Once a small fishing village on the French Riviera, Cannes is now a glamorous and expensive seaside town considered to be one of the social hubs of Europe.
Cannes moment to shine arrives in May as the venue for the Cannes Film Festival, entertaining the rich and famous. During the festival, fans can see actors, celebrities, and directors up close and in person on the famous steps of the Palais des Festivals at the end of La Croisette. Although its nightlife, casinos and high end restaurants give Cannes a feel of exclusivity, Cannes does have alternatives to suit all types of budgets. Tourists can check out the beauty and architecture of Le Suquet, with its cobbled streets and breathtaking views, or sit at street side tables and enjoy the favoured hobby of people watching up and down the lovely marina.
- Old town — The usual narrow winding streets filled with restaurants and souvenir shops. The view from the castle ruins at the top is excellent.
- Covered Market (Marché Forville) — For a spectacular eating and viewing food experience, no other market in Cannes beats this for scale and variety. The market itself is at the west end of rue Meynardiers, one of the Cote's best gourmand streets.
- Palais des Festivals — Down La Croisette is the famous Palais des Festivals, where stars of the screen gather and watch films screened during the festival. Irresistible not to pose for a photograph on the 22 steps leading up to the entrance.
- Hands of the stars — Just in front of the Palais you will find a line of dozens of hand prints of famous stars and actors. Similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- Murs Peints — Several houses in Cannes are painted with overly large portraits of stars and movies themes. Checkout OpenStreetMap to find them.
- Suquet — A quarter with a great view over the city.
- Port — Admire the yachts of the rich and possibly famous - though true mega-yachts will be found at the International Yacht Club down the coast in Antibes.
- La Croisette — Cannes catwalk beside the sea, it is the center of the city's tourist activity and known for its luxury hotels and boutique shops.
- Beaches — The beaches are mostly private and cost up to €30 for a day's use (including sunbed and shade). The public beaches are crowded, and are found at the far east and west of town. If you want a quieter beach, a better option is to go to the Îles de Lérins, see below. At night the beaches can be tranquil, but watch out for spectacular fireworks displays (see posters/ask at tourist info) in the bay, get to the beach early to get a good spot!
- Îles de Lérins — Two islands in the bay that are definitely worth visiting. The smaller is St Honorat, which has a monastery and ruined castle. The monks sell monastery-made food/drink products like wine which make unique souvenirs. The larger island is Ste Marguerite which also has a castle, shops, bars, and restaurants. Find a quiet cove, some shade from palm trees, and a cheap snorkel before you swim around the rocky coves. A return ticket to Ste Marguerite is €11 with ferries departing every hour roughly from 7 in the morning until about 05:30 at night - ask for a timetable. The ticket to St Honorat costs €13, and visiting the fortified monastery costs €3/pax. The timetable and information is also available in a brochure kept in most hotel lobbies.
Old town — The usual narrow winding streets filled with restaurants and souvenir shops. The view from the castle ruins at the top is excellent.
Covered Market (Marché Forville) — For a spectacular eating and viewing food experience, no other market in Cannes beats this for scale and variety. The market itself is at the west end of rue Meynardiers, one of the Cote's best gourmand streets.
Palais des Festivals — Down La Croisette is the famous Palais des Festivals, where stars of the screen gather and watch films screened during the festival. Irresistible not to pose for a photograph on the 22 steps leading up to the entrance.
Hands of the stars — Just in front of the Palais you will find a line of dozens of hand prints of famous stars and actors. Similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Murs Peints — Several houses in Cannes are painted with overly large portraits of stars and movies themes. Checkout OpenStreetMap to find them.
Suquet — A quarter with a great view over the city.
Port — Admire the yachts of the rich and possibly famous - though true mega-yachts will be found at the International Yacht Club down the coast in Antibes.
La Croisette — Cannes catwalk beside the sea, it is the center of the city's tourist activity and known for its luxury hotels and boutique shops.
Beaches — The beaches are mostly private and cost up to €30 for a day's use (including sunbed and shade). The public beaches are crowded, and are found at the far east and west of town. If you want a quieter beach, a better option is to go to the Îles de Lérins, see below. At night the beaches can be tranquil, but watch out for spectacular fireworks displays (see posters/ask at tourist info) in the bay, get to the beach early to get a good spot!
