PLAYGROUNDS on the French Riviera

I thought it was due time to update my previous blog post about playgrounds on the French Riviera.  If you have children, the region has lots of options for playground fun.

I have included mostly free public options in my list here, so if you have any questions feel free to post your question in the comments below the post (if there is an entrance fee I have specified where relevant).

This is by no means an exhaustive list, just an overview of a few playgrounds we have tried and tested on the Côte d’Azur.

PLAYGROUNDS ON THE CÔTE D’AZUR

ANTIBES

– UPDATE 19 August 2018:  Unfortunately, the 2 public playgrounds in Antibes old town on rue Republique, beside the carousel and main post office (La Poste) have been closed due to construction works for the Marenda Lacan new shopping precinct.  Construction work has been stalled for some months now, so it is a great shame that tourists and local residents have no playgrounds for use during summer 2018. The nearest public playground to old town Antibes is on the way to Salis beach at the bottom of Albert 1er.

– 2 public playgrounds at Salis beach (plage du Ponteil) – one is nearer to the Archaeology Museum beside the boules pitch and there is a public toilet beside that; the other is very small and located opposite the carpark at the beach.

The Jardin Enfant Albert 1er is the closest playground to old town Antibes

– Small fenced playground on the corner of avenue Philippe Rochat and avenue Mas Ensoleillé.

– Medium-sized fenced playground between route de Grasse and Hameau de la Palmeraie with climbing structures, rocking horses, slides.

– A playground at Les Semboules area, next to Jacques Prévert school.  This is a great playground for hot days as it is entirely shaded by trees.  Plenty of free carparking across the road.  Suitable for toddler age to older kids, there is also a basketball court and ping-pong table adjacent and picnic tables. No toilet facilities onsite and the water fountain doesn’t work, but a great playground nonetheless because it is a community playground and never busy.

– Parc Départemental Valmasque:  Between Antibes and Mougins this large park has forest walks, fitness trails and playground equipment.  Lots of shady trees, picnic tables and toilet facilities.

– Indoor soft play centre – Royal Kids – has slides, ball pits, motorised cars. Suitable for babies up to 12 years. Admission fee applies. www.royalkids.fr

CAGNES SUR MER

– Large playground zone beside parking Villette.  There is an accessible pay toilet beside the playground. Lots of play equipment for different ages including climbing frames, swings (including a baby swing), rockers as well as a mock road system which is great for scooters and bikes.

CANNES

– A playground is located at Square Mistral which is a good option for beach goers along the boulevard du Midi.  It is 5 minutes flat walk from Cannes Vieux Port.

– Adjacent to the Palais des Festivals on boulevard de Croisette (near to the public beach where the Petit Train departs from):  Children’s entertainment area including carousel, funfair stalls, snack kiosks.  There is a small climbing frame, but it’s pretty unimaginative.  Public toilets are nearby on the beachside of the Croisette.

– Further along boulevard de Croisette in the direction of Port Pierre Canto, there is another public playground at the end of the beach with playground equipment.

CANNES LA BOCCA

– Indoor soft play – FunCity, 47 avenue Maurice Chevalier, 06150 Cannes la Bocca:  Indoor playground facility with designated playareas for different ages, large climbing frames with tunnels, nets, slides, trampolines, soft toys, ball pits, inflatables, mini-karts, onsite restaurant for snacks and gift boutique.  Entrance fee payable http://cannes.fun-city.fr

GOLFE JUAN

– Small playground at Square Nabonnand on the main road by the post office.

JUAN LES PINS

– Main playground is at Pinède Gould (also known as Jardin de la Pinède) with playground equipment, mini-train, dodgem bumper cars and mini-carousel. (Rides are chargeable). There are also squirrels to watch that roam free in the pine trees in the park.

– Another carousel is on avenue Guy de Maupassant on the Juan les Pins promenade beside Le Ruban Bleu restaurant, and just along from the carousel toward La Jétee restaurant there are go-karts and trampolines in summer.

– There is a public playground/park at Jardin Pauline (corner of rue Pauline and boulevard Raymond Poincaré).  Lots of trees so it’s great for hot days!

– Another small fenced public playground at Square Duluys (corner of rue St-Marguerite and boulevard Raymond Poincaré).

– Parc Exflora, chemin du Vallauris, between Juan les Pins and Golfe Juan:  Large open grassed area for picnics (no playground equipment).  Small lake for feeding ducks.  You can obtain access to the public beach via a tunnel under the coast road/railway line.  Across the road from Parc Exflora on the corner of chemin des Eucalyptus there is a boules pitch and a small playground with public toilets nearby.

