Antibes Insider a Must-have Visitors Guide for the Riviera

Packing essentials for a trip to the South of France – cool shades, a straw hat, a bathing suit and a beach bag. What else do you need for a trip to the French Riviera? Perhaps a peek inside the address book of someone who lives there.

Antibes Insider Visitor’s Guide

Sadly, we have all had that bad tourist experience at a restaurant or attraction. Well, not in Antibes! This guidebook written by locals, Antibes Insider, available for purchase, is a curated “insiders” guide to all the best places in and around Antibes.

Creating the Antibes Insider was Tom and Paul’s idea for their guests to experience the best addresses in town. Tom and Paul began visiting Antibes and Cote d’Azur while they lived in Hong Kong. Smitten with the French Riviera, they left the Asian intensity and demanding jobs in luxury hotel design (Tom) and financial markets (Paul), moving to Antibes in 2012. Leveraging their talents and experience with luxury travel, they launched Antibes Rental, a hand-picked collection of beautiful holiday properties near the old town. Each of their seven vacation rental homes has been carefully curated, thoughtfully renovated, and meticulously appointed with charming French details.

What is the Antibes Insider?

Antibes Insider is a guidebook of Antibes created in collaboration with real “Antibois.” The group includes food bloggers, artists, photographers, and former journalists passionate about Antibes and the region.

How did the book come about?

We started by providing a short letter to our guests at Antibes-Rental.com that included our favourite restaurants, bars, and shops in Antibes. This expanded into a more detailed guidebook that included Antibes’ history, events, cultural locations, etc. Three years ago, we decided to expand the project to include locals who could add their own perspectives into the guidebook to create a truly “insider” view of the best places to visit in and around Antibes.

When was the first “Insider” edition?

Our first edition of Antibes Insider was created in 2018 as a free guide for our guests at Antibes-Rental.com. Our first book collaboration with a group of local “insiders” printed in 2019. We plan to re-print a new version in 2021.

The current edition includes more shops, hotels and places to stay and has a foldout map.

What can we expect inside the cover?

The book is meant to be more than just a regular guidebook for visitors, including residents’ insights. We also wanted to create a book for use as a guide during a visit to the Riviera and become a great addition to a book collection with its beautiful photographs and artwork.

Who are the Antibes insiders?

We asked a group of residents (who are from all parts of the world) to contribute their own unique insights.  For example, Ann Sophie Digsmed (originally from Denmark) is a local artist who provided much of the book’s artwork. Nicola Powys (from the UK) wrote the book’s art section. She owns a local gallery and offers art classes to visitors and locals alike. Francois Ropert (French) is a food blogger passionate about dining in the best restaurants (for all budgets) in the region. Naneen Rossi (British) has a blog called I Love Cap d’Antibes. She is a local photographer totally obsessed with Cap d’Antibes and all it offers. Jules Richards (British), who wrote the guide’s history section, is a former journalist. He is currently working in the local yachting industry.

What changes between the editions?

Each year, we have included new features, new shops and restaurants, and new “insiders,” further enhancing the readers’ experience. This year, we added a new detailed map for navigating through the old town’s narrow, cobblestoned streets.

Where to Stay in Antibes?

Clos des Vignes, in Old Town Antibes, is a charming two-bedroom rental on the French Riviera. Only steps from tempting boutiques and a selection of restaurants, the house is a peaceful escape. Shop for supplies at the Provencal farmer’s market, or spend the day at one of the nearby beaches before heading back to your private terrace with seaside views for cocktails and dinner al fresco.

Set in a quiet residential neighbourhood, five (5) bedroom La Calado is a quick walk to Antibes’ Old Town. This beautifully refurbished holiday rental has all you need for a stay on the Côte d’Azur. Initially constructed in 1926, the meticulously restored villa maintains its classic elegance. Spread out over four floors, and the spacious home has plenty of private corners.

Photo credits: Images were provided by and published with the permission of Antibes Rental.