Îles de Lérins — Two islands in the bay that are definitely worth visiting. The smaller is St Honorat, which has a monastery and ruined castle. The monks sell monastery-made food/drink products like wine which make unique souvenirs. The larger island is Ste Marguerite which also has a castle, shops, bars, and restaurants. Find a quiet cove, some shade from palm trees, and a cheap snorkel before you swim around the rocky coves. A return ticket to Ste Marguerite is €11 with ferries departing every hour roughly from 7 in the morning until about 05:30 at night - ask for a timetable. The ticket to St Honorat costs €13, and visiting the fortified monastery costs €3/pax. The timetable and information is also available in a brochure kept in most hotel lobbies.
- Festival de Cannes. The most famous film festival in the world takes place in mid-May every year. The world's biggest celebrities are on hand to walk the red carpet, and thousands of films are screened in the festival and the Marché du Film, the world's biggest film market.
- Notre-Dame d'Esperance, Place de la Castre. Provençal Gothic church with wood paneling dating back to the 14th and 15th century. Also worth a look is the collection of 19th century paintings, which includes a fresco by George Roux that portrays the baptism of Christ. The church is situated on top of Suquet hill in old Cannes, the church offers visitors a fabulous view of the town and its bay.
- Croix des gardes. Natural parc area, trails and vistas
- Tour du Masque, 9, rue du Mont Chevalier, Cannes 06401. A popular attraction for history and literary buffs, the Tour du Masque is said to be haunted by the ghost of the mythical,mysterious figure known as the "Man in the Iron Mask."
- Molinard, 60, boulevard Victor-Hugo, Grasse 06130, +33 4 9336-0162. Follow your nose down this flower-strewn villa to learn how perfume is made and manufactured. It's an olfactory and visual feast, as well as smelling some of the world's finest perfumes. Famous perfume bottles are also on display.
- Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Provence, 2 rue Mirabeau, +33 4 9705 5800. The museum retraces everyday life in Provence from prehistoric times to the present day. The Provençal way of life is illustrated through furniture, pottery, paintings, traditional costumes and santons (Christmas crib figures). There's also an authentic formal garden for you to enjoy.
- French Riviera, CMC Cannes Riviera Gastronomie Maritime, Gare Maritime, jet Albert-Edouard, Cannes 06400, +33 4 9368-9898. Enjoy the view of Cannes from this luxury ship. You can choose to do either a lunch tour or an evening dinner tour. For a one flat fee you receive lunch or dinner and a tour whilst enjoying live music. The tours run daily from 12:30PM-3PM, 8:30PM-11:30p.
Festival de Cannes. The most famous film festival in the world takes place in mid-May every year. The world's biggest celebrities are on hand to walk the red carpet, and thousands of films are screened in the festival and the Marché du Film, the world's biggest film market.
Notre-Dame d'Esperance, Place de la Castre. Provençal Gothic church with wood paneling dating back to the 14th and 15th century. Also worth a look is the collection of 19th century paintings, which includes a fresco by George Roux that portrays the baptism of Christ. The church is situated on top of Suquet hill in old Cannes, the church offers visitors a fabulous view of the town and its bay.
Croix des gardes. Natural parc area, trails and vistas
Tour du Masque, 9, rue du Mont Chevalier, Cannes 06401. A popular attraction for history and literary buffs, the Tour du Masque is said to be haunted by the ghost of the mythical,mysterious figure known as the "Man in the Iron Mask."
Molinard, 60, boulevard Victor-Hugo, Grasse 06130, +33 4 9336-0162. Follow your nose down this flower-strewn villa to learn how perfume is made and manufactured. It's an olfactory and visual feast, as well as smelling some of the world's finest perfumes. Famous perfume bottles are also on display.
Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Provence, 2 rue Mirabeau, +33 4 9705 5800. The museum retraces everyday life in Provence from prehistoric times to the present day. The Provençal way of life is illustrated through furniture, pottery, paintings, traditional costumes and santons (Christmas crib figures). There's also an authentic formal garden for you to enjoy.