LA COLLE SUR LOUP

– Ludiparc, 1401 route du Pont de Pierre, 06480 Le Colle sur Loup: Park set on 4.8 hectares with trees and river frontage, playground equipment, climbing frames, trampolines, inflatable castles, mini-golf, ping-pong tables, restaurant onsite for snacks, carparking onsite, Wifi connection, baby changing table.  Entrance fee payable €4 (free for children under 3 years) www.ludiparc.fr  Note:  The terrace and toilet facilities are not wheelchair accessible.  The biggest benefit of Ludiparc is they have water activities that are perfect for hot days including a splash park and access to the River Loup.

Ludiparc, La Colle sur Loup (photo: Vence Tourisme)

– There are a few public playareas in La Colle sur Loup – on rue Max Barel in the village, at Jeu de Baume down from the rue Clémenceau, and at the Parc de la Guérinière.

MONACO/MONTE CARLO

While not technically classed as part of France, I have included Monaco/Monte Carlo as many visitors stay in Monaco or daytrip there.

– If you have children you can stop at Parc Princesse Antoinette (Princess Antoinette Gardens), La Condamine, 54 bis boulevard du Jardin Exotique, 98000 Monaco – a free park with go-karts and a playground.  Older children can be entertained there by mini golf, badminton, ping-pong, a football pitch and basketball courts.

– There are carousels near the Stade Nautique, and on the Larvotto Esplanade. – In the Fontvielle area, there is a playground by the Princess Grace Rose Garden and a carousel near the Fontvielle Big Top. Kids can wander around the Trocadéro Gardens, or after some retail therapy the family can enjoy time out at the children’s playground area at the end of the pedestrianised rue Princesse Caroline.

– Another great spot to take the kids and escape the bustle of Monaco, is the free Japanese Garden on avenue Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo – a real oasis of serenity with  waterfalls, stone bridges and Zen gardens.  You can’t run around or kick balls but it’s a nice zone to wander through.

MOUANS SARTOUX

-Playground at the Château

MOUGINS

– Free entry playground at Ecoparc Mougins, on chemin de Fontaine de Currault. Accessible eco-toilet onsite at the playground, climbing frames, swings (including a baby swing), small ropes courses, playhouses, balancing beams. The play area has seating and lots of trees for shade. Nearby at the Ecoparc centre is a cafeteria that sells cold drinks and icecreams, and sometimes there are amusement rides such as vertical bungee or bouncy castles set up in summer (rides are payable).

NICE

– Parc du Chateau, rue de Foresta/Montée Monfort:  Located at the end of quai des Etats-Unis overlooking Nice, this park is on the hilltop with old ruins, a waterfall, playground, restaurant, lookout points over Nice city and port and snack kiosk.  There are public toilets onsite.  You can take an elevator up from quai des Etats-Unis, or if you are stroller-free walk up the numerous stairs for a wonderful view from the top.

– Parc Phoenix – find out more about Parc Phoenix here.

– Located on the western edge of the ‘Musiciens’ quarter in Nice (so named because the streets and squares are named after famous musicians such as Verdi) you can find the Jardin Alsace Lorraine, 30 boulevard Gambetta, with park benches, statues and a fenced in children’s playground.

-Parc Carol de Roumanie with water sprinklers and play equipment

– Central Nice play area – There is a carousel at Albert 1er gardens, also the Promenade du Paillon/Couloir Verte playarea at place Massena with sprinklers, wooden play structures, swings.  Accessible toilets onsite.

– Parc du Castel des Deux Rois not far from Nice Port with playground, water sprinklers in summer, mini-farm, accessible pay toilet, snack kiosk, lots of grass to kick a ball around, cycle paths

Parc du Castel des Deux Rois, Nice

OPIO

– Parc de Loisirs on the Carrefour du Piol, D3 d’Opio-Valbonne is a great park with a big playground zone with play equipment for just-walking age, toddlers and older kids.  Slides, climbing ladders, basketball court, exercise station, cycle paths, grassy areas for kicking balls around, accessible public toilet, picnic tables. No snack kiosk onsite but there is a bakery nearby towards Valbonne. Between May-mid June they install skate ramps for initiations in skateboarding and roller blading.

Parc de Loisirs, Opio (playground Opio)

Parc de Loisirs, Opio (playground Opio)

ST TROPEZ

– Plage des Graniers, located beneath the St Tropez citadel gets busy in summer but is family-friendly and offers a few different playgrounds beach-side.

– Plage des Jumeaux, route d’Epi, Plage de Pampelonne, Ramatuelle is a good place to take kids where adults can watch the kids on the playground on the beach.

