The glamorous Côte d’Azur – on a budget
Our very own man of modest means, Kevin Gleeson, finds himself in the glamour capital of the world and communes with Monet – cold, cheap beer in hand
When F. Scott Fitzgerald wanted to escape the New York of the Roaring 20s to focus on his third novel, The Great Gatsby, he and his wife Zelda set sail for the French Riviera. A century ago, this stretch of coastline wasn’t the go-to destination of choice for film stars and royalty that it has become known as today. But that’s not to say that the Fitzgeralds’ time here was quiet. Together with their wealthy socialite friends Gerald and Sara Murphy, they enjoyed long, alcohol-fuelled picnics on the beach and debauched dinner parties at the Murphys’ then temporary home, the Hotel du Cap. Sunbathing wasn’t a popular pastime back then and the Murphys had to convince the then owner of the now famous hotel to remain open during the summers so that they could continue to entertain their other friends, including Ernest Hemingway, Rudolph Valentino, Cole Porter and Pablo Picasso. Today, the hotel plays host to equally starry guests, but the Côte d’Azur as a holiday destination is certainly not the sole reserve of the rich and famous. Having said that, when I found myself staying nearby during my recent trip I couldn’t resist a peek inside – and ended up paying €32 for a Jack Daniels and coke just for the privilege!
That admission aside, I am always surprised by how few people I know visit this beautiful part of Europe. I first fell in love with this corner of France when I visited the area on a family holiday 14 years ago, and I have been lucky enough to return many times since over the years. This would be my first time staying in the small city of Antibes, which is just a short train ride from Nice airport, and on first impressions, I have to wonder how I managed to overlook it in the past.
My hotel, La Jabotte has 10 en suite rooms wrapped around a small, leafy courtyard filled with tables, deck chairs and bean bags. Nathalie, the owner, provides two guitars for guests to use – and an honesty bar, which, if they were around today, would make F. Scott and his buddies feel right at home. Most rooms have a small terrace where guests can enjoy a fresh breakfast, which was particularly welcome on my first morning in early October, with temperatures still hovering around 26 degrees. The location too is perfect, as less than a two-minute walk from this quiet bolthole you’ll find the white sands and crystal clear waters of La Salis beach. At this time of year the water and the sand are both so much warmer than I could have hoped for – especially compared to the handful of occasions I’ve ventured into the waters off Dublin, even at the height of summer!
But I’m not here to laze on the beach, so I head off on the short walk into Antibes. The view of the city from this approach is fairly spectacular, with the Alps acting as a backdrop and it’s easy to see why the area has attracted so many artists over the years, The Painters’ Trail is a coastal walk dotted with enamel copies of paintings signposting the very spots where painters such as Monet sat when painting the Grimaldi Palace in the near distance. It is such a unique way to enjoy a painting rather than seeing it hanging on a museum wall. That’s not to say that there aren’t unique ways of enjoying art in a gallery. The Grimaldi Palace itself is now home to the Picasso Museum and for six months during 1946 it was also home to the painter’s studio. All of the works on show here were donated by Picasso on the condition that they never left Antibes. The fact that the paintings, sketches and ceramics on show here were inspired by, and can only be seen in Antibes makes for a truly original and unique museum.
Outside, the town’s covered market is buzzing with locals and stalls are heaving with the usual array of herbs, fish, cheeses and honey. There’s a stallholder paying as much attention to fine tuning his ukulele as he is to peddling his pâté and the whole thing creates a great atmosphere in which to while away a couple of hours browsing or enjoying a glass of the local wine.
Speaking of an early afternoon buzz, if you look closely at one of the small shops lining the market’s perimeter you will notice one selling a small collection of Absinthe paraphernalia but if you look even closer again, you will spot a small staircase leading to the Absinthe bar in the basement. There is a ceremony of sorts surrounding its consumption, which in this instance includes choos-