The first day upon arriving in Juan-les-Pins, the small seaside village that Picasso used to frequent, we were desperate for a bite and view of the ocean. Having gotten up at the crack of dawn, we stumbled towards the first place we saw and lucky for us, it was Helios Plage. The beach clubs of the Cote d’Azur area, including Helios, have the sort of Bali, stay-all-day, very Instagrammable vibe. The boho chic surroundings are a surprising match for the fancy schmance people of the area. But, it was a vibe and we liked it.

Lunch required no shoes and gave protection to the chill of rose under a canopy of umbrellas. We share a giant Caprese salad and plate of proscuitto with melon. Italian food on the beach in the south of France. My friend remarked that when we go to Italy, she expects to eat French food. Maybe it’s true?

The next day, after hours of walking in the sun, my friend wasn’t feeling great and crashed out, but I just had to set foot into the Mediterranean. So, I returned back to Helios in the busy, midafternoon beach time and still snagged a solo chair at the water’s edge. Twenty bucks for a chair and towel didn’t seem like a terrible investment, especially if you were to stay all day. The waitstaff from Helios served large glasses of rose floating ice cubes, the perfect beach drink.