VALBONNE/SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS:

– Playground in Valbonne on Val du Tuveret beside the big carpark and skate park.  There is a toddler playground on the road with Hôtel de Ville and the Abbaye de Valbonne.

– Parc des Bouillides, route du Parc, 06560 Valbonne Sophia Antipolis:  It is closer to the Sophia Antipolis area than Valbonne but is zoned as Valbonne by the local parks.  Access from Antibes is via route du Parc and look for the small side road on the right-hand side with a small sign leading to the restaurant ‘La Source’ and carpark. Fenced playground with soft matted area, running track, walking trails, also has municipal sports athletics club, climbing wall, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, skate park.  Picnic tables all through the park, and paved pathways which are well-maintained for scooters and bikes.  No toilet facilities onsite.

VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER

– A public playground is located at les Jardins de l’Octroi, Square François Binon, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer.

– Another small public playground is also beside Port de la Darse, you can reach it via the coastal pathway below the Citadelle but be aware that this pathway while paved is uneven in places.

Public playground by Darse port in Villefranche sur Mer

VILLENEUVE LOUBET

– Parc de Vaugrenier:  2 kilometres towards Nice from Antibes this park has walking paths, picnic tables and forest walks.  A children’s playground area, nature trail, wooden confidence course and accessible toilet facilities are at the eastern entrance.  There is also a lookout hut over the lake to view turtles.

NOTE:  For a map and more details of other playgrounds in the region, Nice Matin has a great interactive map with location pins that you can find here: Playgrounds on the Côte d’Azur

 

Activities – ANTIBES (Royal Kids, indoor play centre)

A new indoor play centre opened in February 2014 in Antibes, which has been very welcome to residents and tourists in the area after the closure of the Boomiland indoor play centre in Mougins.

First impressions are that the centre is well lit, organised and clean. Staff that work there are friendly and helpful.

Children must wear socks to use the play equipment.

The centre has 2 large party rooms available for hire for birthdays with different options (‘formules’) available, priced from €13 per child upwards. The party options include mornings, afternoons and a Friday early evening session. There must be a minimum of 8 children attending, and birthday party rooms must be reserved in advance. Dependent on which option is purchased, Royal Kids supplies unlimited access to the play equipment, birthday certificate, birthday cake, drinks and entertainment from Léon, the dragon mascot. (Note: you can not bring your own birthday cake, food or drinks). For party guests, there is a cloakroom at the centre entrance with storage boxes for shoes and gifts, and children attending the party receive a bright-coloured top to wear for the duration of the party.

For patrons with babies, there are high chairs with safety belts to use.

Royal Kids has clean, accessible toilets onsite – 2 each in the ladies and mens toilets, with a designated disabled access toilet in both the mens and the ladies bathroom. There are step stools for kids to reach the basins to wash hands, and the ladies bathroom also has a baby changing table.

Onsite attractions include:

– Ball pits, soft play climbing, mini football, basketball, slides, climbing frames, giant Lego building area

– A disco room with continuous music playing, mirror ball, lights

– Coin-operated machines/games including air hockey, football, motorised cars, vending machines with toys

There is a snack restaurant onsite with many tables and chairs serving a range of hot and cold drinks, ice creams, paninis, crêpes etc.

Royal Kids is an accessible play centre with 2 designated mobility carpark spaces nearby to the entrance, flat ground to the entrance and no stairs inside the centre (excluding climbing frames). There is a designated disabled access toilet in both the men’s and the ladies bathroom, and there is ample room for baby strollers/buggies.

Access:

By car: Royal Kids is located at 172 avenue Weisweiller, 06600 Antibes.

If arriving from the A8 highway, take exit 44 towards Antibes/Juan les Pins and at the third roundabout (with McDonalds/SFR/Renault/Quick) turn right onto avenue Weisweiller (the road with the ‘Quick’ fast food restaurant).

If driving from Antibes/Juan les Pins, continue up the Route de Grasse to the roundabout with McDonalds/SFR/Renault/Quick and turn onto avenue Weisweiller (the road with the ‘Quick’ fast food restaurant).

There is a free onsite carpark (14 spaces including 2 designated mobility spaces) accessed by the first road on the right-hand side Voie Tripoli. Also, ample carparking can be found on Voie Bertrand le Bon as Royal Kids is located in an industrial area.

Public transport: Royal Kids can be accessed by bus number 6 from Antibes and there is a stop ‘Foyer P. Merli’ on avenue Weisweiller that is 2 minutes walk from Royal Kids. Find the timetable at www.envibus.fr. There are no trains that travel here.

