Antibes, the old town
Antibes, the Provençal market
Antibes, Fort CarréAntibes is the Riviera at its most livable. Behind the ramparts, the old town keeps its market, its bakeries and its washing lines; along the quays, Port Vauban lines up some of the largest yachts in the Mediterranean; and between the two stands the Château Grimaldi, where Picasso worked in 1946 and left the paintings that became the first museum dedicated to him.
As a state-licensed guide, I take you inside the Picasso Museum and tell you what happened in those rooms, then out along the ramparts to the market, the covered Cours Masséna where the stalls are at their best before noon. If time allows, we drive around the Cap d'Antibes, past the villas and the pine woods, to the coastal path and the view back over the old town.
What we can see together
The Provençal market
Under the iron roof of the Cours Masséna, every morning in season: goat cheeses, tapenade, socca, flowers, the producers of the hinterland. We taste as we walk.
The Picasso Museum in the Château Grimaldi
The castle of the Grimaldi above the sea, where Picasso painted La Joie de vivre in the autumn of 1946. Entrance fee payable on site; I guide you inside.
The ramparts, Port Vauban and the Fort Carré
The sea walls, the harbor and its famous quay of giant yachts, and across the water the star-shaped 16th-century fort, with the Alps behind on a clear day.
The Cap d'Antibes
Pine woods, hidden coves and the coastal path around the cape, the gardens of the Villa Eilenroc, and the legends of the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc.
Practical details
A 2-hour private tour of Antibes costs €340 per group, not per person. The half-day format (€450) pairs Antibes with Cannes, and the full day (€750) adds Saint-Paul-de-Vence or Nice. An all-electric vehicle is included for up to 3 guests on formats with a vehicle; the old town itself is visited on foot. I meet you at your hotel in Antibes, Juan-les-Pins or Nice, or at the Antibes station. I guide in English, French and Spanish.