The sea ramparts below the Château Grimaldi

Antibes still has its full seaward rampart, and the Promenade Amiral de Grasse runs along the top of it below the Château Grimaldi — the sixteenth-century castle that houses the Picasso museum. On one side, honey-coloured walls and the cathedral tower; on the other, nothing between you and the water. On a clear winter day the snow line of the Alps sits on the horizon behind the bay.

It is the most versatile frame in Antibes because the background changes with a quarter turn. Face north and you have the old town stacked above the ramparts; face east and it is open sea and sky; look along the wall and the parapet gives a receding line that carries a couple into the distance. The stone is warm-toned and takes low sun beautifully.

Golden hour is the obvious call, and the early morning is the underrated one — the sun comes up out of the sea directly in front of the wall, and the promenade is empty apart from runners. Midday is harsh and shadeless up there. The mistral matters: when it blows, spray comes over the parapet in places and the exposed sections are genuinely unpleasant, so check the wind before committing.

Practical: the promenade is public and level, so it is one of the easier locations for anyone who does not want steps, and it links the old town to the Plage de la Gravette in a five-minute walk. There is no railing on some stretches and the drop to the rocks is real. The Picasso museum is ticketed with its own hours — check them if you want the terrace and its sculptures rather than just the wall below.