Cannes travel guide

SherryStay Destination Guide

Cannes

French Riviera resort — palm-lined Croisette, film festival glamour, sandy beaches, palace hotels.

France

About Cannes

Cannes is not just another beach town on the French Riviera — it is the undisputed capital of glamour, French style and Hollywood ambition, a place where white sand meets red carpets and supercars. The beating heart of the city is the famous La Croisette promenade, stretching along a spectacular turquoise bay: on one side stand slender palms, historic Art Deco luxury hotels and glittering designer boutiques, and on the other private beaches full of pastel umbrellas and giant yachts anchored in the water. It became world-famous thanks to its iconic film festival, which fills its streets with stars, paparazzi and electric energy every May — but the real magic of Cannes lies precisely in its ability to balance the excessive, ostentatious glitz with simple, ancient Mediterranean roots. When you tire of the show on the promenade, it is enough to slip away into the narrow, steep stone lanes of the old Le Suquet quarter, climb up to the citadel overlooking the whole bay, or wander the local Forville market among pungent French cheeses, fresh seafood and bottles of cold rosé — to understand that beneath all the layers of make-up and red carpets, this is a warm, sensual, addictive port city, living the good life at just the right pace.

Sherry's Take

Stay on La Croisette for the iconic seafront walk + palace-hotel beach access, or in Le Suquet (old town) for cobbled-lane character and views over the bay. Don't book the western industrial side — far from the beach.

Best For

LuxuryCouplesBeachFoodiesCinema
Go in
MayJuneSeptember
Avoid if possible
NovemberDecemberJanuaryFebruary

Where to Stay

La Croisette

Seafront boulevard, palace hotels (Carlton, Martinez), film festival red carpet

Le Suquet (Old Town)

Hilltop cobblestones, restaurants, views, cheaper boutique hotels

Rue d'Antibes

Pedestrian shopping street, mid-range hotels, central walking

Palm Beach (east end)

Casino, quieter beach, walking distance to centre

Money-Saving Tips

  • 1Plat du jour (daily set lunch) in Le Suquet runs €18–25; the same restaurant's dinner is €40+.
  • 2Free public beaches sit between the paid Croisette clubs — same sand, same sea, €0 instead of €40 a lounger.
  • 3The Saint-Tropez ferry is €70 round-trip in season and beats the 2-hour traffic jam by car.

Getting Around

  • 1Nice airport (NCE) → Cannes: SNCF train via Cannes-La-Bocca €7, 30 min, every 30 min. Bus 200 is €1.50 but 90 min.
  • 2Cannes is walkable from end to end (Croisette to Le Suquet is 20 min on foot).
  • 3TER train along the Côte d'Azur connects Cannes ↔ Nice ↔ Monaco for €5–10 a hop — buy the day pass if you bounce.

Most Common Mistake

Visiting during the Cannes Film Festival (mid-May) without booking 6+ months ahead — prices triple and everything is closed to non-attendees.

Ideal Stay

24 nights

Combine with
  • Nice (30 min)
  • Monaco (1h)
  • Antibes (15 min)
  • Saint-Tropez (1h drive or 1h 15m ferry)
  • Èze village (45 min)

Hotels Sherry Recommends

Useful Local Hotel Phrases

French
  • HelloBonjourbon-ZHOOR
  • Thank youMercimair-SEE
  • PleaseS'il vous plaîtseel-voo-PLEH
  • Yes / NoOui / Nonwee / nohn
  • Check-inEnregistrementon-ruh-zhees-truh-MON
  • Check-outDépartday-PAR
  • HotelHôteloh-TEL
  • ReceptionRéceptionray-sep-see-ON
  • BreakfastPetit-déjeunerpuh-TEE day-zhuh-NAY
  • BeachPlagePLAHZH
  • TaxiTaxitak-SEE
  • AirportAéroportah-ay-roh-POR
  • HelpAu secoursoh-suh-KOOR
  • How much?Combien ?kom-bee-AN
  • Where is...?Où est... ?oo-EH