Opening hours:

Open 10am-7pm: Every Wednesday, every Saturday, every Sunday, bank holidays, every day during school holidays

Open 4pm-7pm: Friday evenings only

Prices (correct at Wednesday 09 April 2014 but subject to change)

Adults: One or two accompanying adults are free of charge; €2 each for third adult or more

Children 4 years upwards: €10 each (or buy a ‘Royal Pass’ 10 entries for €80)

Children under 4 years: €6 each (or ‘Royal Pass’ 10 entries for €50)

Group discounts available on discussion with Royal Kids

For more information on party pricing or descriptions, visit their website www.royalkids.fr

 

Sightseeing – CAP d’ANTIBES (Jardin Thuret)

I find the coastal area of the French Riviera groans with concrete, construction cranes, and high-rise apartments so a short visit to any area of greenery is always welcomed.

Today, because it was a lovely sunny autumn day I decided to push my son in his baby stroller to Jardin Thuret – a renown local attraction.

From central Juan les Pins (if walking), it takes approximately 20-25 minutes via the quickest and less strenuous route – walk up the gradual hill of avenue Saramartel, then turn left onto chemin du Crouton. Follow chemin du Crouton for 5 minutes then turn right onto boulevard du Cap and the garden is a leisurely 5 minutes from there on the right. Don’t be fooled by Google maps; it seems as though you can take a shortcut through avenue du Soleil Saramartel but you can’t as this is a private road for a gated residence. The garden also has numerous entry gates on chemin du Tamisier, but the only accessible public entrance that isn’t chained or locked is on chemin Raymond.

Once on boulevard du Cap you turn right onto chemin Raymond, a narrow road, and the entrance to the garden is halfway down this road. There are a few carpark spaces on this road but otherwise no parking area so bear this in mind in peak summer season. If you are traveling from central Antibes, you can also take Envibus number 2 (Eden Roc line) and it stops at ‘Chemin de la Salis’ stop near to the garden.

The garden itself is on 3.5 hectares and has over 2,500 trees and shrubs. There is the main building Villa Thuret which was closed as botanical researchers use it, also a greenhouse and a small gardien’s building with public toilet (no baby changing facility). A statue bust of Gustave Thuret (a French botanist who created the garden) casts a watchful eye from under the canopy of pine trees.

Villa Thuret

Most trees have signage with their latin names, species and place of origin.  It was nice to see Mediterranean species, also trees from Chile, Australasia and south-east Asia.

Jardin Thuret

We saw cyclads, pine trees, conifers, palms, eucalyptus trees, cypress trees, water lilies and there is even a small bamboo forest.

pond with water lilies

bamboo forest

As you meander along the paths, keep alert for wildlife – birds, insects, lizards and squirrels. And mosquitoes, so bring insect repellent. The paths are made of small gravel chip so it is accessible for baby strollers/buggies though it’s suited for sturdier off-road types of buggy. There are no stairs in the garden but wheelchair visitors may struggle as there are big rocks occasionally in the path, and also the site is on a slight incline.

The upsides:
– Relatively quiet botanical garden with huge variety of trees and shrubs
– Easily accessible from Antibes or Juan les Pins, and suitable for a short visit of 30 minutes – 1 hour.  I wouldn’t recommend it for a longer visit unless you have a particular interest in botany as there are no facilities onsite (e.g. cafeteria, playground, boutique)
– Free entry
– Stroller/buggy accessible (though it is not paved, it is doable)
– Onsite public toilet

The downsides are:
– Carparking may be difficult in summer
– Nowhere to sit! there are no park benches, only a handful of seats made from tree trunks so it lacks somewhere to rest or enjoy a snack or the view
– Mosquitoes

As I find with many attractions in France, they don’t capitalise on tourism potential. This would be a lovely site for a tearooms in the Villa Thuret! or even a shaded terrace to eat an ice-cream and enjoy the green view.  We enjoyed our visit to Jardin Thuret and I appreciate and understand they probably would like it to remain unspoiled, it has an almost overgrown, unkempt feel about it and perhaps that is one of it’s charms.

Villa Thuret, 90 chemin Raymond, Cap d’Antibes
Open: Monday-Friday 08:30am-5:30pm (winter), 08:30am-6pm (summer) (year-round it is closed weekends and public holidays)
Free entry (excluding large groups who must prebook and pay a nominal fee)

Eat and drink – ANTIBES (Choopy’s)

Choopy’s is a great little place that everyone who is a regular tells their friends and guests about.

Just through the archway (on rue Republique you will see the archway 20metres to the left of the Maison Rober supermarket) you could easily walk past Choopy’s if you stick to the main tourist route, but step through the doorway (mind the few steps it’s not wheelchair accessible but fine for baby strollers/buggies) and you will be greeted by friendly staff and a counter of delicious cupcakes.

