Antibes for New Crew: Where to Stay and What to Expect
A practical guide to arriving in Antibes for the Mediterranean season, from crew houses to the daily dockwalk route.
Why Antibes
It is the densest concentration of yachts, agencies and crew in the Mediterranean. If you can only pick one place to start a Med season, this is it.
Crew houses
Expect a shared room, weekly rates, and a mixed bag of housemates. Book the first week only until you have seen the place. Ask whether the house has a laundry, storage for bags, and how far it is from Port Vauban.
The daily rhythm
Early start, IYCA and the quays first, agencies mid-morning, then follow up on any day work leads. Afternoons for certificates, admin and rest.
Costs to plan for
Rent, food, a French SIM, and enough buffer for four to six weeks without steady work.
Etiquette
Clean crew whites, no sunglasses on your head, be brief and polite at the passerelle, and never step aboard uninvited.
Beyond Antibes
Once you have a few day-work contacts, Golfe-Juan, Nice and Monaco widen the net.