The Croisette and the Majestic below the villas of the Californie hills, Cannes
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Luxury in France

Cannes

The Croisette and its palace hotels, the Film Festival every May, the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc on its cape, the old town of Antibes and the yacht shows of September.

The Croisette, CannesPhotograph: Gaetan Thurin

Bienvenue

From winter resort to the festival

Cannes was a fishing village until 1834, when the Scottish-born Lord Brougham, stopped by a cholera quarantine on his way to Italy, built a villa here instead. The English aristocracy followed for the mild winters, and the grand hotels rose along La Croisette.

The Film Festival, first held in 1946, made the town the meeting place of cinema, and every May the red carpet is laid on the steps of the Palais. Off the shore, the Lérins Islands keep a monastery whose monks still make wine, and the fort where the Man in the Iron Mask was held.

To the east lies the Cap d’Antibes, with the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc among its pines, and the ramparts of old Antibes, where Picasso painted in the Château Grimaldi in 1946 and the museum now bears his name. The great yachts gather in September for the Cannes Yachting Festival.

A few words of French
EnglishFrenchSay it
HelloBonjourbohn-ZHOOR
PleaseS'il vous plaîtseel voo PLAY
Thank youMercimair-SEE
Good eveningBonsoirbohn-SWAHR
The bill, pleaseL'addition, s'il vous plaîtlah-dee-SYOHN, seel voo PLAY

Where to go

Cannes at a glance

When to go, the one best hotel, table and beach club, and how to arrive privately.

Cannes and Antibes

Best time to visitJune and September are ideal: warm sea, open beach clubs and the big yacht shows of September, without the peak of July and August. May is glamorous but book far ahead: the Film Festival fills every suite on the coast.

  • Stay
    Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Rocone of the 25 Finest Resorts

    The grande dame of the Riviera, on Cap d'Antibes since 1870, with its seawater pool cut into the rocks; it fills with film stars during the Cannes Film Festival.

  • Dine
    La Villa Archange

    Bruno Oger's restaurant in an 18th-century Provençal house in Le Cannet, ten minutes above the Croisette, holds two MICHELIN stars, the only two-star serving Cannes and Antibes.

  • Beach
    La Guérite

    A private beach and restaurant on Île Sainte-Marguerite off Cannes, reached only by boat and a regular lunch stop for superyachts.

Arrive privately
By private jet
Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE / LFMN), about 25 minutes by car to Antibes and about 35 to 45 minutes to Cannes. Cannes-Mandelieu (CEQ / LFMD), 5 km from Cannes and about 15 minutes by car, is devoted to business aviation and suits light and mid-size jets. Sky Valet runs the private terminal at Cannes-Mandelieu.
By helicopter
A regular option from Nice to Cannes, about 10 minutes, operated by Héli Sécurité and Monacair and booked through BLADE.
By sea
Port Vauban, Antibes, where the International Yacht Club d'Antibes (IYCA) has 19 berths for yachts of 50 to 165 metres; in the old town of Antibes, about 25 minutes by car to Cannes.

Stay

Luxury hotels in Cannes

The finest hotels in and around Cannes: each rated Forbes Five-Star, holding two or three MICHELIN Keys, or among the 25 Finest Resorts of the Mediterranean.

The finest hotels

Each rated Forbes Five-Star or holding two or three MICHELIN Keys.

  • Carlton Cannesa Regent Hotel, Cannes

    The Belle Époque landmark of the Croisette, rated Forbes Five-Star. Visit website ↗

  • Hôtel MartinezCannes

    The Art Deco hotel on the Croisette, named one of France's Palaces in 2026.

Private villas and estates

  • John TaylorCannes

    Founded in Cannes in 1864 by a young British gardener who had settled on the Riviera, the house rents luxury seasonal villas from its own Riviera offices, among them Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Nice and Monaco. Visit website ↗

Dine

The best restaurants in Cannes

The finest tables of Cannes and around, and the beach clubs.

Two MICHELIN stars

  • La Villa Archange✦✦Le Cannet (Cannes)

    Bruno Oger's restaurant in an 18th-century Provençal house in Le Cannet, ten minutes above the Croisette, and the only two-star serving Cannes and Antibes.

Beach clubs

  • La GuériteÎle Sainte-Marguerite (Cannes)

    A Mediterranean restaurant and private beach on an island off Cannes, reached only by boat and a regular lunch stop for superyachts. Visit website ↗

Sail

Yacht charter in Cannes

Yachting at our standard in and around Cannes.

