Are you planning to visit the Côte d’Azur and wondering where to go: Antibes or Menton?
We love both destinations. The choice is difficult, but we’re here to help you with our opinions on specific criteria.
Here’s our Antibes vs Menton battle with tips and photos:
- Atmosphere
- Beaches, monuments and museums
- Location
- Hotels and restaurants
- …
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Antibes or Nice: comparison summary
Short answer
Both towns have a lot of character, but are quite different.
Antibes has two faces that will delight visitors: the old town with its ramparts and the sea and mountain views, complemented by its seaside resort of Juan-les-Pins.
Menton also offers an old town, but with colorful buildings and an Italian influence. Its long waterfront is also very pleasant.
Depending on what you’re looking for…
- to easily explore the region: Antibes
- for the most beautiful beaches: equality
- for young children / families: Antibes
- for the finest hotels: equality
- for a romantic getaway: equality
- for gastronomy: equality
- for the city’s charm: equality
- …
See the top-rated accommodations in Antibes.
See the top-rated accommodations in Menton.
Access + Location to explore the region
Both towns are located on the eastern half of the Côte d’Azur.
Menton is at the eastern end, so Antibes is more central for exploring the region.
Here’s some road map to help you make a better assessment:
- Antibes to Menton = 1h min
- Antibes to Nice = 35min drive
- Antibes to Cannes = 25 min drive
- Menton to Monaco = 25 min drive
Nice-Côte d’Azur airport is the main international airport serving Antibes and Menton.
Antibes airport: 25min drive
Menton airport: 40min drive
Compare available flights.
The two towns also have a train station with services between Marseille and Menton.
Book your trains.
OUR TPS FOR RENTING YOUR CAR IN Provence
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is powerful enough (the roads are steep) but compact (some passages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Best hotel offer: Antibes vs Menton
Hotels in Antibes
The range of hotels in Antibes is fairly limited. You’ll find plenty of apartment rentals.
You can choose between hotels on the old town side, or close to the Juan-les-Pins beach.
We recommend..:
- Old Town: Hotel La Villa Port d’Antibes – view prices, pictures and availability
- Charm: Hotel Alexandra – view prices, pictures and availability
- Quiet: Hotel La Villa Cap d’Antibes – view prices, pictures and availability
Read our article on where to stay in Antibes.
Hotels in Menton
Mentone offers a wide range of hotels. These are rather small, charming hotels.
Here are some of our favorite hotels:
- Luxury: Hotel Villa Genesis – see photos and availability
- Charming: Hotel de Londres – see photos and availability
- Sea view: Hotel Riva Art & Spa – see photos and availability
Read our article on where to stay in Menton.
Our review
Equality. The same type of offer is available.
Attractions, museums and monuments
Attractions in Antibes
The main attractions in Antibes are:
- Walk on the ramparts and admire the statue of Le Nomade
- Explore the narrow streets of the old town
- Enjoy the many sandy beaches with unforgettable views
- Visit Fort Carré
- Learning at the Picasso Museum
- Hike the coastal path to Cap d’Antibes and its impressive Garoupe lighthouse!
- …
Find out more in our article on the best attractions in Antibes.
Attractions in Menton
- Plage des Sablettes in the heart of the city, overlooking the colorful old town
- The staircase to Saint-Michel Basilica
- Jean Cocteau Museum
- Views from the old castle cemetery
- And the Lemon Festival, if you’re visiting (second half of February)
- The villages of Sainte-Agnès and Roquebrune
See our article on the best attractions in Menton (coming soon).
Our review
Antibes offers more historical attractions and Antibes, more visual and artistic attractions. It depends on what you prefer.
HAVE FUN WITH THESE activities
- Great kayak trips in:
Saint-Tropez to the Ramatuelle reserve
Cassis to the calanques - Helicopter flight from Cannes
- Shuttle service along the coast between Nice and Saint-Tropez
- Bike tours: eBike in Nice – Mountain biking in the Esterel massif
Most beautiful beaches: Menton or Antibes?
Antibes beaches
In Antibes, you’ll find beautiful beaches, mostly of fine sand, although some are pebbled. The largest are located in Antibes’ seaside resort, “Juan-les-Pins”, while the “wildest” are at Cap d’Antibes.
We love the Ponteil beach with its view of Antibes old town and the mountains behind.
See our article on Antibes’ most beautiful beaches (coming soon).
Beaches of Menton
All along the seafront, you’ll discover large sandy beaches with shallow waters.
The Sablette beach is the best known, right at the foot of the colorful houses.
See our article on Menton’s beaches (coming soon).
Our review
We prefer the beaches of Antibes. But Menton’s are more accessible from downtown.
Excursions around the cities
Excursions from Antibes
From Antibes, you can visit:
- The magnificent village of Èze – see our article
- Monaco, Cannes, Antibes and Menton
- The city of Grasse and its perfumes
- The villages of St Paul de Vence, Mougins, Vallebonne
Excursions from Menton
From Nice, you can visit:
- The village of Sainte-Agnès
- The village of Roquebrune and its castle
- The magnificent village of Èze – see our article
- Monaco, Cannes, Antibes
- Or crossing the Italian border, or a small cultural change.
Our review
The town of Antibes is more central for discovering numerous villages, museums and historic sites.
Best gastronomic offer
Restaurants in Antibes
The restaurant offer is interesting for the size of the town. There are numerous restaurants offering refined, traditional cuisine. We were impressed by the concentration of bistronomic restaurants.
Among our favorite restaurants:
- Restaurant L’Arazur: colorful plates that change with the seasons
- Healthy Lounge Restaurant: for a healthy lunch while exploring the Old Town.
- Restaurant Le Figuier Saint-Esprit (1 star): traditional French gourmet cuisine.
Discover our selection of the best restaurants in Antibes.
Restaurants in Menton
Menton is famous for its lemons. You’ll find it in an infinite number of restaurants, especially with fresh fish and seafood.
Among our favorite restaurants:
- Restaurant L’orangeraie: orange and lemon in all their forms
- Restaurant Case Fuego: for meat lovers
- Restaurant Mirazur: 3 stars, voted best restaurant in the world in 2019
Discover our selection of the best restaurants in Menton. (coming soon)
Our review
We have a slight preference for Antibes’ gastronomic offerings.
Ease of getting around these cities/regions
Getting around Antibes
Antibes’ old town side is easy to explore on foot.
The alleyways are narrow and mainly pedestrian, anyway.
However, if you want to explore Cap d’Antibes, you’ll need a car.
Getting around Menton
It’s easy to explore the lower town and waterfront on foot. However, as soon as you want to get away from the water, the slopes are steep.
Can we visit Antibes and Menton on the same trip?
The two towns are quite close.
By car, 1h drive.
By train: 1h, good frequency.
And why not other cities/regions?
On the Côte d’Azur, there are plenty of other great towns to discover. You can read our comparison:
Or see our list of the most beautiful towns on the Côte d’Azur.
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO THE Côte d’Azur
- Inspiration
The most beautiful landscapes in 30 photos
Best things to do on the Côte d’Azur
Most beautiful villages
Best beaches on the Côte d’Azur
Most beautiful gardens
Best boat tours (coming soon)
Most beautiful islands
Secret places
- Practical advice
Successful travel on the Côte d’Azur (coming soon)
Rent a car in Provence – in Nice – in Cannes – in Marseille – in Aix-en-Provence.
Itineraries: 5 days – 1 week – 10 days
Weekend ideas: best-of – romantic – luxury – unusual
- Where to stay
Where to stay on the Côte d’Azur
Best luxury hotels on the Côte d’Azur
Hotels by the sea
Best boutique-hotels
