How to do Antibes in the French Riviera without a billionaire budget

Few places are as closely associated with romanticism and glamour as the French Riviera. From Twenties tales of champagne-fuelled hedonism to the Cannes Film Festival, super yachts and celebrity sightings, this sun-soaked corner of France is all about glittering excess. At the epicentre of all this is the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, an impossibly chic, spectacular oasis in the town of Antibes that's hosted everyone from Cary Grant and Sophia Loren to Katy Perry and Kendall Jenner. For while much of the focus on the Riveria tends to be on Cannes, Monaco or Saint Tropez, it is Antibes that is home to the largest port – and so the biggest yachts – in Europe, and it is at the Hotel Du Cap that one of the biggest red-carpet events of the year, the amfAR Gala, is held. It's also where F Scott Fitzgerald used to summer, but more on that later.

But with all the glitz, of course, come prices to match, with a suite at the Hotel Du Cap coming in at around £1,000 per night. And yet you don't need to put your wallet through open-heart surgery to experience all the luxury Antibes has to offer. We've found the very best hotels, restaurants and things to do in Antibes that us mere mortals can happily enjoy. This is the ultimate insider's guide to making the most of the Côte d'Azur, from hotel hacks to where to find the old town's laid-back-but-brilliant wine bars.

Where to stay

Set on the edge of the Cap d'Antibes amidst the biggest, most beautiful homes in the Riviera, this contemporary hotel is a world away from the Art Deco institutions that dot the surrounding coastline. From the pared-back but funky interiors to the vitality pool with hydromassage jets, this privately owned, 35-room bolthole is as chic as it is modern.

All the tech inside the suites is cutting-edge. Think chromotherapy showers, whirlpool baths, huge wall-mounted TVs and brand-new Nespresso machines. Every room comes with a private terrace, each complete with an uber-comfortable daybed overlooking the bay of Cannes. Sit outside and marvel at the superyachts as they pass by, or unwind under the stars after dinner in one of the impossibly fluffy dressing gowns provided. All of the rooms are ocean-themed, with underwater creatures from starfish to sharks adorning one, mural-style wall in each. Everything at the luxe Cap d’Antibes Beach Hotel is impeccably presented, whether that’s the sleek, glass-walled lobby filled with grey velvet furnishings or the ice-cold bottle of rosé waiting in the room when you arrive. The low ceilings, muted lighting and references to the natural world are sure to make even the most frazzled of visitors feel completely Zen in a mere matter of minutes.

GQ suggests booking the design suite with the starfish mural, cream furnishings and orb-like lights that project a shadowy marine menagerie around the room. Not only does the bathroom boast two showers right next to one another in a large wet-room-style space, it also has the biggest balcony, with a terrace that wraps right around the front and side of the bedroom, showcasing views of the pool area as well as the beach. The beach is undoubtedly one of the best things about the hotel, with an oasis vibe characterising this secluded little stretch of sand that overlooks the Lérins Islands and the Estérel Mountains. The charming wooden beach bar makes for the perfect place to pull up a stool for a sundowner come 6pm, but also worth noting are the free sunloungers – the Cap d’Antibes Beach Hotel is one of the only hotels in the area to provide daybeds on the beach to guests on a complimentary basis.

If you’re looking for a fully-fledged French culinary adventure, then the hotel’s “gastronomique” Michelin-starred restaurant, Les Pêcheurs, is the place to go. But for a more informal, daytime bite, roll straight from the sand into the beach restaurant Le Cap. Classics such as the club sandwich and caesar salad are executed with as much finesse as the whole John Dory served with sauce vierge and ratatouille. That’s the thing about this hotel – simple but still impeccable, what it lacks in jazz-era excess it makes up for in smart, sophisticated style.

**From £340 per night. **10 Boulevard Maréchal Juin, 06160 Cap d'Antibes, France. +33 4 92 93 13 30. ca-beachhotel.com

Nowhere else on the Riviera will you feel the “diffused magic of the hot, sweet South” described by F Scott Fitzgerald in Tender Is The Night quite like at the Belles Rives. For it was at Belles Rives – then Villa Saint Louis – that Fitzgerald began to write Tender Is The Night, while he rented the private seaside residence with Zelda and his daughter in 1926. Since its transformation into a hotel in 1929, it has remained a gilded relic of the années folles, from the art deco decor and original wrought iron lift to the ornate Fitzgerald bar, complete with grand piano, mirrored tables and a deliciously hedonistic array of champagne-based cocktails. The real standout feature is, as one would hope on the Côte d'Azur, the terrace.

