Cap d'Antibes

Breathtaking Cap d’Antibes.  The intimate playground of the rich, perhaps not everyone can afford the luxury of living on this southern end of the Antibes peninsula but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the time and explore it for yourself.

Two early visitors to this area were Gerald and Sara Murphy, wealthy Americans who found a sense of freedom and play here and who have been credited with establishing the French Riviera as a summer resort destination.

Other famous notables such as Coco Chanel and Marlene Dietrich helped establish the lavish and historic Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc as the place to stay and be seen. 

And let’s not forget that it is said F. Scott Fitzgerald took inspiration in writing his novel ‘Tender Is The Night’ from living in this part of the world.

Cap d’Antibes is truly a special place, it feels a touch urban yet maintains its own quiet existence through its refinements, and the people that live here can be some of the most generous and kind you will ever meet.

Drive, bike or even just walk along the twisting roads of Cap d’Antibes, never knowing what kind of spectacular estate you will see next.  Each exclusive property here showcases the best in which the owner might be, this is where history, character and design are revered.

You won’t find a mass of shops in Cap d’Antibes, in fact there is only a handful of resort hotels sprinkled about in which to choose from, but you can also always rent a villa!

The same goes for the restaurants, there may only be a small selection of them but they are among the best.  Expect to experience a life here that is relaxing and refreshing, this area is certainly no tourist trap.

A lovely spot to capture some of the best views of the region is the Garoupe Lighthouse perched smack dab in the middle of Cap d’Antibes, so large, it can be seen from as far away as Cannes and Nice.

One way to find the lighthouse is to walk about a kilometer up the Chemin de Calvaire from Plage de la Salis, you will find signs posted everywhere on how to reach the lighthouse.

As for beaches, the most popular one seems to be Garoupe Beach, it’s large with immaculately clean, soft sand and it also happens to be an excellent area for swimming in the crystal clear Mediterranean Sea.

Make sure you arrive early so that you can rent a lounge chair and if you’re hungry, here is where you will find those few beach snack bars and restaurants.

And here’s an insider tip: a couple of the reasons Garoupe Beach is so popular is because of how it is situated, facing east it is protected from the wind and also the glare of the summer sun isn’t as strong when people are looking for a break from the heat.

No matter what time of the year you travel through, Cap d’Antibes presents an ease and elegance that must be experienced for yourself.