JUAN LES PINS - FAQ`S

How do I get from the airport to my hotel?

The nearest airport to Juan-les-Pins is Nice International Airport. If you have not booked a private transfer with us you have a few options. The Nice International Airport (www.nice.aeroport.fr) is located 13 miles away and takes about 30 minutes depending on your means of transportation.

Express Bus Line 250 departs from Nice International Airport mostly twice per hour from 7:30 am to 8:00 pm and leaving from the airport from about 8:10 am to 8:20 pm at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. This bus is the fastest and most convenient transportation other than a private transport. The ride takes between 40 to 50 minutes to Juan les Pins depending on traffic. The cost is around €11 and €16.50 return. Tickets are available for purchase at the airport, directly from the bus driver, or online (www.niceairportexpress.com).

Ligne d`Azur Bus 200 to Antibes from Nice International Airport is the cheapest way to travel to Juan les Pins/Antibes. The bus only cost about €1.50, you may also be charged for luggage (hand luggage may cost about €1.00 and a suitcase around €5). Bus 200 connects Nice City with Cannes via Antibes but passes en route in front of the airport. Travel times from the Airport to Antibes takes around 45 minutes but can be considerably longer during peak periods. The bus stop is at Airport - Promenade at the main road in front of the airport. This bus runs about every 15 minutes on weekdays, three times an hour on Saturdays, and twice per hour on Sundays. The first bus from city of Nice pass by the airport around 6:20 am (8:00 am on Sunday). The last two buses of Bus 200 to Cannes actually stop at the airport at Terminal 1 at 8:55 pm and 10:00 pm (8:45 am and 9:55 pm on Sunday). Keep in mind that the bus may be full when it reaches the airport and will not pick up additional passengers if so.

There is a night bus on Ligne d`Azur, N200, that stop at Terminal 1 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

By car, traveling time is around a 24 minutes if using the toll highway. Taxis are also available and charge according to the meter. Uber is another available option, and a much cheaper option than a taxi. The estimated cost for Uber starts at about €36 and increases depending on the car type you order.

By Train: TER trains are typically faster than buses and stop at most French Riviera resort towns. As trains do not stop directly at the Nice Airport, a short walk (about 10-minutes from Terminal 1, it is not advised to walk from Terminal 2) or bus transfer is required to get there. The closest train station to Nice Airport is Nice-Saint Augustin, where almost all TER regional trains call. Nice-Ville station is a 15-minute bus ride away and offers TER regional trains and further long-distance connections. TER train tickets can be purchased from the bus ticket windows just outside the airport terminals or at the station. The TER train traveling from Nice-Ville Gare SNCF train station will take about 28 minutes to the Antibes (Juan les Pins) stop. Trains operate from around 5 am to 11 pm.

How do I get around Juan les Pins using Public Transportation?

Envibus is the bus network in Juan les Pins, for specific public transport requests and schedules visit www.envibus.fr. Individual tickets cost around €1 and allows you to travel on two successive forms of public transport across the network of regional buses and is valid for up to 3 hours. The bus line has about 31 bus routes in the Antibes area and with other lines connecting with the surrounding towns and villages, it is easy to travel even further into Provence.

Linge d`Azur is the intercity bus line in the area. Tickets for this bus are about €1.50.

How do I call/hail a taxi? Is Uber available in the Juan les Pins?

The main taxi service is operated by Allo Taxi Antibes (www.taxiantibes.com, Tel. 04 93 67 67 67). They are located at five points in the area: Gare SNCF d`Antibes, Plade de Gaulle/Boulevard Albert (downtown Antibes), Gare SNCF Juan-les-Pins, Pinède de Juan-les-pins and on the corner of avenue Guy de Maupassant/Boulevard Edouard Baudoin. Taxi drivers are typically bilingual (French and English).

Uber is available in Juan les Pins and a welcome alternative to taxis offering a reliable ride at less expensive rates.

Is Juan les Pins a walking city?

Juan les Pins is easy to get around by walking and arguably the best way to explore because the city is rather small and there are many alleyways and narrow streets. In addition, the chance of identifying and enjoying some of the less renowned objectives of Juan les Pins is better if you choose this means of getting around.

I will have a car in Juan les Pins, where can I park?

It is not recommended to drive in the city due to the fact that Juan les Pins is compact and getting around by foot is less challenging. If you do decide to rent a car we suggest you pick it up as you depart the city to avoid excessive rental/parking expenses.

Public road parking is available throughout the city; the first hour is free for all motorists. This free hour is only issued once a day per vehicle. Parking on the road is free between 12 pm to 2 pm and in the evening from 6 pm until 9 am. It is also free on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Other parking options can be found by visiting www.parkopedia.fr.

How do I get around by bike?

Juan les Pins is great to explore by bike offering a way to see the city in a short period of time. You can hire scooters and bicycles at Holiday Bikes (www.localbike.fr; Tel. 04 93 61 51 51). A Bicycle rental costs about €14 per day, scooters start at about €26 per day.

Is Juan les Pins a dangerous city?

