A first-time guide to Cannes
Whatever the season, Cannes is red carpet–ready. Here’s a thorough guide to this glamorous French Riviera city.
Whatever the season, Cannes is red carpet–ready, with its scene-stealing seafront and flashy yachts moored just offshore.
Cannes excels at showing off in a way that’s, well, cinematic. The seafront is framed by picture-perfect palms and parasols. Pampered poodles with blond highlights peer out of designer bags. It’s always “rosé o’clock” at the beach clubs. Cannes has mastered the art of making life look luscious.
That’s why it draws so many visitors – but it’s not the whole story, for there’s only so much people-watching and chic shopping most mortals can take. Beneath Cannes’ surface glitz is a gutsy Provençal fishing village. Beyond the sandy shores lie islands made for walking, dreaming and meditating with monks. This is the Côte d’Azur before the cinema crowd arrived.
If you’re considering a trip to Cannes, read on to learn about all the facets of this dazzling place.
When should I go to Cannes?
As the poster girl for the good life, Cannes never sleeps. This is a festival town – and even Christmas here is charming, with ice-skating, a craft market and stalls serving mulled wine. May is when the famous film festival comes to town, drawing yachts that resemble cruise ships. Until then, there is enough brilliant sunshine for brisk seaside walks and lounging in seafront cafes.
July and August feel like a Champagne-quaffing frenzy, with exploding firework festivals and big beach parties. September is for sailing, with sleek regattas and the Cannes Yachting Festival.
Insider tip: Come in June, September or October for balmy weather and less-barmy hotel rates. May is also lovely – though I’d recommend skipping the film festival unless celebrity-spotting and watching paparazzi climb up palm trees is your thing.
How much time should I spend in Cannes?
A weekend wander around Cannes’ glitzy seafront, port and Old Town is eminently doable, even including a foray to the island of Ste-Marguerite. If you love boat crossings to sun-kissed islands, budget more time, as different ferry routes serve each one.
On a four-day trip, you can add a half-day trip to St-Honorat and, plus a delightful excursion combining Ste-Marguerite with the Corniche d’Or coastal cruise. If you’re feeling adventurous, consider a kayaking foray from Cannes to Île Ste-Marguerite, or snorkeling to an underwater sculpture gallery off the same island.
Art lovers should head for La Malmaison, a modern art museum on the Croisette, as well as the charming Bonnard Museum in Le Cannet, a village-y suburb.
Is it easy to get in and around Cannes?
Nice Airport Bus 81 departs from Terminal 2, arriving at the Cannes train station 45 minutes later. You can also take the airport tram to Nice St-Augustin station, then connect to a train to Cannes (40 minutes). The town itself is quite walkable – so use your transport budget toward boat trips to the Îles de Lérins, and a cruise along the glorious Corniche d’Or or even to St-Tropez.
If you’re arriving by car, you can take advantage of free or discounted parking deals at official lots.
Top things to do in Cannes
Promenade along the Croisette
Cannes’ celebrated seafront boulevard showcases the Riviera at its most seductive. A sashay along the Croisette combines posing, dining and drinking – while drinking in art and views of the islands offshore. It unfurls along the bay, with bars and beach clubs, palm trees and posers, hawkers and gawkers, even solemn chess players.
Created in the mid-19th century, the legendary street stretches from the Palais des Festivals to Pointe Croisette. (The promenade is currently being revamped in russet Esterel stone, with pools, new plantings, waterfalls, wider beaches and an open-air theater all to be in place by 2028.) Join the people-watching parade at the Palais, the hub of the Cannes Film Festival, and snap a selfie on the famed red carpet. The pavement by the gleaming white “palace” is studded with celebrity hand-prints – a Cannes twist on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
At the splendid Majestic hotel, insiders retreat to old-school Fouquet’s, a sleekly backlit brasserie made for chilling over (pricey) cocktails. If you’re not feeling beach vibes, step into La Malmaison, the newly renovated modern- and contemporary-art museum that showcases work by such artists as Cézanne and Renoir; drink in more beautiful views over coffee on the rooftop terrace. Beyond this art pavilion awaits the Carlton, the city’s grandest hotel, and a necklace of beach clubs.
You might be surprised that Cannes is a leader in sustainability – a place committed to substance as well as style. Along with installing electric buses, sea-cleaning robots and fish hatcheries, the city champions marine energy, which serves to heat or cool the grand hotels on the Croisette.
The parade ends at Pointe Croisette, with a stylish lunch in the art deco Palm Beach. La Petite Maison is one of the many chic dining options in this beachside tribute to the Jazz Age.
Have a wander around Le Suquet (Vieux Cannes)
When you’ve had your fill of glamor, amble up Le Suquet hill to Cannes’ picturesque Old Town, where steep, winding streets befit the district’s past reputation as home to sailors. These cobbled alleys are today lined with bars and bistros that during the film festival draw incognito stars more interested in an intimate supper than a flashy party palace. If you’ve worked up an appetite yourself, try old-fashioned Da Bouttau for French-Provençal specialties such as sea bream and grilled vegetables, or devour the best contemporary pizza at Papagio.
The hilltop is crowned by a church and medieval castle; beside the walls stands a carved stone bench Queen Victoria erected in memory of her son Leopold, who died in Cannes in 1884. The starriest view is by the large letters spelling out “Cannes” – which, à la Hollywood, loom over the town.
