Your Monaco is a useful site for visitors to Monaco, especially regarding transport and public amenities.
The site has interactive maps to help you find:
Access points to the Monaco train station
Public elevators
Bus stops & bus ticket machines
Electric bike stations & the Mobee electric vehicle stations
Public carparks, including PMR parking
On street parking
Bike parking
Taxis
There’s also information about public beaches, walking trails, where to walk your dog, children’s playgrounds, cultural attractions such as art galleries, traffic updates, the location of defibrillators in Monaco and information about recycling and energy.
The site is available in English, French and Italian.
Bookmark the Your Monaco website for your next visit to Monaco: https://yourmonaco.mc
I will be in the UK for Christmas and New Year, therefore Access Riviera will be quiet until early January.
One thing I’ve learned through blogging is that it is OK to step away from time to time and reenergise your mind and body. In the beginning, I was learning new things and trying to express my thoughts here – now, I can do things in my own time and not feel obligated to post every week because I have a family and other projects on the go.
Here are 5 things I’ve learned this year running Access Riviera:
That the message matters more than the medium. This year, there’s been a pull towards jumping onto the latest tools and trendy social media such as TikTok, but I’ve learned to gravitate to what works best – for Access Riviera’s audience that is maintaining a presence via my subscriber list, on Facebook and Twitter.
Good images and good storytelling still rule.
Blog analytics are so valuable for defining what posts are doing well (and also what content is a complete flop) so I can create more of those winning posts.
That there is no trickery in running a top blog. This year, I’ve had a big part of my time taken by client projects, so regular posts onto my blog have been neglected and this has definitely reflected in the drop of visitors to my blog. Blogging isn’t ‘easy’ because it demands consistency and fresh content.
That whatever I blog about can still be relevant months and years later.
Thank you for all your support this year – Merry Christmas and best wishes!
Ultimately, Access Riviera is part of my life. It grew from a hobby to a business, and I’ll continue to enjoy the experience of it.
I have some incredible client and personal projects launching in 2020, so I hope this little community I’ve built through my blog writing sticks around!
What were my most popular blog posts in 2019?
My 5 most popular blog posts by views this year are below – interestingly, two were published this year, two were from 2017 and one I wrote way back in 2014 proving that old content can still do well! :
And my most popular blog post? A guide about car parts and mechanical terms in French ! I’m not sure why people love this as a reference source, but it’s very popular in searches and 5 years after going live this is still my highly-visited post each year by thousands of views. Take a look here: Car Parts & Mechanical Terms in French
Thank you to all my followers who have liked, commented or shared my posts throughout the year – I see every comment and your support is greatly appreciated!
Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and a great start to the New Year.
It’s always nice to be recognised for the time and effort I put into my blog and it’s a nice way to welcome January with the news that my blog is included in Feedspot’s list of ‘Top 100 French Blogs, Websites and Newsletters in 2019’.
Access Riviera makes Feedspot’s list of ‘Top 100 French Blogs to follow in 2019’
How did I end up on this Top 100 list?
Feedspot uses search and social metrics to scan thousands of top French blogs to compile their list (which is updated weekly) and the list includes travel, lifestyle, culture, fashion, history, language and food blogs.
The blogs are ranked based on the following criteria:
Google reputation and Google search ranking
Influence and popularity on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites
This Christmas, I’m planning on having a relaxed family Christmas in France, however my blog has recently passed 350,000 visitors so that is cause for celebration!
Firstly, the biggest support comes from my family, without them I wouldn’t be able to dedicate so much time to keeping my blog running and updated with fresh content. They have been understanding beyond words with my snippets of history while out and about, trawling off information about festivals (while we are there!) and random moments of inspiration.
For my readers and followers, THANK YOU to everyone who has subscribed, liked, followed, commented or shared my blog posts because I see every interaction and you are very much appreciated!
Access Riviera is a blog about the French Riviera covering travel, lifestyle, events and more
What started as a part-time blog (I hear all the bloggers laugh!) has resonated with readers in 149 countries and snowballed into a juggernaut.
I’ve learned more about the history, places and people on the French Riviera than I ever thought possible – and I’m still learning. There are so many topics to cover that I’ve merely scratched the surface.
I’ve answered every email I’ve received via my blog; lovely messages from people from all over the world that I’ve helped you with travel ideas, planning for yachting events, transport, accommodation, recommendations for restaurants and more. The most special ones are the emails saying I’ve helped them with advice for their dream trip to the French Riviera.
Naturally, advice for families and/or people who have restricted mobility are at the core of what I write about and I always maintain to write honestly and factually.
I hope you continue to follow my blog in 2019 and beyond, you never know what I’ll write about next…..
April is here! For most people this means the arrival of spring is well underway. For myself, this is when the cogs really start turning for preparation leading up to the big May events, Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix.
Of course, I’ll be publishing in-depth guides for both Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix soon aimed at helping first-time visitors (or regulars) to the events get the most out of their stay on the Côte d’Azur.
Unfortunately, there are also a number of transport strikes which makes things challenging logistically.
Transport strikes are part and parcel of living here in France, however the damage that a transport strike does to the tourism and event industry is exponential : visitor expenditure for delays, cancellations, arranging alternative transport (rather than using trains/buses) means they have less money to spend overall on accommodation, food and beverage, event advertising, shopping.
Strikes often occur here during bank holidays or vacances scolaires (school holidays) which are optimum times for unions to capitalise on huge movements of people.
Regional councils need to appreciate the planning and budgets that go into leisure and business tourism and if basic amenities such as reliable public transport to and from the airport as well as between towns is not readily available, tourists will choose to go elsewhere to major cities where amenities run smoothly.
This post aims to give you some handy tips to manage life-on-the-ground if you are attending any of these upcoming events on the Côte d’Azur.
Map of the French Riviera (map: Paul Cox / Pinterest)
TRAINS
With well-timed grèves (strikes), regional TER train services will be affected by over 30 days of strikes scheduled 5-9 April and until 28 June that will cross over with a number of major French Riviera events.
Here are the dates for the upcoming train disruptions:
Sunday 8 and Monday 9 April
Friday 13 and Saturday 14 April
Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 April
Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 April
Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 April
Thursday 3 and Friday 4 May
Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 May (Note: Wednesday is a big departure day leading up to the Ascension holiday weekend)
Sunday 13 and Monday 14 May (return from Ascension weekend)
Friday 18 and Sunday 19 May (departures for Pentecôte weekend)
Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 May (Note: Thursday is the first day of the 4-day Monaco Grand Prix event)
Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 May
Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 June
Thursday 7 and Friday 8 June
Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 June
Sunday 17 and Monday 18 June
Friday 22 and Saturday 23 June
Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 June
IMPORTANT: For the dates above with train strikes, schedules will be published from 17h for the following day’s travel; for example if you want a timetable for Tuesday 29 May it will be released online from 17h on Monday 28 May. To see the train times on these strike days, go to: https://www.ter.sncf.com/paca/horaires/info-trafic-greve-sncf-ter
The main TER route people use is called Ligne 8 and runs between Les Arcs and Ventimiglia which includes the stations for Cannes, Golfe Juan, Juan les Pins, Antibes, Biot, Villeneuve Loubet, Cagnes-sur-Mer, St Laurent du Var, Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Eze-sur-Mer, Cap d’ail, Monaco, Roquebrune Cap Martin and Menton.
Lignes Azur which run buses for Nice, Cagnes-sur-Mer and Villeneuve Loubet have timetable updates on their website www.lignesazur.com; go to ‘Se deplacer’ and ‘Infos réseau’ for strike updates. For changes to routes, go to the regional transport website here: Buses on the French Riviera
Lignes d’Azur buses on the French Riviera
NICE CÔTE D’AZUR AIRPORT
Unfortunately, communication from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is not particularly great during strikes.
Air France is well known for industrial action at holiday periods and has scheduled strikes for the following April dates below. This includes a mix of pilots, cabin crew and ground staff so contact the airline prior to travel to check the status of your flight as generally 50% of flights are cancelled, delayed or brought forward.
Saturday 7 April
Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 April
Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 April
Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 April
If you need to rebook your Air France flight on any of these dates above, read here for the process: Air France April 2018 Strikes
Airport strike up ahead? Stay updated via the links below in my blog post
For general French airport strike updates, my ‘go-to’ websites for information are:
If you’re visiting Cannes for the inaugural festival for international series, there are a few perks for attendees:
Shopping: If you buy anything at Galeries Lafayette and show your CANNESERIES badge you get a 10% discount (*conditions apply instore).
Happy Hour: Who doesn’t love happy hour? Drop by these bars from 6pm to 8pm during the festival and you’ll get preferential prices on some drinks. Some of the participating bars for ‘Happy Series’ are:
Charlys Bar, 5 rue du Suquet
Ma Nolan’s on rue Buttura
Morrisons Pub, 10 rue Tessiere
La Bouche à Oreille, 7 rue des Garbes
Le Posto Publico, 9 rue Victor Cousin
Le Tube, 10 rue Florian
Plage C Beach, 45 boulevard de la Croisette
The Quays, Quai St Pierre
CANNESERIES is a new festival for Cannes (image: official CANNESERIES site)
MIPTV
Taxis to and from Cannes
I constantly get feedback from both leisure and business travellers to the French Riviera, particularly those visiting Cannes, that taxis are too expensive.
In 2017, a study was completed about world taxi prices and out of 88 major destinations Paris, Nice and Monaco didn’t fare (pun intended) too well, all 3 were included in the Top 10 List of Most Expensive World Taxi Prices. French Riviera taxis have been known to add surcharges on bank holidays, weekends, late night transfers, wait time, extra luggage, pets or having 4 or more passengers.
I know people who have been charged a base fare of €85 oneway from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport to Antibes in quiet traffic and €130 oneway to Cannes in off-peak. Ouch!
Transport tips from Access Riviera for MIPTV
There is some good news though – for people attending MIPTV (or Cannes Lions, MIPCOM, ILTM etc) the Préfecture of Nice has declared from 1st March 2018 there will now be set fares for certain locations for taxis to and from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport. The set prices are:
Taxi between Nice Côte d’Azur Airport and Nice centre €32
Taxi between Nice Côte d’Azur Airport and Cannes €80
Taxi between Nice Côte d’Azur Airport and Monaco €90
NOTE: If you prebook a Niçois taxi there is an additional surcharge of €4, for a Cannes taxi it is €2.
Another thing to be aware of is if you ask your hotel to book you a taxi; some have been known to order a people mover (minivan) or chauffeured luxury vehicle which are pricier, so always check first.
There is of course UBER which is a topic for a whole other blog post….
Airport buses to/from Cannes
For airport buses to and from Cannes, Aéroport Express Bus number 210 leaves every half hour. Tickets can be purchased from Terminal 1 or 2 at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, the timetable is here Airport Bus Cannes 210 . This is the fastest bus between the airport and Cannes. Returning back to the airport from Cannes, the rue des Serbes bus stop in Cannes is not functional due to construction works so you must get the bus from Quai F at the Cannes train station.
Bus 200 also travels between Nice and Cannes, it is cheaper though much slower. I have been campaigning with other tourism businesses for this Nice-Cannes airport express bus #210 to operate until the final evening flight – currently the last bus leaving Terminal 1 leaves at 8pm leaving many visitors arriving on evening flights no option but private transfers, infrequent night train times or a long wait for bus 200.
RED BULL AIR RACE
The Red Bull Air Race will be hosted in Cannes for the first time from 20-22 April 2018.
For road traffic, there are a number of closures before and during the event which will ensure a pleasant spectator experience and limit frustration for visitors to Cannes.
The road on the seaside frontage of the Croisette will close from 22h on 17 April until the event finishes to facilitate set up and breakdown for the event. The Croisette will be closed for traffic on 20, 21 and 22 April between the hours of 7h30 and 21h (Access will be granted from 21h on the northern side of the Croisette for approved vehicles with badge).
If you have found this blog post informative, please share it on Twitter or Facebook. I’ve put a lot of time into researching current sources of information which will hopefully save people time, money and frustration. Thank you!
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the EU’s new privacy law, aims to clarify discrepancies and bring consistency from country to country with data protection and privacy.
Effectively, it will affect the way companies source, collect, use and record consent for emails and data from EU citizens.
It is a regulation, not a directive and therefore will have binding legal force for any yachting business operating in the European Union, or any yachting company outside of the European Union that processes the personal data of EU citizens.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will affect many yachting companies
When does GDPR start?
GDPR will be enforceable in law in all EU member states from 25 May 2018.
Why GDPR compliance is important for yachting companies
GDPR will affect any yachting company that uses personal data from EU citizens, including those with less than 250 employees. As an example, your yachting company might collect email addresses and you send company newsletters, news or blog updates to subscribers in the EU, therefore you must comply with GDPR.
Crucially, GDPR applies whether you have a digital capture system or simply use a spreadsheet to collate and store client contact details.
The UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France, Italy and other European markets are all important for yachting businesses and the new regulation will mean over 750 million people will fall under the GDPR’s protective framework.
(image: marseille2ii)
Aside from the law, responsible data handling is a basic principle of good business practice. By proving to your existing yachting clientele that you are taking steps to be compliant with the new law, you are adding value to your business and showing that your respect their personal data.
Non-compliance with GDPR will lead to heavy penalties such as fines up to €20 million or 4% of a company’s total global annual turnover (whichever is higher).
What changes will this mean for yachting businesses
Most EU yachting companies process their client data legally under the existing EU ePrivacy Directive, however once GDPR starts there will be stricter regulations around consent and the use of personal data.
One of the most important things to note is that you’ll only be able to send commercial communication via email to people who have ‘opted-in’ to receive messages.
This has been the case for most yachting companies already, however from 25 May 2018 businesses must give subscribers ‘clear, affirmative, non-ambiguous and specific’ options for opting in. This includes checking a box on your website or agreeing to another statement or action that clearly indicates consent. Pre-ticked boxes will not be compliant.
Does your yachting company have a GDPR checklist? (image: searchengineland)
Additionally, if someone gives you their email for a competition, giveaway or to download a white paper and you add them to a mailing list, this will now be illegal unless they actively agree to be sent marketing messages.
Companies must keep records of these consents in the event that any forms need to be presented if requested.
10 Steps to Prepare for Data Protection: GDPR Readiness in the Yachting Industry
As well as new data, GDPR will apply to existing data. If you can’t provide sufficient proof that your existing contacts consented to your mailing list, then you may not be able to email them commercial communications anymore.
Understanding your data flow is crucial, therefore you should undertake an information audit by documenting what personal data you hold (e.g. name, address, bank details, IP addresses, photos etc), where it came from, how it is stored and who/when/how/where it will be shared. This includes client, supplier, partner, past or present employee personal data. You should review how you seek, record and manage consent and make changes if necessary to be GDPR-compliant. For many yachting companies, they may use third-party hosting or cloud services; the host may have a local address but the servers may be outside the EU. It’s vital that you review your contract to ensure they offer guarantees to meet GDPR requirements.
Get your existing database up to GDPR standards now by adapting all of your opt-in processes and current privacy notices to meet EU regulations. If you intend to keep collecting emails, you will need to inform your subscribers who is collecting the data, how long you will hold their data and how you intend to use their data. Your consent requests should be separate from any terms and conditions and your privacy notice should detail why you are lawfully processing their personal data.
Check your procedures to ensure they cover all individuals’ rights under GDPR, such as the right to access and right to delete their data.
Consider whether you need to implement systems to verify individuals’ ages and obtain parental/guardianship consent for data processing.
Ensure you have security measures such as encryption and policies in place to detect, report and investigate personal data breaches.
Nominate someone to take control of data protection compliance. Your company may need to formally appoint a Data Protection Officer, dependent on whether you do large-scale monitoring of clients.
If your yachting business operates in more than one EU member state (e.g. you undertake cross-border processing), you need to determine your lead data protection supervisory authority. This is important in the event of a data breach. You can determine how to choose your lead data protection supervisory authority via Article 29 Data Protection Working Party guidelines here (last updated February 2018): Article 29 Data Protection Working Party Guidelines
Get up to speed with the Information Commissioner Office’s (UK) tools and guidelines to help you comply before 25 May 2018, refer to the link below in the Resources list.
Train all staff to be aware of the risks GDPR breaches pose and the necessary procedures to comply. This should include regular audits of systems in place and how people interact with personal data.
A study of EU businesses says around 40% are unprepared or unaware of the implications of GDPR. It is going to mean some changes in the policies and procedures for many yachting companies, therefore there has never been a better time to start preparing your business.
This article is written by Rebecca Whitlocke for information purposes. For updates on the changes for GDPR, you can refer to these resources:
I’m very happy to have received inclusion in Feedspot’s list of ‘Top 100 French Blogs’!
Feedspot is a great way to view content from several different sites in one place. It brings everything together from multiple sources and lets you read things quickly, which is great if you’re like me and always on the lookout for interesting content!
The best thing is you can organise your favourites into folders, tag articles or blogs and share them directly to Facebook, Twitter, Pocket, Buffer. I use Evernote and Dropbox a lot for organising my ideas and saving important items, so Feedspot Gold is a great tool for this and saves me a lot of time.
I’m not giving them a plug because they have included me in their Top 100 French Blogs list (though I’m pretty impressed they have!) – you can search for news that’s relevant to you and track Google News with keywords and topics you set. For me, this is very valuable in keeping up with local news, industry trends across travel, yachting and marketing as well as monitoring brands, including competitors.
Thanks Feedspot for recognising Access Riviera as one of France’s best blogs!
Cannes is one of the most popular destinations in southern France and home to a dynamic variety of sport, cultural and artistic events, as well as over 40 trade fairs, conferences and business meets yearly.
If you’re looking for somewhere to visit with a lovely climate and plenty of things to see and do, book a trip to Cannes at any time of the year – you can never accuse Cannes of being a boring destination!
1. Illuminated Landmarks
Until January 22, landmarks in Cannes will be spotlighted at night by artist Gaspare di Caro whose beautiful illuminations have lit up the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, the Negresco Hotel in Nice and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.
Visit Cannes in January to see Gaspare di Caro’s illuminations
2. Dance & Choreography
Cannes is well known for its biennale Festival du Danse (the next edition is December 2019) but you can still find other dance shows year-round.
From the urban vibe of breakdancing, street dance and hip-hop at Break The Floor to classical dance performances during the Gala d’Étoiles, you can find exceptional choreography and expressive dance in venues around Cannes.
Gala d’Étoiles – classical dance performance in Cannes (image copyright: Eric Dervaux)
3. Festival des Jeux 2018
Held across 3 days (23 to 25 February 2018), the Festival International des Jeux is a family-friendly event at the Palais des Festivals where you can discover new board games, video games, fantasy and role play games, wooden toys and kids comics.
A number of tournaments and game demonstrations are onsite as well as boutiques, authors and illustrators for games.
Entry is free; there are also VIP Passes (paying) available which include early entrance to the show and goody bags.
Created in 1992, the Cannes Half Marathon (Le Semi de Cannes) will be held on 25 February 2018 with a course that starts and finishes at Pantiero near Vieux Port and follows a circuit along the Cannes seafront.
Around 4000 runners will hit the pavements on a Sunday morning – there is also a 10-kilometre run for participants who prefer shorter distances (or like me, still recovering from the excess of food consumed over Christmas!).
Entrants must supply a medical certificate as usual; entry is €20 per person for the 10km run and €25 for the half-marathon.
For other keen runners, you can also enter the Nice-Cannes Marathon which is staged in the last quarter of the year.
5. MIPIM 2018
MIPIM (Marché International des professionals de l’immobilier) is an international property market that brings together over 24,000 professionals from over 100 countries looking for new markets, those who want to exchange ideas, share insights about property hotspots and discuss real estate trends.
Cannes will host the 28th edition of MIPIM from 13-16 March 2018 with the theme ‘MAPPING WORLD URBANITY’ : What will urban life be like in 2030 and 2050?
Keystone elements of the 4-day schedule at MIPIM 2018 include the Startup Competition for those who seek to innovate within real estate, the invite-only Real Estate Institutional Investor’s Summit, a diverse range of conferences and the MIPIM Awards that celebrate the leading global property developments.
The MIPIM Awards celebrate outstanding global real estate projects, completed or yet to be built. (image: Twitter).
6. Cannes Sports – Running trails guided by a free app
Cannes is blessed with a mild climate and running outdoors year-round is possible with many different trails that take in city and sea views.
In September 2017, a new app was launched by the Mairie de Cannes which gives joggers and runners sixteen different trails to follow in and near Cannes.
The Cannes Sports app is available in French or English and trail options include Croix des Gardes, Le Suquet, Cannes La Bocca and Ile Sainte-Marguerite.
MIPDoc is the documentary-specific prequel and MIPFormats is focused on non-scripted formats. They both run just prior to MIPTV, and are set for 8 and 9 April 2018.
MIPDoc will be hosted at the JW Marriott Hotel on the Croisette, it involves over 1600 programmes of non-fiction that may catch the interest of 400 buyers. At-market screenings, co-production networking plus a print and online catalogue ensure good visibility for factual or documentary programmes supported by a dedicated MIPDoc Screening Library.
If you’re interested, the Top 30 MIPDoc programmes last year are found here: MIPDoc Top 30 Programmes
MIPFormats focuses on the changing trends with non-scripted shows and is a great place to find new talent and ideas. Held at the Palais des Festivals, there are a lot of distributors and production companies networking over reality TV concepts, game shows, quiz shows, dating shows and similar.
MIPTV (Marché International des Programmes de Télévision) is the global TV and digital content market which is held in Cannes every April.
MIPTV 2018 will run from 9 – 12 April 2018 and continue as the epicentre for producers and buyers hoping to find success with the next big show!
New for 2018, the Kids Live Action Pitch will be a platform for creators to pitch original kids live action series aimed at kids aged 6-12 years.
View the MIPTV 2018 trailer below (video: mipmarkets)
9. CANNESERIES 2018TM
The inaugural season of CANNESERIESTM (Cannes International Series Festival) will be held in the palm-tree lined resort from 4 – 11 April 2018 and feature an Official Competition that will showcase 10 world debut series – from any genre, any country and any format.
Dubbed as an incubator for international series, the event will cross-over dates with MIPDoc, MIPFormats and MIPTV creating the biggest week in TV.
The festival Patron is Danish actress Sidse Babett Knudsen and the event will feature the world premiere Out of Competition screening of ‘The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair’, a 10-part series from MGM Television, Eagle Pictures and Barbary Films which will screen in France on TF1 this year.
CANNESERIESTM Institute will begin prior to the festival proper and welcome 8 international students to a 5-week writing residency, overseen by teachers from the University of Cote d’Azur (UCA) and a Berlin-based writing residence, Serial Eyes. The ultimate aim is to give writers a platform to conceptualize and write a pilot TV series which may be developed by Canal+.
CANNESERIESTM Addict is a week of free public screenings of classic series, Competition series and digital selections. CANNESERIES TM Digital will focus on short formats.
In Development, the Cannes Drama Creative Forum is a 2-day mini session that takes place at the Gare Maritime and aims to accelerate new productions at an international level; the dates are 10 – 11 April 2018.
Don’t miss the emerging and established TV talent that will be present at CANNESERIES 2018TM
CANNESERIES (TM) and MIPTV will be held in April 2018
10. Red Bull Air Race Cannes 2018
For the first time ever, the Red Bull Air Race will be coming to Cannes from 21 – 22 April 2018 where the world’s best pilots navigate an aerial racetrack marked by air-filled pylons. Reaching speeds in excess of 350kph with forces up to 10G, the pilots need to be extremely skilled to fly at high speed, low altitude and perform tricky manoeuvres.
The series pilots come from Canada, Australia, China, Spain, Japan and South Africa (to name a few) and amongst them are 5 French pilots in the series – 3 Master Class pilots: Mikael Brageot, Nicolas Ivanoff and François Le Vot and 2 Challenger Pilots: Melanie Astles and Baptiste Vignes who will get the chance to show off their aerobatics in front of a home crowd.
Cannes is one of 8 global cities included in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship for 2018 (Race Calendar courtesy of Red Bull)
11. Cannes International Triathlon 2018
From 27 to 29 April 2018, the 5th edition of the Polar Cannes International Triathlon will be staged in Cannes incorporating a 2 kilometre swim off Bijou Plage, 100 kilometre cycle stage to Tanneron, Montauroux and Pegomas and 16 kilometre run based around Port Pierre Canto.
The triathlon attracts competitors from over 40 countries with the main Village Expo hosted at Square Verdun.
For the registration process, race schedule and information about volunteering, find out more at CIT2018
Watch the teaser video from Mikael Sport for Polar Cannes International Triathlon below:
12. Cannes Film Festival 2018
Undeniably the crowning glory of the annual events in Cannes, the world famous Cannes Film Festival will be hosted from 8 to 19 May 2018.
For the 71st edition, the opening day has moved forward one day and will start on a Tuesday. The organisers say the change in dates means they can also hold an additional gala evening before the Festival weekend, and organise previews of the opening film throughout France.
By bringing forward the announcement of awards by one day to Saturday evening, it is expected that this will increase its prestige while at the same time giving the closing film better exposure.
Cannes Film Festival 2018 is a world famous film festival (image: critique film.fr)
Australian actress Cate Blanchett, who won two Oscars for The Aviator and Blue Jasmine, has been named as Jury President of Cannes Film Festival 2018 and will join other jury members to decide the winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or.
As usual, Access Riviera will be publishing a full guide to Cannes Film Festival 2018 closer to the event including festival tips for Marché du Film.
