On my recent trip to Cannes my friend and I popped over to Antibes for the day. I’m always keen on a day trip, especially when the destination is so close. Antibes is an easy train or car ride away (you can be there in under a half hour). The weather that week had not been very “riviera” in nature but the day we went to Antibes was a gloriously sunny day, which made it perfect to explore around the old town and see some of the Thursday markets.
The first market we came to was a stall market on Place Général de Gaulle. There were a few clothing vendors, textile stalls, and some home items. Definitely a market catering to locals, but some of the woven pieces caught my eye. After a stop for a pain au chocolat, we walked deeper into old town Antibes and found an antiques market on Place Nationale. This square is a beautiful backdrop for this outdoor market, which is held every Thursday and Saturday. I love a brocante market and this one had a lot to offer from antique furnishings and housewares to jewelry and funky collectibles. It was so nice being able to leisurely walk around and look at absolutely everything!
The next market worth visiting is the Marché Provençal, a covered outdoor market bursting with fresh regional produce. My husband would be shopping here all the time if we lived in Antibes. The bright colors and aromas completely envelop your senses. It was here that we discovered purple artichokes which I had never seen before. There were bell peppers the size of your head and so many gorgeous flowers. They also have a massive selection of cheese as well as fresh fish and artisan sausages, honey, olives and more. This market is open six days a week (closed Mondays).
In addition to great outdoor markets, Antibes has a lot of boutiques and independent shops. Antibes Books is a great place to find books in English and they have a nice assortment of gifts and games. I bought a copy of The Riviera House by Natasha Lester that I’m looking forward to reading while in the South of France this summer.
After a walk along the harbor it was time to grab some lunch. We found Cafe Milo to be a great little cafe for a casual lunch. The atmosphere is very French with beautiful blue bistro chairs on a terrace overlooking a fountain just off Place Nationale. The croque monsieur was great and we enjoyed the company of two little dogs who couldn’t get enough of our attention. They were so sweet!
Antibes was a fun little add-on to my trip to Cannes that I definitely recommend. Have you been to Antibes? Is the French Riviera on your travel bucket list yet?
As always, thank you for reading!
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xo – Erin
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