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.

Antibes

Antibes is a place in the French Riviera along the sea between Nice and Cannes that has a pleasant old world charm yet still maintains all the sophistications that a small city has to offer.

The history of Antibes goes back to 5th century BC when it was used as a Greek colony due to it being a naturally protected port which also then made it an important trading center.

This way of life still stands today where Port Vauban is in full operation mooring some of the world’s largest and most luxurious yachts, especially along the Quai de Milliardaires where celebrities such as Beyonce, Jay-Z and Rihanna usually charter their vacation yachts situated across the port from Fort Carre.

Next to the port is what is affectionately known as, “Old Town Antibes” an area still surrounded by many of its original fortified walls.

Having lived within this part of Antibes in 2012, I can tell you that one of the most wonderful things you can do there is to wake up early on a sunny morning and make your way along one of the many cobbled pedestrian streets to browse through any number of the outdoor public markets that sell everything from fresh food such as at the Provencal Market, with other markets selling clothing and even antiques.

Alongside the markets are a vast array of boutiques selling anything you can imagine from one of a kind items of clothing and jewelry located next to some of the best restaurants in the Cote d’Azur.  And don’t forget to visit the Picasso Museum within Chateau Grimaldi!

Antibes quickly feels like home, the people are friendly and inviting, there is a strong sense of community here, and also a large number of English speaking individuals with seemingly everyone willing to help you out with whatever you needed. 

And be sure to check out the local establishments such as the Blue Lady Pub, popular places like these are fun with new friends and excellent venues to spot the hot ‘Yachties’ working out of the port for the main yachting season.

One of the other things to be enjoyed in Antibes is the beaches, it would almost be a sin not to take a break and walk to any local beach of your choice.

When there, I usually head to Royal Beach located just south of Old Town towards Cap d'Antibes, like the other beaches it is clean and perfect for a refreshing swim but I also found out this can be a fun cruising type beach, yet not overtly so.

Since there are no gay nightclubs in Antibes (yet), you’ve got to do what you can. Apps like Grindr can yield results but it was easy to meet people at the beach and surprisingly even in the grocery stores you might find the odd guy flirting with you.

Without even trying you will likely pass through Place General de Gaulle in Antibes, this area has some beautiful architecture such as the Grand Hotel which houses the Monoprix grocery and department store and also the Maison du Tourisme d'Antibes.

The square is unique in how it is surrounded by trees in which to relax under on a park bench with the main area having a large water feature that will surprise a tourist or two when they aren’t looking as it shoots water high up from ground level.

If you were looking for the Antibes train station, from Place General de Gaulle go to avenue Robert Soleau next to the Grand Hotel and follow it a few blocks northwest.

Antibes has a very good bus and train transportation system that are a cinch to navigate and will get you to and from cities like Nice and Cannes, both being short distances away.

So if you find yourself in the French Riviera, plan a day or two in Antibes, you'll be glad you did.

Pulp Fiction Saloon

The French Riviera has some of the most eclectic mixes of gay and gay-friendly venues to choose from, rather than the generic "sure thing" brand business owners tend to lean towards these days in hopes to ensure more bang for their buck, in a city such as Nice it seems you can always see a reflection of the individual in what their business represents and serves.

Pulp Fiction Saloon Facebook

A fine example of that would be the Pulp Fiction Saloon situated at: 7 rue Emmanuel Philibert in “le petit Marais”, otherwise known as the gay district of Nice close to Place Garibaldi.

You can feel the rock n’roll vibe as you approach Pulp Fiction, at first you don’t know if it’s going to be some kind of hard ass biker type bar inside but as you get closer you notice that yes, the décor is strong and masculine but the place is certainly inviting and comfortable.

And you’ll also see right away that the owner and staff have a very cool vibe going on with the hair, tattoos and jewelry, yet any attitude you might be expecting is dropped and they are more than ready to help you with whatever you would like and it’s all done with a smile.

Having opened in December of 2011, Pulp Fiction attracts a fab array of patrons; you could describe some them as being very rockabilly chic in the way they look and then there is also a dash of hipsters thrown in the mix and for the most part, on the side of gay.

You never know what to expect when you come to Pulp Fiction, some nights it can be somber and lounge-like as you sip on your choice of a reasonably priced drink, and other times, especially when there is an event going on, it can get very lively to the point that all the patrons inside spill to the outside area which then makes it feel like a big street party is happening.

Pulp Fiction Saloon is the kind of gay-friendly establishment where you can stop by to meet up with friends on the way to a dinner party or you could also choose to make a night of it.  Be sure to check it out.