The Glassworks
‘La Verrerie de Biot’ opened in 1956 and has been going strong ever since. It was their creative addition of carbonate of soda to the glass-making process that really put them on the map, and the unique looking ‘bubble glass’ which resulted is now recognised and imitated around the world.
At the glassworks. you can watch glass-blowers hard at work, shaping the glowing glass into beautiful forms. You can also learn about the history of glass in the museum section, and finally in the showroom you can peruse the work of contemporary glass artists. There is of course the opportunity to buy a range of glass items.
Antibes
This coastal town has plenty of historical and cultural interest, coupled with a real buzz and a good choice of restaurants and cafés. The streets of the old quarter are fun to explore, and the Port Vauban is the largest marina in Europe with many a superyacht to admire. Don’t miss the Cathedral, the imposing Fort Carré by the harbour and the Picasso Museum. Other museums include the Archaeology Museum, the Naval Museum of Napoléon, the Absinthe Museum (!), a fun little museum of works by Peynet and other cartoonists, and the Musée de la Tour which focusses on the history of Antibes.
Family fun
This is a great area for families, with several large adventure and activity parks situated in a cluster between Biot and Antibes: a theme and animal park, a marine park with aquariums, a big crazy golf park and a large water park.
There are also treetop adventure trails, climbing and canyoning activities at nearby Villeneuve-Loubet.
Walks in the Brague Valley
There are some lovely walks nearby in the Brague valley, part of a national park covering 480 hectares within the communes of Biot and Valbonne. Footpaths meander through Mediterranean woodland and along the river Brague and its tributary the Bruguet. There are also many historical remains to see along the routes, such as old mills, volcanic stone mines and evidence charcoal-making, and signs of a Roman presence.
Sporting activities
There are tennis courts in both Biot and Antibes, and two golf courses in this area.
A wide variety of water sports can be enjoyed in one of the coastal towns nearby: Antibes, Villeneuve-Loubet or Cagnes sur Mer. These include canoeing, kayaking and paddle-boarding, jet-skiing, parasailing and boat hire.
Bicycles can be hired on the coast and there are long stretches of promenade for easy cycling with direct sea views!
