Cannes – France Cruise Tour Information

CANNES, FRANCE

The French Riviera is synonymous with glamour and wealth — and when it comes to prestige, Cannes is the crown jewel. Home to the famous Cannes Film Festival, the city comes to life with movie stars each year for the event. But you don’t have to be a big-shot to feel like a star here. Head to Palm Beach to take a dip and bask in the sunshine. Stroll down the famous mile-long La Croisette and take in the views of the marina and town below. Cruise to Cannes and head up the hill to Le Suquet, the original town center that’s remained unchanged for hundreds of years.

THINGS TO DO IN CANNES

ISLAND EXCURSION
A 15-minute ferry ride over the deep blue Mediterranean will get you to Ile Sainte-Marguerite, one of the Lerin Islands. Head here for a more tranquil setting than Cannes. Walk through the island’s aromatic forest of eucalyptus trees, and check out the 17th-century fortress prison Fort Royal.

SOAK UP THE SUN
The luxury and natural beauty of the Cote d’Azur are right at your fingertips in Cannes. Relax on one of the white sand beaches. Stick around until sunset to watch as the sky glows orange over the coastline.

HIKE THE HILLS
More than 100 acres of lush forest borders Cannes. From here, you’ll get some of the best views of the sea. Jump onboard a French Riviera cruise and remember to pack a picnic and hike through the public woodland without spending a dime.

LOCAL CUISINE
Cannes has plenty of high-end restaurants serving freshly caught seafood — sea bass, prawns and oysters are among the favorites. Head to Le Suquet for more casual takes on ocean fare. Stop by the Marche Forville, the local market. Sample meats, fresh fish and brightly colored produce. Try the French Riveria staple socca, a chickpea pancake.

SHOPPING
Head to Rue Meynadier and pop into the 18th-century homes that have been turned into boutiques. If you’re looking for higher-end designs, wander down Rue d’Antibes for the ultimate experience of lecher les vitrines — window-shopping. You’ll find designer fashions, art galleries and specialty shops.

A holiday to France by a Cruise is the perfect chance to visit Cannes.

With its immaculate seafront hotels and exclusive beach concessions, glamorous yachts and designer boutiques, Cannes is in many ways the definitive Riviera resort, a place where appearances count, especially during the film festival in May. The not particularly attractive seafront Palais des Festivals is the heart of the film festival but also hosts conferences, tournaments and trade shows.

Despite its glittery image, Cannes works surprisingly well as a big seaside resort, with plenty of free, sandy public beaches. Promenade de la Croisette is certainly the sight to see during your excursions, with its palace hotels – the Martinez and Carlton – on one side and their private beaches on the other. It’s possible to find your way down to the beach without paying, but not easy (you can of course walk along it below the rows of sun beds).

The old town, known as Le Suquet after the hill on which it stands, provides a great panorama of the curve of Cannes’ bay. On its summit stand the remains of the fortified priory lived in by Cannes’ eleventh-century monks, and the beautiful twelfth-century Chapelle Ste-Anne. The Musée de la Castre, in the remains of Cannes’ eleventh-century priory, holds an extraordinary collection of musical instruments from all over the world, along with pictures and prints of old Cannes and an ethnology and archaeology section.

Mediterranean cruises and excursions also to Nice. Since reaching its zenith in the belle époque of the late nineteenth century, it has retained its historical styles almost intact: the medieval rabbit warren of Vieux Nice, the Italianate facades of modern Nice and the rich exuberance of fin-de-siècle residences dating from when the city was Europe’s most fashionable winter retreat.