 ntibes was a Greek fortified town named Antipolis (possibly
meaning "opposite the point of Nice",
across the Baie des Anges) in the 5th century BC, and
later a Roman town, and always an active port for trading
along the Mediterranean.
Today Antibes is an attractive
and active town on the French Riviera, popular with
"foreigners" from Paris and the north of France, with
non-French, and with the local population.
The
natural beauty remains in the vieille ville (the old
town) Antibes, fortified
by Vauban, lies encircled by its ramparts. Old Antibes
is a traditional Mediterranean Sea port, with its Proven¬al
market, narrow shopping streets and medieval castle
(which in 1949 became the first museum in the world
devoted to the works of Picasso).
There
are plenty of little streets for exploring, restaurants
of all types and prices, and lots of shops, from authentic
little hardware / general-stores to tourist gift shops. |
Antibes,
lying as it does in the heart of both the traditional Cote d'Azur and
today's modern, technological sector of the Cote d'Azur
is ideally situated geographically.
- 15
km from the Nice/Cote d'Azur international airport, the second largest
in France
- 8
km from Sophia Antipolis, Europe's largest
technopole
- 10
km from Cannes, with
its famous festivals
- 20
km from Nice, the capital
of the Cote d'Azur and the fifth largest city in France
- 50
km from the Principality
of Monaco
- 60
km from Italy
- 70
km from St Tropez
- 1 hour by plane from Paris (hourly arrivals and
departures)
- a
few hours by ferry from Corsica
Despite
standing on the shores of the Mediterranean, Antibes
is within a short distance of the Alps, for delightful
excursions in summer as well as winter sports.
|
History
Ligurian:
Antibes goes back about 3000 years, when Ligurian tribes
used the little inlet of Saint-Roch as a natural port,
protected from the east winds by two large rocks.
Greek:
A Greek Massaliote colony founded "Antipolis" (Antibes)
and "Nikâa" (Nice) while expanding trade from "Massalia"
(Marseilles). They fortified "Antipolis" against the
ancient Ligurian who had earlier been pushed off the
coast and into the Alps.
Roman:
About 154 BC, with the local tribes of D¯ciates and
Oxybiens threatening Antipolis and Nikâa, the city of
Marseilles called in Roman protection. By the 2nd century,
Rome had developed the region as a Provence, giving
the name Provence that is used today. In 43 BC, Antipolis
was annexed by Rome.
The
town is full of Roman artefacts (walls, aqueducts, amphora,
etc.) from the ancient town or the nearby sea bottom,
and visible around the town or in the museums; details
are available from the Office de Tourism or the many
guidebooks describing Antibes.
Barbarian:
In 476, when the Roman Empire fell, the barbarians invested
the region. Vandals, Visigoths, Burgundians, Ostrogoths
and Franks all had their turn, with the theme being
destruction.
Medieval: Antibes was ruled by
the Lords of Grasse and later by the Bishops of Antibes.
At the end of the 14th century, Antibes was on the Franco-Savoyard
frontier, and in 1383, the Pope of Avignon "gave" Antibes
to the Grimaldi family of Cagnes. In 1608, King Henri
IV took Antibes into his kingdom.
contact
us: antibes@db56.com |