They have an impressive coffee menu – and for Antipodeans they are the only cafe in the area that I have noticed has a ‘flat white’ (milky coffee). The interior of the cafe is not big, but in the seating area past the counter there are cosy tables and benches and they even have a toybox for little ones (considerate for the mummy coffee groups!).

There is a toilet onsite, however not accessible for a whole baby buggy/stroller. When I visited (our group was 2 adults, 1 baby and 1 toddler) there was already another family with toddler using the toybox but with a bit of rearranging of buggies/strollers we fitted in. There is also free Wifi to use while eating your cupcake!

The cupcakes are delicious and they have a good range of interesting flavours (last time I was here they had Bounty bar, mint chocolate etc) I ate a mint chocolate flavour which was really chocolatey but not sickly, and they often theme their cupcakes to a special day or event. If you visit, you won’t be disappointed.

Choopy’s

Address: corner of rue Vial and rue Marc

Activities – VALBONNE SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS / ANTIBES (Story telling / music )

If you have children aged 18 months – 4 years a good option for an indoor activity is to visit one of the Médiathèque locations.

As well as being a public library service, they hold photograph exhibitions, multimedia workshops and lectures regularly.

Albert Camus Médiathèque © photo copyright cabinet architecture Bruno Huerre

For children based near Valbonne Sophia Antipolis or Antibes, there are two story-telling sessions (ages 0-3 years, and for 4 years upwards) and free music workshops (18 months-3 years).  Registration is free at the relevant Médiathèque, though it is recommended to book in advance as the sessions do fill up quickly.

The 3 locations are:

Médiathèque Valbonne Sophia Antipolis, 1855 route des Dolines, Les Bouillides, carrefour de Garbejaire, 06560 Valbonne)

Médiathèque Albert Camus, 19 bis boulevard Chancel, 06603 Antibes (on the corner by the traffic lights. Carparking behind the Médiathèque by Intermarche supermarket).

Médiathèque des Semboules, Residence Les Pins B1, rue Robert Desnos, 06600 Antibes

For the current programme of toddler-friendly activities held by the Médiathèques, click on http://www.mediatheque-casa.fr/mediatheque-casa.fr/cms/articleviewpreferences?id_categorie=&id_items=156-157-128&display_order=Selection&nb_aff=5&nb_analyse=10&display_mode=Submenu&summary_content=Summary

Activities – ANTIBES (Children’s clown show – 24/25 November 2012)

Artistes Antibois Associés Théâtre group present the ‘Kokyette’ clown show for children aged 3 years and upwards.

The show comprises 2 clowns who sing, dance, juggle, hula hoop and play the piano.  Show duration is 45 minutes so a good length to entertain small children.

Kokyette clowns © image courtesy of Piccolo Festival

Where: Espace Bonzai, 21 avenue Gazan, 06600 Antibes

When: Saturday 24 November at 4pm, and Sunday 25 November at 2.30pm

Cost: 6€ (children) / 9€ (adults)

More information is found at www.aaatheatre.net or you can contact Espace Bonzai via telephone: 0971 484 395 or Email : info@aaatheatre.net

Activities – ANTIBES (La Ferme du Far West)

La Ferme du Far West is one of the theme parks that make up the big Marineland complex.  You can buy a stand-alone ticket for just the farm, or buy a pass to combine it with entrance to the adjacent parks Aquasplash, Marineland and/or Adventure Golf.

The entire site is flat and reasonably well-paved (aside from a few potholes) so it is easily accessible for families with baby buggies/strollers, or travelers with reduced mobility.

We visited with our 21-month old son and there were not many activities for children this age.  It is more suitable for children aged 4 years or older as some of the attractions/rides have a minimum age (e.g. ‘Playmobil’ playroom children must be 3 years and older; inflatable slides 4 years and older etc).

The park has farm animals to pet including goats, rabbits, sheep and ponies.  There are various rides suited to our son’s age with adult supervision (Wild West train, ride-on galloping ponies).

Wild West train

There is a restaurant onsite selling sandwiches, French fries and icecreams but the park doesn’t have picnic tables so it is not suited if you are planning to take a picnic yourself and stay for the day.

Upsides:

Our son enjoying the hands-on animal experiences – petting the goats and rabbits, watching roosters wandering around freely, looking at horses, cows, llamas, geese, guinea pigs.

farm animals

There is a playground so if your child gets bored with the rides you can let them run around there.

If all else fails, buy an icecream.

Downsides:

If you park your car in the big Marineland carparking area, it costs an additional 7€ for parking fees on top of park entrance fees.  The only machines to pay for parking are situated by the carpark exit.

