The jewel in the already glittering crown of the Cote D’Azur, Cannes is a luxury resort that attracts movie stars and the high society – and those wishing to spot them. A top resort since the 19th century, when the British aristocracy first started holidaying here, to this day Cannes is the first spot travellers want to see when visiting the French Riviera. Its landscape is beautiful: the beachfront and promenade are in typically classy French style. And due to its location at the very foot of France, the weather remains hot here throughout the year. But the main reason most tourists book flights to Cannes is because of its annual film festival, and the accompanying stars who arrive and holiday here.
Away from the festival, there is still plenty to see and do in the city. Most tourists arriving from a Cannes flight want to visit the sandy beaches, promenade through the town’s streets and take in some shopping. The restaurants here are also impressive and the nightclubs and bars stay open until the early hours.
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Between the Mediterranean and the mountains, Cannes has a hot, dry climate. Spring and autumn are warm with temperatures in the mid and upper teens (Celsius). Summer can be uncomfortable with temperatures reaching the 90s from June to September. Winter is mild with high temperatures about 15 degrees or so. When it rains, it rains a lot but not for long.
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Peak season:
The International Film Festival is at the end of May, and everyone who is anyone, or wants to be anyone, is in Cannes. Many of the festival’s activities are closed to most visitors, who line up along “the bunker” to watch the parade of celebrities.
Summer is also very busy when students, beautiful people, and celebrities comes to play and the prices are inflated.
Off season:
Cannes is busy year-round except for the month of November, which is very quiet.
For milder weather and fewer crowds, April to May (except the end of May) and October are good times to visit. Business travelers also frequent the area in the off season.
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Cannes is a walking city, so it’s best to set out on foot downtown. Buses can either be structured and expensive or informal and irregular. Tourists often take bus 8, as it runs along the coast toward La Croisette while stopping at the major attractions. If you’ve done your research, you can flag down an Elo Bus; just know that it has no permanent stops. You can also take advantage of Cannes’ gorgeous seaside scenery by taking a boat up and down the coast or weave through some of the islands. There are shuttle buses between Sainte Marguerite and Saint Honorat and many tourists rent canoes or yachts. If you’re splurging, you can rent an entire crew to set off on a bigger boat...
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- If you want to join the hordes of star spotters during the film festival, there are a few tricks to follow. Most obviously, look for camps of paparazzi outside any of the big hotels. They know where all of the film stars are staying, so follow the telephoto lenses and you might glimpse an elbow of Scarlett Johansson or the baseball cap of Dustin Hoffman.
- In fact, the city is far more pleasant at all other times of the year, and still one of the glitziest destinations in Europe. Feel a bit like a film star by taking a promenade along La Croisette. Looking good is crucial; arm yourself with a small dog and some huge sunglasses to feel at home with the locals.
- The beaches around the city are not all open to the public. There are many private beaches, often belonging to the larger hotels, and you have to pay to spend time here, and pay a lot. Make sure you check before you head out on to the sand. The private beaches tend to surround La Croisette and Boulevard Jean Hibert. Head to La Bocca and Mourre Rouge for public access.
- The seafood in Cannes is second-to-none throughout France. Most restaurants have plenty on the menu. Head to those along the seafront for the full atmosphere as you eat.
- There is no doubt that the glamour of the city makes Cannes one of the most expensive towns to visit in the Cote d’Azur. Don’t assume you can’t afford it though, but consider travelling off season. Avoid the time around the Film Festival and high summer (particularly August when most French people take their holidays) and prices plummet for even the best hotels. The weather is excellent throughout the year, so even in October you have a good chance of enjoying sunshine.
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Content Manager at Cheapflights whose travel life can be best summed up as BC (before children) and PC (post children). We only travel during the school holidays so short-haul trips and staycations are our specialities!