How to Spend an Evening on the Cote D'Azur in Cannes

You can find everybody on the Croisette doing every kind of activity. It’s the main promenade along the seafront, running from the Old Port and the Marché Forville (Cannes’ main fruit and vegetable market) at the foot of the old neighbourhood of Le Suquet, around the main bay in Cannes. It’s where you’ll see all the major hotels and their beaches and it’s where you’ll spot any celebrities. Take the time to sit in one of the blue chairs along the prom (for free), watch the guys playing ‘pétanques’ (boules), eat an ice cream and watch the buskers and people making sand art. It’s a great start to your evening.

Veer off the Croisette and head up to Rue d’Antibes, two minutes away. Lacher les vitrines as the French say (literally meaning to ‘lick the windows’) and poke your head in the major stores. Stop at the macaron shops to buy the French sweet delicacy as you peruse the different fashions on offer.

Cannes is full of public and private beaches, all of which are beautiful. Either pay for a sun lounger on a private one belonging to one of the major hotels or find a little spot on the public sands. Beaches can get crowded in summer, so be prepared to share them with everyone else and enjoy a swim to set you up for the evening.

As you dry off, head to one of the many hotels’ restaurants along the beach on the Croisette. People love the beach of the Hotel Barrière le Majestic or the Marriott. Order a pitcher of local rosé wine, or a cocktail, and toast with your loved ones.

Hotel Barrière le Majestic,10 Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes, +33 (0)4 92 98 77 00
Marriott Hotel,50 Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes, +33 (0)4 92 99 70 00

The Intercontinental Carlton is synonymous with Cannes; it’s the place to stay during the Cannes Film Festival. It was built in 1911 and has domes that are supposedly modelled on the breasts of the famous courtesan of the time, Caroline Otero. It was a major location in Alfred Hitchcock’s movie To Catch A Thief (1955). Visit the inside, have a coffee by the famous pontoon (where Grace Kelly swam) and take in the heady mix of Hollywood history and Riviera cool.
58 Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes, +33 (0)4 93 06 40 06

There are plenty of fabulous restaurants to eat in Cannes with spectacular views, but people love Plage Goeland on the beach (for an early dinner or snacks — it’s open until 8pm) or Le Voilier for delicious seafood (open until 1am in summer and midnight in winter).

Plage Goeland, Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes, +33 (0)4 93 38 22 05
Le Voilier, Boulevard de la Croisette 61, Cannes, +33 (0)4 93 94 26 82

You might fancy a drink or two in a small local place, like the Bar Lalu. Or maybe you want to go all-out and club until the early hours at Sun7. Head to any one of the bars on rue du Commandant André (it’s where things get lively in the evenings) and get your groove on — a great way to finish your day.

Bar Lalu, 32 Rue du Commandant André, Cannes, +33 (0)4 93 39 32 39; opening hours: 8am to midnight, daily
Sun7, 5 Rue Gérard Monod, Cannes, +33 (0)7 60 25 59 00; opening hours: 9.30pm to 5am, daily