13. Watersports in summertime
Cannes is making a strong effort to promote outdoor activities and watersports are always high on the list of things to do. Cannes occupies a wonderful location on the Mediterranean and has great views to the Iles de Lérins, the Esterels and beyond to Cap d’Antibes. Whether you are a beginner or experienced, there are plenty of companies where you can rent equipment and/or take lessons to learn a new on-water activity.
During summer, pontoons on plage du Midi, boulevard Jean Hibert and along the Croisette are open daily until around 7pm (weekends until approx. 6pm) and offer a range of watersports including waterskiing, jet skiing, stand up paddle boarding, kite surfing, wakeboarding, flyboard sessions, kayaks, dinghy hire, pirogue tours and more!
Watersports are popular in summer in Cannes (map: Cannes Destination)
14. MIDEM 2018
What is MIDEM? For the uninitiated, MIDEM (Marché International du Disque et de l’Edition Musicale) will take place from 5 – 8 June 2018 and unite leading players in the music industry.
It is the industry event to attend for rising talent looking for labels, musicians looking for licensees and distributors, bands to connect with creatives for advice about how to boost their marketing, tech innovators showcasing their products as well as publishers and agents looking for new talent and trends.
I’m always interested in Midemlab which is the startup competition as it is great to see innovative concepts for online promotion, tech or musical education. The Midem Artist Accelerator (MAA) is also interesting to see develop and is into its fourth year, it aims to continue supporting emerging talent; submissions close on January 28 so get in quick!
Some of the brands who will be attending MIDEM 2018 include Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Fox Music and Billboard. Find out more about the event at Reed MIDEM‘s official website: MIDEM 2018
MIDEM 2018 will run from 5 – 8 June 2018 (image: Flickr)
15. Guided tours in Cannes
Year round, visitors to Cannes can experience a number of guided tours bookable through the Tourist Office. Two popular options include :
Cannes and the Cinema – in French and English, this guided tour runs from October to May every Wednesday at 2.30pm ; from June to September every Wednesday at 9.15am. Duration: 1.5 hours. Adult price: €6 each, free for under 16 years of age. Note: Minimum of 5 people required.
Visit of the Croisette – in French and English, this guided tour runs from October to May every Wednesday at 2.30pm in French and English; from June to September every Wednesday at 9.15am. Duration: 1.5 hours. Adult price: €6 each, free for under 16 years of age. Note: Minimum of 5 people required.
One of the nicest places to visit when in Cannes are the Iles de Lérins (Lérins Islands) just a short cruise away. You can join a wine tasting experience on the first Friday of every month on Íle Saint-Honorat and sample some of the wine harvested by the Cistercian monks. Buy a wine tasting excursion here: Wine Tasting Abbaye de Lérins. Visit the island courtesy of a virtual tour viewable here: Ile Saint-Honorat
Visit the Lérins Islands when you come to Cannes (image: Atout France)
16. Cannes Lions 2018
Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity is a 5-day festival for branded communications, marketing, media, entertainment and tech which will be held from 18 – 22 June 2018.
The event has over 4500 attending companies however for the 2018 edition, the event length has been reduced from 8 days to 5 days amidst feedback from holding companies, stakeholders and agencies that Cannes Lions was becoming ‘too expensive’. Additionally, for Cannes Lions 2018 there will be a six-Lion entry limit for one piece of work.
Cannes Lions 2018 has been adapted to reflect feedback from previous years including restructuring of categories to win Gold Lions (image: Campaign Asia)
Again, the organisers have been shuffling around with the Categories; for 2018 they’re scrapping the Categories for Cyber, Integration and Promo & Activation and introducing new Categories including Social & Influencer and Creative E-Commerce.
To find out more about what’s in store this year for Cannes Lions, the official website is here: Cannes Lions 2018
17. Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique Cannes 2018
Firework enthusiasts will love the French Riviera in summer because Cannes is one of a number of places that hosts regular public firework displays through July and August. Other fireworks competitions are held in Antibes/Juan les Pins and Monaco.
Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique Cannes takes place over the bay of Cannes and features international pyrotechnic teams who create brilliant fireworks displays to music and a winner is chosen at the end of the summer series.
Panzera from Italy competed in the Cannes fireworks competition (image: Festival d’Art Pyrotechnique)
Each year in the square in front of the Notre-Dame de l’Espérance church at the top of Le Suquet, you can listen to open-air orchestral concerts under the stars in late July.
Featuring the Orchestra of Cannes and acclaimed soloists, the atmosphere is inviting and relaxing.
The 2018 Nuits Musicales du Suquet programme is yet to be released, so stay updated by subscribing to my blog on the right-hand side (you can unsubscribe at any time), or refer to the Orchestra of Cannes or Palais des Festivals websites regularly.
19. Les Plages Électroniques 2018
One of the French Riviera’s best summer festivals for dance music, Les Plages Électroniques is an annual electronic music festival that is held on the beach beside the Palais des Festivals and the rooftop terrace of the Palais.
This year, Les Plages Électroniques will be held from 10 – 12 August 2018.
Unfortunately as with many events here on the French Riviera, the organisers Panda Events have put no information about accessibility on the official event website but if you have restricted mobility and would like to attend this music festival, please do get in touch with me via my Contact Me page to obtain more information about accessibility options for this event.
Les Plages Électroniques organised by Panda Events is an annual electronic music festival held on the beach in Cannes (image: discothequemagazine)
20. Cannes Yachting Festival 2018
As Europe’s leading in-water boat show, Cannes Yachting Festival is one of the French Riviera’s most important nautical events.
Hosted across both Vieux Port and Port Pierre Canto, Cannes Yachting Festival 2018 will run from 11 to 16 September 2018 and showcase new builds for motor yachts, sailing yachts, tenders and marine equipment.
In 2017, I was disappointed by the Luxury Gallery which was an uninspiring display zone that brought nothing dynamic to the event, and the Concours d’Elegance which seemed under promoted and underwhelming. A real shame, and I hope that the event marketing team take on feedback to boost these two elements of the show.
Within a short distance from Cannes, you can also visit the Musée Bonnard in Le Cannet, Chateau de la Napoule in Mandelieu-la-Napoule and the National Picasso Museum in Vallauris to get a cultural fix.
22. Cannes Régates Royales 2018
Staged in the bay of Cannes, the Régates Royales is an annual nautical fixture that brings the elegance of classic sailing to the French Riviera.
Founded in honour of King Christian X of Denmark, the Régates Royales Cannes are set for 22 – 29 September 2018, where you’ll see beautiful classic sailing yachts race amidst Dragons, Tofinous and International classes.
Don’t miss finding your vantage point to watch the action at sea! Here is the official website for the Cannes Régates Royales 2018
Régates Royales is an annual nautical fixture in the bay of Cannes (photo copyright: Guido Cantini/Panerai)
23. MIPCOM 2018
MIPCOM 2018 will be held in Cannes from 15 to 18 October 2018, where you can join around 4000 companies at the global event for programming for all genres across all sectors and meet international producers and production companies in one place.
It is deemed the world’s best entertainment content market and the place to go to secure licensees, pitch to broadcasters and finance or sell TV and digital content for shows, series and documentaries.
Previous companies who have been to MIPCOM include DreamWorks Animation, BBC Worldwide, Nickelodeon, FremantleMedia, NBC Universal Studios, MGM Studios, Viacom, HBO and Netflix.
MIPCOM 2018 will be hosted in Cannes from 15 – 18 October 2018
24. P’tits Cannes à You
For two weeks starting in late-October, P’tits Cannes à You is a family-friendly festival aimed at children 3 – 13 years of age offering puppet shows, cinema screenings, story telling, kids craft workshops and activities for free or low prices.
Timed to coincide with Toussaint school holidays, participating locations include Mediatheque Noailles, MJC La Raguin, Musée de la Castre and Theatre de la Licorne.
The P’tits Cannes à You programme will be released later in the year.
25. NRJ Music Awards 2018
Each November, the NRJ Music Awards are held at the Palais des Festivals and televised on TF1 French television. The award categories include French and international musicians, and they are handed out by well known French personalities such as actresses, DJ’s or fashion designers.
NRJ Music Awards Cannes 2018
In 2017, some of the attending musicians included Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, U2, Kygo, Amir, Soprano, Arcadian, David Guetta and Julien Doré.
Thank you for reading my post. As you can imagine this list is just a small sample of the events, activities and sightseeing that you can enjoy in Cannes in 2018. Other reasons to come to Cannes include Heavent Meetings, Tax Free Cannes, MAPIC, ILTM Cannes, traditional festivals and markets.
If you enjoyed my blog post, please share it on social media. Thank you!
From content writing to press work and juggling family life, I thought I’d share some things I’ve experienced this year – the highs, the lows, the achievements and the challenges!
Here are ’10 Lessons I’ve Learned in 2017′:
Freelancers can’t work solo
It’s fantastic to have the flexibility to work when and where I want, but I have found networking is vital to maintaining my sanity.
It can be a lonely time running your own businesses so it’s helpful having a support group.
Being part of a community of people who have different success levels and opinions is great for inspiration, motivation and bouncing around ideas. I am part of various entrepreneur and business groups and I find it energising to be around people who are entrepreneurs or have a positive mindset.
2. Stay focused
I have a vision board in my work area to stay focused with my goals and fine tune what is urgent or important.
I use content tools to manage my workload and everyone who knows me knows I don’t go anywhere without my diary!
Some tools I use regularly to stay on focus and organised are Google Keep, Dropbox, Evernote and Slack.
Evernote is one of my favourite tools for staying organised and on track
3. Always keep learning
I follow a lot of business forums for tech, aviation, travel, yachting and luxury sectors so I can start updated with trends and forecasts. I watch a lot of webcasts and try and complete one educational course of interest yearly and this has lead to work opportunities for me.
I’m still plugging away at learning Mandarin Chinese, it’s a slow process (much slower than learning French!) but I can reflect on when I first started learning French and how progress gets easier.
4. No magic formula for blog success
People often ask me if blogging is hard work or where I find the time to write posts. If you aren’t passionate about what you do, you won’t find time to do it.
For my own blog, I always write about things I’m interested in, unusual insights for the French Riviera or useful tips and this moulds itself into posts that my audience enjoys and shares.
If you write about things you’re interested in, you will stay motivated
5. Celebrate your achievements
No one has overnight success. I was really happy to hit the 250,000 visitors mark for my blog this year, but it made me realise that it was even more important to not use this milestone as an excuse to just sit on my coat tails and assume my blog would stay popular. I had to take time to reflect on why I started it, where it’s at now and where I hope to head in the future.
I believe that success shouldn’t be purely based on page views, traffic, income or social media followers.
I earn an income from my blog however the best rewards come in the form of lovely comments or emails from readers who I have helped.
6. Allow yourself a break
The world is not going to fall apart if you take a break or holiday. We had our first child-free holiday this year and it was great for recharging our batteries.
It’s important to find a balance between work, your family and taking care of yourself and you will come back more productive than ever.
Some days my working day is very traditional – 9am to 4pm – and some days it is chaotic and interrupted by the daily grind, school run, sickness, sport etc.
We all need time out from work, family and life
As a working mum, I have found another level of busy that I didn’t think was possible but for me personally I need to ensure I get enough sleep, exercise regularly and have a social life.
7. Accept that things may not go to plan
You can’t solve everything and you may have to accept that your ideas won’t work or people don’t want it to work.
I have had a few media projects this year where I had to wait on other people to finish their input for the project and it delayed my deadline. This is reality. Accept the flow of things, adapt if necessary and refocus.
8. Give to others when you can
I’ve become much better at saying ‘No’ to people. Especially people who contact me for ‘free’ business advice or marketing tips and then they disappear off the face of the planet and you never hear from them again until the next time they need something.
Saying ‘No’ doesn’t mean you’re selfish, rude or unhelpful – it means you are placing a conscious decision to put your time into your family, paid work, your health or your hobbies first.
It’s perfectly wonderful to help other entrepreneurs, community groups or businesses when you can, but be wary of the leeches. It’s not cynicism, but you can get burned by people you help and expend a lot of energy, time and patience without receiving a thank you.
Saying ‘No’ can be beneficial to your work/life balance
9. Don’t be afraid to take risks
The first step in starting a business is often the most difficult but you need to crawl before you can walk.
Big adventures start when you least expect them and I would never have thought 18 months ago that I would start up five new business projects in the past year.
If I had thought for one second that I wasn’t capable, someone else would have been there doing exactly what I intend to do.
10. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else
In this crazy age of social media, it is incredibly easy to be lead into a false sense of inadequacy about your worth as a business owner and/or parent, self-esteem, looks and work skills.
I see a lot of people daily who are seeking higher recognition from people who don’t matter. I have unfollowed a lot of accounts on Instagram because they aren’t relevant to my lifestyle or career goals; people who just post selfies and have nothing else to contribute.
