Talk:Antibes

Quaint text from 1911 encyclopedia

I have copied this quaint text here for posterity. i assume it comes from the 1911 encyclopedia, and it might make a useful historical reference; its wildly out of date and somewhat innacurate as to history.

"It was formerly fortified, but all the ramparts (save the Fort Carré, built by Vauban) have now been demolished, and a new town is rising on their site. There is a tolerable harbour, with a considerable fishing industry. The principal exports are dried fruits, salt fish and oil. Much perfume distilling is done here, as the surrounding country produces an abundance of flowers. Antibes is the ancient Antipolis. It is said to have been founded before the Christian era (perhaps about 340 B.C.) by colonists from Marseilles, and is mentioned by Strabo. It was the seat of a bishopric from the 5th century to 1244, when the see was transferred to Grasse." --Nantonos 01:03, 24 September 2005 (UTC)

Apparently, the Antibois still feel ill-used over the loss of their bishop. Even into the 21st century they refer to their medieval stone church in the Old Town as "the cathedral" and it is so listed in the local telephone directory. Dick Kimball 16:01, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

Fort Carré was not built by Vauban, it was redesigned into its present star shape and rebuilt by him. This was long the French border with Savoy, so naturally it was fortified. On the side of the fort opposite the marina is a large white marble statue of a World War I soldier with his rifle at "order arms" (held by the barrel alongside the leg with the rifle butt on the ground). Unfortunately the sculptor got it wrong; the rifle is to the soldier's left when the position of order arms is only done with the rifle to the holder's right. Dick Kimball (talk) 16:50, 7 December 2007 (UTC)

I can't be absolutely certain, but it seems very likely that the big stone wall between the marina and Old Town was part of the original fortifications. Dick Kimball (talk) 15:19, 26 November 2013 (UTC)

Port Vauban Marina

I live for part of the year in Antibes. I believe that the marina is the largest (by total tonnage) in the entire Mediterranean. The outer part, the International Yacht Club d'Antibes (IYCA), is where the massive "mega-yachts" are moored. Dick Kimball 15:52, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

Antibes' "Ancient" Seawall

There is a general belief among the local population that the stone seawall along the east side of the Old Town (Vieux Antibes) dates from the time of the Romans. This is false. It is the stones used to build it that date to the Roman Empire. The seawall itself was built in the seventeenth century by Sébastien Le Prestre, Marquis de Vauban (1633 - 1707) during the reign of Louis XIV. At that time, ancient Roman ruins were plentiful throughout this area, but since they were non-christian during this period of fiercely intense Catholicism, they were not valued. The ruins were torn down to provide hewn stone blocks that made the seawall easier to build. Dick Kimball 15:52, 29 August 2007 (UTC) Dick Kimball 19:03, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Mega-yachts

I have a digital photograph (several, actually) of the mega-yacht EcstaSea, which I took myself, so there is no copyright consideration. I would like to post this to the area on the "Antibes" entry devoted to the yacht's owner, Roman Abramovitz. Would some of the more experienced users of Wikipedia please either help me or direct me to the instructions for posting and captioning original photographs? Dick Kimball 08:56, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

Eilenroc Gardens

Louis Dudley Beaumont's widow bequeathed the villa and grounds to the town, which is why they renamed the street leading to it Avenue Mrs. L. D. Beaumont in her honor. Of particular interest is the graceful villa, designed by the same architect, Charles Garnier, who designed the Paris Opéra and the Monte Carlo Casino (which also includes an opera house). Except for July and August, the villa and gardens are open to the public a couple of days per week. The villa is also used, as was Mrs. Beaumont's wish, for entertaining notable guests of the town. The name Eilenroc is the first name of the original owner's wife, Cornelie, backwards. Dick Kimball (talk) 16:36, 7 December 2007 (UTC) Dick Kimball (talk) 18:56, 14 January 2010 (UTC)

The reference to "Mr. Beaumont" is incorrect. Louis Dudley Beaumont's surname was Dudley Beaumont, a two word surname like Arthur Conan Doyle. Dick Kimball (talk) 14:51, 26 November 2013 (UTC)

Villa Eilenroc was built on a rock in the middle of a virtual desert.

This is misleading verging on mistaken. Villa Eilenroc is on top of an oceanfront cliff. I realize that this is "original research," but I have visited the villa and gardens and have looked down on the Mediterranean from there.
☺ Dick Kimball (talk) 18:48, 30 December 2014 (UTC)

Economic History

The section on Economic History reads like it's been translated by Babelfish. I'd rewrite in English myself, but I can't make out what is actually being said. Anyone? Brickie 15:07, 31 October 2007 (UTC)

V. A. Malte-Brun in 1882, when the city had 6,752 inhabitants, that is to say 10% of its current population, found a mainly agricultural economy: gardens, vines, orchards, initially turned towards tobacco, but also olives, the mulberry tree (for silk), the orange tree and the flowers and plants grown for their perfume. He reported also commercial activities: in forestry, draperies, fish, wine, perfumery, olive oil, oranges, fishing, lemons, figs, nectarines and grain.

