One of the most beautiful cities on the Riviera, Cannes is not only known throughout the world for its prestigious film festival, but also for many other international professional conventions in business, advertising, the arts and other multi-media communications. With a wonderful year-round climate, Cannes provides the ideal setting for a fantastic working visit, artist retreat, or vacation holiday. The Croisette for promenades, with adjacent beaches, seafood restaurants, cafes and terraces, as well as the Suquet (old quarter), local Provençal fairs, the "Vieux Port", artisans' areas, antique markets and world-class shopping, are all within a short walk, and provide a glamorous backdrop to the beautiful Mediterranean.

A flourishing city, Cannes has distinguished itself with several environmental initiatives, earning the European designation "Pavillion Bleu."  Throughout the year, Cannes hosts numerous international festivals that are open to the public involving cinema, television, radio, recording and production, classical music, guitar, cafe-theater, fireworks and more. The Cannes, Alpes-Cote d'Azur Orchestra performs regularly from October to June, regularly featuring many internationally-renowned guest artists. The combination of the École Internationale d'Acteurs, the Municipal Conservatory, the École International de Danse (Rosella Hightower), museums (Musée de la Castre, Musée de la Mer, Multimedia Center and the International College) makes Cannes an outstanding international educational and cultural center.

There are also a wide range of opportunities for sports with 2 municipal swimming pools, tennis courts, soccer fields, an international golf club, and many fine sand beaches. Cannes is conveniently located for local daytrips and travel; 45 minutes from Monaco, an hour from Italy and 5 hours from either Switzerland or Spain. Plus, the climate is one of the best in France with an average of over 300 days of sun per year!

"Thank you again. We had a great time and will definitely return."     Doha, Qatar

Vieux Port - The "Old Port" and the Quai St. Pierre. Here you'll find fishing and working boats side-by-side with large recreational sail and luxury yachts. The fishermen work on their nets next to these colorful and impressive vessels. On the pier Albert Edouard you'll see some of the most beautiful yachts in the world come to moor. Looking out to sea you'll see the islands of Ste. Marguerite and St. Honorat, which are accessible by many excursion boats in about 20 minutes.

Gare Maritime - Cannes' inner harbor is a memorable place to stroll and view the many luxury yachts, plus the many fishing, diving and working boats. There are also numerous day charter sailing and diving boats. Along the Croisette and adjacent to the water you'll find many excellent restaurants with open-air seating.

La Croisette - One of the most famous promenades in the world. For three kilometers (a bit less than 2 miles) following the curve of the bay, you can view flowering gardens, manicured lawns with palm trees, Mediterranean umbrella pines and many other native trees all the way to Port Canto, Palm Beach and a sea water health spa. You can find your way back to the city center (centre) by taking the renowned rue d'Antibes, renowned for the many international designer shops and world-class shopping.

The rue Meynadier, restricted to pedestrians only, also runs near the rue d'Antibes with many shops and boutiques of every sort. It is also much less expensive, with many more trendy shops that open onto the street. There are several restaurants, crêperies, bistros, green grocers, boutiques and more, which are full of life...morning 'til night!

Haute Ville - One gets to the top of the city by climbing the Mont Chevalier up to the Suquet. On the top of the hill is the old square keep, 66 feet high; begun in 107, and counting all pahese was ultimately completed in around 1385. The Musée de la Castre has a collection of Mediterranean archaeological artifacts. There is a breathtaking panoramic view at the top with the city below surrounded by the blue sea and a view of the Lérins Islands. Following the narrow streets down to the market of Forville, and through the tree-lined streets of Liberté you can return to the harbor.

Historic Sites - Churches Notre Dame du Bon Voyage (18th c.), Notre Dame de l'Esperance, the Alexandre III Russian Orthodox church, the Bellini, Ste. Anne, Notre Dame de la Paix, and St Georges chapels.

Palais des Festivals - The annual Cannes Festival is scheduled in May each year. The Palais and convention center have turned Cannes into one of the most popular convention cities in the world. The Cannes International Film Festival is held here at the Palais, as is MIDEM (the annual international convention of recording producers), concerts for classical music, dance and theater, as well as many of the professional conventions highlighted further below. Info is also available at Cannes-Fest.Com.

LOCAL MUSEUMS AND EXCURSIONS - The Villa-Musée Jean Gabriel Domergue, Musée de la Castre, Musée de la Mer, Malmaison, Roseraie park, Alexandre III gardens, and many public and private sand beaches. You can view spectacular yachts at the Royal Regatta in September. There is a daily flower, fruit and vegetable markets at the Marché Forville. The Marché is the covered produce market in Cannes, two blocks from the Hôtel de Ville. It is very lively, colorful, and a noisy affair taking up the entire block. Stalls sell fresh seasonal vegetables, fruit, fish, oysters, mussels, every type of paté, and olives marinated in many flavors. The flower market is on the western end. Each Monday, year-round, the Marché is transformed into a spectacular antiques market, and there is another flea market each Friday at Ranguin. You can also find antiques each Saturday afternoon at Les Allées de la Liberté and an artists fair each Sunday at Les Allées de la Liberté. Cannes also has four casinos with plenty of "old world" ambiance. 

Lerin Islands (Iles des Lérins) - Directly off the shore of Cannes are the Iles de Lérins. These islands mirror the city's history and there is a classic coastal fortress designed by Vauban on the Ile Sainte-Marguerite with its Maritime Museum and where the mysterious "Man in the Iron Mask" and Marshal Bazaine were imprisoned. The Ile Saint-Honorat has a Mediterranean coastal forest of native pine, eucalyptus and cypress trees and a fortified abbey based in the monastery founded by Saint Honoratus at the end of the 4th Century, which graduated St. Patrick, St. Hilaire, and St. Cezaire, among others. The Lérins Abbey is a working monastery with about 40 Cistercian monks who grow lavender and cultivate their vineyards to make a special liquor called "lerina," an aromatic mixture of about 40 different plants. Info on history, events, hours and their vineyards, harvests and sale of their wine and other products can be found at AbbayeDeLerins, or take a virtual visit here.

More info at abbayedelerins.com

MORE INFORMATION

• Anglophile Ex-pat Support Group

• Cannes City Guide

• Cannes Info - Yahoo France (Good index)

• Cannes-Online

• Cannes-France.Com

• City Guides - wcities.com

• Cannes Guide - Festival Virgin's Guide

• BusinessRiviera

• Cannes Airport

• CannesMap

• Cannes - A personal virtual guide

• CannesNews.com
• CannesPlus.com
• Cannes City Guide (WorldExecutive.com)
• Cannes City Map
• Cannes Guide (with City Map)
• Kodak at Cannes Fest 2002
• Cannes Photos
• Local Movie Production Assistance
• Palais des Festivals
• TheCannesPages
• Virtual Riviera

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