It is easy to think someone else has greater success in business or life than you, but don’t compare yourself to anyone else.
Don’t compare yourself with others
Here are some of my most popular posts that readers loved in 2017:
The Lavender Route was another popular post this year
To end this blog post, I would like to wish all my readers a fantastic New Year and a huge thank you for supporting my blog. Every one of your comments doesn’t go unnoticed. Roll on 2018!
For the international jet set, the winter months offer the perfect opportunity to escape to the glamorous alpine ski resorts for family time spent on the slopes. Few ski resorts are as luxurious as Courchevel – France’s winter equivalent of St Tropez with regards to style, scenery, and fun. We consulted with seasoned skiers to compile these 10 top tips for a ski trip to Courchevel.
So wrap up, don your skis, and take to the slopes like a local.
Tip No.1: Arrive in Style
There’s only one way to arrive at your destination, and that’s by Courchevel helicopter transfer. Exceptionally quick, unsurpassably stylish and undeniably cool, arriving by Helicopter not only makes you feel like a VIP but it also provides views of a lifetime.
Tip No.2: Learn a New Skill
For those of us who are more comfortable with a little more stability than skis provide, it is possible to learn to ride a snowmobile with Courchevel Adventure, a winter sports company. Everything’s more fun with friends and this is certainly no exception; take a group and you’ll soon become pros at navigating the 700m course.
Learn a new skill – go snowmobiling in Courchevel (Image: Monacair)
Tip No. 3: Go Off-Piste
Go off-piste! And we don’t just mean when it comes to the slopes. There’s so much to experience in the resort of Courchevel that it’s genuinely just as magical a destination for non-skiers as it is for seasoned pros. If you’re a fan of luxury spas, then you’re in for a treat with the Aquamotion Centre. It offers sensational mountain views, heated pools, outdoor jacuzzis, water slides, and even a spa and wellness zone where you can enjoy a sauna and relaxing massage.
Go off piste in Courchevel! There are plenty of things to do when you’re not on the slopes (Image: Monacair)
Tip No. 4: Eat Well
Make sure you sample as much as you can of Courchevel’s sumptuous cuisine at some of the resort’s Michelin-starred restaurants. We recommend Pierre Gagnaire pour Les Airelles, and you’d struggle to come across a disappointing meal at this illustrious spot in the mountains.
Eat well in Courchevel at some amazing restaurants with spectacular views (Image: Monacair)
Tip No. 5: Get in the Alpine Spirit
You’ll be transported to another era when you ride in a horse-drawn carriage through the picturesque mountain village. The stunning white horses are a sight to behold in the snow.
Tip No. 6: Take Some Lessons
Book taster ski sessions with an experienced teacher if you’re a first-timer. You’re sure to find out that you’re a natural and you’ll be independent in no time, but it’s always best to find your ski-legs first.
Take some ski lessons in Courchevel and you’ll be ready to enjoy the alpine ambience in no time! (Image: Monacair)
Tip No.7: Live it Up in the Resort’s Best Hotels
Spend your stay in the lap of luxury at the Grandes Alpes Private Hotel, Hotel Carlina or Hotel de la Loze and expect stunning views, world-class service and beautiful, Courchevel-cosiness.
Courchevel’s hotels and luxury chalets are some of the finest in Europe (Image: Monacair)
Tip No. 8: Indulge Your Inner-Child
Families with children – and those without – will relish the opportunity to try their hands at sledging, a wickedly fun alternative to skiing that is highly addictive. Beware though, it’s not as gentle as it might sound – you can reach some astonishing speeds on these steep slopes.
Tip No. 9: Take to the Skies
It might not be everyone’s cup of tea but there’s absolutely no doubt that it’s a truly incredible experience! You can go on a helicopter tour over Courchevel and the 3 Valleys. There’s just something about experiencing the landscape from the air that’s truly out of this world.
A helicopter tour over Courchevel and the 3 Valleys is a wonderful way to see the mountains (Image: Monacair)
Tip No.10: Wear Sun Cream!
Many people fail to realise that the sun shines brightly on Europe’s highest peaks. The snow acts as a mirror and reflects the sun’s rays; a burnt nose is nothing to sniff at, so take care of your skin and enjoy your holiday!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Relevance.
Are French Riviera’s travel and tourism operators ready for China’s National Week? I’m dubious to say ‘Yes’ as I believe a high proportion of travel-related businesses here are completely oblivious to targeted marketing for one of the world’s largest holiday periods and tourism markets.
What is National Week?
Chinese National Day is celebrated on 1st October each year to celebrate the founding of the People’s Republic of China. National Week or Golden Week is the holiday period that follows National Day – this year, it runs from 1st October to 8th October 2017. Golden Week is the longest public holiday in China aside from Chinese New Year.
Why should France care about China’s National Week?
Director Jiang Yiyi of the International Tourism Research Institute with the China Tourism Academy says, “Chinese tourists no longer only select traditional hot journey places such as Thailand, the United States and Japan to spend their holidays. Countries such as Kenya, Morocco, New Zealand and Peru have all become a new attraction.”
France needs to adapt their tourism model and refresh their marketing to go beyond standard tour product by assessing the entire tourist journey from availability and frequency of flights from Chinese cities to French cities to including Chinese-specific signage at key tourist areas.
Notably, one of the biggest lags in tourism development for Chinese visitors is translation of French websites. To compare, Barcelona Tourism has their main website resources available in 13 languages; Nice Tourism’s website is 7 languages including Chinese – something to think about for French businesses looking to grow their Chinese client base.
Monte-Carlo SBM has hosted high-profile events for Chinese companies adapting their service offering for their clients, including Chinese TV channels and meal options. Their 4 hotels – Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, the Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort and the Monte-Carlo Beach have obtained the Silver Certification, a hospitality standard for outbound Chinese travelers, awarded by ‘Welcome Chinese’.
‘Welcome Chinese’ is the only officially recognized by Chinese Authorities certified travel service standard and travel platform, aimed at upgrading the services dedicated to Chinese travellers.
Monaco has promoted the Principality as an add-on travel experience for National Week holidays, appealing to Chinese visitors to Monaco Yacht Show to stay and discover the Principality and surrounding regions.
Golden Week – French Riviera
French Riviera travel and tourism businesses need to prepare and strategise for this important tourism market – over the 8-day Golden Week holiday period, 650 million Chinese will travel which is an incredible number logistically and of that number, 6 million will travel abroad. While they won’t all be heading to the famous Côte d’Azur coastline, a large number have been researching their travel options for European highlights and booked already.
The chance to create travel product and packages for a target group (known as mid to high spenders) is untapped for many businesses. Shanghai-based Ctrip.com International, a Nasdaq-listed travel agency said that a quarter of their Ctrip customers chose to travel between 7 and 10 days, up 140 % year-on-year. As well, shopping ranks highly as an activity during this time.
Immersive culture experiences, adventure activities and enticing landscapes appeal to Chinese visitors and as it is shoulder season here with comfortable temperatures and clear weather, the potential for opportunity is high.
Sunday smiling and sending out a huge heartfelt thank you to all my followers, sharers, commenters and occasional readers who have stopped by Access Riviera – I have hit a milestone of 250,000 visitors!
I’m totally overwhelmed with all of the support for my blog from what started as a simple vision to provide information about the French Riviera and has grown into a behemoth and I’ve appreciated every like, share and comment along the way.
I’ve worked with some brilliant clients, learned a lot about growing and ungrowing followers, committed myself to writing good content and generally sticking to writing about things I believe in whether it’s the good, the bad or the ugly.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!! Here’s to the next 250K
Becks
To read some of my most popular articles, click on the links below:
A complete guide on how to experience the Monaco Yacht Show 2017 in style.
Learn all that you will need to experience one of the hottest tickets in town this autumn – The Monaco Yacht Show 2017.
Every September, the world’s most prestigious brands descend upon the principality of Monaco, to showcase all things new in luxury to a global audience. What better way to join in the fun than with a private jet charter to arrive in style? Learn all you’ll need to know for the perfect trip to the 2017 Monaco Yacht Show.
Monaco Yacht Show
The Show
The Monaco Yacht Show, first and foremost, provides a setting for the world’s most respected shipyards to showcase their latest super-yacht creations. However, over the years the exhibition has attracted a wider audience – from luxury fashion, to the automotive and aviation industries.
During the show, several ports of call are a must. Below are a few of the exhibits at this year’s show that will leave you already booking a private jet to return for next year’s event.
Port Hercules
From 27 – 30 September, Port Hercules will transform itself into a super-yacht showroom. This year, 40 of the world’s most exclusive super-yachts will be unveiled. With the yachting elite poised for what is sure to be an amazing spectacle, a stroll around the harbour is not to be missed.
The Upper Deck Lounge
After taking in the latest and greatest yachts on earth, head to the Upper Deck Lounge for a light refreshment. Located under the Parvis Piscine exhibition tent, visitors can unwind in a professionally designed space, equipped with restaurant and Lanson Champagne Bar.
Test driving at the Car Deck
Once you’ve re-charged your jet setter batteries, why not test drive a Bentley or Lamborghini from the Quai Antoine 1er; situated on the eastern side of Port Hercules.
This year, Bentley, McLaren, Lamborghini and amongst others, Aston Martin, will be offering visitors to the show a chance to take a spin in one of the most famous F1 locations.
Travelling to the Monaco Yacht Show 2017
With anticipation growing on how you can be part of this extravaganza, read on for our tips of how to get there, where to stay and what to do with those long Riviera nights.
How to Get There
Transportation links to and from the principality are limited to rail, road… and helicopter. It therefore could not be easier by flying with a private jet charter, due to the flexibility and services booking privately affords.
After landing in Nice, you’re a stone’s throw away from Monaco via helicopter transfer. When you book a private jet, helicopter transfer can be added. This exceptional service will transport your party and luggage from door to door in style and sophistication.
Where to Stay
There isn’t a spot on the Riviera that does not exude luxury, however, our suggestion for the ultimate Monte Carlo experience would be the Fairmont. Situated on the Avenue des Spélugues, this four-star hotel is a short walk from Port Hercules, restaurants and Casino.
Aerial view of the stunning Fairmont, a short walk from Port Hercules, restaurants and the Casino
With an eclectic choice of restaurants & bars, shopping arcade, spa & fitness, pool and pop up Beach Club, the Fairmont is a perfect retreat from the bustling crowd of the yacht show.
Choice during your private jet charter tour could be daunting with the plethora of impressive restaurants on offer, but help is on hand to highlight a few of the best spots in town.
Avenue 31
For a taste of the Mediterranean, venture to Avenue 31; a cosy yet exemplary dining experience, with expertly crafted menus designed by head chef Andrea Lanzillotta.
Avenue 31 dining during Monaco Yacht Show
Buddha Bar
For something a little more extravagant, the Buddha Bar which neighbours the Casino is sure to dazzle the senses. With exotic interiors and a menu to match, the Buddha Bar will live up to any finalé evening in the playground of the rich and famous.
The Buddha Bar with exotic interiors and a menu to match is one of Monte-Carlo’s hottest nightspots
Le Louis XV
Within the Hotel du Paris resides Le Louis XV. Recently refurbished, guests can enjoy haute cuisine with a 3 Michelin star price tag for a special occasion. Alongside the à la carte menu, guests can choose from one of two set menus: Jardins de Provence, or Menu Gourmet.
Fine dining at Le Louis XV (image: (c) PierreMonetta)
With the Monaco Yacht Show hot on your jet setting heels, there has never been a better time to grab your passport, purse and private jet charter and head to The Monaco Yacht Show 2017.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in partnership with Relevance.
This month, for my contribution to All About France blog link-up hosted by Lou Messugo, I’m sharing a few secrets about the French Riviera.
When you live somewhere, you are privy to local tips and things that you learn about your home town or region that tourists perhaps don’t see or aren’t aware of.
Yes, TripAdvisor and tourist offices can be great sources of information but if you want to find where the tastiest food is, the most uncrowded attractions or coolest activities at a great price, then ask a local. Whenever I travel, I like to see where the locals eat, where they shop and where they party (!) because this is often where the hidden gems are!
Here are some of my Secret French Riviera suggestions:
Top chefs under the radar
One of the nicest things about living in France is the fact you can find a top chef in a humble setting and people are either unaware of their ‘fame’ or don’t make a fuss.
There are ex-chefs who run restaurants at camping sites, high-profile chefs who grill fish in summer at beachside kiosks before skipping back to the galleys of top kitchens and chefs who own orchards and vineyards far off the tourist path.
One of my great finds here is My French Burger, which is often parked at Zone Industrielle Des Terriers near Decathlon and Animalis in Antibes. The owner is Grégory Leriche, previously a top pastry chef at Lenôtre who has always dreamed of having his own food truck making burgers from scratch with homemade mayonnaise, ketchup and bread buns. Of course, he sells his patisseries which I would sell my soul for. If you’re nice, ask him to show you his photo album with photos of A-list stars he has taught to cook.
