CANNES
What to do in Cannes
For FamiliesCannes is most famous for it's illustrious, world famous film festival. It is therefore not the first place that springs to mind as a family or child friendly holiday destination. The thing to remember about Cannes is that it is a city break holiday combined with a beach holiday.
This makes it a great spot for all the family with pretty much everything on offer to suit everyone's tastes and ages. That is what is wonderful about the French Riviera, it has mountains, countryside, sea, beaches, cities, museums, shopping, glamour and local rustique charm all rolled into one. You just immerse yourself in whichever one you choose.
| With miles of beautiful white sandy beaches stretching along the seafront of this city going to spend a day at the beach couldn't be more convenient or accessible.
With the whole town laid out behind you you also have every restaurant, bar and shop near to hand too. This should make it easier to find reasonably priced or child friendly places to eat and drink. Steer clear of the private beaches belonging to the hotels, bar service doesn't come cheap. |
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It will stay cool for longer on hot sunny days at the beach. Add sirops for flavour. |
| The mediterranean is a calm and predictable sea which makes it a good place to take children out to explore it's depths or to get involved in watersports for the first time.
There are many diving clubs, sailing schools and watersports operators along the sea front or out on the islands. Look in the RG directory under Cannes -Watersports for contact details of the different places and associations. |
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Combine a trip to the Ile des Lerins with a day on the water for all the family. |
| The islands are a must for everybody. They are incredibly beautiful and very interesting because of the history attached to them.
There are Roman remains to be seen, the 17th Century Fortress of Fort Royal and the abbey from 1050 all set in beautiful parklands of Eucalyptus and Pine trees. There are dramatic cliffs and sandy beaches and even the short ferry trip out there is exhilarating. It's a playground and a wonderland. |
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Don't be at the mercy of the lone establishment, a picnic allows you to enjoy the wilds of the Islands.
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| There are all the usual holiday activities available in the town of Cannes. The French know how to provide top class facilities not just for tourists but for the locals too.
Rent bikes to go get around the town from your holiday rental, go rollarblading along the Croisette, play volleyball on the beachside courts, play tennis on the municipal courts, go karting and rock climbing or take a turn on the merry-go-round playgrounds. |
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You will find contact details and web links to help you find your way around Cannes and its facilities.
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What to do in Cannes
For CouplesCannes is a perfectly romantic location for couples. The town has that old style glamour like walking through the set of a movie from the 1920's. It's a grown up, sophisticated destination where you can really spoil yourselves and get lost in another world.
 | | Visit the Allee des Stars. This is similar to the Hollywood walk of Fame with the hand imprints of actors like Sharon Stone, Nicole Kidman, Bruce Willis and many more household names embedded in the footpath.
Start your discovery of Cannes with this walk, followed by a stroll along the beach front Croisette and take in the atmosphere by cafe hopping and people watching. Choose a spot at one of the many outdoor cafes and enjoy the scenery.
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Spend the first day walking around and sitting in cafes browsing streep maps of Cannes. |
 | | Plan your holiday to coincide with the film festival if you like a vibrant atmosphere. Tickets are not made available to the public but it's a wonderful time to be there.
The streets are full of beautiful people, beautifully dressed. The movie houses splash out on huge parties, posters and presentations of their latest big hits and the streets are hopping with fans and holiday makers hoping for a glimpse of an A list star. It's atmospheric and bubbling with activity. |
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During the festival old movies are played on a giant screen on the beach. First come first served for the seats. |
 | | Ok maybe this is one for the girls but, as shopping experiences go, Cannes is a pretty pleasant one and there are lots of cafes and bars to take the sting out of it for shopping-phobic guys and reduce the crying.
Cannes is a small town but it still has great shops and lots of them. There are all the gorgeous designer boutiques lining the croisette or head deeper into the streets set back from the sea front to find lots of interesting little boutiques with more reasonable prices. |
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There are usually great end of season sales with up to 80% off prices. Late Winter and late summer are the times to go. |
 | | Getting out onto the mediterranean sea is a must for anyone visiting the French Riviera and the Iles des Lerins afford people the perfect oppotunity to do so without having to shell out for boat hire or stress about weather conditions.
The ferry trip is frequent and short covering the distance quickly while giving you that lovely wind-in-the-hair freedom that getting out on the waves gives you. Head out early in the morning and bring a picnic. |
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Get in touch with one of the dive companies and take up some underwater activity while you are out there. |
What to do in Cannes
For a group of FriendsCannes has a reputation for being a quiet town in the Winter. It is very seasonal with a slightly older, more retiring clientele in the off season, unlike Nice or Monaco, although this can have it's advantages too. If you are a bunch of ladies or 'une femmes d'une certain age' as they say in France, then this maybe the perfect time to visit with fewer crowds, cheaper deals and sale shopping on offer. If you are a gang of young mates then you'll want to be there when it's lively. The thing to do is to choose your time carefully.
Cannes has a large proportion of high profile events during which the town bursts with life. Keep an eye on festival timetables and events that are going on then you can plan your holidays around like minded visitors. The summer, of course, is always busy, vibrant and fun.
| Or a holiday apartment in Cannes. If there is a gang of you then this really is the most cost effective way to vacation in Cannes and enjoy the freedom of having your own place, if only for a week or two.
Find something close to the town if you are going to be out clubbing all night or look for something higher in the hills with a pool if you are looking for peace and quiet or to make your own fun. You can take charge of your own holiday this way and each person will have a lot more freedom to do their own thing and really relax. |
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It can be hard to arrange time off that suits everyone's work schedules, so book it for longer and have lots of friends pop in and out over the holiday. |
| Cannes is a very elegant town and so it draws a very elegant crowd. It is a stop off point for lots of celebrities and A-list stars so the facilities have stretched to meet their needs.
Cannes is a great place to dress to kill, sip a few cocktails and party the night away. Start in a trendy beach bar while the sun puts itself to bed and then move onto a more glamourous club. Try Plage Royale and Le Baoli. |
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Look in the RG directory, under Cannes, for contact details. |
| Cannes is a great town to base yourself from. It is very central to the French Riviera but there is a wealth of places to explore in every direction from the islands to the mountains and from St Tropez to Monaco.
Hiring a car could be good idea if you have willing drivers but there is also a great train system along the coast and ferry trips available too. This year there are nightbuses coming on stream giving even greater flexibility. |
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Get away from the coast for a change. Try St Paul de Vence for French charm. |
| Cannes offers all the usual holiday experiences, water sports, beaches, bars, clubs, great food, history but it is also close to the Verdon Gorge. The deepest gorge in Europe, it has stunning views, glacial lakes, sheer rock face and turbulent rapids.
It's a natural adventure playground, with bungee jumping, for the brave, rafting, rock climbing, hiking, wind surfing on the lake and Kayaking in the canyons. It's a stunning location and offers great contrast to the busy coastline in summer. |
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It's not just a natural wonderland the villages are beautiful too. Explore Moustier-Ste-Marie for definite. |
Renting holiday Accommodation in Cannes
Cannes is a holiday destination for everyone of every age. The entire coastline has so much to offer. If you are ready to rent a villa or holiday apartment in Cannes then use the search facility below or click on Browse Rentals in the main menu to view all our holiday rentals.
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Some of our vacation rentals in Cannes |
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Moulin de Cannes is an 18th century Mill House.
The property is located in the exclusive residential area of La...
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Cannes centre, Large modern villa, beautifully furnished and renovated that can sleep 10 comfortably. Very well...
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Cannes Film Festival luxury apartment on the Croisette. This penthouse is available for the Cannes Film Festival and is...
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Find your vacation rental in Cannes |
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