Exploring Antibes — Glamour, Art and a Very Good Plan B

Antibes gave us superyachts, sculptures, unexpected waves, decadent lunches and a week of exploring with friends — all wrapped up in sunshine and Riviera sparkle.

9/28/20263 min read

After the glamour of Saint‑Tropez and the underwater adventures off Île Sainte‑Marguerite, Antibes promised a gentler kind of adventure and it delivered.

With Novera’s main sail motor finally fixed and the boat gleaming, we were ready to explore properly. The harbour was a parade of floating palaces, each one bigger and shinier than the last. Nestled between Nice and Cannes, and not far from Saint‑Tropez, Antibes is clearly where the Riviera’s elite come to park their toys. I imagine their owners are all working very hard somewhere to pay the fuel bills while their yachts sit here looking beautiful. We decided to stick with Novera 😂 she may be smaller, but she’s ours, and she’s got character, just like us.

The old town was fabulous: sculptures, galleries and artisans tucked into narrow lanes. We had no idea what to expect, but Antibes didn’t disappoint.

A few days later, our friends arrived, and the week took on a whole new energy. We introduced them to Novera and discovered Lime bikes 🚴‍♀️ the best invention since cold rosé. Grab one, zoom off, and leave it in town without worrying about locks or safe spots. Suddenly a 20‑minute walk in the heat becomes a five‑minute rocket ride. And because every ride is timed and recorded (and charged per minute), we naturally got competitive.

We laughed our way around town, explored the little streets, enjoyed lunch aboard Novera, and even squeezed in a bit of shopping. After a stretch without a female opinion, it was rather lovely to have one again. Dinner that night (in my new top) was fab, and we went to bed excited for their first sail the next day.

Well… the sea had other plans. With almost two‑metre swell just outside the harbour and our stomachs somewhere near our throats, we abandoned the sailing idea within minutes. Plan B turned out to be a short train ride to Cannes, and honestly, it was a brilliant rescue for the day. We wandered through the home of red carpets and film stars, admired the beautiful old boats taking part in the Royal Regatta, and climbed up for a stunning view over the bay. Naturally, we couldn’t resist posing with a very Hollywood‑style Cannes sign. Not the day we planned, but a pretty fun one all the same.

With the swell finally disappearing the next day, we agreed to show Rob the ropes (literally) with a day sail, a snorkel, and the promise of enough wind to get the genoa flying in the afternoon. Eilean sensibly chose a day on land — not everyone has sea legs, and after her very bouncy first introduction, we weren’t surprised she wasn’t keen to jump aboard again so soon.

Rob pulled in the sails, swam in crystal‑clear water, and enjoyed a taste of life on Novera. I suspect we may have a volunteer crew member for future passages. Back on land, with everyone having enjoyed the day, spirits were high as we swapped stories over a few glasses of wine and yet more great food.

The following morning we visited the Picasso Museum terrace and sculpture park. Germaine Richier’s bronze figures ,which we discovered with the help of Google, are part human, part tree. They stand overlooking the Mediterranean, blending nature, art and imagination in the most curious way. Antibes seems to hide art around every corner, and it has quickly become one of my favourite places.

For our last day with our friends, we hopped on the train again and headed to Villefranche‑sur‑Mer. It was wonderfully picturesque: tiny streets winding up to the citadel, beautiful views, and yet more art (some of it perhaps a little too modern for us). Lunch was suitably decadent and a perfect way to finish our week together.