Grég’s chalkboard with Paul Bocuse’s quote
There are other great chefs in many other dining establishments across the Côte d’Azur. Most tourists are familiar with the Michelin or Gault Millau guides for restaurant suggestions, but are you aware of the ‘Maître Restaurateur’ title or ‘Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France’?
The title of Maître Restaurateur is the only title awarded in France by the state for professional catering whereby the chef themselves (not the restaurant) is audited by an independent body on 30 criteria. This includes signalling when recipes are home made, freshness of products, service quality and decoration. The title is valid for 4 years, after which the chef must be reaudited so the standards remain high.
Maître Restaurateurs are worth finding for fine chefs
Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (better known as MOF) is a prestigious award in France according by category of trades where the competitors are judged on technical skills, innovation, respect for traditions, speed and other criteria and awarded points. The categories are diverse – some of the categories include clockmaking, cabinetmaking and silkscreen printing. For hospitality, competitors can excel in butchery, pastry making, chocolate making and more. Some of the famous winners are Paul Bocuse, Roger Vergé and Joël Robuchon.
Famous locations mostly unknown by tourists
Napoléon Bonaparte (Napoléon I) has left a number of locations to visit on the French Riviera including Cannes (he camped at 15 Rue des Belges near Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Voyage church) and in Nice (6 rue Bonaparte was the residence of Napoléon in 1794 where he discussed plans with his generals and Palais Hongran de Fiana, a complex of holiday rental apartments beside Ma Nolans Irish pub is where he slept briefly after the building was confiscated in the late 18th century; look for the commemorative plaque on the façade).
6 rue Bonaparte in Nice
The town of Mougins has many famous locations including homes where Christian Dior and Yves St Laurent lived. Edith Piaf stayed at La Gatounière in 1963, and Jean Cocteau, Man Ray and Pablo Picasso drifted in and out of the town. Artist Maurice Gottlob was the communal rural policeman.
Mougins has many famous locations visited by writers, film stars, artists and politicians
Picasso has a lot of history with Mougins; Villa Vaste Horizon (previously Hotel Vaste Horizon) is the town’s cultural centre today, but backin the 1930’s Picasso arrived with his bags. He painted the walls in his room, only to be told to cover over his work with white paint the next day by the hotel owner. He used to dine at Place de Mougins which used to be Le Feu Follet. Most famously, he lived near Chapelle Notre Dame de Vie (1 Rue Eglise) at his estate, L’Antre du Minotaure (the Minotaur’s Lair). The chapel garden has a tomb that was built for the Guinness family.
You don’t need to go far to see the wide influence on the French Riviera credited to the monks from the Lérins Islands. Running a functioning monastery and vineyard (as well as a gift/liqueur shop) on Île St-Honorat today, the Lérins monks are due some credit for the town of Valbonne in its modern incarnation.
Augustin of Grimaldi, Bishop of Grasse and abbot of Lerins decided in the 16th-century to rebuild a town (wiped out from drought, barbaric invasions and the Black Plague) on the land beside the Abbey of Valbonne; the town layout of Valbonne is unique on the French Riviera in that it follows a Roman plan with a central street and perpendicular streets around a central square, now Place des Arcades. There is also a private estate nearby, Domaine de la Sylviane, where this former stone Monastery built by the Lérins monks still produces olive oil under the label ‘Domaine de la Sylviane’.
Domaine de la Sylviane near to Valbonne is a former Monastery built by the Lérins monks
Other locations that exist thanks to the Lérins monks include Hostellerie Jérôme that is a wonderful restaurant in La Turbie set in the old presbytery of the Lérins Abbey, and Domaine de La Royrie, an olive grove in Grasse that was planted by the monks in the 15th-century and offers tours of the estate and tastings of their AOC Nice olive oil.
Swimming spots tourists don’t often visit
The French Riviera has some great beaches ranging from family-friendly options to full-service beach clubs for a day of lounging and soaking up the sun.
However, some of the most beautiful swimming locations are not found at beaches, especially in the height of summer. You don’t have to venture too far from the coast to enjoy some really stunning river, waterfall and lake swimming spots.
Some great places for a refreshing dip in warm months are:
The Gorges du Loup & Rives du Loup: Less than 40 minutes from the coast, Pont-du-Loup is a small hamlet best known for its aqueduct ruins and Confiserie Florian candy factory. However, it’s a great base for escaping from the summer heat; the best pools are 2 kilometres upstream along the D3 road and you can find places to jump from or sunbathe on large rocks. This area is popular for canyoning trips, so choose from a number of professional guiding companies if you fancy climbing and sliding into pools.
Gorges du Loup
The Parc Departmental Rives du Loup has some great river spots that are quite shallow so ideal for small kids. For families, Ludiparc near La Colle sur Loup, has access to the river with a pebble beach as well as tonnes of fun activities and a mini water park.
La Brague: Between Biot and Valbonne, the Brague River has shaded forest trails next to refreshing water where you can dip your toes in on hot days, including this small pool where I snapped this photo of two of my favourite people skipping stones. I find there can be issues with mosquitoes, so take insect repellant! We park at Sophia Antipolis near La Veirière, a few minutes from the Air France headquarters. A map of river walks along the Brague is here: http://www.ville-valbonne.fr/IMG/pdf/BRA_DepliantA4_V10_300dpi-2.pdf
Parc de la Brague has forest paths beside the River Brague
The Siagne River& Lac St Cassien: Head to Chapelle St Cassien de Bois, find a park and walk from there. The Siagne River has lots of current-free sections with some small cascades. Lac St Cassien is excellent for families with lots of watersports equipment for hire such as pedalos, inflatable climbing frames, kayaks. Lots of picnic spots and some good restaurants.
La Clue d’Aiglun, Pont de la Cerise, Riou de Pierrefeu and Clue du Riolan: About 1.5 hours from Nice, the Esteron River is a stunning colour and you can find perfectly tranquil sections of river with jade and turquoise plunge pools amidst white rocks, caves, lush ferns and medieval bridges.
From the village of Sigale, Aiglun is 7 kilometres west. Park in the village, find the canyoning sign, and follow the canyon return path for 1 kilometre down to a series of pools, about 200 metres upstream of the road bridge. You can also access the river directly from a narrow path from the road bridge, 1.5 kilometres beneath the village, and you’ll find there are pools under the bridge, too. Riou de Pierrefeu is great for families and Clue du Riolan is popular with canyoning enthusiasts.
Gorges du Cagnes (Gorges du Riou): Rocks, waterfalls, moss – it’s the French Riviera’s secret swimming hole fantasy near to Vence. Beware: The path is not well marked and there are loads of signs saying ‘rock fall’ and similar so watch for loose rocks, the stairs are not fenced and the pool is not deep enough for diving! Other than that, it is so quiet you’ll probably have the place to yourself.
Riou swimming spot near Vence
Gorges de Pennafort: We discovered this little gem with many swimming holes a few years ago and the bonus is that the journey is just over 1 hour from Antibes. The best part is its proximity to some great wineries and a good restaurant across the road at Hostellerie des Gorges de Pennafort. You can find out more about the area around Gorges de Pennafort here
The Gorges de Pennafort are a great place for a cooling swim on a hot day
The Gorges du Verdon: One of the most beautiful regions in France and only a few hours drive from the French Riviera, there are many zones perfect for kayaking, pedalos and swimming. The most crowded lake is Lac St Croix, but there are other excellent places including Lac de Castillon.
Gorges du Verdon are a must-see in France
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The 70th edition of Cannes Film Festival (Festival de Cannes) will start next week in Cannes and run from 17 to 28 May 2017.
The Cannes Film Festival is one of the French Riviera’s biggest events and a major Festival for both film industry attendance and appearances by the world’s A-listers.
The 70th Cannes Film Festival 2017 will be one of the biggest events on the French Riviera
WHY VISIT THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2017?
The Cannes Film Festival is famous worldwide and sees the most exclusive parties, eclectic people and luxury brands all merge into one frenzy of film-fuelled decadence in one of the Cote d’Azur’s most popular destinations.
For first-timers and casual tourists, it is exceptional for people-watching and you really do see all walks of life during the duration of the Festival.
Global journalists, photographers and television presenters ensure that the fashion, celebrities, charity events and films are filling media columns daily – aside from the glitz and opulence during the Festival, there are also the less glamorous side stories and un-newsworthy tales of cantankerous door staff, road closures, bar and restaurant staff with egos to rival a Palme d’Or and paparazzi crowding the Croisette.
Cannes Film Festival red carpet is highly anticipated for the fashion and celebrities
Cannes is used to luxury lifestyles (enter stage left the superyachts at Vieux Port and high-end boutiques along the Croisette), but Cannes Film Festival throws the definition of ‘luxury’ to the ground and well and truly tramples it. Expect every major luxury brand to fall over themselves for a piece of the action from dressing the beautiful people in the latest red carpet fashion and jewels, to premium supercars, rare Champagnes and every makeup brand Ambassador taking selfies with their ‘favourite’ lipstick for next season.
You’ll see the keenest Festival spectators in their finest suits and gowns outside the Palais des Festivals with signs such as ‘Premiere, s’il vous plait?’ and others perched on seats and ladders in the hope of chancing a celebrity on the famous red carpet; then immediately after a blacked-out vehicle with police escort will zoom past whisking some unknown passenger to a private soirée.
It’s a place where emerging talent sips cocktails beside established industry players, where having a glass of Champagne at 11am in haute couture is perfectly normal and headliners match hangovers.
Crazy, exciting, magic, super-hyped, bold and beautiful – I will be there again. If you get to experience Cannes Film Festival I highly recommend it!
CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2017 GUIDE
I have written this ‘Cannes Film Festival 2017 Guide’ for filmmakers, distributors, producers, film financiers, writers, film school students, international sales agents, press and casual tourists to help you understand the whole event and get value from your time in Cannes. It includes lots of inside tips from living here in the region as well as first-hand knowledge from attending the Festival.
Cannes is a unique opportunity to network with practically every main buyer and seller within film there.
Note: My guide is the only in-depth online guide for Cannes Film Festival that specifically includes information for persons with reduced mobility to enable them to visit Cannes and experience the Festival. I hope you find it a useful resource and kindly share it on social media. If you can’t find an answer within this guide, feel free to contact me here.
Cannes Film Festival Ultimate Guide 2017 by Access Riviera
THE LOW DOWN: HOW TO DO CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2017
First things first, if you’re planning on coming to Cannes Film Festival say goodbye to a good nights sleep. For accredited film industry professionals, media and celebrities, the action starts early – expect breakfast interviews, press junkets from early morning and lunches at the beach restaurants such as Le Plage 45, Z Plage and Carlton Beach.
If you don’t have an invite to the premieres, the same beach restaurants host nightly parties with endless buckets of rosé, Champagne and all kinds of entertainment. They are invitation-only, so unless you’re on the guest list or a plus-one, it’s nigh on impossible to blag your way in.
Getting press accreditation does not mean you’ll be welcomed with open arms because you posted a photo of your favourite A-lister on Instagram; there are around 4,000 global journalists representing 90 countries therefore you’ll be required to submit samples of credited work plus media distribution numbers and your press badge has your photo on it, so sadly it’s not transferable.
A new reception venue, the Terrasse des Journalistes, on the 4th floor of the Palais des Festivals, will be inaugurated on Wednesday 17 May and open to journalists every day from 10 am to 7 pm.
For nightlife, there’s loads of options…..some of the best parties are hosted on superyachts, so keep reading….
Cannes Film Festival 2017 Jury
The aim of the jury is to decide the award winners between the films in competition. The winners will be announced on Sunday 28 May at the closing ceremony, with the presentation of the highly-acclaimed Palme d’Or.
Spanish director, screenwriter and producer Pedro Almodóvar was named Jury President back in January and will be joined by other jurors:
Jessica Chastain (Actress, Producer – United States)
Will Smith (Actor, Producer, Musician – United States
Park Chan-wook (Director, Screenwriter, Producer – South Korea)
Paolo Sorrentino (Director, Screenwriter – Italy)
Gabriel Yared (Composer – France)
The jury of the 70th Cannes Film Festival
Italian actress Monica Bellucci will succeed French actor Laurent Lafitte in her 2017 role as the Mistress of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
Romanian director, screenwriter and producer Cristian Mungiu will preside over the Cinéfondation and Short Film Jury. Mungiu shared last year’s Best Director Award for his film ‘Graduation’ (the award was shared with Olivier Assayas for his film ‘Personal Shopper’). Mungiu also won the Palme d’Or in 2007 with his feature ‘4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days.’ His ‘Beyond the Hill’ went on to win screenplay and actress prizes.
U.S. actress Uma Thurman and French actress Sandrine Kiberlain were previously named as presiding over the festival’s Un Certain Regard and Camera d’Or juries.
