Most people identify Cannes, a flashy resort city on the French Riviera, with glittering film festivals and Hollywood celebrities. But. Despite the 12-day star-studded extravaganza that is the Cannes Film Festival, there are a plethora of entertaining activities in Cannes all year.
Walk up Boulevard de La Croisette
The Boulevard de la Croisette and Nice’s Promenade des Anglais are easy to compare. It’s easy to compare the two because they both follow the Mediterranean shoreline and offer sea views. However, there are certain exceptions.
La Croisette has the most designer stores on the French Riviera, second only to Monte Carlo in Monaco. (I should know.) I went into every posh store on the Côte d’Azur in search of fashionable white sneakers.)
Along with premium businesses such as Chanel and Dior, expect to see a parade of pricy sports cars, majestic hotels, and colorful sculptures. The Boulevard de la Croisette is unmistakably associated with glitz.
Visit the view Port
The Vieux Port, or Old Harbor, is located directly west of the Palais des Festivals edifice. You can get so close to the gleaming ships here that it’s only natural that the world’s elite would invite you onboard. (They could disagree.)
The marina, on the other hand, is one of the most picturesque parts of Cannes. It’s full of gleaming yachts, fishing boats, and floating palaces that add to the posh French Riviera vibe.
Explore The Old Town
From the Vieux Port, the Old Town can be seen rising up in a peak of red tiled roofs, old stone, and fading yellow and pink walls.
The Cannes Film Festival and the fancy shops on La Croisette aren’t as old as the city’s historic quarter. In reality, the Ligurians resided here for five centuries before the Romans.
Cistercian monks bought the land in the 12th century and used it to build the Château de la Castre, a medieval stronghold at the top of the hill.
Hit the Beach
What do you do when you’re ready for the sun in Cannes? Visit the beach. In Cannes, there are numerous beaches to select from.
You can go all out and pay for a lounge bed and wait service at a private beach club like Mademoiselle Gray Plage Barrière, or you can pack your favorite beach items and lay your towel down for free in 5-star territory at the open-air Palais Festivals Beach.
Cannes things to do off the beaten track
You won’t have time for this if you only have one day in Cannes, but if you’re looking for activities outside of Cannes that the average visitor won’t do, consider visiting Le Cannet.
This artistic community is really a suburb of Cannes. There lived Pierre Bonnard, a well-known artist who was instrumental in the shift of art from Impressionism to Modernism.
One of the attractions in Le Cannet is the Bonnard Museum on Boulevard Carnot. In addition, you can go for a few walks in the green environs that inspired Bonnard. Pick up a pamphlet explaining the various treks at the Cannes Tourism Office, then head up the hills to explore some of the most luxurious Villas in Cannes.
Walking up Boulevard Carnot from Boulevard de la Croisette takes about 30 minutes, or you can take Bus Number 1 to Le Cannet.
