Active Pursuits in Juan-les-Pins

Beaches — Part of the reason people flock to Juan-les-Pins is for the town’s wealth of sandy beaches, all lapped by calm waters. The town also basks in a unique microclimate, making it one of the warmest places on the Riviera to soak up the sun, even in winter. Plage de Juan-les-Pins is the most central beach, although quieter stretches of sand wrap around the Cap d’Antibes and include family-friendly Plage de la Salis and chic Plage de la Garoupe. If you do want to stretch out on a sun lounger, go to any of the beach-bar concessions that line the bay, where you can rent a mattress for around 15€ to 20€. Topless sunbathing and overt shows of cosmetic surgery are the norm.

Watersports — If you’re interested in scuba diving, try Easy Dive, bd. Edouard Baudouin (www.easydive.fr; tel. 04-93-61-26-07). A one-tank dive costs 30€ to 60€, including all equipment. Sea kayaking, pedalos, and paddleboarding are available at virtually every beach in Juan-les-Pins but are best booked at Cap Kayak (www.capkayak.fr; tel. 06-62-28-09-54), a friendly establishment that knows all the secret ocean spots. Waterskiing was invented at the Hôtel Belles-Rives in the 1920s, and it’s still a great place to try out the sport.