Cannes Film Festival 2017 : Full list of films
When does the red carpet action actually happen? For visitors and tourists hoping to see celebrities on the red carpet, the action outside the Palais des Festivals happens twice nightly at 7pm and 10pm when the Jury watch the films in competition and the industry stars show up.
Cannes Film Festival red carpet
The Festival is split into three main events, each with their own schedules – the Festival de Cannes, Directors’ Fortnight (Quinzaine des Réalisateurs; this is a budget-friendly way for the public to see a film) and Critics’ Week (La Semaine de la Critique).
Included in this are screenings for Un Certain Regard, Cinéfondation, and Short Films In Competition. Entr’2 Marches runs alongside the main Festival from 21 to 26 May 2017 and screens short films with the themes of disability.
Cannes Film Festival is well known for its politics – the naming of the jury and awards always comes with debate. This year, the official poster was slammed for photoshopping and Festival organisers have said they’ll ban Netflix from entering the films in competition next year unless an agreement is reached on French theatre release.
Regardless, here is the line-up for 2017:
Official selection
Opening film – out of competition Les Fantômes d’Ismaël (dir: Arnaud Desplechin)
Competition (BPM) Beats Per Minute (dir: Robin Campillo)
The Beguiled (dir: Sofia Coppola)
The Day After (dir: Hong Sang-soo)
A Gentle Creature (dir: Sergei Loznitsa)
Good Time (dirs: Benny & Josh Safdie)
Happy End (dir: Michael Haneke)
In the Fade (dir: Fatih Akin)
Jupiter’s Moon (dir: Kornél Mundruczó)
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (dir: Yorgos Lanthimos)
Redoubtable (dir: Michel Hazanavicius)
Loveless (dir: Andrey Zvyagintsev)
The Meyerowitz Stories (dir: Noah Baumbach)
Okja (dir: Bong Joon-ho)
Radiance (dir: Naomi Kawase)
The Square (dir: Ruben Ostlund)
Wonderstruck (dir: Todd Haynes)
You Were Never Really Here (dir: Lynne Ramsay)
Un Certain Regard Barbara (dir: Mathieu Amalric) – opening film April’s Daughter (dir: Michel Franco)
Beauty and the Dogs (dir: Kaouther Ben Hania)
Before We Vanish (dir: Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
Closeness (dir: Kantemir Balagov)
The Desert Bride (dir: Cecilia Atan and Valeria Pivato)
Directions (dir: Stephan Komandarev)
Dregs (dir: Mohammad Rasoulof)
Jeune Femme (dir: Léonor Serraille)
L’Atelier (dir: Laurent Cantet)
La Cordillera (dir: Santiago Mitre)
Lucky (dir: Sergio Castellitto)
The Nature of Time (dir: Karim Moussaoui)
Out (dir: György Kristóf)
Walking Past the Future (dir: Li Ruijun)
Western (dir: Valeska Grisebach)
Wind River (dir: Taylor Sheridan)
Out of competition Based on a True Story (dir: Roman Polanski)
Blade of the Immortal (dir: Takashi Miike)
How to Talk to Girls at Parties (dir: John Cameron Mitchell)
Visages, Villages (dirs: Agnès Varda & JR)
Midnight screenings A Prayer Before Dawn (dir: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire)
The Merciless (dir: Byun Sung-hyun)
The Villainess (dir: Jung Byung-gil)
Special screenings 12 Jours (dir: Raymond Depardon)
24 Frames (dir: Abbas Kiarostami)
An Inconvenient Sequel (dir: Bonni Cohen & Jon Shenk)
Carré 35 (dir: Eric Caravaca)
Claire’s Camera (dir: Hong Sang-soo)
Demons in Paradise (dir: Jude Ratman)
Le Vénérable W (dir: Barbet Schroeder)
Napalm (dir: Claude Lanzmann)
Promised Land (dir: Eugene Jarecki)
Sea Sorrow (dir: Vanessa Redgrave)
They (dir: Anahita Ghazvinizadeh)
Top of the Lake (TV – dir: Jane Campion)
Twin Peaks (TV – dir: David Lynch)
Top of the Lake (Photo Credit: Parisa Taghizadeh)
Children’s screening
Zombillénium (dir: Arthur de Pins and Alexis Ducord)
Virtual reality Carne y Arena (dir: Alejandro G Iñárritu)
Directors Fortnight
A Ciambra (dir: Jonas Carpignano)
Alive in France (dir: Abel Ferrara)
L’Amant d’un Jour (dir: Philippe Garrel)
Bushwick (dirs: Cary Murnion & Jonathan Milott)
Cuori Puri (dir: Roberto de Paolis)
The Florida Project (dir: Sean Baker)
Frost (dir: Sharunas Bartas)
I Am Not a Witch (dir: Rungano Nyoni)
Jeannette: The Childhood of Joan of Arc (dir: Bruno Dumont)
L’Intrusa (dir: Leonardo Di Costanzo)
La Defensa Del Dragón (dir: Natalia Santa)
Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts (dir: Mouly Surya)
Mobile Homes (dir: Vladimir De Fontenay)
Nothingwood (dir: Sonia Kronlund)
Ôtez-moi d’un Doute (dir: Carine Tardieu)
Patti Cake$ (dir: Geremy Jasper) – closing film
The Rider (dir: Chloé Zhao)
Un Beau Soleil Intérieur (dir: Claire Denis) – opening film
West of the Jordan River (Field Diary Revisited) (dir: Amos Gitai)
Critics’ Week
Competition Ava (dir: Léa Mysius)
La Familia (dir: Gustavo Rondón Córdova)
Gabriel and the Mountain (dir: Fellipe Gamarano Barbosa)
Makala (dir: Emmanuel Gras)
Oh Lucy! (dir: Atsuko Hirayanagi)
Los Perros (dir: Marcela Said)
Tehran Taboo (dir: Ali Soozandeh)
Special Screenings Sicilian Ghost Story (dir: Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza) – opening film Brigsby Bear (dir: Dave McCary) – closing film Bloody Milk (dir: Hubert Charuel)
A Violent Life (dir: Thierry de Perretti)
For a copy of the screenings guide for Cannes Film Festival 2017, you can download it here.
Special mentions
ROBIN WRIGHT: at the opening of Cannes Classics on Thursday 18 May in the Buñuel screening room at 8 PM, the actress, producer and now director will come to present her first short, The Dark of Night, homage to film noir. It will be followed by the screening of the restored copy of Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz, winner of the Palme d’or in Cannes in 1980.
CLINT EASTWOOD, who was President of the Jury in 1994, and will be in Cannes from 19 to 21 May. On Saturday 20th May at 4:45 PM, he will be at the Debussy Theatre to present the restored copy of Unforgiven, which is celebrating its own 25th anniversary at the Festival with Warner. The following day, he will inaugurate the 70th ANNIVERSARYMASTERCLASS with a discussion in the company of American critic Kenneth Turan, in the Buñuel screening room at 4 PM.
KRISTEN STEWART: after starring in the last two years in the films of Woody Allen and Olivier Assayas and winning a Best Supporting Actress Cesar, the young American actress will come to present Come Swim – her first work as a director – on Saturday 20 May at 6:45 PM.
On Monday 22 May, the Debussy Theatre will host a TRIBUTE TO ANDRÉ TÉCHINÉ. The French director, who was a member of the Feature Film Jury in 1999, has presented 11 films in the Official Selection since 1975, including 6 in Competition. His new film, Nos années folles, will be screened to mark the occasion. Those who have accompanied him in his movies throughout the years will be present.
JANE CAMPION, who presided the Feature Film Jury in 2014 and remains to this day the only female director to have garnered a Palme d’or for The Piano in 1993, will present her latest work on Tuesday 23rd May, Top of the Lake: China Girl, which she co-directed with Ariel Kleiman.
Finally, in memory of the immense ABBAS KIAROSTAMI, winner of the 1997 Palme d’or for Taste of Cherry, who died on 4 July 2016, there will be a screening of his posthumous film 24 Frames. The session will take place on Tuesday 23 May in the presence of his friends and his son Ahmad Kiarostami.
ALFONSO CUARÓN, a member of the Feature Film Jury in 2008, director, producer and screenwriter, will also give a Masterclass, in the company of film critic Michel Ciment on Wednesday 24th May at 4:30 PM in the Buñuel screening room, during which they will discuss his career in Hollywood and Mexico.
DAVID LYNCH, 1990 winner of the Palme d’or with Wild at Heart, Best Director in 2001 with Mulholland Drive and President of the Jury in 2002, will return to the Festival to present Season 3 of Twin Peaks on Thursday 25th May at 7:30 PM in the Grand Théâtre Lumière.
Throughout the Festival, ALEJANDRO G. IÑÁRRITU, the visionary director of Birdman and The Revenant, and winner of the Best Director for Babel, will present his 6 minutes 30 seconds film Carne y Arena, an immersive experience within an incredible Virtual Reality installation.
First in, best served
The first weekend at Cannes Film Festival is traditionally the busiest and the first week is most preferred by buyers of film distribution rights at Marché du Film as attendance usually dips in the last few days of the Festival. So, in essence go early to secure the best chance for industry success.
For first timers, there are various accreditation types to gain access to the ‘salles’ (cinemas) screenings, pavilions and events ranging from Festival Accreditation, Market/Marché du Film, Producers Network, Cinéphiles, Press accreditation and pricey Market passes on the day.
The Market / Marché du Film
Marché du Film is the biggest film market in the world with thousands of screenings and over 12,000 attendees buying, selling and financing film.
Registration includes a hefty Marché guide with contact information for around 5,000 registered companies, access to the Official Selection of the Festival and Marché du Film screenings, company listing on Cinando.com and access to reserved areas for industry only.
The Short Film Corner is run by the Marché from 22 to 28 May – it is important to mention that Short Film Corner is not part of the Official Selection of short films.
The Producers Network and Producers Workshop are hosted under the Marché umbrella. Producers Network is reserved for producers who have recently produced feature films and focuses on networking sessions to develop their projects. The Producers Workshop is aimed at producers who want an introduction to the international market and provides practical sessions with tips for pitching, co-production and financing.
NEXT is part of the Marché and a venue for meetings and workshops. It aims to highlight alternative forms of storytelling so it’s no surprise that VR has crept up in the programme with a dedicated mini theatre to watch registered VR projects.
Don’t miss the Mixers – a series of cocktail events for Market badge holders invited in accordance with the theme. Three cocktails target the key players in documentary, genre cinema or festival and sales agents; hosted at Plage des Palmes.
The Palme d’Or
The Palme d’Or is the highest award at the Cannes Film Festival, awarded to the best film in competition from the Official Selection.
Since 1998, the trophy has been crafted annually at the Chopard workshops in Meyrin near Geneva, it takes 7 craftsmen around 40 hours for the process including injecting fair mined certified gold into the mould and mounting it to the rock crystal pedestal.
Cannes Film Festival Dress Code
I’m often asked what the dress code is during Cannes Film Festival. Unless you’re attending industry events, if you’re visiting Cannes in the day, smart casual is fine but in the evenings party attire is more acceptable.
Climate wise, the weather in May can be variable and alternate between hot days to rain so be prepared for all seasons!
For industry, smart casual during the day is fine but the evening is reserved for invitation-only events and gala screenings and you should dress appropriately. For the In Competition screenings, the dress code is black tie/evening wear (and your invitation will usually advise of this). Men, this means a tuxedo and ladies an evening dress. No visible brand labels emblazoned on clothing.
A special mention for the ladies: The Croisette is paved but you should be aware that Cannes has many cobblestoned streets and pavement surfaces such as marble tiles (i.e slippery!) so wear comfortable heels and invest in those genius anti-slip sole grips. You will thank me later.
What To Bring To Cannes Film Festival
Plenty of business cards. Mobile/charger and adaptors. Laptop / Pocket PC if you’re doing press. Sunglasses. Travel umbrella. Info from the main trades so you don’t hassle buyers who aren’t looking for new projects. Mints. Paracetomol and eye drops to ward off tell-tale hangover signs.
Don’t bring pages of screenwriting; people are too busy rushing between workshops, screenings and parties to read anything.
Read the Festival Daily distributed each morning at the Palais entrances and the guides from main trades as they detail key events and screenings.
Cannes Film Festival 2017 Party Guide
Cannes Film Festival throws some epic parties and everybody always wants to know where the hottest parties during Cannes Film Festival 2017 will be!
Cannes Film Festival has a number of high-profile parties at exclusive venues such as the stunning Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc
If your intention is to come to Cannes to gate-crash parties, then be aware that it is not as easy as the gossip magazines lead people to believe. Access is usually very restricted; the expense to host a party during Cannes Film Festival runs from €50,000-upwards for a few hours on the beach so invitations are selective.
