© Mairie de Antibes
Beautiful beaches in Antibes
Discover the top beaches in Antibes
If there’s one thing that the commune of Antibes-Juan les Pins does particularly well is its beaches. Antibes sits at the end of the long sweep of the Bay of Angels, which marks the end of the pebbled beaches and the beginning of the soft white sandy stretches. As such, Antibes-Juan les Pins is a very popular beach destination, marrying the old world charm of narrow streets and medieval towers with sandy shores, clear waters, beach clubs, restaurants and watersports.
| Best 15 beaches in & around Antibes | |
|---|---|
| Antibes | Plage de la Gravette, Plage Ponteil, Plage de la Salis, Plage du Fort Carre |
| Cap d'Antibes | Plage de la Garoupe, Plage de l'Olivette, Plage des Ondes, Plage du Crouton, Cap d'Antibes coves |
| Juan les Pins | Plage de la Gallice, Plage Epi Hollywood, Casino Beach, Grande Plage, Plage du Pont du Lys, Ponton Courbet Beach |
When considering Antibes as your destination, always bear in mind that the Commune of Antibes-Juan-les-Pins actually covers a huge area that includes Antibes Old Town, the Antibes ‘open’ beaches, Cap d’Antibes and, on the other side of the headland, the sunny beach resort of Juan-les-Pins. All these four areas have beautiful, sandy beaches, as well as some secluded pebbled coves and rocky platforms for sunning yourselves on the famed Cap d’Antibes. Antibes beaches are almost entirely public, while Juan-les-Pins has some public beaches and quite a lot of fancy private beach clubs.
Best Beaches in Antibes
1. Plage de la Gravette
The Plage de la Gravette is a horseshoe-shaped beach below Antibes medieval ramparts that has a lot going for it. It’s wide, it’s sandy, it’s completely public, and it’s right in the middle of the old town, making it perfect for a quick swim while exploring Antibes, or to spread out with a picnic for the day.
2. Plage Ponteil
Plage Ponteil is a lovely sandy beach with a stunning view back over the town towards the Alps, although it’s not terribly wide and does get very packed in summer. Almost entirely public, there is one beach club in the corner and a sailing and watersports centre.
3. Plage de la Salis
Running from Antibes Sailing Club down to the beginning of Cap d’Antibes, Plage de la Salis is a laid-back public beach with lovely soft white sand and wonderful views of the Old Town and the Cap d’Antibes. Like the neighbouring Plage Ponteil, this beach gets quite crowded in the summer.
4. Plage du Fort Carré & Plage de la Fontonne
Those looking to escape the Antibes summertime crowds have the option of visiting the pebbled beaches that begin at the rocky and narrow Plage du Fort Carré and stretch westwards to the wider and busier section called Plage de la Fontonne, at Biot.
Best Beaches in Cap d'Antibes
5. Plage de la Garoupe
Nestled in a small cove on Cap d’Antibes, Plage de la Garoupe is one of the the prettiest beaches on this stretch of coast. Silky-soft white sands sloping into crystal clear waters, lots of little boats at anchor and the rocky headland a snorkeller’s heaven to explore. However, most of the sand is private during the summer.
6. Port de l'Olivette
Nestled on the Cap but easily reachable by car along Boulevard Maréchal Juin from Juan-les-Pins, Plage de l'Olivette is a gloriously pretty beach filled with colourful fishing boats anchored in the crystal clear water. It has a fine pebble/sand mix.
7. Plage des Ondes
Plage des Ondes is the first sandy beach on the Juan-les-Pins side of the Cap. It’s very narrow with a concrete wall and road at its back but has a picturesque tower sitting in the shallows, and a lovely view across to the Cannes Lérins Islands and the Esterels.
8. Plage du Crouton
Plage du Crouton is one of the least known beaches in the area, which makes it a good escape on days where the main beaches get too crowded. It’s a thin stretch of white sand beach that runs for a couple of hundred metres between Port Gallice and Port Crouton, to the west of Juan les Pins.
9. Cap d’Antibes secluded coves
The hidden beaches of Cap d’Antibes are wild and beautiful, offering seclusion and crystal clear waters difficult to find on the town beaches in mid-summer. There are no facilities whatsoever, no kiosks and no lifeguards – just rocky, quiet coves, hidden bathing platforms cut into the rock and stunning views. You’ll often face a bit of a hike getting to them as well!
Best Beaches in Juan les Pins
10. Plage de la Gallice
Plage de la Gallice is a great little beach: sandy, protected, completely public and not that well-known. This little local’s hangout is found just next to Port Gallice, at the very start of the Cap d’Antibes.
11. Plage Epi Hollywood
A lovely stretch of white sand sloping gently into the sea and affording a stellar view across the bay, Plage Epi Hollywood is almost entirely taken up with private beach restaurants.
12. Casino Beach
Casino Beach is a relatively narrow sandy beach, mostly public, with buildings clustered high over it. It’s got a nice view across the water and is very central to town.
13. Grande Plage
The clue’s in the name: Grande Plage is the ‘big beach’ of Juan-les-Pins, and it’s also one of the widest. This is a great public beach with lots of sand, a nice view over the bay and buzzing energy in the summer months.
14. Plage du Pont du Lys
Plage du Pont du Lys is the last beach of Juan les Pins as the coast curves around towards Golfe Juan. This relatively narrow sandy beach has two halves – with beach clubs at one end and public beach at the other. The main road and train line run behind the public stretch, making it quieter.
