Antibes

The glittering glitterati unwind at Antibes, a much-loved vacation resort of everyone from F. Scott Fitzgerald to the Kennedys. This resort town, located on the Mediterranean Sea approximately midway between eastern neighbor Nice and western neighbor Cannes, is one of the most laid-back cities on the Cote d'Azur. By day, the flashy yachting population likes dashing around the seas, and by night, they moor their sleek boats at the harbor. In adjacent Juan-les-Pins, partygoers go to the clubs and casinos; serious sunbathers, gallery hoppers, and boutique shoppers also flock here.

Another lure is the sandy (or stony, depending on where you go) beaches that edge the cerulean Mediterranean. Those who just want to get away book a room in a pine-clad house like the magnificent Hôtel du Cap-Eden Roc and spend their days sunbathing and snorkeling on the cape, followed by great French cuisine in the evening.