Hotels and private events will check your accreditation pass and you will often need your business card and/or I.D. Press may not be guaranteed access; check first with each venue. Due to the security in place, if you book a private driver to/from a Croisette hotel, they may need authorisation from the Mairie (Town Hall) to pick you up and drop you off.
Parties at Cannes Film Festival 2017
One of the most star-studded events to attend every year is the amfAR Cinema Against Aids charity gala night which is hosted at the beautiful Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc on the Cap d’Antibes. This year, the amfAR night will be on Thursday 25 May. Every supermodel, producer, actor and member of high-society attends – here’s a video of last year’s amfAR event:
Here is a round-up of some of the other parties and top places to socialise during Cannes Film Festival 2017:
Wednesday 17 May – On the opening night, from early evening until late at night, Cannes Film Festival offers a welcome party to greet the Festival attendees and the press. The party will take place on the Plage du Majestic (Majestic beach) as well as on the Agora, with live music by the Fantasy Live Experience Orchestra and DJ Daddy Ryton.
Wednesday 17 May – Chopard’s ‘Glittering Prizes Exhibition’ presented by Chopard and Vogue featuring photographs of actresses and models on the Cannes red carpet.
Wednesday 17 May – L’Oréal at CanalPlus beach for open-air cinema
Wednesday 17 May – Swarovski party at Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc hosted by Nadja Swarovski with special guest Naomie Harris.
Naomie Harris
Wednesday 17 May – Nikki Beach, Gotha Club and Baoli Cannes opening nights
Thursday 18 May – Magnum Beach party for Magnum x Moschino with special guest Cara Delevingne and featuring Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott.
Thursday 18 May – Mouton Cadet Wine Bar opening event.
Thursday 18 May – Rihanna Loves Chopard collection.
Thursday 18 May – Salute to Akiro Kurosawa media event and panel discussion at the Majestic.
Thursday 18 May – L’Oréal at CanalPlus beach for open-air cinema with Susan Sarandon’s ‘Thelma & Louise’.
Friday 19 May – Jeffrey Katzenberg Gala night in the Grand Salon of the InterContinental Carlton, a dinner for the film industry professionals present in Cannes. On this occasion, a tribute will be paid to American producer Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Friday 19 May – L’Oréal at CanalPlus beach for open-air cinema with Elle Fanning.
Friday 19 May – Mouton Cadet Wine Bar ‘Global Gift’ evening with Eva Longoria and Maria Bravo.
Friday 19 May – Charles Finch Filmmaker Dinner with Jaeger LeCoultre : Paolo Sorrentino will be feted at this cocktail party followed by dinner event and awards ceremony. Also on view: Series 3 of Finch’s “The Art Of Behind The Scenes” photography exhibition.
Friday 19 May – Chopard’s SPACE party under the big top at Port Pierre Canto with headline act Bruno Mars.
Saturday 20 May – At the Agora, the “Dinner of the Festivals” will reunite 150 directors of the greatest film festivals in the world.
Saturday 20 May – VIP Pool Party at Chateau Savant hosted by SmokexMirrors and Mia Moretti
Saturday 20 May – L’Oréal at CanalPlus beach for open-air cinema with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Sunday 21 May – Villa Golden Gate will host a Jamie Reuben and Michael Kives’ dinner with Arnold Schwarzenegger to celebrate Jean-Michael Cousteau’s Wonders of the Sea 3D, followed by a party hosted by CAA.
Sunday 21 May – Netflix party at Villa St George.
Sunday 21 May – Hollywood Foreign Press Association party at Nikki Beach with special guest Jake Gyllenhaal in aid of the International Rescue Committee.
Sunday 21 May – L’Oréal at CanalPlus beach for open-air cinema with Andie MacDowell’s ‘Sex, Lies and Videotape’.
Sunday 21 May – Private villa luncheon hosted by Three Six Zero and Champagne Armand de Brignac.
Sunday 21 May – Festival de Cannes and Kering Women in Motion Awards Dinner.
Monday 22 May – La Plage Royale luncheon (supported by YouTube) for the world premiere of Elton John: The Cut, followed by a screening and Q&A with the singer.
Monday 22 May – The annual Trophee Chopard event at Hotel Martinez.
Monday 22 May – L’Oréal at CanalPlus beach for open-air cinema with Eva Longoria’s ‘Lowriders’.
Tuesday 23 May – The 70th anniversary dinner at the Grand Théâtre Lumière. Under the presidency of Isabelle Huppert, the stage will feature screenings, edited archives and film extracts, musical interludes and presentations by artists. The traditional anniversary dinner will bring together all the major figures at Cannes that evening, including many artists who have won the Palme d’Or, or have left their mark on the history of the Festival.
Tuesday 23 May – Top of the Lake: China Girl pre-party in partnership with Grey Goose at Versini and special guestsElisabeth Moss, Nicole Kidman and the cast of ‘China Girl’.
Tuesday 23 May – Queer Night Party at the American Pavilion hosted by John Cameron Mitchell.
Tuesday 23 May – Timothy White x Julian Lennon soiree benefiting amfAR with a DJ performance by the Misshapes, Decora and Andrew Mancilla at Chateau Savant.
Tuesday 23 May – de Grisogono Dinner + After Party Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc
Bella Hadid at the de Grisogono party in 2016
Wednesday 24 May – Chopard Gents Night with Annabel’s at Hotel Martinez.
Wednesday 24 May – The Members Club at La Plage Royale is the venue for this charity event, Cinemoi Presents: Cannes Film Festival Fashion Charity Gala, that benefits Children United Nations. Revelers will be treated to a special fashion show straight from the runway of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Tokyo, presented by designers Keiichiro Yuri and Adolfo Sanchez. With performances by Maria Conchita Alonso, Ricky Rebel and American Idol’s Trenyce Cobbins.
Thursday 25 May – In the Grand Salon of the InterContinental Carlton, the Press Dinner will gather 250 international journalists and critics present in Cannes.
Thursday 25 May – The Haas brothers private reception to benefit The Art of Elysium by 1stdibs and Chateau Savant.
MTV
Wild Bunch
Variety
Vanity Fair Dinner
Naomi Campbell Birthday party
Horyou Charity Event
Belvedere Party
Hollywood Reporter
Villa Schweppes will feature performances by Atom, Breakbot & Irfane, Busy P, IAM, Kungs, Laurent Garnier, Para One and more!
Note: Hosting a party during Cannes and want to be included on this list? Contact me to be added.
How to get tickets to Cannes Film Festival parties
Some ways to get tickets to these parties include buying a ticket through registered sales agents such as Experience The French Riviera and Boutique Luxury International, approach the national pavilions at the Festival for an invite to their parties (for example, American, British, Canadian etc), make friends with publicists and PR agencies and try your luck with the door bouncers.
Of course, Cannes sees a flotilla of superyachts cruise into the region for May as many celebrities stay on for Monaco Grand Prix too. If you’re not lucky enough to have booked a yacht charter for Cannes, you can try and grab an invite to some of the most spectacular parties hosted on board including Paul Allen’s incredible themed yacht party and Leonardo DiCaprio’s yacht party.
Port Vauban in the yachting hub of Antibes is now under new management and will host a schedule of events throughout the Festival with a Champagne bar from Perrier-Jouet, exclusive wine tastings from Riviera Wine, a whisky and cigar lounge, vodka and caviar tastings, drive-in cinema with vintage cars and fashion shows on the IYCA. You can see the programme of events here: http://events.vauban21.com/dynamics/EVENTS%20PROGRAM%200205.pdf
Cinéma de la Plage 2017
Each year, Cannes Film Festival shows free films at an open-air cinema on the beach for the public and you can see Cannes Classics and out-of-competition films.
The Cinéma de la Plage is easy to find – it is held at Plage Macé which is the public beach beside the Palais des Festivals and opposite the Majestic Barriere Hotel. You can’t miss the giant screen set up on the beach!
Look for the scaffolding and sound system on the beach, you can’t miss it! (Cinema de la Plage, Cannes)
Various festival ‘how-to’ websites and the Cannes Office du Tourisme will tell you to reserve in advance, but it’s not necessary – entrance is free and you don’t have to show a physical ticket.
Films are listed as starting at 9pm but usually commence from 9.30pm nightly. The deckchairs are limited, so show up early if you want one (many people arrive before 7pm). If you miss out on a deck chair, take a picnic blanket to sit on the sand. There are no food facilities, but you are able to take a picnic; glassware and glass bottles are not permitted so leave the bottle of rouge for another time. Please respect the environment and take all your rubbish away with you.
The front row chairs are often reserved for film industry execs and often the Hollywood stars show up, so keep your eyes open for surprise guests!
It may be warm and sunny during the day, but Plage Macé can get chilly at night especially if there is a mistral blowing. Take warm clothes and rain protection as the entire zone is uncovered.
The nearest public toilets are located on the Croisette just past the children’s play ground, they are usually open late during the Cinéma de la Plage screenings.
Access notes: Persons with reduced mobility can access the beach at the Cinéma de la Plage site via a concrete ramp on the right-hand side at the entrance, there is no specific area set aside for wheelchairs but there is plenty of room for you. Accessible toilets are just past the public toilets by the children’s playground; look for the silver automated cubicle, access is by a 50 centime coin.
The Cinéma de la Plage schedule for 2017 is:
Thurs 18 May: All About My Mother by Pedro Almodóvar
Fri 19 May: Bugsy Malone by Alan Parker
Sat 20 May: Saturday Night Fever by John Badham
Sun 21 May: No movie just a free concert from -M- Matthieu Chedid
Mon 22 May: Bad Boys by Michael Bay
Tues 23 May: Missing by Costa-Gavras
Wed 24 May: Chariots of Fire by Hugh Hudson
Thurs 25 May: Film & concert DJAM by Tony Gatlif
Fri 26 May: Weekend at Dunkirk by Henri Verneuil
Sat 27 May: Un 32 août sur terre by Denis Villeneuve
Information points with directions and information about the Festival and Marché are located at various spots in the Palais and at the entrances to Riviera and Pantiero; look for the info points signalled by a yellow ‘I’.
A luggage cloakroom is located at the Barrière Bistingo (near the Casino Croisette) and open most days until at least 5pm.
Lost property is at the Gare Maritime (the port building next to the Palais) and open until 6pm.
Download the free bilingual (English and French) mobile application ‘Festival de Cannes’ available for iPhone, iPad and Android to stay updated with hour-by-hour coverage, film trailers, videos from the red carpet and more.
Radio Festival will be broadcast on the official Festival de Cannes website and mobile app and will also be available on Deezer. And you can catch up with previous broadcasts on podcast platforms (iTunes, SoundCloud). The radio studio will be located within the Festival enclosure and accessible to passing visitors.
On Twitter, you can follow @Festival_Cannes with hashtag #Cannes2017. You’ll also find official Festival updates on Facebook, Instagram and Festival TV.
TRANSPORT TO/FROM CANNES FILM FESTIVAL
The most popular option to arrive in Cannes is via train or bus. Central Cannes and the zones around the Palais and Croisette are flat and paved, and the distance from the train station or main bus station to the Croisette is only a few minutes walk.
If you’re driving, be aware that the large carparks nearby and under the Palais des Festivals are extremely busy. There are road closures frequently during Cannes Film Festival (particularly on the Croisette) and police will block roads for major stars entry and exits from hotels and restaurants.
Public transport schedules at night are limited and taxis are expensive; I highly recommend you to pre-book a transfer before you decide to stay out late. If you miss the last train/bus, don’t fret – you will not be the only Festival attendee doing the ‘walk of shame’ in the wee small hours of the morning.
Specialised transfers to/from Cannes
Helicopter transfers are by far the quickest way to get to Cannes from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, book via Azur Helicoptere. For bilingual English and French private chauffeured transfers, book via registered driver Djamel Bouzidi.
By train to Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes train station (Gare de Cannes SNCF) has ticket counters with attendants, but it is very easy and much quicker to buy your train tickets from the self-service ticket machines.
The self-service machines have English language as an option so you don’t need to be fluent in French to use them. Use coins for the self-issuing machines as they can be temperamental and often they can’t read non-French issued credit and debit cards.
If you are in Cannes for the Festival, rather than buying single fares get a ‘ZOU ! Hebdo’ pass. This is a train ticket valid for 7 consecutive days and gives you up to 75% fare discounts, they are available to tourists or residents. You must specify your origin and destination point – for example, Antibes to Cannes. TER SNCF, the regional train provider have a ton of fares including discounts if you’re under 26 years of age.
ALL tickets must be validated before boarding your train, look for the yellow validating machine (compostage de billets) at the entrance to the platforms.
Cannes train station has caféterias, a newsagent selling newspapers, phone credit, cigarettes as well as vending machines with snacks. There are also high tables with connections for tablets and smartphones.