With bougainvillea creeping up the exterior of the yellow, five-storey building, plus charming blue and rust-red tiles and expansive views of the shimmering ocean, it’s here that guests tend to spend the majority of their time. Here, and in La Passagère, the hotel’s Michelin-starred gastronomique restaurant. This is French fine dining in all its perfectly executed glory, with chef-cum-magician Aurélien Véquau conjuring up delights such as crab ravioli, turbot with seafood sauce and what surely must be the lightest lemon soufflé ever made. For a much quicker meal, pop down to La Plage, a casual all-day eatery centred around salads, grilled fish, langoustine skewers and, of course, copious amounts of chilled rosé.

There are two beaches, one rocky, the other a small sandy slope, both with daily towel and sunlounger charges. Park up on the hotel’s jetty to secure one of the prime sunloungers, then spend the afternoon waterskiing across Golfe Juan Bay, the stretch of sea where water-skiing was born. The 42 rooms are kitted out with Penhaligon products, Pierre Frey fabrics and original art deco furnishings. If you can, book a suite, as the standard rooms are rather small. A sea view is essential. The best thing of all about Belles Rives? You get to experience all the opulence and glamour of the Riviera at a fraction of the cost of the area's other landmark hotel.

From £114 per night. 33 Boulevard Edouard Baudoin, 06160 Juan-les-Pins, France. +33 4 93 61 02 79. bellesrives.com

The Belles Rives’ little sister may not be quite as grand as its sibling site, but what it lacks in size Hotel Juana more than makes up for in character. Set a short walk from the Belles Rives on the landlocked Avenue Georges Gallice (the balconies still boast sea views), Juana is a tall, handsome, all-white building guaranteed to catch the eyes of all who pass, even if that’s at 50 miles an hour in a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé.

The small pool area is quite lovely, but even better is the terrace. Order a gin and tonic and sit out among the palms while the sun goes down, before taking dinner either in the same spot outside or in the bistro itself, which is also where breakfast is served. Both breakfast and the dinner service are laid-back but chic affairs. In the morning, you can expect a small but solid buffet spread covering off all the continental basics plus pancakes, eggs, sausages and bacon.

On the very affordable à la carte you’ll find Mediterranean dishes such as sea bream ceviche, beef tenderloin tagliata and cockerel with truffle. The almost-too-pretty-to-eat patisseries are kept in display fridges by the bar so that guests can go up and choose their own when the time comes for dessert. The rooms are just as appealing, although as with the Belles Rives, do book a room with a front-facing view. Stay on the third floor or above and you’ll be able to see the royal-blue water beyond the canopy of trees across the road.

The decor is typical of the Thirties Rivieria. Think Picasso prints, thick patterned carpets, yet another original lift and lots of dark, gleaming wood. It is just as you would imagine it once was: a hedonistic playground fuelled by champagne, jazz, sex and sunshine. Guests at Juana get free access to the Belles Rives’ private beach, as well as the Fitzgerald Bar, restaurant and watersports. Come July, the little town of Juans-les-Pins – nestled between Antibes Old Town and the Cap’D Antibes – becomes brighter and more bubbly still, as the annual Jazz à Juan festival sees top jazz musicians bring back the sounds of the Thirties.

From £96 per night. 19 Avenue Georges Gallice, 06160 Antibes Juan-les-Pins, France. +33 4 93 61 08 70. hotel-juana.com

Where to eat and drink

Tucked down a narrow alley a stone’s throw away from the port, what this unassuming little restaurant makes up for in size, it more than makes up for in reputation. Locals and tourists alike jostle for reservations at this family-owned hotspot serving up flawless French fare. The menu is seasonal and changes weekly, but expect delights such as Foire Gas ravioli in a rich pot-au-feu broth, asparagus with Parmesan sauce and black garlic, red mullet with orange and kumquat sauce. Ask your waitress (it’s likely to be the co-owner Jeanne, whose husband is in the kitchen) to suggest individual glasses of wine to match each course. Even the aperitifs are outstanding. GQ particularly enjoyed the prosecco, cherry liqueur and amaretto number. Add this hidden gem to your Côte d'Azur bucket list immediately.