He quoted some rarer industrial activities: oil mills, gasoline, distillation from flowers, pasta manufacture, potteries, salting, maritime equipment.

Concerning the harbour, Malte-Brun said that the port received 50 to 60 ships annually, and that its coastal traffic was 150 to 200 ships of tonnage 7,000 to 8,500.

Offending passage moved here. A description of the economic activity in 1882 hardly seems notable. It is not present in the French version in any form. Pdch 21:53, 30 November 2007 (UTC)

Tourist brochure

Much of the text reads as tourist brochure. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.247.102.52 (talk) 14:07, 25 August 2008 (UTC)

I have made a start at taking the puffery out, but there is a lot to do - then the article needs to be wikified and improved - this is just clearing dead wood. Springnuts (talk) 21:44, 5 November 2008 (UTC)

Affectionately

How exactly is it affectionately known as Antibes-Juan-les-Pins? It's officially known as that because it's the name of the commune. Not sure where affection is supposed to come into it. Unless someone can elaborate? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.234.44.170 (talk) 18:18, 8 January 2009 (UTC)

• Well, go ahead and delete it! OK, I'll do it. Drmies (talk) 21:25, 2 March 2009 (UTC)

Past Celebrity Residents

Would it be permissable to include a list of some of the more colorful past residents, only deceased ones of course?

• The Duke of Windsor (former King Edward VIII of England)and the Duchess
• Aristotle Onasis (Greek shipping billionaire)
• Graham Greene (English novelist and playwright)
• F. Scott Fitzgerald (American novelist and playwright)

I do not know who requested this list of people, but fine by me. There is a plaque for Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda, lived there in the middle of the 1920s. --Prairieplant (talk) 21:06, 30 June 2016 (UTC)

Park Exflora

Not only do I live for part of the year in Antibes, but I have personal information about this subject as my wife and I were shopping for a home and were shown a condominium in what eventually turned out to be only Phase One of this complex. Park Exflora was and is a real estate scam! The developers of a large parcel of land in Juan-les-Pins built several condominium buildings toward the rear of the property, built Park Exflora on the seaward side of the land, and sold off the condominiums while they still had a marvelous sea view. Then they tore up a portion of Park Exflora, built another row of condominium buildings that blocked the sea view of the earlier ones, and sold the same view twice. I can only assume that what remains of Park Exflora awaits only the sell-off of the second stage of condominiums before it too is ripped out in order to build yet more condominiums and sell that same view for a third time. I WAS THERE! Dick Kimball (talk) 19:08, 14 January 2010 (UTC)

Garoupe Lighthouse

It is by no means necessary to hike a kilometer up Chemin de Calvaire to reach the lighthouse (a route so steep that parts of it are stairs). You can drive to within a dozen meters of it off of Boulevard du Cap up Route du Phare. The nearby view is by no means as good as it once was; apparently the wealthy neighbors on the Cap d'Antibes disliked being snooped upon, but for whatever reason the trees and brush around Phare de la Garoupe lighthouse have been allowed to grow enough to block the near view. By the way, the lighthouse had to be completely rebuilt after World War II when the retreating Germans dynamited the original on that site, presumably out of sheer Nazi bloody-mindedness. Dick Kimball (talk) 20:40, 14 January 2010 (UTC)

I am hesitant to change the article text as I'm afraid mine is not a 'neutral point of view' but I would like to state that, for young 'uns like myself anyway (35 years old), the walk up le Chemin de Calvaire is *not* steep (btw, there's also a path through the woods parallel to the steps) nor does it take 'half a day'. That's really silly. It takes about a half hour, to the top and back, at a leisurely pace. I'm sure really fit kids could run up and down in 10 minutes. DVaneFB (talk) 16:33, 1 August 2012 (UTC)

Oldies like me (68) are unlikely to appreciate the driving route being entirely omitted. I first came to Antibes when I was 41 and even then I drove; it saves time and effort. In all the 27 years since then I haven't used the walking route once. How about including both? Dick Kimball (talk) 15:10, 26 November 2013 (UTC)

External links modified

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Election 2022

The results of the 2022 election are missing. -- 91.64.59.91 (talk) 12:26, 22 January 2024 (UTC)

Antibes#Died_in_Antibes

I propose removing this subsection as we don't normally put died in a locality article. People may die in a location without a real connection to the place. LibStar (talk) 00:53, 1 May 2024 (UTC)