Pinède Gardens, where jazz took root in Europe
The scent of resin from century-old umbrella pines mixes with the sea salt carried by the breeze. Under your feet, on the sidewalk of boulevard Baudoin, the handprints of Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, and B.B. King are set into the pavement. This Mediterranean park, the green lungs of Juan-les-Pins, carries over sixty years of musical history.
Why visit Pinède Gardens?
Classified as a wooded area since the early 20th century, this park is home to more than 300 pines, some of which gave their name to the resort town itself. It was here, in July 1960, that the first outdoor jazz festival in Europe was born. It was created in tribute to the clarinetist Sidney Bechet, who married in Antibes in 1951 during a legendary parade. Claude Nobs, founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival, famously admitted that without his time in Antibes, Montreux would not exist.
The park is divided into two distinct zones. The north section welcomes families with a playground, shaded walkways, and surprisingly friendly squirrels that scamper down tree trunks to greet visitors. The south section, the Pinède Gould, transforms every summer into an open-air concert venue facing the sea.
The Walk of Fame of European jazz
The boulevard Baudoin that runs along the park offers a unique stroll. Over about 500 meters, 76 artist handprints are engraved in the ground. Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd, Thomas Dutronc: each slab tells the story of a performance on the legendary stage of the Pinède Gould. The walk is free and open to everyone at any hour. Jazz fans will recognize the names, while others will discover an unexpected musical gallery beneath their feet on the warm pavement.
The giant saxophone of Sosno
It is impossible to miss the bright yellow sculpture that stands among the pines. This monumental saxophone, standing 5.50 meters tall, is the posthumous work of Sacha Sosno, a sculptor from Nice famous for his obliterations. A jazz enthusiast and friend of the saxophonist Barney Wilen, Sosno had scribbled this project on a piece of paper before passing away in 2013. His widow, Mascha Sosno, supervised the construction of the steel piece, which was installed in the garden in 2018. The city of Antibes acquired it for 200,000 EUR (about $217,000). The void in the center of the instrument, a signature of Sosno's style, allows the landscape to flow through the shape of the sax.
A park to live in, not just walk through
Outside of the summer festival season, the park returns to a pleasant calm. Locals play boules in the shade, children run between the play structures, and the paths are perfect for cycling or rollerblading. The benches facing the sea, protected by the canopy of pines, are among the most peaceful spots on the French Riviera to read or simply watch the blue of the water change color throughout the day.
Pro tip: in July, during the Jazz à Juan festival, the Petite Pinède hosts free concerts every evening during the Jammin' Summer Sessions. Arrive around 6:30 PM to enjoy the food trucks and a game of boules before the sets begin around 7:15 PM. The atmosphere is more relaxed than in the ticketed Pinède Gould, and the musical quality is often a pleasant surprise.
This park has two things I love: shade and a view of the sea! I really liked the Mediterranean vegetation along with the very colorful flowers too. The Walk of Fame was also a pleasant discovery. But the coolest part is the squirrels! They are really not afraid and are just adorable!