Situated Between Nice & Cannes Is A Stunning Coastal Town In France With Old-School Charm

For vintage elegance and old-school charm, the French Riviera is hard to beat. France's Mediterranean coast is dripping with retro chic and classic sophistication, with names that conjure up images of Golden-Age movie stars, European royalty, and timeless luxury, like Cannes, Nice, and St. Tropez. Even the scenery screams style, with the unique coastline of the Calanques National Park serving up hidden bays and secret beaches guarded by towering cliffs, the perfect combination of adventure and secluded paradise.

It might be a French bucket list destination, but there's no getting away from the fact that many of Côte d'Azur's famous spots see a lot of tourist traffic and can be incredibly overcrowded, particularly during summer. It's also fair to say that some of the old-fashioned beauty of the larger towns on the Riviera has been overtaken by big resorts and luxury hotels. Luckily, there are still villages where you can have a crowd-free Riviera experience, and you don't have to go very far off the beaten track to discover towns where time has stood still, like Juan-les-Pins, on the Cap d'Antibes between Cannes and Nice.

Juan-les-Pins is a small town and beach resort on the outskirts of Antibes, about six miles from Cannes and 14 miles from Nice. The nearest airport is Nice Côte d'Azur International, just 9 miles away, which can be reached by car or bus in around half an hour. Cannes International Airport is similarly convenient, about 14 miles away.

While nowhere could be described as 'unfashionable' on the French Riviera, Juan-les-Pins is less flashy and demonstrative than its neighbors. While it might lack the movie-star glam of the celebrity vacation hotspot of Cannes or the jet set vibes of Monaco or Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Juan-les-Pins makes up for it in quiet elegance and relaxed charm.

The town was founded in 1882, built on the sand dunes and pine forests that made up the Cap d'Antibes peninsula, and there's still a feeling of peace and quiet that pervades the streets. It has been a favorite escape for celebrities wanting to avoid the glare of the spotlight for around a century, since the Hotel Le Provençal opened in 1926, with guests including Charlie Chaplin, Lilian Harvey, Jack L. Warner, and Man Ray. F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda owned a villa on the beach, now the gorgeous Belle Rives Hotel. 

Juan-les-Pins moves at a slower pace than the rest of the Riviera. It isn't a place to be busy, but rather to relax and enjoy the sun-drenched coastline, the long sandy beaches, and the fantastic food and drink. Cocktails at the aforementioned Belle Rives Hotel come with delightful views of Port Gallice marina and across the bay to Cannes, while Pam Pam is something of a local institution, a Brazilian-themed bar with live dance shows and mouthwatering ice cream sundaes. The Michelin-starred La Passagère restaurant (also in the gorgeous surroundings of the Belle Rives Hotel) is the standout dining spot, while locals tend to lunch at Le Bistrot du Curé and head to Hôtel Juana's Paseo restaurant in the evening for jazz, inventive dishes, and Great Gatsby vibes.

Beyond the beach, Juan-les-Pins has plenty going for it. The Peynet Museum flies under the radar for most, but it's a delight. An unassuming facade gives way to a whimsical, charming art museum dedicated to the works of Raymond Peynet, a French cartoonist who lived and worked in the area. The museum holds an excellent collection of his sketches, illustrations, and more commercial works, which are well worth enjoying. 

Juan-les-Pins is also the home of Jazz à Juan, the renowned jazz festival that takes place in Antibes every year, one of the oldest festivals in Europe. The first iteration took place in 1960, and the festival has drawn some of the biggest names in jazz over the years, including Ray Charles, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and more recent acts like Wynton Marsalis, Joe Bonamassa, and Ludovico Einaudi.

Visitors to Juan-les-Pins would also be advised to stroll across the Cap to Antibes itself. Antibes is a more historic Provençal fishing town, a tangle of cobbled streets and exquisite little squares, 16th-century fortifications, and a lovely traditional port, as well as the fabulous Picasso Museum.