Hop on a boat to Île Ste-Marguerite
A short ferry hop from Cannes is a wild island made for walking, swimming and picnicking. (Even though Elton John has been spotted surprising diners with an impromptu concert at La Guérite restaurant, it’s best to arrive with provisions.) The island’s castle Fort Royal might be familiar from The Man in The Iron Mask: for this former state prison is where this mysterious prisoner remained jailed for 11 years. Whether he was Louis XIV’s arch-rival or secret twin matters less than the mystique of it all.
After exploring the castle, walk through windswept pines and eucalyptus groves before a refreshing swim in tiny creeks with bright-blue waters. If you’re armed with your own (non-iron) mask and snorkel, wade out to an intriguing underwater gallery to see sculptures on the sea floor created by British artist Jason deCaires Taylor.
Forage at Marché Forville
Open every morning except Monday, the Marché Forville tempts with seasonal bounty, which might include figs, fried zucchini flowers or strawberries. (The covered market is currently getting a makeover, with a rooftop garden coming next year.) For picnic provisions, try socca, a crunchy chickpea snack, or onion-and-anchovy-smothered pissaladière, Provençal-style pizza. Equally local is pan bagnat, a crusty roll stuffed with tuna, eggs and tomato. Refuel with coffee – and don’t leave without a bottle of Lerina, a herbal liqueur made by the monks of St-Honorat.
Raise a glass in the Old Port
At the foot of the Old Town, the Vieux Port channels Cannes’ Provençal spirit – what the place might have felt like before “the British invasion” in 1834, when Cannes began its journey from fishing village to modern resort. (Lord Brougham’s arrival that year spurred a British-led property and hotel boom, the building of the port and the launch of the winter tourism that set Cannes on its path to fame.)
Facing the port, the Allées de la Liberté is an inviting playground of pétanque pitches, fountains and bars, framed by palms, plane trees and jacaranda. Beside this esplanade, rue Félix Faure brims with numerous bars and outdoor seating areas, while rue Hoche is restaurant central. Join the queue to get dessert to go from Gelato Junkie.
Zoom in on cinematic street art
Celebrate your love of the movies by following the trail of Cannes’ bold street murals. Map in hand, pick a few intriguing works close to your location. One star is Cinéma Cannes, which depicts everyone from Fred Astaire to Batman, all ready for action (place Cornut Gentille). Just up the hill in Le Suquet, you’ll find the poker face of Buster Keaton (29 blvd Tuby), and a behind-the-scenes view of a set in L’Envers du Décor (7 rue des Suisses).
Lap up the scene at a beach club
Beach clubs are a quintessential Cannes experience – and you don’t need to splurge on renting a beach bed for the full day to enjoy it. Instead, come for lunch, sundowners on the beach or maybe a party scene with live music.
Cannes’s first-ever beach club, at the Carlton, exudes retro chic, evoking an era when Grace Kelly and Cary Grant created movie magic here. Sample salade Niçoise washed down with rosé or an Aperol spritz. Lucia Cannes is a stylish newcomer (and a relatively good value), with an understated boho vibe and inventive spins on Mediterranean food. It’s open year-round and the sun loungers are free for diners lucky enough to score one.
My favorite thing to do in Cannes
Île St-Honorat lies just a few kilometers off the coast of Cannes – yet its spirit may as well be a continent away from the Riviera’s earthly pleasures. A place of prayer for 1600 years, the island remains a heady mix of swaying umbrella pines and chanting monks. (The brothers also manufacture lemon-scented liqueurs and fine wines. They understand temptation well.)
On a day trip, I like to while away the afternoon beside the island’s turquoise creeks, and sample the abbey wine over a light lunch at La Tonnelle. After exploring the abbey church and its wisteria-hung cloisters, I’ll follow lavender-scented paths around the island, past vineyards and the monastery tower – always carefully heeding the “Silence! Monks at work” signs.
How much money do I need for Cannes?
Cannes is not a budget destination, and you’ll pay a premium for drinking or dining in beachfront bars. (Note that prices often rise during big festivals and events.) Even so, draw the line at renting exorbitant beach beds; head for the public beaches and spend on boat trips instead.
Apart from on buses and at beach kiosks, contactless payment and credit cards are accepted just about everywhere.
- Basic hotel room for two: €85 (US$88)
- Express bus from Nice airport: €20 (US$20.80) one-way
- Round-trip ferry ticket to Ste-Marguerite: from €16.50 (US$17.15)
- Round-trip ferry ticket to St-Honorat: €20 (US$20.80)
- Round-trip Corniche d’Or cruise: from €36 (US$37.40)
- Coffee: €3.50 (US$3.60)
- Glass of rosé wine: €6 (US$6.25)
- Cocktail: €10 (US$10.40)
- Basic dinner for two with wine: €80 (US$82)
- Cannes Greeters guided walks: free
Is there a dress code in Cannes?
At smarter places, a discreet but stylish dress code applies, with pressed linen favored over logos. Treat it as part of the fun in a people-watching paradise. (A pooch in your handbag is optional.)
Where can you find a public beach in Cannes?
Unless you want to splurge at a beach club or be squashed in like sardines, head to a public beach away from the Croisette. Beyond the Vieux Port, the Plage du Midi combines free sand access and snack bars with the option of affordable sun beds and lunch at Maema Plage.
For natural beauty, nothing beats swimming in the coves off Ste-Marguerite – though you may be competing for sea and serenity with the yacht set.
