About Juan-les-Pins

Before its development, Juan les Pins was just an area of stone pine trees and where the residents of nearby Antibes would come for a gentle walk under the canopy of the trees during the hottest summer days and to collect cones and firewood in the winter, the stone pine also being known as the umbrella pine, parasol pine or Italian stone pine. The name Juan comes not from the Spanish but is in fact simply part of the regional Occitan dialect pronunciation of the French name Jean, which explains why it is pronounced ‘jewaan’ and not ‘whaan’. Perhaps the most famous building in Juan les Pins is the hotel ‘Le Provencal’ which was opened in 1926 and attracted many world famous guests, including Man Wray, Jack Warner and Charlie Chaplin.

Juan les Pins is without doubt a serious tourist attraction in the French Riviera, but though the name is well known, it does not have the same cachet as Cannes or nearby Antibes, which is why it is perhaps more popular a destination for the less wealthy who still want to enjoy themselves on the Riviera. Unlike many of the beaches along the Riviera, those at Juan les Pins have been created using soft sand as opposed to pebbles and are more sheltered than normal. Water sports abound I the area, with marinas at both Golfe-Juan and Antibes, while those who are more interested in exploring on foot will enjoy the JardinBotanique de la Villa Thuret, which was created by the famous French botanist, Charles Thuret, in 1857.

Juan les Pins is also connected with the Antibes 6 day race which is a series of marathons and ultra-marathons held at the beginning of May. These races vary in both length and time, from a ‘standard marathon’ to a race which actually lasts the full six days, the winner being the person who covers the greatest distance in the time allowed. Juan les Pins is also renowned for its annual jazz festival, ‘Jazz a Juan’ which takes place in July each year and which has been going for over 50 years. The festival is so popular that many world famous musicians have appeared and as a legacy of this, their handprints can be seen on the pavement along Boulevard EdouardBaudoin.

Undoubtedly with its location by the sea and Provençale influence, it is hard to escape the cuisine of the region, though one would beg to ask the question why, anyway. Because of the diverse nature of the residents in Juan les Pins, the restaurant scene is equally diverse, ranging from the finest haute cuisine to the delicious food of a simple creperie. Restaurants such as Da Mario (Italian), Plage Helios (Seaside French), Le PoussePousse ( Authentic Thai), Asiako (Japanese sushi), or la Pate a Crepes cater for all tastes and budgets.