A century ago, the French Riviera beach town of Juan-les-Pins was the playground of American expats who swam in the crystal-clear Mediterranean, drank way too much, and, in the case of one F. Scott Fitzgerald, produced two novels: The Great Gatsby and Tender Is the Night.
At least one battered paperback copy of The Great Gatsby sat on my living room bookshelf when I was growing up in New York. I could not have imagined then that nearly three decades later, I would be living in the South of France, enjoying long weekends in and around Juan-les-Pins, and indeed spending the night in la Villa Saint-Louis, the art deco mansion that the Fitzgeralds lived in—today the 43-room Hotel Belle Rives.
Juan-les-Pins was once the countryside of Antibes, all soft sand and the pine trees for which it’s named. The town was formally was established in 1882 when the first residences were built. Public gardens, a church, and the train station opened in 1885, followed by three luxury hotels and, by 1903, 92 villas.
A casino was de rigueur for any French seaside town in the early 20th century, and the one in Juan-les-Pins opened in 1909. (Four years later, before World War I, it went bankrupt.) By the 1920s the town had become a favorite of writers, artists, and musicians; Cole Porter, Picasso, Marlene Dietrich, Dorothy Parker, and Hemingway all passed through, many as guests of wealthy art patrons Sara and Gerald Murphy. Today Juan-les-Pins is still a thriving beach town, the 1920s Americans replaced by plenty of French and Italian vacationers stretched out along nearly 16 miles of Mediterranean coastline.
“In the streets around the train station bordering the Pinède [park], [you can] uncover beautifully decorated buildings from the 1920s and 30s,” says Maryline Bailly, a long-time Antibes resident and an organizer of jazz festivals Jammin’Summer and Jammin’ Juan. She adds that the town “has a rich history and architectural heritage and is full of surprises for those who stroll and observe.”
Antibes, home of the Picasso Museum, is only a five-minute drive from Juan-les-Pins.
Photo by François Fernandez
Things to do in Juan-les-Pins
This year, Juan-les-Pins and its neighbor Antibes are celebrating 100 years since the publication of The Great Gatsby and Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgeralds’ arrival in town. It’s also been a century since Picasso leaned into surrealism; you can see some of his work at the Picasso Museum in Antibes, housed within a medieval castle.
The sun shines year round in the French Riviera, but June and July are set to be banner months for Juan-les-Pins and Antibes, and early summer (along with September) is the best time to visit. The days are long and the weather speaks for itself—bright blue skies, dazzling sunshine, highs in the upper ’70s to mid-’80s, and a sky barely dark at 10 p.m.
A big bang happens early in June at the Hotel Belle Rives on June 5 with the Bal des Rêves, a charity gala in support of oceanic protection and exploration. Expect live music, bow ties and gowns, and plenty of champagne.
From June 4 to 8 is the yearly sailing race Voiles d’Antibes, which sees yachts racing across the Mediterranean nearby and locals thronging the coast for food, wine, and live music.
On June 9, Hotel Belle Rives will celebrate the birthday of iconic composer and songwriter Cole Porter, a friend of the Fitzgeralds who played in what is now the hotel’s Bar Fitzgerald. A jazz band will perform Porter’s greatest hits while the bar slings Jazz Era cocktails.
The following Saturday, June 14, is the 13th Prix Fitzgerald, a literary prize honoring American writers such as Joyce Carol Oates, Amor Towles, and Quentin Tarantino. Nominees this year include Rachel Kushner for Creation Lake, Richard Russo for Playground, and Jessica Anthony for The Most.
The French know how to ring in the summer solstice, and the Fête de la Musique, held annually on June 21, will see free concerts across Juan-les-Pins and Antibes. The Fête is also known as World Music Day, and musicians will perform rock, jazz, choral music, and everything in between.
One of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe, Jazz à Juan (July 10–20) has been bringing musicians to town since 1960. Performers, including Herbie Hancock, Air, and Ayọ, play with the Mediterranean as the backdrop.
Whether families want to relax on the beach or take in the culture of Juan-les-Pins, there’s plenty to enjoy.
Photos by Alexandre Rotenberg/Shutterstock
Helpful tips for visiting Juan-les-Pins
Juan-les-Pins is popular with families, but school summer vacation in France doesn’t start until July 5. Come earlier and you’ll have plenty of sand to yourself.
The town is on the train line that runs along the Cote d’Azur, from Cannes east to Ventimiglia in Italy. It’s 25 minutes from Nice, 7 minutes from Cannes, and 2 from its neighbor Antibes. These TER trains require no reservations and run roughly every 15 minutes from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (later on summer weekends).
There are a handful of restaurants along the beach, but I tend to stop at L’Epicerie Italienne for picnic fare, then spread out on the sand to watch the sun set.
