Page 78 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur

76  PROVENCE AREA B Y AREA

9Juan-les-Pins
Road map E4. * 76,770. £ @
n Palais des Congres, 60 chemin
des Sables (04 22 10 60 01).
∑ antibesjuanlespins.com
To the east of Cannes is the
hammerhead peninsula of Cap
d’Antibes, a promontory of pines
and coves where millionaires’
mansions grow. Just next door
is one of the finest beaches in
the area tucked in the west side
of the cape in Golfe-Juan, where
Napoleon came ashore from Elba Spectacular pleasure yachts in Antibes harbour
in 1815. This is a 20th-century
resort, promoted by American cours Masséna. The town’s high qVallauris
railroad heir Frank Jay Gould, points include the 12th-century Road map E3. * 31,000. @ n 67
who attracted high society towers of the church and Grimaldi ave George Clemenceau (04 93 63 82 58)
in the 1920s and 1930s when castle on the site of Antipolis. The & Golfe-Juan Vieux Port (04 93 63 73 12).
writers F Scott Fitzgerald and Cathédrale Notre-Dame, which ( Mon–Sat. ∑ vallauris-golfe-juan.fr
Ernest Hemingway stayed here. took over the town’s watchtower
Today, in the high season, it is as a belfry, has a wooden crucifix In summer, the wares of potters
filled with a young crowd. The from 1447, a 16th-century Christ spill on to the avenue of
area at the junctions of boule- and a fine Louis Bréa altarpiece this pottery capital. Picasso
vards Baudoin and Wilson is depicting the Virgin Mary. revitalized this industry, the
filled with bars. Action centres The Château Grimaldi nearby history of which is traced in
round the 1988 casino, the houses the Musée Picasso, the Musée de la Ceramique,
Palais des Congrés, and Penedé which displays over 50 drawings, together with a collection of
Gould pine grove, which gives paintings, and ceramics created contemporary pieces. In the
shelter to the International Jazz by the artist when he used the square is Picasso’s sculpture
à Juan Festival (see p37) in July. museum as a studio during 1946. L’Homme au Mouton (1943).
The exceptional modern art L L La Guerre et la Paix (1952) is ina Guerre et la Paix (1952) is ina Guerre et la Paix the
collection includes works by Musée National Picasso, housed
Ernst, Modigliani, Léger, Miró in the Romanesque chapel
and Nicolas de Staël in the last of the Château de Vallauris.
two years of his life.
Further south, the Musée E Musée de la Ceramique
d’Histoire et d’Archéologie in the Pl de la Libération. Tel 04 93 64 71 83.
fortified Bastion St-André houses Open Wed–Mon (Jul–Aug: daily).
Greek and Etruscan finds, including Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 1 & 11 Nov,
a 3rd-century BC inscription to the 25 Dec. &
spirit of Septentrion, a boy who E Musée National Picasso
A glimpse of nightlife in one of the vibrant danced at the Antipolis theatre. Pl de la Libération. Tel 04 93 64 71 83.
streets of Juan-les-Pins Marineland leisure park, north Open Wed–Mon (Jul–Aug: daily).
of Antibes, includes a shark-filled Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 1 & 11 Nov,
aquarium and other attractions 25 Dec. & =
0Antibes such as polar bears and whales.
Road map E3. * 76,770 (Commune
of Antibes). £ @ g n 42 ave O Marineland
Robert Soleau (04 22 10 60 10). 306 ave Mozart. Tel 0892 426 226.
( Mon–Sun (daily Jul & Aug). Open Feb–Dec: daily. & 7 = 0
∑ antibesjuanlespins.com ∑ marineland.fr
E Musée Picasso
Originally the ancient Greek Château Grimaldi, Place Mariejol.
trading post of Antipolis, Antibes Tel 04 93 95 85 98. Open Tue–Sun.
became heavily fortified over the Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 1 Nov, 25 Dec.
centuries, notably by Vauban in & 7 8 ^ =
the 17th century, who built the E Musée d’Histoire et
main port and Fort Carré, where d’Archéologie
Napoleon was allegedly Bastion St-André. Tel 04 93 95 85 98.
temporarily imprisoned. Open Feb–Oct: Tue–Sun; Nov–Jan:
The old town is pleasant, with Tue–Sat. Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, Tourists inspect merchandise in Vallauris,
a picturesque market place in 1 Nov, 25 Dec. & 7 = the pottery capital of Provence
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp198–9 and pp208–11