Cannes
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Thanks to its international film festival, Cannes is known throughout the world. Indeed to many people it is the festival that makes Cannes synonymous with glitz and glamour. However, in addition to the film festival Cannes is host of a numerous shows, trade fairs and exhibitions throughout the year.
[edit] Understand
Cannes is a glamorous and expensive seaside town packed with many luxury four star hotels and pricy restaurants. In High Season its very busy and the beaches are crowded. Out of season it busies itself hosting international conferences, attracting high-ticket clientele. Its a great place to people-watch,and sample the highlife. Its a place to see and be seen.
[edit] Get in
[edit] From the Airport
Most visitors bound for Cannes will arrive first at Nice International Airport. From here there are a number of travel options, the most cost effective being the half-hourly Express Coach to Cannes Centre via the A8 motorway, at a cost of around fifteen euro. Not the cheapest way in, but a lot less than Nice's notoriously expensive taxis at around eighty euro, recommended only if someone else is picking up the tab. The cheapest way in is the TAM 200 bus that runs from Nice to Cannes via Nice Airport Terminal One ( a free shuttle operates to link Terminals One and Two). The journey is frustratingly long - takes about 2 hours - stops every few hundred yards, and has no special luggage facility. However the cost at only one euro is so low it attracts many travellers even though it may involve standing the whole journey.
[edit] By Car
As with Antibes, Monaco and other towns on the French Riviera, access by road at popular times can be slow and frustrating. The coast roads are generally packed, and there are few ways to descend from inland. Locals do have some tricks, like the one described below, but they are complex and do not always work. Using the train to get in is probably better. You can park in Mougins or Mouans Sartoux and take the train to Cannes.
The obvious way to Cannes from the A8 Cannes/Grasse exit is often extremely slow; you end up descending the Boulevard Carnot, which has an endless stream of traffic lights. The simplest way to avoid this congestion is to bear right immediately after you have left the A8 at the first traffic light. Then, once you are off the main road, get into the right hand lane and stay there as the road turns into a normal two-way road.
After a sharp bend there is a traffic light. Continue straight on at the light. At the next major intersection (about 1km further), turn left following signs to Cannes.
You are on the N85; you should stay on it, and not follow misleading signs to other bits of Cannes until you are at the bottom (a T junction with a France Telecom building on your left). Probably the easiest thing to do at this point is to turn left at this T junction and almost immediately left again. Then go into the first parking garage you can (Parking Fontville).
Another way down to the coast (this works for both Cannes and Juan les Pins/Antibes) is to go to Vallauris and descend to the coast on the D135 and then turn right (for Cannes) or left (for Antibes) when you get to the N7.
- Cannes Airport Transfers (Nice airport to Cannes), 68 Av. Jean Medecin - NICE 06000, ☎ +33-6-2310-3539, [1]. Private airport taxi service from Nice airport to Cannes starting at 50.00 Euro. edit
[edit] Parking in Cannes
Although you will have to pay, it is recommended that you use one of the off street parking garages as this is far better than searching fruitlessly for a parking lot on the street. Moreover Cannes has a truly horrible one-way system and it is much easier to walk. The Fontville parking gives good access to the port and old town.
If you are more interested in the Croisette and/or dislike walking, then there are other parking garages that are available, like the one by the station - probably the best ones are the one underneath the Palais des Festivales, and the one under the Grey d'Albion hotel in Rue des Serbes.
[edit][add listing] See
- 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. Marche Foreville offers fresh fruit and vegetables to meet the daily needs of the Cannois.
- Palais des Festivales. Famous for its red carpet steps and the annual Film Festival over two weeks each May. Irresistable to be photographed on
- 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.
- Croisette. Cannes catwalk beside the sea
- Beaches. The beaches are mostly private and cost up to 30 Euros 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. Worth visiting. Smaller is Ste Honorat, which has a monastery and ruined castle. The monks sell monastery-made food/drink products like wine which make unique souvenirs. Larger 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 either island is 5 Euros with ferries departing every 30 minutes from 7 in the moring until about 6 at night - ask for a timetable.
[edit][add listing] Do
- Yacht charter and sailing - Windward Islands - Windward Islands, one of the world's largest yacht charter companies, offers everything from bareboat to crewed trips in Cannes and French Riviera. Operating from 9 offices worldwide (USA, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Caribbean, Honk Kong and Dubai).