French Riviera, CMC Cannes Riviera Gastronomie Maritime, Gare Maritime, jet Albert-Edouard, Cannes 06400, +33 4 9368-9898. Enjoy the view of Cannes from this luxury ship. You can choose to do either a lunch tour or an evening dinner tour. For a one flat fee you receive lunch or dinner and a tour whilst enjoying live music. The tours run daily from 12:30PM-3PM, 8:30PM-11:30p.
Cannes is renowned for its luxury boutiques and designer fashion.
The shops in Cannes are concentrated between La Croisette and rue d'Antibes - a distance easily covered on foot. Here you'll find all the luxury boutiques you could possibly desire as well as other shops selling products at a more affordable price range. The old town has any number of shops selling souvenirs as well.
Stroll, or stop by, the wide array of international designer shops that line La Croisette, which include Chanel, Dior, and Gucci. Check out the l`enfant terrible of French fashion, Jean Paul Gaultier in the Gray d'Albion arcade at number 17.
- For those with a sweet tooth, get your fix on Rue d'Antibes, which has the best chocolatiers and delicatessens
- Chez Bruno, 51 rue d'Antibes. crystallised fruit and marrons glacés
- Maiffret, 31 rue d'Antibes. Chocolates made on the premises
- Cannes English Bookshop, 11 rue Bivouac Napoléon (just by the Palais des Festivals, +33 4 9399-4008. If you are getting desperate to read something in English
A great street to grab yourself a bargain is on the Rue Meynadier, with a vibrant market atmosphere. Taste some sharp cheese at Ceneri, on 22 rue Meynadier, while quality wines are found at La Cave Forville, at 3 Forville Market.
A souvenir from the monastery on Ste Honorat is a good way to distinguish yourself from the other tourists toting bags of the same souvenirs.
Standard shopping hours are Monday to Saturday 10AM-12PM and 2:30PM–7:30PM. In high season, many shops do not close for lunch. Sales tax varies between 5.5% (food) to 19.6% (luxury goods).
For those with a sweet tooth, get your fix on Rue d'Antibes, which has the best chocolatiers and delicatessens
- Chez Bruno, 51 rue d'Antibes. crystallised fruit and marrons glacés
- Maiffret, 31 rue d'Antibes. Chocolates made on the premises
For those with a sweet tooth, get your fix on Rue d'Antibes, which has the best chocolatiers and delicatessens
- Chez Bruno, 51 rue d'Antibes. crystallised fruit and marrons glacés
- Maiffret, 31 rue d'Antibes. Chocolates made on the premises
Cannes English Bookshop, 11 rue Bivouac Napoléon (just by the Palais des Festivals, +33 4 9399-4008. If you are getting desperate to read something in English
Although it tends to get pretty pricey to eat out in Cannes, it is possible to get a delicious meal incorporating the mouth-watering, fresh regional produce sourced from the markets.
The most popular restaurants to eat at are all along the riverfront, although they are they are not particularly value for money. While the food is ok, it's overpriced, however the people watching and posing-potential is an important compensation.
The best areas for dining are the rue Meynadier, in the beautiful old district of Le Suquet, where you can dine outdoors with a stunning view of the town below, and in the back streets of the Rue de Antibes, you can find some reasonable dining options.
Vegetarians have a bit of a rough time in France generally, in that most menus classify things as fish, meat and nothing else, and the French pride themselves in eating some fairly esoteric parts of animals not found in supermarkets back home - "testicules de mouton" for example. Traditional French cuisine is expensive at best, you could consider eating in some of the more Italian places.
The most romantic setting for dining in Cannes is away from the conference/ expense account circuit of central Cannes, in the historic quarter of Le Cannet, a northern suburb of Cannes some two kilometers away. Accessible by taxi or local buses, Vieux Le Cannet looks down over Cannes, and at its best vantage point is the large tree lined open square of Place Bellvue, tables alfresco, bounded by four or five quality restaurants patronized mainly by French "in the know". The Place Bellvue is on the main street rue St Sauver, home to artists ateliers and picture-postcard old French scenes. Well worth the extra effort.
- Philcat. Sells Pan Bagnat, but quite expensive for €6.
- 24 Suquet Restaurant, 24 rue du Suquet, +33 4 9338 7522. Located in the old town of Cannes, this chic and cosy restaurant serves fine Provincial cuisine in an atmosphere that is as welcoming as it is becoming.