Juan les Pins is a safe place and there are lots of people walking around till late at night enjoying the ambiance. However, as in any city, tourist may be a target for pickpockets and crooks, it is always recommended to guard your wallet and other valuables.

Can I pay/tip in US dollars?

The currency of Juan les Pins is the Euro, US dollars are not accepted. The city has plenty of ATMs in and around the city to withdraw cash, and most of the top restaurants, shopping centers, boutiques, hotels, etc. accept credit cards. Also, banks offer the most convenient exchange rates and can be spotted throughout the city. As a rule, banks open weekdays between 8:30 am and 5 pm, with an approximately 2-hour lunch break in the middle of the day.

What is the weather like?

Juan les Pins offers a pleasant Mediterranean climate. May and June have comfortable temperatures and the weather is warm enough to enjoy the beaches and swimming. July and August are the height of season with the hottest temps, averaging a temperature in the 80s. Autumn temperatures range from 60s - 70s. October is known to be the wettest month. On average, the coolest month is January.

I don`t speak French. Will many people speak English?

French is the official language spoken in Juan les Pins. However, the staff of most tourism-related venues (hotels, restaurants) speaks English fluently, and plenty of attractions (museums, guided tours) feature a wide openness to the English speaking public. We suggest you get a good English-French guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

What is the food like? What time do people eat?

Juan les Pins has a wide selection of restaurant from hip and trendy to relaxed and cozy. The area also offers a variety of restaurants on the beach with amazing ocean views. The region offers traditional Provencal food with influences from the Mediterranean Sea, and its warm and sunny climate. The offerings include lots of fresh fish, vegetables, and herbs. One of the distinct differences of the cuisine on the French Riviera is the use of olive oil rather than butter, the region is one of the main suppliers of olive oil in France.

You will notice that restaurant opening hours for lunch is typically noon to 2 pm. Dinner is a bit late, around 7:30 pm to about 10 pm. It is recommended to call restaurants in advance to check on their hours.

What are the best areas for shopping?

The Promenade in Juan les Pins is lined with boutique shops selling jewelry, art and handcrafted goods. You will find many streets filled with little boutiques and gourmet food shops in Vieil Antibes (Old Town). Juan les Pins and the Antibes area have many markets such as flea markets, clothing markets, craft markets, and Provencal markets offered at various times throughout the day. The large and popular covered market in Cours Massena offers all types of produce: olives, cheese, tapenade, fresh fruit and vegetables. Another flea market worth checking out is the Foire clothing market, which is located behind the local post office and is only open on Thursdays. This is the best flea market style shopping for local clothing.

Clothing is one of the most popular items bought in the area, but even more popular is the art. This is because of the importance of art to the history of the area. The best place to buy art is in any of the local galleries located throughout Antibes, with Old Antibes offering the most options. This area is also great for browsing, as there are numerous stores in various alleyways.

Once a year in Juan les Pins, typically in October, the town hosts La Grande Braderie, a market of a completely different style. The streets of the town become a sale market with over 100 shops from all around town that bring their end-of-summer bargains to the streets.

Note: Value-added tax (VAT) rate is currently 20% in France for standard goods. A reduced rate of 10% applies to restaurants, transport, and certain medical drugs. And a 5.5% tax applies to food, water and non-alcoholic beverages, books, some entertainment events and some domestic personal services. Look for stores displaying Global Blue Tax Free Shopping signage in the window. When paying for your purchases ask the shop staff for a Tax Free Form.

What are the best areas for nightlife?

Juan les Pins boasts a vibrant nightlife offering an array of high-end nightclubs, cocktail bars, numerous restaurants, classy wine bars and casinos that cater to a wide range of clientele. The streets are lively with people eating on restaurant terraces until the early hours and weaving in and out from bar to café to restaurant to casino. Avenue du Dr. Dauthevill and Boulevard de la Pinéde are filled with nightlife with a wide array of fashionable clubs and bars that have made Juan les Pins a 24/7 party location. The Brazilian-themed Pam-Pam Bar has been offering up a fabulous atmosphere, Brazilian dancing shows, and tasty cocktails since 1927. This place is definitely worth a visit! Whether you love a quiet evening, or you want to dance all night, or something in between, Juan Les Pins has a place for all your nightlife needs.

What is the popular Jazz Festival of Antibes-Juan les Pins, and when is it held?

Since 1960 the prestigious Jazz Festival, Jazz a Juan, takes place over a 10 day period in the middle of July each year. The festival is the second most popular in the world of jazz and the oldest jazz festival that attracts great jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong, BB King, Duke Ellington and Keith Jarrett. The festival takes place at the beautiful Pinede Gould stage with a backdrop of the sea. In addition to the main concert, there are free concerts by local jazz musicians that can be found in venues around town.

For more information and to reserve tickets online visit: www.jazzajuan.com

What should I do if I need medical assistance or need to go to the hospital?

In an Emergency dial 112

Police 117

Fire 118

Ambulance 115

Doctors on call 04 93 53 03 03

Riviera Medical Services (English-speaking doctors) 04 93 2612 70