This French Riviera Town Isn’t Just for Movie Stars—It Has Powdery White Sand Beaches and a Historic Old Town

It’s easy to look at Cannes as a playground for the wealthy and famous. Every May, the Film Festival greets an army of movie stars and jet setters who relax at sophisticated hotels and fancy beach clubs. But Cannes is also the French Riviera at its finest—think romantic Provençal streets in the Old Town, excellent sandy beaches, great street food, and lively city markets. If you feel like escaping it all, the gorgeous Lerins Islands are just a short ferry ride away.

As a teenager, I loved every second vacationing in Cannes with my family, and I still find this city irresistible. It’s my favorite Riviera base when Menton feels too provincial and Nice too hectic. There’s much more to Cannes than designer boutiques and red-carpet glamour—here’s the insider guide to this fantastic French Riviera destination. 

Every season looks beautiful in Cannes. September would be the best month to visit overall, offering excellent weather, warm sea, and vibrant city life. May is another perfect time to come, albeit with a caveat. Check out the Cannes Film Festival dates (usually mid-May) and try to plan to visit outside of the event’s week. It’s the year’s busiest and most expensive time to visit the city, so book hotels and experiences beforehand. October and November see the most rainfall. 

The sea is warmest during the summer months. Beaches along the Croisette Boulevard get crowded fast, but there’s always sprawling Plage du Midi and Plage de la Bocca to check out for more space. Winter is when everything goes into hibernation, and the vibe gets more pensive. December to February are the best times to visit budget-wise, except for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, when Cannes sports the Paris-reminiscent holiday elegance. 

Cannes is the ultimate beach destination along the Riviera. Unlike Nice, with its pebbly stretches, most local beaches are sandy (a result of a multimillion-dollar artificial replenishment program run by the city). The soft surface feels much gentler on your feet. As the host of the celebrity-filled film festival, Cannes is also notorious for a great collection of high-end beach bars. Here are the best beaches in town. 

Best for sunbathing and quick dips

The beach runs along the iconic, palm-dotted boulevard of the same name. It starts next to the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès (the Film Festival venue) and stretches all the way to Roseraie Park. Free sections are at Zamenhof and Brigitte Bardot. Everything else is divided between beach bars, seaside restaurants, and private hotel beaches. Croisette is fantastic for taking a plunge in the blue Mediterranean waters after sightseeing or shopping. 

Best for a more local experience and accessibility

Located at the far end of Roseraie Park, Bijou is a tiny sandy stretch favored by Cannes residents. There’s also a Handiplage, a special accessible area for people with disabilities. The beach is home to Bijou Plage Experimental, a relaxed bar serving drinks and seafood. 

Best for chic beach going

Miramar is the epitome of the Cannes glitzy beach club scene. The soft golden sand, white umbrellas, and the best of Mediterranean cuisine are on offer here. The establishment doubles as a private beach for Hôtel Martinez, an exclusive five-star hotel, where celebrities stay during the film festival. 

Best for soft white sand

Stretching for almost a mile, north of Cannes’ Old Town, Plage du Midi is a delightful place to relax. The trademark here is the powdery white sand that meets the azure sea. It’s more laid-back than Croisette and slightly outside the urban bustle. Midi is famous for its Kiosques, the beachside snack bars that serve Provençal food classics, such as pan bagnat (a sandwich stuffed with niçoise salad) and crepes. 

Best for escaping the crowds

Set way outside the city center, at the border with Mandelieu-La Napoule, Plage de la Bocca is a narrow golden-sand strip where locals go. Recently, the city unveiled a transformed panoramic pier, Jetée Guillaume Apollinaire, for enjoying the views of  Cannes and the Esterel Massif. 

Best for pristine Mediterranean nature and snorkeling

Hop on a ferry from the Vieux-Port to reach the Lérins Islands, a magnificent piece of the wild Mediterranean in the Bay of Cannes. The largest of the two, Île Sainte-Marguerite, offers several excellent coves for snorkeling. Hike to the rocky Plage de Cannes and Plage des Pierres Hautes for crystal-clear waters. For something exceptional, book a diving experience to see the surreal Jason deCaires Taylor Underwater Museum. 

“When the Croisette, dressed in all its finery, will make its will-o’-the-wisps shine before us,” wrote French poet Boris Vian in his “À Cannes cet été” (“In Cannes this summer”), famously interpreted by Quincy Jones. This boulevard is the heart of Cannes, where the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, five-star hotels, top beach bars, and numerous luxurious boutiques are located. The must-visit for film buffs is the Chemin des Étoiles (or Path of the Stars), aka Cannes’ answer to Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, featuring over 150 celebrity handprints. 

