The Jabotte Journey #5 : The secret of Antibes' fountains (and why they're better than air conditioning)

Summer on the French Riviera has a reputation — a hot one.

The sun blazes, the streets drift into a sleepy golden haze, and the cicadas deliver their daily opera with impressive determination.

But long before air conditioning arrived in our lives, the people of Antibes had already mastered the art of staying cool:
fountains.

Hidden throughout the old town,

they appear like small miracles of shade and sound.
At the corner of a quiet square, beneath the generous branches of a plane tree, or just behind a lively market…
They trickle, they shimmer, they whisper.
They’re a secret only those who take the time to wander truly discover.

At La Jabotte,

we suggest you seek them out one by one — a little Provençal treasure hunt.
Fill your water bottle. Cool your hands. Let the clear, fresh water melt the heat off your skin.
And take one slow moment to simply pause — fountains always reward you for that.

It’s free, eco-friendly, poetic,
…and let’s be honest, far more charming than hiding inside an air-conditioned supermarket.

And then there’s the ritual:

stopping, listening, breathing.
Tiny, precious pauses that gently stretch time,
like a chilled glass of rosé enjoyed in the garden’s shade…
but that part, you already know.

— Nathalie & Pierre

About La Jabotte

A small boutique hotel 60 meters from the sea, with a secret garden, rescued animals, a heated pool and a gentle Provencal soul. An intimate escape in Antibes.