Skip to main content

Plage de la Salis Beach

Long stretch of white sandy beach, close to Antibes town

Location
Antibes
Featured in
Beaches
Updated

Running from Antibes Sailing Club down to the beginning of Cap d’Antibes, this laid-back beach has lovely soft white sand and stunning views back over the Old Town and the Alps. Like the neighbouring Plage du Ponteil, this beach gets packed in the summer and is busy well into the long twilight hours with volleyball games, music and picnics.

This entire stretch of beach is public, making it a rarity out of Riviera beaches. Anywhere you see free is yours to occupy and you’ll find everyone brings their umbrellas and beach chairs along, making it a free-for-all.

It's a lovely white sand beach with great views and basic facilities but lacks a little of the atmosphere of its neighbour, Plage du Ponteil. However, the sand quality seems softer and whiter on this beach, there are fewer rocks in the water, and it seems a little easier to find a spot to lay your towel in high summer. There are free public toilets on the far side of the Sailing Club building, and open-air showers on the edge of the water.

Off-season this beach does get lovely winter sun, but isn’t quite as well protected as the neighbouring sun-trap on Plage du Ponteil. Through the winter months, the council rarely removes the seaweed and debris that rolls in with the winter storms so while you’ll still be able to find stretches of lovely soft sand, you’ll find this beach does get quite full of sticks, logs and seaweed. On the bright side, it’s a lovely spot for a dog-walk on a cool winter’s day.

Dogs: From mid-April until October, dogs are ostensibly forbidden on these beaches between 06:00 and midnight due to the crowds. However, you’ll find that on wet or windy days or early in the morning the locals still walk their dogs there anyway. Whatever you do, pick your dog mess up: it’s illegal not to, and anyway, no-one wants to step in dog surprises at the beach. You will still find many French people bucking the law to pick up (and other French people chasing them and yelling at them, which is very amusing) so keep your eyes peeled.

Jump to

  1. Setting & Location
  2. Water Safety & Clarity
  3. Beach Quality
  4. Watersports Nearby
  5. Directions
  6. Villas nearby
  7. Hotels nearby
  8. Things to do nearby
  9. Restaurants nearby
  10. Nightlife nearby
  11. Sights nearby
  12. Golf-clubs nearby
  13. Towns nearby
  14. Beach Bars & Beachclubs

Setting & Location

Plage de la Salis, or ‘Salis Beach’ runs along to the small marina at the base of the Cap d’Antibes, and offers the best views of that glorious forested headland of villas, rocky outcrops and pines. It also has sensational views back across the jumbled terracotta roofs and towers of the Old Town towards the Alps. There’s also a lovely little park at the town end of the beach, with park benches and a fountain under large pine trees, a nice place to escape the heat. The only downside is that the actual beach doesn’t have the lovely promenade with park benches that makes Ponteil so special.

Water Safety & Clarity

There are some sections of the water with a sandy bottom, but there are also some rocks and patches of seaweed. The water in the off-season is crystal clear, but in mid-summer it can get a bit murky with all the people swimming in it and the yachts anchored off shore. Such is life on the French Riviera, if you want sparkling, clear water in high summer either head to the little coves on Cap d’Antibes or take the short ferry trip over from Golfe Juan to the stunning Cannes Islands.

There are lifeguards posted here in the summer, but this beach is a very calm beach, protected by the Cap d’Antibes on one side and the old town on the other. The slope of the sand into the water is gentle and it stays shallow for some time, meaning it’s a great spot for the kiddies to swim.

Beach Quality

The sand here is white and soft, as Antibes happily marks the end of the smooth pebbled beaches that run all the way to Nice and beyond.

Watersports Nearby

The Antibes Sailing Club at the start of the beach offers sailing lessons as well as hire of paddleboards, windsurfers and kayaks. Plage Salis doesn’t have any watersports operators, but a five minute walk away at Plage du Ponteil you’ll find a pontoon offering towed watersports in the summer months.

Directions

The little local Envibuses connect the town of Antibes to the beaches. If walking, just head around the ramparts from the Old Town or down Albert Premier from Place de Gaulle until you hit the beach. There’s a big car park just to the left of the beach, which is free from mid-September through to mid-June, and has a relatively minimal fee.

Villas nearby

Villas in Antibes

See all Villas in Antibes

Hotels nearby

Hotels in Antibes

See all Hotels in Antibes

Things to do nearby

Things To Do in Antibes

See all Things To Do in Antibes

Restaurants nearby

Restaurants in Antibes

See all Restaurants in Antibes

Nightlife nearby

Bars & Clubs in Antibes

See all Bars & Clubs in Antibes

Sights nearby

Sights in Antibes

See all Sights in Antibes

Golf-clubs nearby

Golf Courses in Antibes

See all Golf Courses in Antibes

Towns nearby

Towns & Villages in Antibes

See all Towns & Villages in Antibes

Beach Bars & Beachclubs in Antibes

There are several food kiosks at the back of the beach selling baguettes, ice cream, French fries and crepes. There’s a small Casino supermarket behind Plage du Ponteil; for those wanting an ice-cream parlour, you’ll have to walk a bit further back past Royal Hotel.

Latest News & Reviews

Find out all about what is happening in Antibes and how to make the most of your time here. The latest news, reviews of fun activities, fabulous beaches, current events and the trendiest restaurants, as well as interviews with leading locals, insider's guides and our top choices for things to do, see and experience in this charming Riviera town.

See allLatest News & Reviews
Unique Antibes wedding venues for 2019
Escape to Antibes this winter 2018/19
Waves of wellness, top 5 spas in Antibes 2019
Perfect picnic spots in Antibes 2018

Upcoming Events

You will not be short of entertainment in this beautiful French Riviera town, especially during the summer. Markets are very popular, selling everything from local produce to arts & crafts and second-hand objects. There are also plenty of cultural and musical events, including world-famous festivals like Jazz a Juan, as well as regattas and other sports competitions.

See allUpcoming Events
gold statues inside antibes cathedral
the main market square in sarlat la caneda
Grande Braderie, Juan les Pins
Jammin' Juan Jazz Festival, Juan les Pins
Runners on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice for the Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes
Napoleon's Landed, Golfe Juan