Baie des Anges, Mediterranean bay between Antibes and Nice, France
The Baie des Anges is a bay along the French Riviera that stretches between Antibes and Nice, bordered by several coastal municipalities. Multiple rivers flowing from the Maritime Alps feed its waters, shaping both its ecosystem and the character of this Mediterranean coastline.
The bay took shape through geological processes that formed the French Riviera coastline and created river deltas over time. The construction of Pont Napoleon at the Paillon river mouth during the 19th century marked a major phase in how settlements developed along these shores.
The bay's name comes from angel sharks that once lived in these waters, their wing-shaped fins inspiring comparisons to celestial creatures. Local people have woven this origin into their connection with the sea, and the story remains part of how residents and visitors think about the place.
You can enter the bay at multiple points along the Promenade des Anglais, with different beach sections offering various facilities throughout the year. Walking along the coast in sections lets you explore different parts and discover how the shoreline changes as you move between towns.
The bay inspired the 1963 film La Baie des Anges by Jacques Demy, which captured gambling culture on the French Riviera and brought the region into the spotlight. This cinematic portrayal shaped how visitors thought about the coast for years afterward.
Location: Maritime Alps
Part of: Mediterranean Sea
GPS coordinates: 43.68600,7.25784
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:01
The French coastline stretches over more than 3,100 miles and features a notable variety of beaches. From Brittany's granite coasts to Mediterranean coves, including wide Atlantic stretches and Corsican bays with clear waters, each coastal area has its own character. This selection takes you away from crowded seaside resorts to beaches that have maintained their natural state. You will find the wild Piémanson beach in Camargue, accessible only via a dirt road and visited by pink flamingos, the discreet Nonnes beach on the Gironde estuary with its caves carved into the cliffs, or Notre-Dame beach on Porquerolles, considered one of the top spots in the Mediterranean. In Corsica, Saleccia requires an hour of walking or a boat trip to reach, while the Côte des Basques in Biarritz has attracted surfers since the 1950s. Some beaches demand effort to access, others are protected as nature reserves, but all offer a different experience from mass tourism.
Promenade des Anglais
1 km
Hotel Negresco
942 m
Marineland
13.2 km
Villa Nellcote
5.4 km
Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Nice
2 km
Colline du Château
2.1 km
Terra Amata
2.9 km
Palais de la Méditerranée
1.1 km
Notre-Dame de Nice
2 km
Picasso Museum
15.7 km
Fort du Mont Alban
3.8 km
Fort Carré
15 km
Musée Masséna
1 km
Tête Carrée
2.5 km
Mont Boron
3.5 km
Palais des Congrès Acropolis
2.7 km
Promenade du Paillon
1.6 km
Cours Saleya
1.7 km
Opéra de Nice
1.6 km
Musée Renoir
8.4 km
Palais Maeterlinck
3.4 km
Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret
1.2 km
Monument aux morts de Rauba-Capeù
2.1 km
Château de l'Anglais
3 km
Grotte du Lazaret
3 km
Palais Lascaris
2 km
Musée d'art moderne et d'art contemporain de Nice
2.4 km
Parc Phœnix
3.9 kmReviews
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