Maintenance for the park should be a better standard – there were large potholes filled with water, refreshment machines selling cold drinks were out of order, the gold mine exhibit had lightbulbs not working, ride-on toys out of order.  For the entry price you pay, they should be upgrading or at least maintaining attractions.

The children’s playground onsite has no shelter from the sun so make sure you have lots of sunscreen and a hat for your children.  My recommendation is the park installs a sun-shade over the playground.

The ‘Magic River’ ride is closed for La Ferme patrons until mid-September as they allow access in summertime for people at the adjoining Aquasplash water complex.

The pony rides (3 years and older with adult supervision) are free for your first ride; additional rides cost 2€ each (something you will not find mentioned on their website).

Ride-on mechanical horses, wagons etc are coin-operated and around 2€ per ride.

The entrance price for the park is 13€ per adult, 10€ for children from 3 years upwards and free for under 3 years.  A fairer price based on the restricted number of attractions would be 8€ per adult and 6€ per child.

Overall it is an OK theme park to spend a few hours experiencing a few rides and the farm animals close-up, but it is not somewhere to spend a whole day.

Eat and drink – ANTIBES (Le Cameo)

This weekend is the Antibes Déantibulation festival whereby the streets, alleyways and squares of Antibes old town are filled with trapeze artists, buskers, comedians and performance artists.  We ventured out on Saturday to experience a Brazilian percussion band, and a 2-person trampolining act dressed as the Blue Brothers.  Antibes old town was busy with locals and tourists alike all eager to experience their own slice of free theatre and music.

After wandering around we wanted to stop for a refreshment (but not wait an eternity for service) so we stopped for a drink at Le Cameo Hotel, an unassuming bar/hotel situated at Place Nationale.  The ‘Cameo’ as it is known locally is a basic hotel but I am not sure of the exact hotel standard – our reason for stopping here was it was not busy (usually I would take this to NOT be a good sign of a remarkable eating establishment) therefore we could possibly be served quickly and avoid the throngs of people surging every bar/café in Antibes old town; and it offered a shady restful place on a hot day.

Within minutes of seating, we were approached by a friendly waiter who took our drinks orders and returned promptly with our drinks and a bowl of table crackers.  He was friendly and pulled funny faces with my son.  Friends joined us later and received the same warm service from various bar staff.  We did not eat here but drink prices were good for Antibes.  The toilets were on the ground floor, very clean and accessible for strollers/buggies, and wheelchairs.

A worthwhile bar/caféteria to visit if you want somewhere fuss-free, shaded from the hot sun and close enough to people watch without being part of the action.

PLAYGROUNDS on the French Riviera

The French Riviera offers lots of options for playground fun.

Here are a few options for places to take your kids to burn off that excess energy.

I have included mostly free options (if there is an entrance fee I have specified where relevant).

This list is current as at January 2016, for any corrections or additions I welcome your feedback:

ANTIBES

– There are 2 public playgrounds in Antibes old town on rue Republique, beside the carousel and main post office (La Poste).

– 2 public playgrounds at Salis beach (plage du Ponteil) – one is nearer to the Archaeology Museum beside the boules pitch and there is a public toilet beside that; the other is very small and located opposite Royal Beach restaurant and the carpark at the beach.

– Small fenced playground on the corner of avenue Philippe Rochat and avenue Mas Ensoleillé

– Medium-sized fenced playground between route de Grasse and Hameau de la Palmeraie with climbing structures, rocking horses, slides

– Parc Exflora, chemin du Vallauris, Antibes les Pins:  Large open grassed area for picnics and kicking a ball (no playground equipment).  Small lake for feeding ducks.  You can obtain access to the public beach via a tunnel under the coast road/railway line.  Across the road from Parc Exflora on the corner of chemin des Eucalyptus there is a boules pitch and small playground with public toilets nearby.

– Parc Départemental Valmasque:  Between Antibes and Mougins this large park has forest walks, fitness trails and playground equipment.  Lots of shady trees, picnic tables and toilet facilities.

– Parc de Vaugrenier:  2 kilometres towards Nice from Antibes this park has walking paths, picnic tables and forest walks.  A children’s playground area, nature trail, wooden confidence course and accessible toilet facilities are at the eastern entrance.  There is also a lookout hut over the lake to view turtles.

– Indoor soft play centre – Royal Kids – has slides, ball pits, motorised cars. Suitable for babies up to 12 years. Admission fee applies. www.royalkids.fr

CANNES

– Palais area, boulevard de Croisette (near to the public beach where the Petit Train departs from):  Children’s entertainment area including carousel, funfair stalls, snack kiosks. Public toilets are nearby on the beachside of the Croisette.

