Cannes is best known for its international film festival held each year in May. But Cannes is a growing city that has more to offer than film. With its fashion shops, fancy restaurants and not at least its casino, it will not be hard to spend money in Cannes, and it may seem as if some of the tourists here aims to do so. But although parts of the city in many ways is reserved for the rich and famous, it is absolutely possible for a the rest of us to have a nice vacation in Cannes.

Cannes International Film Festival

Since 1946 the International Film Festival has been held in Cannes (the first festival was postponed from 1939 because of the war). This takes place in May each year, updated information can be found here: http://www.festival-cannes.fr/

This week the city is filled with famous people and paparazzi from all over the world, and it can be a fun sight for outsiders. The festival is closed and held in the Palais des Festivals. The building is located along the sea and it would be hard not to notice it. If you are planning to visit Cannes during the film festival, you should book your hotel early because the hotel prices rise before the festival and it will be sold out quickly.

Boulevard de la Croisette

Prominade boulevard de la Croisette runs along the beach where one can wander and look at the everyday life. On the inside of the boulevarde, the city’s finest hotels lie, many of them have impressive architecture. Here and in the streets behind you will find the center of Cannes and this is where most of the daily activitiy takes place.

Old Town – Le Suquet

West of the city lies the old town. The buildings lie against a hill where there is a church on top. This is a typical southern French old town with narrow streets and restaurants.

Beaches

Modern Cannes is in many ways built around the beach Plage de la Croisette, with fine sandy beaches that stretch out about a mile. The beach is divided into several private beaches belonging to the hotels. Most people can get in on any of the beaches, by paying a small fee for the beach chairs. West from the port is Plages du Midi, theese are also nice sandy beaches and they are open to everyone.

Eating and drinking

The most trendy restaurants and bars are placed in the streets behind la Croisette. If you have something really big to celebrate, the restaurant La Palme d’Or, located in Hotel Martinez, has two stars in the Michelin Guide. In the streets of La Suquet there are many nice restaurants that are somewhat less expensive, and many of them are very good.

Hotels

There are many hotels in Cannes, yet it can be quite difficult to find room during the high season. The tourist office, located at the Palais des Festivals, are willing to help you find a room if you need it. Generally, the finest hotels are placed along La Croisette, while there are good options in the back streets and to the west of the city.

Hotel des Allees  is a quite inexpensive option that is located in the center and is being run by a nice Swiss : http://www.hotel-des-allees.com