Riviera luxury then there are also two private beach clubs here. Plage Keller and Plage Joseph, both have restaurants and are great spots for lunch. You can also rent sun loungers either on the beach or on their Pontoons.

Plages Keller and  Joseph are open daily (weather permitting) from March until the end of September.

Plage des Ondes

Plage des Ondes is another of the Caps amazing sandy beaches and my personal favourite. It’s most distinguishing feature is the ‘Petit Tour’ or little tower.

The water here is always crystal clear and it’s a great place for snorkelling. This beach is also a Popular beach to watch the sun go down. In the summer there are always lots of locals who gather here for sun downers and picnics. It can often turn into quite a party with music and dancing. If you are lucky you might find yourself here on one of these evenings.

Landmarks:

Petit tour about – history

Probably the most photographed place on the Cap. The petit tour originally belonged to Villa l’Etoile oppositeacting as a private beach house for the then owners. Contrary to popular belief this tower has only been in existence since the beginning of the 50’s although it looks like it has been standing here since the beginning of time.

The tower also once acted as private dressing room for Martine Carole, a famous French actress of the time, during the filming of ‘Un soir sur la Plage’ released in 1960.

In the film you can see the tower in its’ original glory. It had window frames, wooden front and back doors and inside it was fully furnished with a day bed and changing area. Attached to the back was a beautiful pontoon where the owners would moor their boats. It was and still is the most beautiful little structure.

To read more about this little tower click here

Popular activities from Plage des Ondes: Paddle Boarding. Bring your own or rent one from the many rental companies who hire them by the hour. See ‘Things to do’ for details.

The Space Invader at the entrance to the beach By ‘Invader’

Invader is the pseudonym of a French urban artist, whose work is modelled on the  pixellation of 1970s–1980s 8-bit video games. He took his name from the 1978 arcade game Space Invaders, and much of his work is composed of square ceramic tiles inspired by video game characters. There are several ‘Space Invaders’ dotted around Antibes and Juan Les Pins

The Plage des Ondes space invader first appeared a few years ago. Since then it has been replaced several times because people keep stealing it!

The little red and black lighthouse out to sea.

It may just look like a regular lighthouse but 20 metres beneath it lies an abandoned 1000m2 miniature town built in the 60’s as a film set.

The french town is complete with houses and buildings up to a meter high including a church, town square, an amphitheatre and even a lawyer’s office.

It was built between 1963 and 1965 by French filmmakers for their movie, L’Enfant et la Sirène (The Child and the Mermaid). It was eventually decided that it would be more practical to shoot the movie in a studio. The underwater town was never used and left to the elements. .

If you would like to explore it for yourself then Diamond Diving and Easy Dive can take you there. Contact them on

Diamond Diving: info@diamonddiving.net  T:+33(0) 615 305 223

Easy Dive: easydive@easydive.fr  T:+33 4 93 61 26 07 / +33 4 93 43 40 42

Insider Tip:

Due to it’s popularity Plage des Ondes can get extremely busy in August. I advise that you arrive either very early, before 9am, or just after lunch, at around 14h. Saturdays can often be a little quieter as it’s change over day for holiday rentals.

In the summer much of the beach is in shade from the trees behind but only until about 11am. The beach has 2 public toilets and showers.

There are several other little non sandy beaches along the coastal road where you can sunbathe and swim if Plage des Ondes is too busy.

Baie des Milliardaires

Snuggled beneath the gardens of the Villa Eilenroc is the beautiful Baie des Milliardaires, a rocky beach with crystal blue water. The sea here is deep, super clean and there are lots of fish to see if you enjoy snorkeling.

When the sandy beaches are busy during the high season, this beach is the perfect place to escape from the crowds. If you decide to spend the day here bring rock shoes and maybe a yoga mat to sit on. Although beautiful the large rocks can make it a little uncomfortable so come prepared. There are also lots of other spots along the Sentier du Littoral to explore, the choice is yours.

The bay is also a popular place for boat owners. If you have the opportunity to visit Cap d’Antibes by boat then I would highly recommend anchoring up here for the afternoon.

Plage Pecheurs, Port Crouton, Sandy beach.

Don’t be put off by the fact that the entrance down to this beach looks like it’s part of the Cap d’Antibes Beach hotel. It isn’t. If you drive or walk down the side of the hotel you will reach the ports public car park and the sandy public beach.

There is a beach Snack at the entrance to the beach.

Alternatively reserve a sun bed at the Cap d’antibes beach hotel or Le Provencal Beach.

Plage Gallice, next to Port Gallice, sandy beach.

A good sized public sandy beach just to the side of the Port. It’s a nice beach for younger children as the water is shallow and there is lots of space for making sand castles and playing ball games.

If you are coming by car you can park in the Port but better to try to get a spot on the street as it is cheaper.

For supplies there is a Food truck in the car park.

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