19 July: France, Summer Day One: Travel & Antibes.
Travel
Up early for our flight to Nice this morning. Check in and airport at Dubai is generally easy and soon we’re breakfasting in the lounge. Still working towards leave, Jason & I send out last minute emails before boarding and I download my memos and bits to complete and review during the flight. Thankfully the day passes with a relatively uneventful flight, albeit a bit of a delay at the airport on arrival. A quick Uber from Nice airport to old town Antibes is an easy transfer, as is navigation to our Airbnb at 9 Rue de Palmier.
After a final work call, I can finally switch off. It’s now 5pm local time and we head out to explore Centre Ville.
Arrival
The old town is located on the harbor which is our ‘first port of call’, along with the local beach and a walk of the ramparts.
First impressions are good. Exceptionally cute old town, cobbled streets, shuttered windows, some with flower boxes, some with wrought iron balconies. Some with both.
The harbour has some enormous vessels. Later I find out it’s the deepest port on the Mediterranean side of France and all the mega yachts that are too deep for other harbors are docked here. Honestly, even compared to Dubai it’s jaw-dropping!
Old Town
Back into the cobbled streets we explore for a bit and enjoy a gelato – lemon, strawberry and kinder Bueno. We sit in the square, Place Nationale, licking our sticky, quickly melting treat and watch the kids running around. Then we head back to the apartment for a rest before dinner.
On emerging after a siesta and freshen up, we observe tourists and locals alike. Everyone is sitting at one of the abundance of restaurants and cafes taking an aperitif. Those that are not sitting are walking looking for somewhere to stop. Charcuterie and plates du jour appear on tables. Diners laugh and talk, dogs wait patiently on laps or under tables.
Chez Jules
We do a lap before selecting Chez Jules for dinner for three. On a cozy looking corner of Rue Thuret, here Chez Jules occupies 3 of the four corners. Tables cloths and silverware are precious terrain as we struggle to secure a table. Also struggling with our limited French we clumsily attempt to order drinks. Two cocktail specials (excellent!) and a lemonade for Jasper. Mains is even more challenging: eggplant Parmigiana, fried calamari, Truffle gnocchi and stuffed zucchini flowers.
While we eat, an American from Paris serenades diners in the street. As the light fades, turning the sky first to cerulean blue and slowly darkening to midnight blue as the stars begin to appear, we make our way back to our room. Filled with excellent food and excitement of what the next few days might hold, exploring this pretty town of Antibes.
Good To Know
Emirates Airlines flies to Nice directly from Dubai. An Uber from Nice Airport to Antibes is about EUR40.
The beaches are free but busy in summer. Some beaches in the area are rocky. A snorkel and water shoes are good investments if you want to make the most of the clear Mediterranean waters around the area.
Chez Jules is an atmospheric spot for dinner. Other popular areas for dining are along Rue Aubernon, Place Nationale and Place des Martyrs de la Resistance.
Would I Return?
Yes.