The Golfe Juan between Antibes and Cannes

between the Cape of Antibes, Cannes and the Lerinian Islands there is the Golf of Juan (Golfe Juan). In this beautiful bathing bay there are two places, Juan-les-Pins and the same named plce Golfe-Juan. In the heartland there is the fmous pottery village Vallauris.

Golfe-Juan

The place Golfe-Juan is approximtely located in the middle between Antibes and Cannes. Those who want to afford an overpriced stay over night in the two famous cities will find in Golfe-Juan some possibilities to stay over night to a more moderate price and will be very closely located to Antibes or Cannes.

Golfe-Juan has a nice and small boardwalk with some nice possibilities to have a bath in the sea; Also in the Golfe-Juan there is a marina. But here, also those land who cannot afford to pay the expensive landing fees of the neighboured Antibes or do not debark to make a show of their possession.

In Golfe-Juan, by the way, Napoléon land in the year 1815 who, after his expatriation of the Island Elba, was again on the way to the French capital. And another name provides this place a little famousness: After the second world war, Picasso lived for some time in Golfe-Juan.

Juan-les-Pins

At the southern beginning of the peninsula of Antibes there is the little city Juan-les-Pins that goes straight into Antibes. Juan-les-Pins is a world famous city, even though it does not have a long history - but at least for the jazz fans: in this place, there is an annual international jazz-festival that was and still is frequented by celebrities: Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Keith Jarrett, Ella Fitzgerald or Charlie Parker - they all have performed in Juan-les-Pins.

The name of the city is a mix of the Golfe Juan and the pine forests(pins). Juan-les-Pins has a sand beach of a few kilometres length that extends up to the Golfe-Juan and then again up to Cannes; While the neighboured place Golfe-Juan is rather a place of moderated prices, Juan-les-Pins is rather orientated to the expensive Antibes. Those who want to stay over in the Hotel Ambassadeur Concorde will have to pay at least 200 euro.

The Pottery Village Vallauris

By driving from Golfe-Juan two kilometres upcountry, one gets to the famous pottery village Vallauris. The pottery has a long tradition in Vallauris: already during the antique it was made pottery in Vallauris. Due to the high reservoir of clay, the name vallis aurea (gold valley)was originated.

After the whole village was eradicated by the pest, at the beginning of the 16th century, some Italian potters got settled there and restarted to make pottery. The pottery craft decayed again until Picasso raised it again to art: while Pablo Picasso lived in Golfe-Juan, he visited Vallauris and started to make pottery; Even if he stopped couple of years later to make pottery as he was never realy satisfied with the results he obtained, he provided a revival of the traditional craft of Vallauris. Due to this reason, still today one can see Picasso during a promenade through Vallauris in form of a bronze-statue.

Today, Vallauris is considered as one of the biggest pottery villages at the Côte d'Azur. In numerus shops, the pottery is offered to the visitors. But many shops offer some factory Goods of a bad quality; thus, the commerce has won against the traditional draft. I was very disappointed of Vallauris and would not go there a second time. Those who want to buy really beautiful hand made pottery should go to Biot (at the north of Antibes). The little place is on one hand much more beautiful and more cozy than Vallauris and on the other hand, there is much more beautiful and artful pottery.

Le Cannet

By driving from Antibes to Cannes, one crosses the two places Juan-les-Pins and Golfe-Juan before arriving to Le Cannet. Le Cannet sounds similar to the city Cannes and it also transits seamlessly into Cannes but it is actually an independent place. Those who want to have a loook to Cannes from above should get to the centre of Le Cannet, as from the market place one has a wonderful view over Cannes down to the sea.

But there is to be careful by paying attention to the traffic signs, as oftenly, a signpost tries to attract one to Le Cannet even if one actually wants to drive to the core of Cannes.

Le Cannet is a quiet place and the northern hillside of the world city of movies, Cannes. Its most famous citizen was the painter Pierre Bonnard who lived in Le Cannet up to his death.

Copyright: Patrick Wagner, www.tourist-guide.biz