Juan Les Pins

Juan Les Pins is a small town with many boutiques, restaurants and cafes. There are boutiques for all tastes and pockets. Juan Les Pins becomes a hive of activity in July and August and is particularly popular with teenagers during this period. Apart from July and August it is a calm location and an uplifting destination in the winter months with usually bright blue skies.

There are many beaches all of which are sandy and you can choose between a “pay beach” where a mattress will cost approximately 17 Euros per day or a “free beach”. The pay beaches have all the usual facilities and some have excellent restaurants.

There is a park in the centre of Juan Les Pins. If you have small children they will enjoy this area with a well-equipped playground, an electric train and roundabout.

There is a little “train” which frequently runs through the streets of Juan Les Pins to Antibes as a tourist attraction. It is useful to make this an early trip as it should help you to locate your whereabouts and to enable you to decide which areas of Juan Les Pins and Antibes you prefer.

It is possible to take a boat trip to the Iles Lerins and the boats depart from the jetty virtually opposite the Tourist Office in Juan Les Pins.

Juan Les Pins is renowned for its jazz festival held in July of every year.

Antibes

Antibes is a larger town and situated adjacent to Juan Les Pins. The historic old town has areas dating back to Roman times. Again, there are many shops catering to all budgets and a plethora of cafes and restaurants. The lighthouse at the top of Cap D’Antibes is open to the public and gives a panoramic view of the area.

There is a daily market in Antibes, with the exception of Monday morning, which opens at 8.30am and closes at 12 noon. This is situated in the old town of Antibes and there is a wonderful selection of fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, cheeses, meat, fish etc. The market is always bustling and is well worth a visit.

The harbour in Antibes is well worth a visit. In the harbour there are many boats to look at and if you walk alongside the arches, you will come to the outer harbour where the millionaires’ boats are located - some with helicopter pads and tenders larger than the boats in the inner harbour and some the size of small cruise liners!

There are also sandy beaches with a choice of either a “free” or a “pay” beach.

There are interesting museums including the History and Archeology museum, the Picasso Museum which is located in the old town of Antibes and the Navel and Napoleonic museum on Cap D’Antibes.

Local Transport

There are bus stops in both directions located in the Avenue de Cannes at the entrance to the Roserarie des Mesanges. You can either pay as you go or buy a book of tickets. It is possible to get a but to and from Nice Airport from the local bus stop. The bus services are frequent and inexpensive.

There is a train station in Juan Les Pins. The main train line hugs the coast with some spectacular views. The train service gives easy access to Cannes, Nice and other towns.

Beaches

The local beach, which is free, is approximately five/ten minutes walk away.

Alternatively, if you prefer “pay” beaches, there are many to choose from in Juan Les Pins.

Local Shops

Within a 5 minute stroll from the villa, to the right as you leave the Roseraie des Mesanges there is a local post office, a small general food store which is particularly good for fresh fruit, vegetables and cheese, 2 boulangeries (bakeries), a small frozen food store and a chemist.

There is a small rotisserie which sells freshly roasted chickens and a Mister Pizza who will deliver!

Within a 10 minute walk in the same direction (but across the roundabout) is the complex known as Antibes les Pins. This is a new development where shops are still opening but it already has a supermarket, E. Leclerc, dry cleaners/launderette, a cyber café with internet access, tobacconist/ news agent which also sells English newspapers, postcards etc and a hairdressers. There are two cafés one of which has a creperie and ice cream parlour.

A walk along the water features in the centre of the complex leads to a pleasant park with exotic plants and a small lake.

Golf & Tennis

There are a number of golf courses within easy driving distance of “L’Aureole” amongst them – Cannes Mougins 18 holes, 72 par, Royal Mougins 18 holes, 71 par and Valbonne Victoria Golf Club 9 holes 34 par. There is also the Sophia Antipolis Country Club which offers golf, tennis and swimming.

There are tennis courts within a 5 minute walk from the villa and these can be pre-booked by telephone between the hours of 9am and 6pm.

Rambling

There are many beautiful areas to walk either along or close to the coast or in the Alpes de Provence. Some walks have stunning views. Details of walks in the area are to be found in the information folder.

Water Sports

Sailing, surfing, diving, water skiing, jet skis and para-gliding are available at some of the beaches.

Further information regarding the above and other activities and attractions in the area may be found in the information folder in the villa.