– Further along boulevard de Croisette in the direction of Port Pierre Canto, there is another public playground at the end of the beach with playground equipment.

CANNES LA BOCCA

– Indoor soft play – FunCity, 47 avenue Maurice Chevalier, 06150 Cannes la Bocca:  Indoor playground facility with designated playareas for different ages, large climbing frames with tunnels, nets, slides, trampolines, soft toys, ball pits, inflatables, mini-karts, onsite restaurant for snacks and gift boutique.  Entrance fee payable http://cannes.fun-city.fr

GOLFE JUAN

– Small playground at Square Nabonnand on the main road by the post office.

JUAN LES PINS

– Main playground is at Pinède Gould (also known as Jardin de la Pinède) with playground equipment, mini-train, dodgem bumper cars and mini-carousel. (Rides are chargeable). There are also squirrels to watch that roam free in the pine trees in the park.

– Another carousel is on avenue Guy de Maupassant on the Juan les Pins promenade beside Le Ruban Bleu restaurant, and just along from the carousel toward Sun7 cafeteria there are go-karts and trampolines in summer.

– There is a public playground/park at Jardin Pauline (corner of rue Pauline and boulevard Raymond Poincaré)

– Another small fenced public playground at Square Duluys (corner of rue St-Marguerite and boulevard Raymond Poincaré)

LA COLLE SUR LOUP

– Ludiparc, 1401 route du Pont de Pierre, 06480 Le Colle sur Loup: Park set on 4.8 hectares with trees and river frontage, playground equipment, climbing frames, trampolines, inflatable castles, mini-golf, ping-pong tables, restaurant onsite for snacks, carparking onsite, Wifi connection, baby changing table.  Entrance fee payable €4 (free for children under 3 years) www.ludiparc.fr  Note:  The terrace and toilet facilities are not wheelchair accessible.

– There are a few public playareas in La Colle sur Loup – on rue Max Barel in the village, at Jeu de Baume down from the rue Clémenceau, and at the Parc de la Guérinière.

MONACO/MONTE CARLO

While not technically classed as part of France, I have included Monaco/Monte Carlo as many visitors stay in Monaco or daytrip there.

– If you have children you can stop at Parc Princesse Antoinette (Princess Antoinette Gardens), La Condamine, 54 bis boulevard du Jardin Exotique, 98000 Monaco – a free park with go-karts and a playground.  Older children can be entertained there by mini golf, badminton, ping-pong, a football pitch and basketball courts.

– There are carousels near the Stade Nautique, and on the Larvotto Esplanade. – In the Fontvielle area, there is a playground by the Princess Grace Rose Garden and a carousel near the Fontvielle Big Top. Kids can wander around the Trocadéro Gardens, or after some retail therapy the family can enjoy time out at the children’s playground area at the end of the pedestrianised rue Princesse Caroline.

– Another great spot to take the kids and escape the bustle of Monaco, is the free Japanese Garden on avenue Princesse Grace in Monte Carlo – a real oasis of serenity with   waterfalls, stone bridges and Zen gardens.

MOUANS SARTOUX

-Playground at the Château

MOUGINS

– Free entry playground at Ecoparc Mougins, on chemin de Fontaine de Currault. Accessible eco-toilet onsite at the playground, climbing frames, swings, rope course, playhouse, balancing beams. The ground surface is made of recycled car tyres so is soft and rubbery, and the play area has seating and lots of trees for shade. Nearby at the Ecoparc centre is a cafeteria that sells cold drinks and icecreams.

NICE

– Parc du Chateau, rue de Foresta/Montée Monfort:  Located at the end of quai des Etats-Unis overlooking Nice, this park is on the hilltop with old ruins, a waterfall, playground, restaurant, lookout points over Nice city and port and snack kiosk.  There are public toilets onsite.  You can take an elevator up from quai des Etats-Unis, or if you are stroller-free walk up the numerous stairs for a wonderful view from the top.

– Parc Phoenix (see separate post under Sightseeing – Nice).

– Located on the western edge of the ‘Musiciens’ quarter in Nice (so named because the streets and squares are named after famous musicians such as Verdi) you can find the Jardin Alsace Lorraine, 30 boulevard Gambetta, with park benches, statues and a fenced in children’s playground.

-Parc Carol de Roumanie with water sprinklers and play equipment

– Central Nice play area – There is a carousel at Albert 1er gardens, also the Promenade du Paillon/Couloir Verte playarea at place Massena with sprinklers, wooden play structures, swings.  Accessible toilets onsite.

