Elegant, Historic Old Antibes

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There is a dearth of open spaces along the French Riviera, but nevertheless there are a few places where the bustle of modern life does not overwhelm the beauty and history of the past. Such a place is Old Antibes, the “heart” of a thoroughly modern city of about 100,000 half-way between ritzy-glitzy Cannes and huge, sprawling Nice. I was fortunate to spend three weeks there one February, with unfailingly sunny days and Celsius temperatures in the teens (the 50s and low 60sF). To a Canadian escaping our seemingly interminable winters in various places ever since 1986 it was paradise. Overall, Antibes provided one of the most relaxed, interesting and enjoyable escapes that I have ever experienced anywhere.

It was founded by the Greeks in the fifth century BC, annexed by Rome in 43 BC, and Christianized in the 4^th century AD. After centuries of wars and numerous invasions, it became a heavily fortified “royal city” in 1608. Today its “Square Fort” and parts of the impressive ramparts still exist, and it also has the largest marina and yacht harbour in the Mediterranean. Here’s a good source of additional information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibes .

This article will only be about the “Old Town”, the part of the city that was originally contained within the fortified ramparts and is small and easy to explore on foot. There will be a subsequent article about the Fort and the marina. I found Antibes to be a refreshingly “different” place, in that while tourists flock to it in the summer, there appears to be no effort by local officials to aggressively publicize it. They seem to be saying: “You are welcome to come and enjoy our town, but just don’t overwhelm us”.

Don’t forget to click on any of the 33 photos if you wish to enlarge it.

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Comments

[Misty]

What a beautifully maintained and historic oasis! Love the photo of the ramparts in the the main area of town, so commanding! One of my best friends is a 'Grimaldi' so I'll let her know that she's a descendant of the Rulers of Monaco!! :D

[Home and Away]

Thanks for the memories...
we spent many a vacation in Antibes when we lived in Europe from 1977 to 1995. I agree that it is the nicest town on the Riviera. We would stay at the Hotel Royale.