The name “Cannes” conjures up images of luxury. Its hard not to find a link between the two. Cannes Film Festival, its position right on the Mediterranean and home to the rich and affluent, this town definitely drips luxury. They even host a Shopping Festival! Walking down the main boulevard, Le Croissette, hosts many of the luxury brands, including Gucci, Armani and Prada. Women of all ages are dressed to the nines, strutting casually in high heels and outfits that rival most people’s monthly salaries. The men are no different. Sharply dressed with that amazing European sense of style, it is truly wonderful to just take a stroll and people watch in this lovely Mediterranean town.
It was my second time going to Cannes for a travel conference, and each time I have been very impressed. Always sunny, even in December, its tough to find anything not to like about this town. However, unlike last time, this time I was able to stay a bit longer, and explore a little deeper. There is more to Cannes than just the glitz and glamour. It is actually a quintessential French seaside town with all of the charms of a local market, affordable grocery store with delicious meats and cheese and many hole-in-the wall delicious restaurants that don’t break the bank.
There are many ethnic restaurants; Indian, Moroccan, Chinese, Thai etc. that ensure you won’t get bored with the food selection. I tried frog legs for the first time here….at a Chinese restaurant none the less, and they were absolutely delicious. Le Maghreb (Moroccan) was well done as also, nicely spiced and large portions. However my favourite was actually il Teatro, this hole in the wall, down the alley, Italian ristorante with the most amazing ravioli. Delicious!
After dinner, there are actually quite a number of lovely wine and cocktail bars to entertain and delight. I had the pleasure of playing pool upstairs at a bar, wine bar hopping up this quaint windy little street after dark, and even enjoying a dive bar late night! Though this town can get a bit sleepy, there is actually a fairly lively night life scene here, and you won’t get bored after dark.
I recommend 2-3 days here to fully explore and get to know this city. Shopping is great, and there are lots of lovely places to eat and explore. Contact me today to start planning your Cannes experience!
