Antibes Beaches You Can Reach by Public Transport

With nearly 25 kilometers of coastline between Juan-les-Pins, the Cap and La Brague, Antibes has beaches for every taste: gently sloping sand for families, rocky coves for snorkeling, and pebbles to the north for those escaping the crowds. The good news is that most of them are easy to reach without a car, by Envibus bus, by train or simply on foot from the center. Here is how to get to each beach and what to expect once you are there.

Buses and tickets to know before you go

The Envibus network serves most of the Antibes coastline. A ticket costs €1 from a machine, the ticket office or the Envibus Cap Azur app, and €1.50 if bought on board; a day pass is €3.50 and a 7-day pass €10, great value if you plan to try several beaches during the week. Accompanied children under 6 travel free. On shuttle lines 14, 15, 16 and 17, the free Pass Navette, valid for one year, lets you travel at no cost.

The most useful lines for the beach are the 02, which crosses Cap d’Antibes, the 14 to La Salis, the 15 around Juan-les-Pins and the 16 to La Fontonne, not forgetting the free NFC shuttle between Fort Carré and Porte Marine. For Juan-les-Pins and La Brague, the train is often faster. More details on our page about the Envibus network.

La Gravette: the Old Antibes beach

Tucked beneath the ramparts between Port Vauban and the old town, Gravette beach is one of the easiest to reach: about thirteen minutes on foot from the station, or a few steps from Porte Marine, served by the free NFC shuttle. It is a public sandy beach, sheltered from wind and swell, lifeguarded in season, with a view of the ramparts that gives it its charm.

Its small size has a downside: in July and August it fills up very quickly. Arrive early in the morning or enjoy it late in the day, when the golden light on the ramparts is worth the trip on its own.

Le Ponteil and La Salis: family beaches

South of Old Antibes, Ponteil beach is a gently sloping, shallow public sandy beach with showers, toilets and a sailing school: a family favorite, about twenty minutes’ walk from the station. A little further on, Salis beach offers the same profile, plus the town’s only Handiplage, certified at the highest level and equipped with beach wheelchairs for people with reduced mobility.

La Salis is served by line 14, which stops at the Handiplage stop Monday to Saturday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., or by line 02 at the Chemin de la Salis stop. Our guides to Antibes with the family without a car and to accessibility in Antibes detail the facilities and how to book the Handiplage.

Juan-les-Pins: the easiest beach to reach by train

For Juan-les-Pins, forget the bus: the TER train links Antibes and Juan-les-Pins stations in about four minutes, and the beach is five minutes’ walk from the station. The main public sandy beach stretches for about 250 meters and is lifeguarded in season; further along, opposite the Pinède Gould, Plage de la Pinède is largely taken up by private beach clubs in summer.

It is also the ideal beach for making a day of it: seafront restaurants, evening entertainment and, in July, the Jazz à Juan festival concerts. The last TER trains back to Antibes run in the evening, so there is no need to drive after dinner. All train information is on our page about Antibes station.

La Garoupe and the Cap: fine sand and snorkeling

On Cap d’Antibes, Garoupe beach is probably the best known: fine sand, clear water and a rocky point that is perfect for spotting fish with a mask and snorkel. In summer, much of it is taken up by private beach clubs, but small public areas remain. Take line 02 to the Fontaine stop, then walk for about ten minutes; it is also the starting point of the coastal trail.

On the western side of the Cap, the small Plage des Ondes is served by line 15, which runs during the day from Monday to Saturday. To plan a full day of beach and walking, read our article on Cap d’Antibes without a car.

To the north: Fort Carré, La Fontonne and La Brague

North of town, the coastline changes character: pebbles and water that gets deep quickly, with fewer people than on the central sandy beaches. Fort Carré beach is reached by line 14 or the NFC shuttle, at the P+R Fort Carré stop, and La Fontonne by line 16, which terminates there. Further still, La Brague beach is close to Biot station, about five minutes by TER from Antibes.

These pebble beaches call for a little gear: water shoes make getting into the sea much more pleasant, and a thick mat beats a towel.

Which beach, which transport?

Here is a summary of the main Antibes beaches and the best way to reach them without a car:

Beach	Type	Car-free access
La Gravette	Sand, sheltered	On foot (13 min from the station), NFC shuttle
Le Ponteil	Sand, shallow	On foot (20 min from the station)
La Salis	Sand, Handiplage	Line 14 (Handiplage stop) or line 02
Juan-les-Pins	Sand	TER to Juan-les-Pins + 5 min walk
La Garoupe	Fine sand, rocky seabed	Line 02 (Fontaine stop) + 10 min
Plage des Ondes	Small beach, west side of the Cap	Line 15
Fort Carré / La Fontonne	Pebbles	Line 14 or NFC / line 16
La Brague	Pebbles	TER to Biot

Our tips for a car-free beach day

In July and August, set off before 10 a.m.: the central sandy beaches fill up fast, and buses are more pleasant before the heat. Check return times, as shuttle lines 14 and 15 only run during the day and not on Sundays. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen, and pack water shoes for the pebble beaches north of town.

If you are staying near the station, our article on distances from Antibes station will help you estimate walking times to each beach.