Superyacht marinas

  • Port VaubanAntibes

    Europe's largest marina by water area, taking yachts up to 165 metres; its International Yacht Club d'Antibes (IYCA), known as the billionaires' quay, takes superyachts of 50 to 165 metres. Visit website ↗

  • IGY Vieux-Port de CannesCannes

    About 640 berths, some 55 of them for superyachts and the largest for yachts up to 140 metres, beside the Palais des Festivals; home of the Cannes Yachting Festival each September and a berth for yachts during the Film Festival. Visit website ↗

  • Port Pierre CantoCannes

    553 berths for yachts up to 90 metres at the eastern end of La Croisette, and the second site of the Cannes Yachting Festival. Visit website ↗

Superyacht charter brokers with an office here

Yacht services

  • Hill RobinsonAntibes

    Founded in Antibes in 2001 by Nick Hill and Niall Robinson and an early specialist in superyacht management; it covers new-build and refit project management, yacht management, crew services and owners' wider estates. Visit website ↗

  • YPI CrewAntibes

    A crew recruitment agency founded in Antibes in 2002, placing deck, engineering, interior and senior officers on private and charter superyachts; MLC 2006 compliant and majority-owned by the Schulte Group. Visit website ↗

  • The Crew NetworkAntibes, Palma and Viareggio

    The crew recruitment agency of the Fraser group, interviewing and placing vetted crew for luxury yachts from offices in Antibes, Palma, Viareggio and Fort Lauderdale. Visit website ↗

  • BluewaterAntibes and Palma

    A yachting firm with offices in Antibes, Palma and Fort Lauderdale offering yacht management, new-build consultancy, crew placement and crew training alongside charter and sales. Visit website ↗

Refit and maintenance

  • Monaco MarineFrench Riviera and Provence

    A network of nine yards from Marseille and La Ciotat to Antibes, Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Monaco, servicing superyachts up to about 160 metres and 6,000 tonnes, with 30 years in refit and maintenance. Visit website ↗

Cruises

Cannes by sea

How the ships arrive in Cannes, and the luxury lines that call.

Ships anchor in the bay and bring guests ashore by tender to the Vieux Port, beside the Palais des Festivals. From 2026 Cannes allows only one ship of more than 3,000 passengers a day.

Of the luxury lines, Orient Express begins and ends voyages here.

The luxury lines that call here

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea

Travel

First-class travel in Cannes

The great hotel trains and the chauffeurs at our standard. Private jet arrivals are covered in the questions below.

The hotel trains

Overnight journeys in restored carriages.

Chauffeurs and self-drive

  • Azur LimousinesCannes and Saint-Tropez

    With bases in Cannes and on the Saint-Tropez harbour, the firm owns more than 15 vehicles, including Mercedes S-Class, EQS and V-Class and Range Rover Vogue, and covers the Riviera from Monaco to Saint-Tropez with a focus on private-aviation and yacht guests. Visit website ↗

  • Elite Rent-a-CarNice, Cannes and Monaco

    A Geneva-based luxury and supercar hire firm with agencies in Nice, Cannes and Monaco on the Riviera, and delivery and collection across France. The fleet includes Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Porsche. Visit website ↗

  • Car4RentMonaco, Cannes, Saint-Tropez and Nice Airport

    Luxury and sports car hire with agencies at 9 boulevard Albert 1er in Monaco, 10 rue Hibert in Cannes, 15 place Vieille in Grimaud for Saint-Tropez, and at Nice Airport, as well as in Paris. Visit website ↗

  • MC Luxury RentalMonaco

    Supercar and luxury car hire from 30 boulevard Princesse Charlotte in Monaco, delivering to Nice, Cannes, Saint-Tropez and further afield. The fleet includes Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Porsche and Maserati. Visit website ↗

Shop

Luxury shopping in Cannes

The shopping streets, jewellers, ateliers and car showrooms of Cannes.

The great shopping streets

Jewellers and watchmakers

Artisan ateliers

  • MolinardGrasse

    A Grasse family perfume house in its fifth generation, making its perfumes in Grasse and keeping its historic Bastide as a heritage site, with perfume-creation workshops in Grasse, Nice and Paris. Visit website ↗

The great marques

Official showrooms, most by appointment.

