12 Hours in Cannes

Whilst Monaco is just 30 minutes from Nice in one direction, Cannes Is equidistant from Nice in the other direction, and easily reached by train, bus or hire car.

The town is famous for the Cannes Film festival, which takes place over two weeks in May. However, it’s a wonderful town to visit even when Hollywood’s A-listers are nowhere to be seen, with plenty of great restaurants, bar, shopping and beach action to be enjoyed.

Our suggestions for 12 Hours in Cannes

09h00: Arrive at the Gare de Cannes, a 15-minute walk to the famous Croisette, the palm-fringed avenue which lines the Mediterranean Sea and on which the Palais des Festival is situated. Grab a coffee in any one of the numerous cafes along the seafront and watch the world go by.

10h00: Check out Cannes’ authentic daily market – called Cannes Marche Forville, for an incredible selection of local produce including olives, hams and seafood. Perfect for ‘Eleven-sies’!

11h30: Wander back to La Croisette via the Old Port and check out the incredible yachts which are berthed here. After Antibes and Monaco, Cannes is one of the most important ‘yachtie’ hubs on the Cote D’Azur, and there are some beautiful boats berthed in the Vieux Port as well as in the newer Port Pierre Canto.

12h30: Cannes has a wonderful sandy beach, much of which is open to the public, whilst other parts are privatised with a number of excellent beach clubs. Our favourite is Vegaluna, for a delicious lunch and afternoon nap on a sun lounger.

14h30: After a nap it’s time to hit the shops. You will find all the luxury brands on La Croisette, while Rue d’Antibes, which runs parallel to the sea front, also has some great shops which are worth a browse.

16h00: The Centre d’Art La Malmaison is housed in what used to be the Grand Hotel on La Croisette. It’s a phenomenal modern-art museum which organises a series of fantastic temporary exhibitions.

18h00: For an authentic apero, head up to Le Suquet, the oldest area of Cannes, and sample the ‘real Cannes’. It’s wonderfully relaxing to wander around this relatively quiet area of Cannes, checking out the pastel-coloured buildings and stopping at local, family-run bars and restaurants.

19h30: For us, a family a visit to Cannes would not be completed without a meal at La Cave, a true Cannes’ institution serving faultless French cuisine. Located on Avenue de la Republique, the house speciality is a courgette-based doughnut filled with garlicky vegetables which is called ‘Mamie Jeanne’. http://www.lacavecannes.com/

21h00: La Cave is a short walk to the station for your return journey to Apartment Emilia. The last train to Nice Ville leaves Cannes at 23.45.