the westward classic
Antibes is three coasts in one town: the old city behind its sea ramparts, Port Vauban’s billionaire quay, and the Cap d’Antibes — pine-dark, villa-lined, with the softest anchorages west of Beaulieu. Our westward days thread all three, with Nice’s promenade as the opening act.
Timings are from her berth at Beaulieu-sur-Mer. Staying closer? We bring her to you — and it is simply a boat day in Antibes instead.
Antibes’ ramparts were built to be judged from the water, and they still win the argument: the old town rises straight from the sea behind them, Fort Carré stands its star-shaped ground by the port mouth, and inside Port Vauban the superyacht quay runs boats the length of buildings. We idle it shamelessly. Everyone does.
Picasso worked in the château on the ramparts for a season in 1946 and left the town its museum — if a shore hour appeals, the dinghy drop puts you two streets from it, and from the Marché Provençal, which out-markets anything else on this coast before noon.
South of the town, the Cap d’Antibes does quietly what Cap Ferrat does famously: pines, villas, and a string of anchorages — l’Argent Faux, the Billionaires’ Bay of the postcards — where the water goes that improbable Riviera green over sand. The Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc’s diving board juts from the rocks like a dare. Lunch can be a booked table ashore in Juan-les-Pins or aboard at anchor off the Cap; and the Lérins islands are twenty minutes further when the mood takes you.
a few suggestions
These are suggestions, nothing more — places we actually take guests, each with the captain’s own note. Tell us which ones tempt you and the day is built around them, name somewhere that is not on the list and we go there instead — or leave the whole thing with us.
Restaurants
arrive by sea
On the Cap d’Antibes shore since 1948, and still the coast’s serious address for bouillabaisse and whole grilled fish.
A short tender from the Cap anchorages, and the terrace looks straight back at the old town. Worth structuring a westward day around.
Anchorages
arrive by sea
One of the Cap d’Antibes anchorages where the water goes that improbable Riviera green over sand.
The Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc’s diving board juts from the rocks nearby like a dare. The swimming here is the west coast’s best.
Sights & museums
arrive by sea
Under its iron roof in the old town, out-marketing anything else on this coast before noon.
The dinghy drop puts you two streets away — and two streets from the Picasso museum in the château on the ramparts.
Sights & museums
arrive by sea
The superyacht quay where the boats run to the length of buildings, beneath the star-shaped Fort Carré.
We idle it shamelessly. Everyone does — it is the best free spectacle between here and Monaco.
Hotels
The 1870 palace in twenty-two acres at the Cap’s tip, with the Eden-Roc pavilion and its famous diving board cut into the rocks.
You will see the diving board from the water whether you are staying there or not — and everyone photographs it.
whatever you have in mind, that is the day we build
from the log
Not remotely — about thirty-five minutes at cruising speed, with the whole Nice seafront as scenery en route, and the Lérins islands twenty minutes further if the mood takes you. There is still all the swim time you could want either side of lunch.
Yes — it is the classic long western day: ramparts and the Cap in the morning, the islands’ clear anchorage after lunch, home in the golden hour. The captain picks the smoothest day of your stay for it, and the run itself is half the pleasure.
One boat, one crew, up to 10 guests, and a coast that is entirely yours for the day. Tell us how you want to spend it and the rest is ours to arrange. The day is yours and it is our pleasure to be part of it.