A Mediterranean town, Antibes Juan-les-Pins has 25 kms of coastline with a great variety of different marine features: creeks, rocky escarpments, fine sand and pebble beaches.
This large choice of marine sites means that many activities to do with the sea are readily available: waterskiing, parascending, diving and all kinds of fishing.
A diverse coastline
There are all types of coastal features:
Artificial and natural sand beaches (7 kms in total)
Gravette
Ponteil
Salis
Ondes
All beaches in Juan-les-Pins
Natural pebble beach between Fort Carré and Villeneuve Loubet (7 kms in total)
Rocky coastline with many coves under the ramparts in the old town and on Cap d'Antibes
The Blue Flag flies over the beaches
This ecoflag is awarded to towns with a sound environmental policy in place regarding tourism development.
As well as the quality of sea water, the Blue Flag European jury examines the state of the environment in the town and actions in place to protect and enhance it.
There are four major criteria:
Water management
Waste management
Awareness campaigns
General environment (development, public information, infrapolmar plan)
Yachting
There are four yachting harbours and a maintained boat harbour
Port Vauban (tel: 04 92 91 60 00): Prime yachting harbour of Europe with over 2,000 moorings, the large yacht harbour is capable of taking vessels of more than 50 metres in length.
Port Gallice (tel: 04 92 93 74 40): 542 moorings
Port de la Salis (tel: 04 93 67 12 70): 233 moorings
Port du Crouton (tel : 04 93 67 12 70) : 411 moorings
Port de l’Olivette : situated in the Abri of the same name, this picturesque little port is for the wooden fishing boats of those keen to keep up marine and Provençal traditions (45 rings).
Port Vauban
Port Gallice
Port de la Salis
Port du Crouton
The ports are involved in environmental protection programmes, which resulted in the awarding of the Blue Flag to Port Gallice and the Blue Flag and “Clean Port” award for Port Vauban in 2005.
Port de l'olivette
Marine activities
All marine activities, whether fishing or tourism, work together in the town:
Traditional fishing: 33 owner-fishermen who work off the coast are in Port Vauban, Salis and Crouton. Production is an average of 34.5 tonnes per year. Their nets catch various species from poutine (miniscule fish) to rockfish, as well as conger eel and red and white tuna.
Fish farms: two are installed near Port du Crouton which produce bass and sea bream. Producers adhere to a quality approach programme.
Many workers in the field and craftsmen offer their services to the yachting industry which has 2,500 employees from the town.
Watersports: there are all sorts of watersports along the coast, with 3 sailing clubs, 1 kayak club, 9 waterskiing clubs, and 14 diving clubs. Antibes is at a high international level in sporting facilities.
