Sightseeing OverviewThe long, shop-studded stretch of
La Croisette is Cannes’ central attraction, with 12km (7.5 miles) of sandy beaches. During the
International Film Festival, stars and millionaires pose in restaurants along the expensive private beaches of La Croisette.
La Croisette is best viewed from the highest point of Cannes’
Old Town (Le Suquet), where the remains of the fortified tower still stand, along with the 12th- century
Chapel of St Anne. Le Suquet, with its winding streets, small boutiques and restaurants,
is a lovely place for tourists to stroll.
At the end of La Croisette is the
Palais des Festivals, whose endless
Allées des Stars is imprinted with handprints and signatures of the rich and famous. Just beyond is the atmospheric
Vieux Port with its odd medley of luxury boats and tiny fishing vessels, rows of palm trees, and fragrant flower market. Further west, along the seafront, are the free sandy beaches where the locals gather along the
Plages du Midi.
Tourist InformationCannes Tourist Office
Palais des Festivals, La Croisette
Tel: (04) 9299 8422.
Website:
www.cannes-on-line.com Other branches are located in the train station and at 1 avenue Pierre Sémard, Cannes-La Bocca.
PassesThe
Carte Musée or
French Riviera Museum Pass (tel: (04) 9352 3325) allows free access to over 60 of the Riviera’s museums, monuments and gardens including the Musée-Chapelle Bellini,
Musée de la Castre,
La Malmaison
and Musée de la Mer. There is a three-day pass and a seven-day one. The card is available at participating museums, monuments and gardens, tourist offices, selected branches of
Thomas Cook (Nice and Cannes) and
FNAC department stores.
Key Attractions:Musée de la Castre (Castre Museum)
The Musee de la Castre, on the hilltop of Le Suquet, is housed in the former chateau of the monks of the Lérins Isles and the 12th-century chapel of St Anne. Nineteenth-century paintings by local artists depict images of Cannes under rosy skies with palm trees, fishing boats and ladies in voluminous skirts. There is also a fascinating collection of 200 musical instruments, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern antiquities and an ethnology display. Guided tours in English are available on request.
Le SuquetTel: (04) 9338 5526.
Admission charge.
Ile St Marguerite (St Marguerite Island)
It only takes a 15-minute boat ride from Cannes to get there but it took The Man in the Iron Mask 11 years to leave this tiny, forested island. The mysterious individual was believed to be of noble blood, but his identity has never been proven. His cell can be visited in the Fort of St Marguerite, now renamed the
Musée de la Mer (Museum of the Sea). This museum also houses archaeological discoveries from shipwrecks off the coast of the island, including Roman and Saracen ceramics. There is a regular boat service from the mainland. Guided tours in English are available in summer.
Musée de la Mer
Ile Ste Marguerite
Tel: (04) 9348 1817.
Admission charge.
Ile St Honorat (St Honorat Island)
Cistercian monks are the only inhabitants of the smaller, southern St Honorat Island. Monks have inhabited the island more or less continuously since AD410 and, at the height of their powers, owned Cannes, Mougins and Vallauris. Medieval vestiges remain in the stark church, which is open to the public, and in the ruins of the 11th-century monastery on the sea’s edge. The monks divide their time between prayer and producing red and white wines,
honey, lavender oil and
Lérina, a herbal liqueur. Although closed to the general public, the monastery welcomes guests for week-long retreats. The monks also run the only boat trips to the island, with departures from Cannes jetée Edouard.
Tel: (04) 9298 7138 (boat trips).
Website:
www.abbayedelerins.com Admission charge.
Further Distractions:The Villas of Cannes
Nineteenth-century Cannes can still be seen in its grand villas, built to reflect the wealth and social standing of their owners and inspired by anything from medieval castles to Roman villas. Lord Brougham’s Italianate
Villa Eléonore Louise (one of the first great villas in Cannes) was built between 1835 and 1839. Also known as the
Quartier des Anglais, this is the oldest residential area in Cannes and perfect for a stroll. Another famous landmark is the beautiful
Villa Fiésole (known today as the
Villa Domergue), so named as it was designed in the style of Fiesole, near Florence by Jean-Gabriel Domergue. The villas are not open to the public, but Villa Domergue may be visited by appointment.
Villa Eléonore Louise 24 avenue du Dr Picaud
Villa Fiésole/Villa Domergue Avenue Fiésole in the Quartier de la Californie
Tel: (04) 9368 9192.
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