Well-maintained and clean public toilets are located just outside the station, 50 metres along from the station entrance. These toilets are open Monday-Sunday 8am-9pm (excluding bank holidays), these toilets cost 50 centimes and you insert your coin into the automated turnstile and it opens the gate. There are 2 ladies toilets, 2 men’s toilets and an accessible parent’s room with baby changing facilities. There is a change machine there to swap notes for coins but it is often out of order so don’t rely on it or there being an attendant available.
Access notes: Persons with reduced mobility can contact ONET Accueil in the main hall of Cannes train station (service available Monday through to Sunday 7.30am-7.30pm) where they can assist passengers with luggage and access on and off trains. All interior facilities of the main train station including the public toilets are on flat ground and accessible.
Buses to and from Cannes Film Festival
From Nice Côte d’Azur Airport to Cannes you can take the following bus routes:
Express bus 210 line (between Nice Côte d’Azur Airport and Cannes via the highway)
Bus 200 (between Nice and Cannes)
Noctambus 200 (the night bus for weekends and bank holidays)
Bus 210 is the fastest bus from the airport, the journey from Terminal 1 to Hôtel de Ville close to the Palais takes just under one hour.
Bus 200 is a local bus and is particularly busy during peak hours with limited luggage storage on board. The journey takes around 1.5 hours for the full oneway journey from Nice to Cannes, but it is by far the cheapest option at €1.50 oneway.
The Cannes bus stops are the Gare Routiere (near Hôtel de Ville, the port and close to the Palais), and outside the train station (the 200 stop is opposite Hotel Ligure).
If you are staying in Le Cannet, Palm Beach and Mandelieu-La Napoule, local company Palm Bus will run night buses during the Festival. Their main website is in English, French and Italian with maps and timetables. For the timetables for the night buses during Cannes Film Festival, download them here NightbusesPalmBus
Access notes: Buses have kneeling ramp entrances and designated wheelchair areas midway on the bus. On bus number 200 there is lighted signage and sound calls advising of the next bus stop to assist hearing and sight-impaired travellers as well on board visual route maps. Wheelchair bound travellers also have an on demand service for regional buses called Access06 whereby you can pre-book a designated minibus ; more information is here (in French only) https://www.departement06.fr/accessibilite-des-transports/service-access06-4020.html
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
If you’re not invited to a party with free food and booze, don’t be put off from a few sundowners or a meal out in Cannes for fear of going home bankrupt. Here are Access Riviera’s recommendations for places to go for decently-priced food and drinks, good atmosphere or a true Cannois experience:
L’Epicurieux, 6 rue des Frères Casanova
A wine bar with excellent antipasti platters as well as pasta, salads and steak. The café gourmand is great and they regularly have live music.
rue Hoche
Rue Hoche is full of caféterias and restaurants so take your pick for somewhere to grab a coffee, drink or meal. I highly recommend Da Laura on the corner of rue Hoche and rue du 24 août.
The Palace Hotels
All of the bars at the Palace hotels on the Croisette are very good. My favourite is the terrace bar at the InterContinental Carlton, and Bar L’Amiral at Hôtel Martinez is also excellent with award-winning barmen.
Bar L’Amiral at Hôtel Martinez is one of Cannes best bars
Marché Forville
I can’t mention food in Cannes without telling people to go to Marché Forville. Fruit, vegetables, cured meat, seafood – this market has it all which is great for grabbing supplies for snacks or DIY dinners.
If you’re staying in a self- catering apartment, Marché Forville is surrounded by a couple of supermarkets, a boulangerie (bakery) and a few fancy shops selling caviar, salmon and foie gras. Try the socca or sit for a drink at one of the many bars and restaurants.
The market is open every day from 7am-1pm, except on Monday when it is a bric-a-brac flea market.
Access notes: The entire market is accessible and on flat paved ground. There is an accessible ground-floor toilet at Café de l’Horloge next to the market.
Croisette 72 a.k.a The Gutter Bar
Most popular during Cannes Lions, Croisette 72 is the proper name of the infamous Gutter Bar just across the road from the glitzy Hotel Martinez. This is one of the places to go at the end of the night during Cannes Film Festival where late night shenanigans morph into early morning shenanigans. Drink, network, be merry, repeat.
Le Tikawa, Allées de la Liberté
Just a few minutes from the Palais opposite the port, Le Tikawa is a snack kiosk selling tasty decent-sized salads, paninis and cold beers.
It’s by no means plush, just merely a few tables and chairs beside the pétanque pitch, but it is one of the best places in Cannes to have a quick bite to eat – all for a snippet of the price at neighbouring restaurants.
Access notes: Fully accessible on flat ground. Nearest accessible toilet facilities are automated pay toilets in the square.
Le Petit Majestic, corner of rue Tony Allard and rue Victor Cousin
Le Petit Majestic has fame as being one of the Festival’s swarming watering holes to drop by late at night. The owner has traditionally kept it open around the clock, closing for just one hour daily during Festival to allow for cleaning but this year he has a restriction and must close by 12.30am. It’s fairly certain this won’t deter Festival attendees.
Le Petit Majestic – a Festival favourite for pre and post-event drinks
Ma Nolan’s Pub, 6 rue Buttura
Irish pub Ma Nolan’s gets a lot of Festival foot traffic due to it’s location close to the Palais. They’ve had a bit of an issue with slowness of orders if you sit outside due to lack of staff, but the atmosphere is pretty good and if you’re not in a major hurry it remains one of Cannes best pubs. Head along for tap beers, pub food, live music, and screening of football on TV. www.manolans.com
Access notes: Ma’s is fully accessible outside with tables on flat ground, however there are stairs up to interior of the bar and toilet facilities.
Ma Nolans – one of Cannes best pubs
WiFi
I get quite a bit of feedback that the WiFi in and around Cannes venues is dubious and erratic, it’s a real shame because the city is competing with other global destinations for festivals and events. I have heard various explanations about network overloading due to attendee numbers, but for a major event it’s inexcusable in my opinion to have third-rate connection problems. The Palais and pavilions have WiFi zones but elsewhere in Cannes here are some places to find WiFi. If you go to any of these places to use their signal, please be courteous and buy a coffee/drink/meal:
Cristal Café on rue Felix Faure
Factory Café at the Gray d’Albion shopping arcade
La Potinière du Palais on square Merimee
Le Melting Pot at rue de la Rampe; the opposite side of the port from the Palais des Festivals
Mocca which is directly opposite the Palais des Festivals
New York New York on Allée de la Liberté Charles de Gaulle
Wifi in Cannes
WHERE TO STAY DURING CANNES FILM FESTIVAL 2017
During Cannes Film Festival, accommodation prices increase dramatically with the most expensive accommodation lining the Croisette. If you want to book anything centrally located in Cannes you need to be prepared to pay top dollar.
The benefit of accommodation closer to the Festival is you have the option to return to your room/villa/apartment and save time when getting ready for other events. Staying further away you’ll have to commute, but you will save money for accommodation. Bear in mind, that over 60,000 people descend on Cannes so if you’re planning to get taxis to and from your accommodation you need to book in advance.
Staying in satellite suburbs and other nearby towns and commuting can be a more financially feasible option for many Festival attendees. Possibilities include Mandelieu la Napoule, Cannes La Bocca, Le Cannet, Golfe Juan, Juan les Pins or Antibes.
Accommodation during Cannes Film Festival 2017
I highly recommend Festival attendees to book through reputable sources or if you use third-party sites always verify their booking process and read some reviews.
Unfortunately, the Festival brings fraudulent companies to the scene who contact prospects with bogus offers using the logos of the Festival, Marché du Film and Palme d’Or so as to seem authentic accommodation providers. The fraud is often not discovered until the time of check-in when the reservation, company and payment are no longer to be found. Result = no refund and no reservation.
Check, check and triple check the authenticity of your accommodation source. French-registered rental businesses should have a physical address, contact details and a SIRET or SIREN number (business registration).
Overseas accommodation representatives should email you full booking details including local contact numbers, so take the time to check everything before transferring deposits or full payments.
Some fraudulent company names to avoid that have duped Festival goers in previous years include:
Business Travel International
Cannes Events
Euro-Events
Expos-International
Expo Travel Group
Global Living Group
Premier Destinations
Riviera Network
Splendor
Star Eventz
The Ultimate Living Group
Universal Events Solutions Limited
Universal Shows
If you’ve left your Cannes accommodation until the last minute, check with the Office du Tourisme at the Palais des Festivals as they often have updated information on hotel availability and partner hotels give them last minute rates to fill rooms.
THINGS TO SEE & DO IN CANNES
If you are not an accredited Festival badge holder, you can still visit Cannes and enjoy the atmosphere. Here are a few local tips of things to see and do during Cannes Film Festival 2017:
Film-related sightseeing
Cannes connection with film goes beyond the 12 days that the Festival will be hosted; there are a number of film-related sites to visit around town.
At the base of the Palais des Festivals, you can see the ‘Allées des Étoile’s du Cinema’ which is a trail of handprints from film stars. Unfortunately, there are no plaques with information to match the handprints but you can grab a few photos of Angelina Jolie, Sylvester Stallone, Jodie Foster or Sophia Loren’s hands.
Access notes: Fully accessible on paved flat surface.
Allées des Étoiles, Cannes
As well as the handprints, Cannes has a series of film-themed murals scattered around the city on walls of buildings. The most prominent one is right near the port at the Gare Routiere bus station. The murals include Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin and cars from films.
For directions to find each mural and descriptions, download this map : Murs peints de Cannes
Access notes: Fully accessible on flat paved surfaces.
Two new murals were added recently at Pont Alexandre III of Pulp Fiction and the Piano.
The Croisette
Outside of Festival time, it is one of the best seafront promenades on the Côte d’Azur but ‘La Croisette’ is undeniably the hub of all the action during Film Festival.
It is a supremely entertaining strip of road to visit with an eclectic variety of people found there during Film Festival – hardy tourists, wannabe stars with their own ‘rent-a-photographer’ escorting them, men in tuxedos at 9 a.m, champagne swiggers at beach clubs, and every dressed-up fashionista in town strutting along with the chance to be snapped by any one of the many photographers.
Stroll along the Croisette and you will see all of the promotional billboards at the entrances and on the façades of the hotels. Security is tight for all the hotels, but you can join the spectators and paparazzi crowding the road frontages for free. The top hotels for star spotting are the Hotel Martinez, InterContinental Carlton and the Majestic Barrière.
For families who are visiting, there is a small public playground with fairground area and carousel (fee applies) near to the Palais, and another small public playground at the other end of the Croisette before Port Pierre Canto. All of the kiosks along the Croisette sell ice-cream, snacks and drinks.
Access notes: The Croisette is paved and flat all the way from the Palais des Festivals to Port Pierre Canto, and there are accessible public toilets along the Croisette.
‘Games, Chance & Cinema’ at Palm Beach Casino
Situated at the far end of the Croisette, the legendary Palm Beach Casino was built in 1929 and welcomed all the jet set personalities including stars from the world of cinema.
It will be closing soon to move to Hotel-Casino 3.14 in Cannes and therefore to honour its legacy there will be an exhibition from 150 painters, sculptors, visual artists and photographers on the theme “Games, Chance and Cinema”. The includes works from fine art photographer Justin Gage, Italian painter Giacomo de Pass and French artist Patrick Moya. The 10 Colossi statues have been customised by artists and will be sold at the end of the exhibition.
The exhibition has started already and will run until Sunday 4 June 2017. At the closing of the exhibition, over 400 historic items will be auctioned off at 10am including the roulette tables, chandeliers, a bronze Sphinx statue from the Carlton, photographic portraits of film stars, light fittings, plush armchairs (for just €50!) and a very special Steinway & Sons piano (Lot 166) which has accompanied concerts by Charles Aznavour (a frequent performer at the Moulin Rouge), Louis Armstrong and Django Reinhardt. For the auction lots, see here PalmBeachCasinoAuctionLots
Le Suquet
Charming Le Suquet is the Old Town quarter of Cannes, interspersed with terraced stone houses with flower boxes, small alleyways and many restaurants.
To get to the top of the hill where the church is (fee applies to enter the museum Musée de la Castre , excluding the 1st Sunday of the month when entry is free), walk up rue Saint-Antoine, rue du Suquet, and then Traverse de la Tour. The views from the top are excellent and reach across Cannes, the Lérins Islands and the Ésterels.
Access notes: Wheelchair bound or tourists with reduced mobility can still visit the top to enjoy the views, though the streets are steep! Follow rue Saint-Antoine, rue du Suquet, rue du Pré then rue Louis Perrisol. This route follows paved flat roads and avoid the many stairways in Le Suquet. Or jump onboard the Petit Train tourist train that departs from near the Palais des Festivals as it chugs it way up there too.
Thank you for reading Access Riviera’s ‘Ultimate Guide to the Cannes Film Festival 2017! This guide has taken me a lot of research hours and checking of content soif you’ve found this resource informative or you are featured in this guide, please leave a comment and/or kindly share it on social media crediting Access Riviera (Facebook or Twitter). Thank you!
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