Cannes

Cannes is world famous for its annual International Film Festival, held in the Palais Des Festivals each May.  This stunning resort town has 7 miles of sandy beaches as well as many boutique stores and superb restaurants.

Cannes is a well-known holiday destination for the rich and famous with exclusive beaches, designer shops, Michelin star restaurants and prestigious yachts making it the perfect playground for those with money to spare. If you don’t fit this category however, don’t be put off as Cannes attracts all kinds of tourists who come to enjoy a delightful combination of summer sun and sophisticated glam.

While the city owes much of its fame and success to the Film Festival, Cannes offers so much more to visitors than this one event.  Visitors can enjoy beautiful stretches of sand, shop in boutique stores, wander through the streets of the old town or eat in a Michelin star restaurant.

La Croisette
La Croisette is the waterfront avenue lined with palm trees and renowned for picturesque beaches and seafront restaurants, cafes and boutiques stores.  This 3km stretch is a must-see and as you stroll along you can enjoy a taste of true Provençal architecture on one side, and the sparkling Azur Mediterranean Sea on the other.

La Suquet – the old town
For beautiful views over La Croisette, walk past the harbour and up the hill into La Suquet, old town of Cannes.  Head straight to the Notre Dame de l'Espérence where you will get panoramic views of the town, the Port, the bay to Cap de la Croisette, and west to the mountains.  The church itself was built gothic style between 1521-1648 and features impressive wood paneling, wooden statues dating back to the 15^th and 16^th centuries, and a collection of 19^th century paintings.

While in La Suquet,La Caste Museum is also well worth your time featuring ancient artifacts and Mediterranean antiques as well as a collection of 19^th century paintings of Cannes and Riviera landscapes.  The end of the exhibition opens onto a courtyard where you can find o 12^th century tower, which you can climb for another stunning view.

The Film Festival

The city of Cannes has gained international recognition because of the Cannes International Film Festival, held annually since 1946.  Each May the city is inundated with actors, celebrities and directors who attend this invite-only event at the Palais des Festivals at the end of La Croisette.  While the public is not able to attend the event, it does not stop the influx of tourists who visit Cannes to try to catch a glimpse of their favourite actors on the famous steps of the Palais des Festivals.  There are also several big screens erected throughout the city and on the beach for the public to enjoy some of the films while soaking up the intense atmosphere.

Shopping
Cannes is well known for a vast selection of boutique shops and designer names.  Even if your holiday budget doesn’t stretch to these sorts of purchases, a bit of window-shopping can often be just as fun!

La Croisetteis the place to start, boasting big name brands for big budgets.  If your finances won’t stretch to this then head down the Rue d’Antibes which has many high-class boutiques but also offers more affordable options for clothes and shoes.  Be sure to wander through the small roads that connect the two streets, as you will find an assortment of boutique stores catering for all styles.

If it’s food and not shoes that is your passion, then make your way to Rue Meynadier where you will find plenty to whet your appetite.  Cheese, bread, fresh seafood and meats, pastries, chocolates and sweets are all on display and ready for you to devour.  If you feel like a night in, there is also a selection of traiteurs, the original French ‘restaurant’ where you can purchase ready-made meals of the finest quality.

Museums
Other than the above-mentioned Museum de la Castre, there are a number of Museums in and around Cannes that will impress even the most cultured of tourists.  The Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Provencecan be found in an 18^th century mansion in Grasse and houses artifacts from prehistoric times though to recent years. The Musée de la Merhouses interesting artifacts found in shipwrecks, while impressive modern artwork can be found at the Galerie de la Malmaisonand the Musée Chapelle Bellini.  If all this fails to satisfy, then perhaps head to the Musée de la Photographie.

Villa Rothschild
The neoclassical Villa Rothschild was built in 1881 and was occupied by the German Kammandantur during the First World War.  The City of Cannes purchased the villa in 1947 and today it is the main Cannes library Mediatheque Noailles and is open to the public.

The architecture combines Palladian, Renaissance and Baroque elements for a stunning result and the villa is worth a visit to see the splendour of the building and the impressive park surrounding it.The villa and its park are classified as an historic monument.

Eating Out
As you would expect, it can be quite expensive to eat out in Cannes but with a few simple tips you can save your money while still enjoying top-notch French cuisine!

There are seven Michelin star restaurants in Cannes and dinner at these places can be both expensive and difficult to book, however, most of them offer reasonably priced fixed priced lunch menus ranging from €40-70.

Some of the most popular restaurants to eat are on the waterfront, however, they do not necessarily offer the best food.  We suggest having a coffee break here during the day to enjoy the view and for a bit of people watching, and venturing to Rue Meynadier inLe Suquet or in the back street of Rue d’Antibes where you will find charming alfresco dining and more reasonable prices.