The transformation of Antibes’ Port Vauban has continued with the inauguration of the Vauban Columns and the new Artisans’ Village last week
What are the Vauban Columns?
For those who’ve been left a little puzzled by the towering 15-metre high columns in the Port Vauban car park, they are designed to be a “gateway to the future“, says its designer, connecting land and sea, as well as symbolically linking Antibes’ rich maritime history with its modern aspirations.
The rostral columns (inspired by those erected by Romans in memory of a naval victory) have been deliberately placed on the historical Saint-Roch site to symbolise the gate through which the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans once landed in Antibes centuries ago.
Architect Philippe Prost says these columns will serve as “vertical punctuation marks” in the same way as lights at a port entrance or the masts of a yacht, reported FranceInfo.
The columns frame the view from the Old Town of Antibes to Fort Carré (where Napoleon was once arrested). It is particularly pretty in the evening when spotlights and reflectors “illuminate these new icons” (in the words of Port Vauban).
Multi-Million Euro Renovation Project
The Vauban Columns are part of a larger renovation project led by prestigious Paris-based Prost and his firm. (Prost has a portfolio which includes castles, a casino, museums and campuses. He is also currently engaged in the Port Gallice project on Cap d’Antibes.)
Antibes mayor Jean Leonetti lauded the project as “exceptional in its ambition”, opening up the port to the city and placing value on local skilled craftsmen; creating a space to live, work and walk.
The Artisans’ Village includes 10 workshops specialising in ship-related activities, and the Café des Artisans which is set to become a popular meeting point for yachties. It is open daily from 8am to midnight during summer, offering breakfast, lunch, dinner and after-work aperitifs. The lower wall of Fort Carré is being cleared and a new staircase (next to the café) will connect the port to the coastal promenade around the fort.
The port is managed by Vauban 21, which in turn is owned by the Nice Cote d’Azur CCI (Chamber of Commerce and Industry).
The redevelopment project began in 2017, with an investment of 135-million euros over 25 years, according to the CCI. The project includes the refurbishment of Billionaires’ Quay (Quai des Milliardaires) and the Bastion Saint Jaume (where the Nomad sits).
Writing on social media, Antibes’ mayor said Vauban is becoming a “port of the 21st century, combining yachting excellence, small sailing, innovation and radiance”.
According to Prost’s website, both projects – Port Vauban and Port Gallice – are expected to be completed by 2027.