[edit] Learn
Residential camps for teens in Cannes (vacation courses) are proposed by ESL-Ecole Suisse de Langues during the Summer. International students from 14 to 17 years follow sessions of 1 to 5 weeks. ESL official site
[edit][add listing] Buy
A souvenir from the monastery on Ste Honorat is a good way to distinguish yourself from hoi polloi.
The Croisette and the Rue d'Antibes (which runs roughly parallel to it a block or two inland) have all the luxury boutiques you could possibly desire as well as other shops selling products in a more affordable price range. The old town has any number of shops selling souvenirs as well.
If you are getting desperate to read something in English then the Cannes English Bookshop (11 rue Bivouac Napoléon, just by the Palais des Festivals tel 04.93.99.40.08) can help.
The Sun Factory is a fun shop in the heart of Cannes (Place du Commandant Lamy, just by Parking Lamy, 04.92.99.21.54) run by an American lady.
Vortex is the specialist for vintage car restoration and crazy bikes customizing.A workshop to be seen ! (English spoken)10 rue florian 06400 Cannes. 04.93.99.63.00.
[edit][add listing] Eat
There are restaurants all along the seafront, but these provide the poorest value. While the food is OK in most expect to pay over the odds, though the people watching and posing-potential is an important compensation . A street or two behind and you get a more reasonable deal. There are a few nice places in the backstreets behind Rue de Antibes, although most of the restaurants are on the west side, near the old town of Le Suquet. There is a lovely street of expensive restaurants in the old town that is worth walking through at night, just for the atmosphere, even if you cant afford the 40-70 euro prices. 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, and you could consider eating in some of the more Italian places.
One such pizzeria is "Robertos" on Boulevard de la Republique, just the other side of the Voie Rapide and Railway Line. It sells the nicest of thin based pizzas, handmade by Roberto but also serves pasta etc. He starts with a glass of sugar rimmed Campari and always finishes the meal with a glass of Amaretto. The prices are very reasonable, nay cheap for a superb meal. Another excellent Italian in Cannes is Cresci's, opposite the old port. Mr Cresci runs three similar restaurants in Nice's Zone Pietone, to the same exacting standards. His pizzas have won prizes and he was presented with awards in Paris for culinary services. Truly good.
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 kilometres away. Accessible by taxi or local buses, Vieux Le Cannet looks down over Cannes, and at its best vantage point is the large treelined open square of Place Bellvue, tables alfresco, bounded by four or five quality restaurants patronised 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 atmosphere. Well worth the extra effort.
- Restaurant Fuji, (17 Rue Notre Dame) Tel 04 93 39 00 31. Sushi. €50+.
[edit][add listing] Sleep
Apartments tend to be cheaper than hotels, but also offer convenience and privacy. Serviced Apartments typically include kitchens with refrigerator, which can save on the cost of meals, and are generally more comfortable and larger than hotels.
- Palais Stephanie, [2]. Unique business & leisure property with 234 rooms including 47 suites, 16 meeting rooms and a 820-seat auditorium (formerly Noga Hilton). edit
- Claremont Hotel 13 Rue Du Août. The quaint and charming hotel offers comfortable rooms for single or sharing occupancy. It provides breakfast, laundry and wakeup-call services, and transfers to and from the airport, and other towns along the Riviera.
- 3.14 Hotel, 5, rue François Einesy. Luxury four star boutique hotel. edit
[edit] Get out
Returning to the airport you are advised not to rely on the TAM 200 bus. The traffic between Antibes and Cagnes sur Mer is imfamous for snarl-ups, jams, and nose-to-tail queues which regularly put travellers at risk of missing flights. When running seriously late the 200 drivers are sometimes inclined to miss out that part of their schedule which involves dropping of travellers at the airport terminus itself, instead dropping them off at the roadside passing the airport.
The more costly express coach bypasses the local roads for the toll-paying motorway, which is generally a good and reliable service, but nothing is 100% reliable. It is best to leave a good healthy margin of time for safety. Note driving to drop off car-rentals is prone to the same traffic problems as the bus.
Though trains have their own issues, like ocassional strikes and late running, it is possible to avoid roads altogether in favour of the SNCF train service, choosing a "arret toutes les gares" train (not a TGV or semi-direct to Nice)and get off at the little station, Nice St Augustin, the stop before Nice Gare Ville.This is situated about a half kilometre from the airport and you can access the airport on foot from there, or pick up the T1/ T2 free Navette to take straight into the terminals from a bus stop nearby.
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