Restaurant L'Arazur, 8 Rue des Palmiers, 06600 Antibes, France. +33 4 93 34 75 60. larazur.fr

Credited as “one of the most inspired bakers” of today by Alain Ducasse, Jean-Paul Veziano’s bakery is the stuff of French legends. For three generations, the Vezianos have used the same techniques and organic flours to produce the best pissaladière (a traditional Provençal onion-topped bread) in the South Of France. Buy a fresh slice to eat then and there, but be sure to bag a couple of croissants too.

Boulangerie Veziano, 2 Rue de la Pompe, 06600. Antibes Juan les Pins, France +33 4 93 34 05 46. facebook.com/Boulangerie-Veziano

Simple but oh-so effective, it’s easy to see why wine bar Entre 2 Vins is another solid local favourite. The organic wines are second to none, with a list that’s 300 bottles strong and painstakingly curated. There’s no reason to feel overwhelmed, however. Co-owner Frank is on hand to help you navigate the list, having sourced each and every one himself. The food, served as tapas-style dishes or sharing plates, is presented on a blackboard and changes regularly. From the Corsican sausages that put our British bangers to shame to specially imported handmade ravioli, all of the food is also sourced by Frank with his co-owner and chef, Mathieu, from ethical, small-scale producers.

Entre 2 Vins, 2 Rue James Close, 06600 Antibes, France. +33 4 93 34 46 93. facebook.com/Entre2Vins

This typically French bar in the heart of the Old Town brings charm by the bucketload. With an impressive cocktail list and a sprawling collection of spirits – not to mention a brilliant selection of wines – Café Brun is the perfect place to stop off for a mid-afternoon drink. And the snacks are pretty good too. From charcuterie platters to the moreish salt cod fritters, we suggest ordering several small dishes between you to soak up all the alcohol, for spirit servings are deliciously generous here.

Café Brun, 6 Rue Aubernon, 06600 Antibes, France. +33 4 97 23 92 65.

Things to do in Antibes

Beaches may be the main draw in Antibes (the private beach at Le Provençal is a must, or, if it's a public beach you are after, head to Plage du Salis, with its velvet-soft white sand and views of the Cap d’Antibes), but there’s plenty to do in the Old Town as well.

Stroll through narrow, cobbled streets around Rue de la République along to the Cours Masséna, a Provençal market where you’ll find everything from speciality cheeses to clothes. Outside the market, local artists showcase paintings, sculptures and other pieces every day except Monday. Also worth a stop-off is the Chapelle St Bernardin, a gorgeous little Gothic church built in the 16th century, complete with an impressively intricate fresco. From there, walk east towards the coast and drop by the gourmet grocery shop Pèbre d'Ai (4 Rue Thuret) to pick up a jar of the best homemade tapenade you’ll ever taste. And if perusing this delicatessen makes you hungry, head either to **Pizza & Co **(1 rue des Casemates) to pick up one of their top-notch slices – be warned, said pizza is of such brilliant quality that the queues can mean a half-hour wait – or, if you fancy indulging your sweet side, go to Gusto (32 Rue Aubernon) for the best ice cream in town.

Two minutes from Gusto you’ll find the Musée Picasso, set inside what was formerly Château Grimaldi – used by Picasso as a workshop in 1946 – which is built upon the foundations of the ancient Greek town of Antipolis. It’s here, on the edge of the town, where the meeting of the old and new is most obvious. On land, you’ll find the fortified walls that enclose Antibes; on the ocean in front lies Port Vauban, Europe’s largest marina. Roam around its edge and marvel at the yachts. It's a real sweet shop for any self-respecting maritime geek: there are hundreds of yachts and boats in the port at any one time. More often than not the Dilbar is docked there, an epic, behemoth of a boat considered to be the largest superyacht in the world by volume. Walk up the staircase and along the town walls to get a closer look.

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