Les Princes d’Orange is located in a quiet, sought-after quarter of Antibes, twenty minutes stroll from the historic old town, with its cathedral, chateau, delightful covered market and a maze of narrow streets and small squares, teaming with shops, restaurants and places of interest. It is also within walking distance of the yacht harbour, the largest in Europe, and the nearest beaches. If you do not feel like walking or driving, there are frequent buses into town, stopping a couple of hundred yards from the apartment.

TRANSPORT AND GETTING AROUND AND ABOUT ANTIBES  

Local buses  

If you do not feel like walking or driving, there are bus stops in Chemin de Saint Claude, a hundred yards down the road from the junction with Avenue Lamartine (name of stop: “Anthala”). A bus will take you in one direction to Carrefour (direction Les Semboules - five minutes) and in the other to the town centre (Place De Gaulle, also five minutes). The buses run every twenty minutes between c. 7.00 am and c.7.45 pm. The cost one way is 1.10 Euros.  (At November 2011)

Parking in town 

We strongly recommend that you do not take your car into the Old Town, which is a maze of narrow streets and where parking is very difficult. There is a large car park which extends along the front at Port Vauban where you can generally find a space, especially at the Fort Carre end, although you will have to pay (on exit). 

Walking into town 

The most direct way into town from the flat is via Chemin de Saint Claude, Avenue Jules Grec and Boulevard General Vautrin. If you want to reach Port Vauban, there is a bridge over the railway line at the station which will take you from Boulevard General Vautrin to Avenue du11 Novembre, which runs alongside Port Vauban.

These short cuts through the subway or over the railway bridge are good ways also to reach the Old Town, via Avenue Liberation/Avenue de Verdun/Boulevard D’Aguillon. 

A very pleasant and quieter alternative to the Chemin de Saint Claude/Avenue Jules Grec route into town is to turn right outside Les Princes d’Orange and walk to the end of Avenue Lamartine, then left at the T-junction into Chemin du Puy and second right into Avenue Mas Ensoleille. This will give you attractive views of the Port and the Old Town en route and will bring you out into Boulevard General Vautrin. It is hillier than the Chemin de Saint Claude route.

Rail

There is a station near the centre of Antibes which is on the main coastal railway line, with frequent and direct trains to Nice, Cannes and further afield, eg Marseilles, Paris, Northern Italy etc.  You will find timetables in the flat.

SHOPPING

There is a row of shops in Avenue Jules Grec about seven minutes walk from the flat. This includes a good butcher and baker, a small Casino supermarket, a newsagent/tobacconist, a pharmacy, a hair salon and an excellent (licensed) sandwich bar – “The Green Milk” -  where you can order inexpensive snacks at lunch time. You can usually park in the road in front (free). Most of the shops are closed between 12.30 and 3.30 pm and all-day Monday (Lundi). 

A gigantic Carrefour hypermarket is situated at the end of Chemin de Saint Claude – five minutes by bus or car. There is ample parking. There is much more choice than in most UK supermarkets, especially in food and wine. You will need a one Euro coin to obtain a shopping trolley (you get it back when you replace the trolley). 

We recommend you visit the covered market in Place Massena near the cathedral in the Old Town (“le vieille ville”) during your stay. Excellent for cheeses, olives, fungi, flowers, fruit etc. The full market is open only on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Go in the morning. 

In town, we have found the small Champion supermarket in Avenue Pasteur to be excellent, including wine, cheese, meat, bread, fruit and vegetables. It is about fifteen minutes walk from the flat (but is also very close to the bus station). There is also an English supermarket, Geoffreys of London, in Boulevard D’Aguillon between Port Vauban and the Old Town.

Banks and Bureaux de Change

French banks are generally open from 8.30 am to 12.00 noon and from 1.40 to 4.45 pm. You may occasionally experience difficulty in paying for things with an English credit card; you will certainly need identification (passport or driving license). There are plenty of Bureaux de Change in town. We have used Eurochange Antibes in Rue Georges Clemenceau in the Old Town.

WEATHER

The Riviera has a unique micro-climate which generally produces several hours of blue skies and warm sunshine a day, even in January. However, in the Winter, the early mornings and the evenings can be chilly and appropriate clothing should be taken. In July and August, it is very hot and care should be taken to avoid sunburn. In February it can sometimes be rainy.