Chemin des Douaniers
Along the verdant seafront of the Cap d'Antibes, this five-kilometer coastal walk provides visitors with a refreshing way to experience the scenery. Beginning at the ramparts of the Old Town, the footpath leads to a small cove and then follows along the walls surrounding the parklands of private castles. The pathway winds around the rocky headland along small freshwater creeks and continues until the tip of Cap d'Antibes at the Villa Eilenroc. It is then possible to take in the exquisite beauty of the Sentier des Douaniers, a pathway surrounded by landscaped gardens that flourish with many fragrant flowers.
Jazz à Juan Festival
The well-known Jazz à Juan festival is held in Antibes every July. The first such festival was a tribute to the famous Jazz musician who loved Antibes, Sidney Bechet. Held in a spectacular setting in Juan-les-Pins under a pine-tree grove near the Mediterranean Sea, the festival has welcomed jazz legends since the 1960s including Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughn. In addition, the festival provides a venue for talented newcomers. The repertoire of music reflects a great diversity of cultures such as American, African, Latin, and Cuban. Musical performances cover a wide range of styles from Cool Jazz and New Orleans Jazz to Gospel, Blues, Swing, Be-Bop, and Electro-Jazz. This special musical festival offers tourists and locals a chance to experience the thriving jazz culture and heritage of Antibes Juan-les-Pins.
Musée Peynet
This unique museum displays a collection of whimsical sculptures, humorous drawings, and comic strips. Founded in 1995, the museum is dedicated to the cartoonist Raymond Peynet's work. His sixty-year career is represented here through the exhibitions of lithographs, etchings, drawings, and other mediums. The museum also regularly hosts temporary exhibitions of other cartoonists' works.
Fort Carré
On the peninsula of Saint-Roch, the Fort Carré is built on a rock at 26 meters above sea level with a 360-degree panoramic view. Built on the orders of King Henry II of France in the second half of the sixteenth century, this amazing fortress was once used as a sentry post and defensive site for Antibes, the last French port before the border with Nice, which at the time was a threat to Antibes. The fort is surrounded by four gorgeous hectares of parkland featuring typical Mediterranean flora and fauna. South of the old fort is the Port Vauban harbor.
Cathedral Notre-Dame
The largest church in Antibes, the Notre-Dame-de-la-Platea Cathedral has a pleasing rose-colored facade that exemplifies Provençal Baroque architecture. In the heart of the Old Town, the cathedral has a magnificent entrance. The intricately detailed doors were sculpted by Jacques Dolle during the 18th century. Visitors will also be delighted by the artwork inside the cathedral, including the noteworthy Vierge du Rosaire painting by Louis Bréa circa 1513. This famous piece depicts Mary holding the Christ child with little cherubs in the background. The panels surrounding the Virgin Mary portrait represent the 15 Mysteries of the Rosary: five each of Joy, Sorrow, and Glory.
Villa Thuret Botanic Gardens
Near the Plateau de la Garoupe on the boulevard du Cap in Antibes, the Jardin Thuret was created by botanist Gustave Thuret who laid it out around 1856. This lush five-hectare botanical garden boasts a great diversity of plants including many native plants that thrive in the climate of the Cap d'Antibes. The garden also features 1,600 different exotic species, including eucalyptus trees from Australia. There is also an arboretum with an extensive collection of trees and shrubs. Besides being a tourist attraction, the Thuret Botanic Gardens serves as a space for scientific research and studies of conservation.