City

Cannes

Cannes is globally known as the city of the film festival, which takes place every May since 1946 at the Palais des Festivals.

Cannes is globally known as the city of the film festival, which takes place every May since 1946 at the Palais des Festivals. The waterfront promenade La Croisette, with its palace hotels and private beaches, defines the image of the city on the Golfe de la Napoule.Away from the glamour, the old town Le Suquet on the hill above the old port is worth a visit, offering views over the bay and the Esterel Mountains. Offshore lie the Îles de Lérins: On Île Sainte-Marguerite stands the Fort Royal, where the "Man in the Iron Mask" was imprisoned, and on Île Saint-Honorat, monks still live in an abbey to this day.

Cannes has around 74,000 inhabitants and is, after Nice, one of the most famous places on the Côte d'Azur. Life revolves around the Croisette, the old port, and the Rue d'Antibes, the main shopping street. Above the port rises Le Suquet, the old town. The city is compact and easy to explore on foot; the train station is right in the centre. Outside of festival and trade fair times, it's much more relaxed than its reputation suggests.

Sights in Cannes

Discover the most important sights and attractions

Jorge Láscar from Australia / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

Palais des Festivals et des Congrès

The Film Festival is held in the Festival Palace at the end of the Croisette. You can walk up the famous red-carpeted steps yourself outside of events; in front, film stars' handprints recall past festivals.

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Christophe.Finot / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5

Le Suquet

The Old Town on the hill above the old port is the oldest part of Cannes. Steep lanes lead to the Notre-Dame-d'Espérance church and the Musée des Explorations du Monde in the old castle, from whose tower you can gaze across the bay.

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Fort Royal (Île Sainte-Marguerite)

The fortress on the largest Lérins Island long served as a state prison. The cell of the 'Man in the Iron Mask' can be visited. The Musée du Masque de Fer also features ancient shipwreck finds. Boats leave from Cannes' old port.

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Restaurants in Cannes

Dining & Drinks

Marché Forville

The market hall at the foot of Le Suquet is the city's main food market, with local fruit, vegetables, fish, and flowers.

Wine from Saint-Honorat

The monks of the Abbey of Lérins grow wine on their island and make liqueurs, which you can taste in the monastery shop.

Pan bagnat

The round bread with tuna, egg, olives and vegetables, soaked in olive oil, is the classic beach snack of the Côte d'Azur.

Custom

The Film FestivalSince 1946, filmmakers from around the world have gathered in Cannes each May, with the top award being the Golden Palm. Many screenings are reserved for industry professionals, but the hustle and bustle around the Palais is visible to all.From Fishing Village to Seaside ResortThe British Lord Brougham settled in Cannes in the 1830s and made the town popular with the European aristocracy. Many villas on the city's hills date back to this period.The Monks of LérinsOn Saint-Honorat, Saint Honoratus founded a monastery in the early 5th century that ranks among the oldest in the Western world and is still inhabited today.

Exploring locally

Cannes lies on the railway line along the Côte d'Azur; regional trains connect the central station to Antibes, Nice, and Saint-Raphaël. The nearest major airport is Nice.The Croisette, the port, and Le Suquet are close by and easily walkable.Boats to the Îles de Lérins depart from the Old Port; the journey takes 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the island.During the May Film Festival, accommodation is scarce and expensive; some streets near the Palais are closed.