- Le Caveau 30, 45 rue Félix Faure, +33 4 9339 0633. Fresh seafood and produce worth coming back for, at this upscale restaurant that tends to get quite crowded in the summer months. Impressive wine list to go with the varied menu options and the staff are always attentive and professional.
- Palm Square, 1 allées de la Liberté, +33 4 9306 7827. Chic and ultra trendy, the Palm Square is the place to eat tasty food surrounded by a group of friends, in a gorgeous setting. Cuisine is mostly modern French, although the chef does mix it up with splashes of Indian or Thai flavorings.
- La Palme d'Or, Hôtel Martinez, 73 boulevard de la Croisette. Great location overlooking the bay of Cannes. Food is of an extremely high standard, the stylish and contemporary decor impresses, and the service is impeccable. Two Michelin stars have been awarded to this restaurant.
- Le Restaurant Arménien, 82 boulevard de la Croisette, +33 4 9394 0058. For genuine Armenian food served in a charming and atmospheric setting. Popular restaurant that also offers Mediterranean inspired alternatives.
- Authentic, 92, Ave Francis Tonner, Cannes La Bocca (traveling west from Cannes, pass the market in La Bocca & it's on your right, one block further., +33 4 9348 3406. No view (location isn't great), but this resto itself is simple but lovely. Even better, the food. For a really wonderful meal at 30% or less of prices in Cannes itself, check out this great little secret. The meal always begins with a little complimentary tasting. Very popular at noon, so make a reservation during August for lunch or dinner. The chef is from Alsace, but uses local fare superbly, too. menus start under €20 for dinner.
- sombraro x-press, 25 rue suquet, +33 505 988-7412. open all day+ night. wholesome Mexican food at a great price. menu includes light choices for watchful eaters cheap.
Philcat. Sells Pan Bagnat, but quite expensive for €6.
24 Suquet Restaurant, 24 rue du Suquet, +33 4 9338 7522. Located in the old town of Cannes, this chic and cosy restaurant serves fine Provincial cuisine in an atmosphere that is as welcoming as it is becoming.
Le Caveau 30, 45 rue Félix Faure, +33 4 9339 0633. Fresh seafood and produce worth coming back for, at this upscale restaurant that tends to get quite crowded in the summer months. Impressive wine list to go with the varied menu options and the staff are always attentive and professional.
Palm Square, 1 allées de la Liberté, +33 4 9306 7827. Chic and ultra trendy, the Palm Square is the place to eat tasty food surrounded by a group of friends, in a gorgeous setting. Cuisine is mostly modern French, although the chef does mix it up with splashes of Indian or Thai flavorings.
La Palme d'Or, Hôtel Martinez, 73 boulevard de la Croisette. Great location overlooking the bay of Cannes. Food is of an extremely high standard, the stylish and contemporary decor impresses, and the service is impeccable. Two Michelin stars have been awarded to this restaurant.
Le Restaurant Arménien, 82 boulevard de la Croisette, +33 4 9394 0058. For genuine Armenian food served in a charming and atmospheric setting. Popular restaurant that also offers Mediterranean inspired alternatives.
Authentic, 92, Ave Francis Tonner, Cannes La Bocca (traveling west from Cannes, pass the market in La Bocca & it's on your right, one block further., +33 4 9348 3406. No view (location isn't great), but this resto itself is simple but lovely. Even better, the food. For a really wonderful meal at 30% or less of prices in Cannes itself, check out this great little secret. The meal always begins with a little complimentary tasting. Very popular at noon, so make a reservation during August for lunch or dinner. The chef is from Alsace, but uses local fare superbly, too. menus start under €20 for dinner.
sombraro x-press, 25 rue suquet, +33 505 988-7412. open all day+ night. wholesome Mexican food at a great price. menu includes light choices for watchful eaters cheap.
Check out Carrefour, most of them have free Wi-Fi.
If you fancy a change of scenery from Cannes or just want to make the most of its location then you can make a day trip to other beautiful and famous cities. A few to note are:
- Aix-en-Provence is 1½ hr west by car.
- Monaco is 45 min northeast by car.
- Nice is 30 min northeast by car.
- Saint-Tropez is 1¼ hr southwest by car.