Because You Cannes-Cannes-Cannes :: The Fabulous French Riviera
Recently, Travel Editor Jason Salzenstein headed to Cannes, on the French Riviera, in the south of France, for a bit of R&R. More importantly, he went to scope-out the best hotels, restaurants, beaches, and good times for EDGE readers. What he discovered was that while the classic glamour of the city is still in full swing, Cannes has also been "growing up," with more options for every vacationer. He also discovered that just outside the city lay some brilliant and beautiful towns full of a life of their own.
It seems that Cannes is not only the perfect beach town, but also a great base-camp for some diverse day trips.
Check out his report on Cannes, and make sure to check back in coming weeks for the scoop on the surrounding towns of Antibes, Juan Les Pins, Grasse, and Mougins...
Yes, you Cannes
Cannes is known first and foremost for hosting the world famous Festival du Cannes once a year, which brings major stars from around the world to this beautiful town to have their pictures taken, walk the red carpet, and look fabulous. With a long history as the preferred getaway spot for European royalty, wealthy tycoons, and the glamorous party crowd, for the past ten years Cannes has been evolving, and now offers an incredibly diverse mix of vacation activities and opportunities that rival any major city- while still managing to hang on to the excitement, sensuality and buzz that the town is known for.
Whether you want to sail a boat around the harbor, hike nearby mountains, check out local history, art, and cultural offerings, take in the official activities of the town (i.e. wear next to nothing, shop all day, drink Champagne and simply look fabulous), or just lie on the beach and get a tan, you’ll be happy here. Just outside of Cannes lie some incredibly diverse towns that are easy to get to, fun to explore, and make for incredible day- or weekend- trips (check back next week for three recommended excursions).
Cannes is much less expensive than Paris, and off-season (Nov-Feb) it’s even more reasonable. If you do your research and book ahead- no matter the season- you can always save some dough on hotels and airfare; Air France (the only way to get there, if you ask me) is always offering special deals- just sign up for their eNewsletters to get the inside scoop.
60 years of film
Cannes is most famous for their annual film festival, which draws celebrities and media from around the world. Last year marked the 60th anniversary of the festival, which was celebrated throughout the year with screenings, special events, and more.
If you’ve never been to Cannes- or if it’s been a few years- you should know that some fabulous transformations have taken place, and that the city keeps getting better and better. To be sure, the glitz and glamour is still there, but there’s also a new, younger, sexier style that’s recently been turning Cannes into the new hot spot on the Riviera. With this new "fabulosity," Cannes has been described as the French South Beach. Comparing Cannes to Miami’s hottest neighborhood, however, doesn’t do it justice; Cannes is much more exciting.
Being the French Riviera, Cannes will always be glamorous. And while the classic 4- and 4-star Luxe hotels (France’s hotel rating system doesn’t have 5-star) still reign supreme when it comes to service, style, and luxury, the younger, trendier crowd that’s now making Cannes the new hot-spot is demanding more contemporary, modern boutique hotels and services, and the industry is responding in a big way.
Next :: Where to sleep
