Cannes might be synonymous with the International Film Festival, but beneath this celebrity veneer is a city rich in rewards for travellers. That’s not to detract from the annual extravaganza, which has become Cannes’ biggest drawing card since it was introduced in 1939.
Every year celebrity A-listers come from all over the world to walk the hallowed red carpet of the Palais des Festivals and Cannes turns into a media circus with photographers hovering around film stars like flies around the proverbial. But you don’t need a press card to rub shoulders with the stars, who frequent some of the city’s most popular haunts.
Although a sense of normality returns when the circus leaves town, parts of the city remain fairly exclusive; luxury yachts float in the harbour, designer boutiques line the streets and the main beach is reserved for wealthy guests at Cannes’ lavish hotels. However, being filthy rich is not a prerequisite for an entertaining sojourn in Cannes as there is plenty to do for those on more modest budgets.
