Touring Fitzgerald’s Saint-Tropez

Located on the French Riviera, Antibes feels both unpretentious and wildly glamorous, especially while sipping a martini at F. Scott Fitzgerald’s old villa.

✎ written by Holly Bieler

If you’re looking for some creative inspiration, F. Scott Fitzgerald is a good place to start. No matter how you feel about his writing, you have to admit the man had the right idea when it came to creative work. Pound out an American classic in less than a year, live off the royalties for life. And most importantly: when you’ve got a case of writers block, head to the French Riviera.

Antibes, in particular, was Fitzgerald’s locale of choice, and it’s not hard to understand why. Located about seven miles south of Cannes and 15 miles north of Nice, this ancient port city retains all the luxury of its flashy neighbors, but sparkles

Old Town

The city’s Old Town features narrow streets of beautiful buildings from the 1700s, as well as a slew of delicious restaurants. with a sophistication and relaxed energy all its own. It’s the perfect European beach spot to check out in 2023.

What to Do

Venture a couple miles north of Antibes’ downtown, and you hit our favorite part of the city: Old Town. This centuries-old neighborhood feels like you’re walking in a postcard, filled with rambling cobblestone streets, beautiful old buildings in vivid colors and charming bars and restaurants with tables spilling out onto the narrow roads.

It’s also home to a fantastic Picasso museum. One of the many artists to fall in love with Antibes, Picasso spent much of his later life in the city, where he would eventually buy a house.

The Musée Picasso boasts a stunning collection of his works, many of which were painted in the area. While you’re there, make sure to check out the Marche Provencale, one of the prettiest food markets in the south of France and a great place to buy local honey, wine and lavender to take home.

Where to Eat

Antibes is home to a number of fancy eateries, but our favorite meals took place in the city’s impressive collection of more homey spots, where patrons speak French and specials change depending on the fishmonger’s mood.

L’Oursin is one such place, a bustling little seafood restaurant that’s been a local favorite since the 1960s. Everything about this place is traditional, from the decor to the menu. But if you’re looking for unfrilly seafood classics prepared exceptionally, look no further.

In the Old Town, we’ve heard wonderful things about Le Cinq Epices, a small Moroccan eatery that’s gained a big local following.

And no trip to Antibes would be complete without a stop at Gelateria Del Porto, a decades-old gelato shop that’s a French Riviera tradition. The line tends to be long, but believe us, it’s worth it, especially if you get a scoop of pistachio.

Where to Stay

There are no small number of jaw-droppingly opulent (and equally expensive) accommodations in Antibes, however for those in the know, there’s really only one place to stay: Hotel Belles Rives.

Probably our favorite hotel in the French Riviera, a stay at Hotel Belles Rives feels like you’ve entered another decade. Located in a spectacular villa on a prime stretch of Côte d’Azur beach, the Hotel Belles Rives is unlike any other 5-star hotel we’ve stayed in the area, steeped in sophistication, luxury and a truly romantic history.

Indeed before it was a hotel, the Hotel Belles Rives was home to none other than F. Scott Fitzgerald. Attempting to cure a writing dry spell, Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda rented the Hotel Belles Rives, then a private home, in 1926, living and writing there for most of that year. The move seemed to work; it was at the Hotel Belles Rives that Fitzgerald would write one of his masterpieces, TenderisTheNight, chronicling life in the French Riviera during the Jazz Age.

It’s not hard to see why the hotel inspired Fitzgerald so. It is a masterpiece of Art Deco design, painstakingly restored but still brimming with intricate original design details from the 1920s.

The hotel’s lobby is a masterclass in the sophisticated modernism characteristic of the time period, with original blue and pink murals and a trademark pebbled marble floor. Just off the lobby is another of our favorite rooms, a sumptuous wood-paneled study with breathtaking ocean views where Fitzgerald is said to have done much of his writing. Today, it’s the location of the hotel’s bar, duly named the Fitzgerald Bar, a stunningly elegant space with wafting piano music and waiters in starched uniforms ferrying endless flutes of Moët come sunset .

Most captivating, however, is probably the hotel’s location. Nestled right above the water, Hotel Belles Rives offers unparalleled access to the beach. Enjoy coffee and a pastry on the hotel’s stunning terrace overlooking the water. Better yet, venture down a narrow set of cliffside stairs onto the beach itself, where the hotel’s surprisingly great restaurant serves exquisitely-prepared classic French coastal fare, served just feet away from the lapping waves.

The hotel’s beachfront offers a range of opportunities to enjoy the Mediterranean. A lovely dock of lounge chairs jettisons right into the water, perhaps the best seat in Antibes. The beach area is also wellstaffed with a crew of warm attendants, waiting at the ready to grab you a glass of ice-cold Sancerre or an exquisite vegetable plate with homemade aioli, and pesto.

Indeed to my mind, there’s probably no better place in the world to spend a summer afternoon than on that stretch of beach. But don’t take my word for it; take F. Scott’s.