The Jabotte journeys #9: Secret swimming spots around Cap d'Antibes

Some of the best swims on the French Riviera begin far from the beaches.

Some travellers look for big beaches.

Others look for a place where the water is crystal clear, where cicadas sing in the background, and where for a few minutes the Mediterranean almost feels private.

Around Cap d’Antibes, those places still exist.

You simply have to know where to look.

Just 60 metres from La Jabotte, there is the sea.

On some summer mornings, you may spot a guest crossing the garden in a bathrobe, flip-flops on, still half asleep.

Heading to Plage de la Salis, just around the corner.

Plouf.

A swim before breakfast.

Guests often ask us in the evening:

“Until what time do you serve breakfast?”

One might think they plan to sleep late.

In reality, many wake up early to enjoy the Cap before the crowds: a sunrise swim or a quiet walk along the Cap d’Antibes coastal path.

Before 10 a.m., the Cap still belongs to early risers.

There are also more discreet places.

Less than ten minutes’ walk from the hotel, two tiny coves hide just below the Cap road.

You can barely see them from above.

A small path leads down, and suddenly a miniature beach appears.

Two towels.

Sometimes no one.

The feeling of discovering a secret.

Another favourite spot hides behind the small port of La Salis, close to the pétanque courts.

It’s not a sandy beach.

Instead, you’ll find a small stretch of pebbles and rocks, known mostly by locals.

The water there is often incredibly clear, with a beautiful view of Antibes’ old town across the bay.

It’s simple, a little wild, and that is exactly what makes it so pleasant: fewer people, more sea.

At La Jabotte, everyone has their own favourite corner.

Yin, our cat, prefers the cool shade near the room terraces during the hot summer days.

Tya chooses the sunny spot by the pool for her afternoon naps.

Guests usually adopt a simple rhythm: morning sunshine on their terrace, a swim during the day, and the pool area again at sunset for an apéritif.

The real secret of Cap d’Antibes is not only the place.

It’s the timing.

Very early in the morning.

Or later in the afternoon.

Between those hours the Riviera can be lively.

But at the right moment, it becomes exactly what one imagines when dreaming of the Mediterranean.

Calm.

Bright.

And wonderfully gentle.

This is often when visitors understand why some people return to Antibes every summer.

Not for the big beaches.

But for those quiet moments when the sea feels almost yours.

— Nathalie and Pierre

About La Jabotte

La Jabotte is a small boutique hotel hidden just 60 metres from the sea, in Antibes.
A secret garden, a peaceful atmosphere, and a slower rhythm — softer, quieter, and a little outside of time.