10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Cannes at Least Once
Perhaps most famous for hosting the glitzy Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, on the French Riviera, is a year-round hotspot loved by the rich and famous for its luxury hotels, gourmet dining and beach culture. You don’t have to own a swanky yacht to enjoy all it has to offer, though; if you want to make like the A-listers, head to Michelin-star restaurants or the Promenade de la Croisette. These are 10 reasons to pay Cannes a visit at least once in your life.
1. To go celebrity spotting at the Cannes Film Festival
Cinema
Cannes is renowned for its impressive portfolio of world-class festivals, and the Cannes Film Festival is the crème de la crème. The Promenade de la Croisette provides the iconic backdrop for daily film premieres and A-list parties, so head there to catch a glimpse of George and Amal Clooney, and the rest of the stars of world cinema. This annual event has been running since 1946, and takes place in the spring.
2. So you can kick back on beautiful beaches
Natural Feature
3. To say you’ve eaten at French Michelin-star restaurants
Restaurant, French
Live like a well-to-do local on the French Riviera by eating like one. There are over 80 Michelin-star restaurants in the region: if you’re hoping to rub shoulders with Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt, head to the Art Deco Palme d’Or for its tasting menu, created with locally sourced ingredients and sustainable gastronomy. Meanwhile, La Villa Archange is the ideal place to pop the question: a private courtyard with candlelit tables sets the tone, while dishes including foie gras Bellini and cannon of lamb with truffle, thyme and lemon tapenade will seal the deal.
5. To sample local delights at Le Marché Forville food market
Market, French, Mediterranean
6. Because it boasts some of the best architecture in the world
Building, Swimming Pool, Architectural Landmark
7. It’s a short ferry ride away from the Lérins Islands
Natural Feature
Just a 20-minute ferry ride from Cannes, the Lérins’ two tiny islands of Île Sainte-Marguerite and Île Saint-Honorat are perfect for a day-trip. Île Sainte-Marguerite has great picnic posts and boasts a maritime-themed museum and a 17th-century bastion, which once served as a remote holding cell for prisoners including the Man in the Iron Mask. Meanwhile, Île Saint-Honorat is best known for its Cistercian abbey, where two dozen monks still cultivate vineyards on the island. There’s no ferry between the two islands, so you’ll have to return to the mainland if you want to visit both.
8. To wander around Croix des Gardes
Park, Natural Feature, Botanical Garden
Around 1km (0.6mi) north of La Croisette, there are more than 200 acres (80ha) of grassland and vegetation to explore at Cannes’ glorious national park, La Croix des Gardes. Take a picnic along to one of the several different viewpoints such as the Cross (La Croix) offering vistas of Cannes, the bay, the Lérins islands and the foothills of the Alps. This national park is where ex-Lord Chancellor Lord Brougham, the first British noble to end up in Cannes in 1834, built Villa Éléonore, which marked the first step in the city’s ascent to world-glam status.
9. It’s an art lover’s dream
Art Gallery
10. For a unique history lesson
Building, Museum
This is an updated version of an article originally by Alex Ledsom.
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