The Great Marques: showrooms, factories and cars to hire ›

Experience

Events and things to do in Cannes

The Cannes year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

Sport and motoring

Live

Luxury real estate in Cannes

A home in Cannes: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

  • Michaël Zingraf Real EstateCannes

    Founded in Cannes in 1977 and the exclusive Christie's International Real Estate affiliate for Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur since 2012, with agencies in Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Cap d'Antibes, Mougins and Nice. Visit website ↗

  • Côte d'Azur Sotheby's International RealtyCannes

    The Sotheby's affiliate for the Riviera from Saint-Tropez to the Italian border, with six offices including Cannes, Saint-Tropez and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Visit website ↗

  • John TaylorCôte d'Azur

    Luxury real estate firm with a history of more than 160 years and Riviera offices in Cannes, Cap d'Antibes, Saint-Tropez and Mougins, plus offices in Spain, Italy and Cyprus. Visit website ↗

All the leading agencies in France ›

Looking for a home in Cannes? Write to [email protected] and we will introduce you, in confidence, to the right agency.

Branded residences and new developments

  • Le ProvençalCap d'Antibes / Juan-les-Pins

    John Caudwell's restoration of the landmark 1920s Hôtel Provençal into 41 apartments, penthouses and garden villas of up to 877 m², with five-star concierge services from the neighbouring Hôtel Belles Rives. Visit website ↗

International schools

  • Mougins British International SchoolMougins (near Cannes)

    Founded in 1964, it teaches the English National Curriculum for ages 2 to 18 through IGCSE and A-levels, with more than 55 nationalities on its campus. Visit website ↗

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Cannes and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

Plan your journey to Cannes

Where is Cannes?

On the Côte d’Azur in the south of France, about 35 to 45 minutes by road west of Nice airport. Cannes-Mandelieu airport takes private jets, and Antibes and the Cap d’Antibes are about 20 minutes east.

What is Cannes famous for?

The Film Festival every May, La Croisette and its palace hotels, the yachting festival in September, and close by the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, old Antibes and the Picasso Museum.

When is the best time to visit Cannes?

June and September are ideal: warm sea, open beach clubs and the big yacht shows of September, without the peak of July and August.

Where are the best luxury hotels in Cannes?

Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc (one of the 25 Finest Resorts).

How do you arrive in Cannes by private jet?

Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE / LFMN), about 25 minutes by car to Antibes and about 35 to 45 minutes to Cannes.

Which are the best restaurants in Cannes?

The finest table on our list: La Villa Archange (Le Cannet).

Do you tip in Cannes?

Service is included in menu prices by law (service compris), so a tip is a gesture: about 5% (€1 per €20), and 5–10% for exceptional service at high-end restaurants. Round up taxis. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a concierge who goes out of their way.

What should you wear in Cannes?

Dress respectfully in churches. On the Riviera, several towns, including Nice, Cannes, Menton, Saint-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime and Saint-Raphaël, ban swimwear and bare chests in town, with fines. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Smart, polished dress for fine dining.

Beyond Cannes

More in France

Saint-Tropez, Cap Ferrat and Corsica, and the Mediterranean beyond.

FranceLuxury French Riviera Holidays & HotelsExplore FranceThe MediterraneanTwenty-two countries and Gibraltar, first class onlyExplore the MediterraneanPlan your journeyFrom your home to Cannes, with the costsOpen the trip planner

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Cannes

How France does things.

Language
French. English is widely spoken in luxury hotels and leading restaurants on the Riviera and in Paris.
Greetings
A handshake on first meeting. Among friends, la bise (cheek kisses); the number varies by region, two being most common. Always say bonjour (or bonsoir in the evening) on entering a shop or speaking to staff; use monsieur / madame.
Dress
Dress respectfully in churches. On the Riviera, several towns, including Nice, Cannes, Menton, Saint-Tropez, Sainte-Maxime and Saint-Raphaël, ban swimwear and bare chests in town, with fines. On yachts, soft-soled or bare feet on deck. Smart, polished dress for fine dining.
Dining
Lunch typically 12–2 pm; dinner from about 7.30–8 pm. Book ahead at good restaurants. The bill comes when you ask.
Tipping
Service is included in menu prices by law (service compris), so a tip is a gesture: about 5% (€1 per €20), and 5–10% for exceptional service at high-end restaurants. Round up taxis. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, €10–20 for a concierge who goes out of their way.
Good to know
Many shops close on Sundays, and in smaller towns for a long lunch. Restaurants often stop serving lunch around 2 pm.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.