Beyond red carpets and beach bar glitz, Cannes is also a traditional port town. The historic quarter, Le Suquet, is scenically perched on a hill, with the Gothic Église Notre-Dame d’Espérance overlooking the city. The plan here is simple: get lost among the windy streets and staircases of the Old Town, hunting for the most photogenic spots. Rue Meynadier is my favorite street in the city, with its collection of creperies, bistros, and small artisan shops. 

Come for the contemporary art, but stay for the elegant Belle Époque architecture. Set in a former turn-of-the-century hotel, La Malmaison is a newly unveiled modern art museum that frequently exhibits works by Renoir, Monet, Cézanne, and Picasso. Check out the exceptional rooftop terrace, overlooking the Croisette Boulevard and the sea.

If you have more time in Cannes, take a ferry to Sainte-Marguerite, one of the five islands of the Lerins group opposite the city. The most famous attraction there is Fort Royal de l’Île Sainte-Marguerite, which served as one of the prisons for The Man In The Iron Mask, a mysterious state prisoner from the reign of Louis XIV, fictionalized by Alexandre Dumas in his Three Musketeers saga. The island is also the ultimate coastal walking area.

A five-minute train ride will take you to Mandelieu-La Napoule, known as France’s mimosa capital. Its centerpiece is the magnificent beachside Château, a former medieval castle that was transformed into a mansion with manicured gardens in the 20th century. Right beside the castle walls is a scenic Plage de la Raguette, a sandy strip overlooking the Esterel Coast. 

Cannes has the soul of a fishing town, and seafood is the first thing you should have at the many local restaurants. The Old Port area is where it all began. Today, it’s filled with bistros with terraces overlooking the boats and the sea. L’Assiette Provençale is a fantastic choice for Côte d’Azur recipes, including roasted sea bream, octopus fricassee, and fried squid.

Steps from the Vieux-Port is the Marché Forville, the vibrant covered market built in 1929. That’s a must-visit for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in Provençal gastronomy. At the market, taste socca, the iconic flatbread made from chickpea flour and sprinkled with olive oil. It’s cooked on the spot. Another food highlight is pan bagnat, a whole-wheat bread sandwich with Niçoise salad inside. Apart from Forville, you’ll get it at the beach food kiosks. As in Nice, Cannes loves its pissaladières (a focaccia-like snack with caramelized onion topping and anchovies).

If you’re looking for movie star treatment, Restaurant La Palme d’Or (1 Michelin star) at Hotel Martinez on Croisette Boulevard is a top choice for contemporary Mediterranean cuisine. Rue Hoche, between the boardwalk and the railway station, is a pedestrianized restaurant area that locals love. Le Roof is an elegant rooftop bar for dining and drinking with a view. New-York New-York, La Californie, and La Biererie, a stone’s throw from the Palais des Festivals, are beloved venues for the festival crowd.

There’s a paradox in Cannes. On the one hand, it’s one of the French Riviera’s top destinations for five-star hotels. Grandiose resorts along La Croisette confirm the town’s status as Europe’s glamour capital. But then, look beyond the fabled boardwalk, and you will find many moderately priced two- and three-star family hotels and plenty of affordable rental properties. That’s true if you’re visiting outside the festival week. 

You’ve officially made it if you’re staying at Hotel Barrière Le Majestic. Set in a splendid 1926-built Art Deco building, just opposite the Palais des Festivals, this five-star puts you in the center of La Croisette action. No wonder Le Majestic is a first choice for celebrities during the festival, who are lured by the hotel’s private beach, heated outdoor pool, and holistic treatments at the spa center.  

The Belle Époque Carlton is a star attraction of the Croisette Boulevard, drawing looks for its pastel-colored, palatial exterior. Everything about it oozes refined grandeur. Its infinity pool is the largest in Cannes. The private beach club is among the most glamorous in the city. Cinema connoisseurs will recognize Carlton as the main filming location for Alfred Hitchcock’s “To Catch a Thief.” 

Feel the unhurried vibe of the historic Le Suquet neighborhood by staying at Hôtel Traverse Des Artistes. A lovely boutique hotel, it offers comfy rooms at wallet-friendly prices, away from the bustle and hustle of Le Croisette. For the best views, book the penthouse suite to enjoy the beauty of Cannes from the comfort of your private terrace. 

Offering a great balance between luxury living and tranquility, Hôtel La Villa Cannes is a family-run four-star hotel near Roseraie Park, at the tip of La Croisette. Its gorgeous interior garden and outdoor pool wouldn’t look out of place in Beverly Hills. The hotel features bright, boho-elegant rooms, including one with a private terrace.