Things to do while visiting on a cruise or for a shore excursion
The film festival in May is famous, but you’ll find plenty of attractions in Cannes at any time of the year. Put on your designer shades and head ashore.
Who goes there Cannes is visited on Western Mediterranean cruises and regional cruises to the French and Italian Rivieras. Most mainstream cruise lines in every budget category visit the city, including Azamara, Celebrity, Cunard, Dutch America, Norwegian, Oceania, Seabourn and Silversea. A few lines, such as Emerald and MSC, have cruises starting from Cannes.
sail away Cannes is tucked into the bosom of rolling hills and surrounded by beautiful beaches and peacock Mediterranean waters, making sailing very enjoyable, if not too dramatic. Grab a window seat on the tender for a very impressive arrival at the old port.
docking ceremonies There are no facilities in Cannes where ships other than small ships can dock, so you will likely be disembarked. The “cruise terminal” – actually just a dock in the Vieux Port or sometimes Gare Maritime – won’t hold you over for more than a minute unless you keep grabbing a retro, printed map of the city from the information desk. Most attractions are within walking distance, so you can save on shore excursions and set out independently.
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Disembark Cannes isn’t about seeing things – even its museums are pretty small – but it’s about soaking up the dazzling, sunny Mediterranean setting and watching the mega yachts in the harbor and sports cars purring in front of glitzy hotels. If you’re interested in designer labels, you’re in for a shopping OD. La Croisette promenade is a good place to strut and watch the beach clubs; Allees de la Liberte is the place to sit on a cafe terrace in the shade. Cannes’s old town (or Le Suquet) is the original fishing port, leading to a jumble of fenced streets and defensive towers.
Don’t miss Movie buffs should follow the self-guided movie trail through town, which will take you past 15 giant murals painted on the sides of buildings, celebrating everything from the Lumière brothers to Buster Keaton, Batman and Jean-Paul Belmondo, as well as movie characters like: pulp Fiction And taxi driver. Palais des Festivals is where the Cannes Film Festival is held.
Be active Cannes has 100 kilometers of marked running trails that run along the coast or into the hills behind the city; but you might want to join the stylish runners, skaters and cyclists on the Croisette. Water sports include kitesurfing, kayaking, paddleboarding and water skiing. For something different, snorkel at the underwater museum off Sainte-Marguerite Island, where you’ll see monolithic stone heads rising from the seafloor.
best bites Whether you’re after a rustic Provençal meal or a Michelin-starred treat, you’ll be spoiled for choice. If you’re looking to stretch your budget, upscale, movie-themed restaurant La Palme d’Or is the place to be. If you want to move away from classic French dishes and try more contemporary flavors, L’Affable is a good choice. Otherwise, don’t miss Forville Market, where you can pick up baguettes, cheese and other treats, or try ready-made dishes like the traditional Cannes chickpea omelette.
further away If you’ve been to Cannes before, you can easily visit other French Riviera cities like Antibes and Nice, or even the mini-state of Monaco, by train; These are all good DIY options. If you’re going to take a shore excursion, do it to destinations inland Provence, like the walled, cobblestone village of Saint Paul de Vence or the perfume capital of Grasse. Another popular getaway is the Lerins Islands, which have a historic castle, monastery and clear waters for swimming.
Brian Johnston seemed destined to be a travel writer: an Irish man born in Nigeria, raised in Switzerland, lived in Britain and China, and now calls Australia home.