– Parc du Castel des Deux Rois not far from Nice Port with playground, water sprinklers in summer, mini-farm, accessible pay toilet, snack kiosk, lots of grass to kick a ball around, cycle paths

Parc du Castel des Deux Rois, Nice

OPIO

– Parc de Loisirs on the Carrefour du Piol, D3 d’Opio-Valbonne is a great park with roomy playground with play equipment for just-walking age, toddlers and older kids.  Slides, climbing ladders, basketball court, exercise station, cycle paths, grassy areas for kicking balls around, accessible public toilet, picnic tables. No snack kiosk onsite but there is a bakery nearby towards Valbonne. Between May-mid June they install skate ramps for initiations in skateboarding and roller blading.

Parc de Loisirs, Opio (playground Opio)

Parc de Loisirs, Opio (playground Opio)

ST TROPEZ

– Plage des Graniers, located beneath the St Tropez citadel gets busy in summer but is family-friendly and offers a few different playgrounds beach-side.

– Plage des Jumeaux, route d’Epi, Plage de Pampelonne, Ramatuelle is a good place to take kids where adults can watch the kids on the playground on the beach.

VALBONNE/SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS:

– Playground in Valbonne village on route du Plascassier next to the Skate park.

– Parc des Bouillides, route du Parc, 06560 Valbonne Sophia Antipolis:  It is closer to the Sophia Antipolis area than Valbonne but is zoned as Valbonne by the local parks.  Access from Antibes is via route du Parc and look for the small side road on the right-hand side with a small sign leading to the restaurant ‘La Source’ and carpark. Fenced playground with soft matted area, running track, walking trails, also has municipal sports athletics club, climbing wall, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, skate park.  Picnic tables all through the park, and paved pathways good for scooters and bikes.  No toilet facilities onsite.

VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER

– A public playground is located at les Jardins de l’Octroi, Square François Binon, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer.

– Another small public playground is also beside Port de la Darse, you can reach it via the coastal pathway below the Citadelle but be aware that this pathway while paved is uneven in places.

public playground by Darse port

NOTE:  I have seen and tested all of the playgrounds listed above so the comments are my honest opinion of each play area.  For a map and more details of other playgrounds in the region, Nice Matin has a great interactive map with location pins that you can find here: Playgrounds on the Côte d’Azur

 

Eat and drink – ANTIBES

Sometimes all you want when you are hungry is to find an old favourite – a restaurant where you can order your favourite dish and know that the quality will be consistently good and the service great.   For me, one of those restaurants is La Cave Provençale at 7 rue Aubernon.  You could easily walk by La Cave Provençale and not blink an eye; there is nothing outstanding about the façade or decor, and the location is on a busy through-road which does not allow for meandering strolling.  However, what brings me back to La Cave Provençale is my ‘favourite dish’ the ‘Gourmand’ salad – a delicious, fresh mix of rocket, coppa, jambon cru, roquefort, roasted pinenuts, olives and mini toasts with lightly melted chevre cheese, mmmmm!  The salad is a decent-sized portion, tastes fresh and is priced well for Antibes.  Service is friendly and prompt even when tables are full.  When I visited last week on a hot day (with friends and two children under 18 months of age) the waiter bought chilled water for the children, and put out the sun awning to avoid sunburn for the children.  The menu offers burgers, salads, pastas and the like.  Downside is there is no high chair for families to use. The toilet is accessible for those with reduced mobility.

Sightseeing – ANTIBES

I have friends visiting here from Sweden and as the sun is shining we have many options for sightseeing due to good weather but unfortunately the car battery has died overnight!   Two families navigating busy streets with 2 baby strollers means that planning and easy accessibility for restaurants at meal times and toilet breaks is crucial.

We decide on an afternoon stroll from Juan les Pins to Antibes walking up the small hill on Chemin des Sables and over to Salis beach.  There is a children’s playground near the boules court, and many park benches to admire the view of sailing boats.  Beside the boules court is a public toilet (accessible) with coin donation to the attendant.

Afterwards, we follow the path along the Antibes remperts which is wheel-accessible, though busy due to tourists enjoying the sunshine.  The path snakes along the old Roman wall with views across to the Baie des Anges, Nice and Monaco in the distance.  We stop beside the Picasso Museum to take in the views, before pausing to take photos of Plage Gravette.

Continuing walking down the hill toward the port we pause at Félix Café near the arched entrance to the port (50 Boulevard Aguillon) for a pizza lunch, the waiter is friendly and charming and the ‘Felix’ pizza delicious.  A high chair was available, and there is ample room for a stroller (or wheelchair) to access the toilet facilities.

We cross the road and have trouble choosing which gelato to tickle our tastebuds – my final selection of mango and passionfruit is mouth-watering – and we finish our leisurely stroll along the Antibes port admiring the superyachts on the International Quay.