Cannes is a beautiful city which has an
equal association with the worlds of glamour and business. Undoubtedly the
city is known for the International film festival also referred to as the “Cannes
Film Festival” that takes place every year in the month of May. Film
personalities from all across the globe gather here to participate in this
festival and thus for many Cannes is synonymous with the glamour of this
event.
MIDEM, the conference for the music business, takes place in January and
turns Cannes into a city of music professionals. On the other hand, March
brings people associated with MIPIM which is the international real-estate
market. Lastly, October is the month for the Tax Free World Exhibition. Thus
it is said that Cannes is second most important city in terms of business
tourism only after Paris.
Millions of tourists are attracted to the city due its long, curvaceous,
sandy beaches of La Croisette, its enigmatic Old Port which greets luxury
cruise boats, its palatial hotels and the designer shops lining the famous
promenade.
Fact File
Country : France
Population : 69,186
Languages : French and English
Climate : The Cannes area, being situated between the Mediterranean
sea and a mountain range, offers a hot and dry climate. Winter is more
moderate, but in no season does the weather become excessively cold. Expect
the occasional rainstorm at any time.
Summer : 28 C-30 C; Winters : 6 C - 17 C
Official Currency : Euro; 1 Euro = 52.443 Indian Rupee = 1.2047 US $
= 0.678141 GBP(subject to change)
Location : Cannes city is located on the Mediterranean shore.
Getting
There
By Air : Cannes Airport is known as the Mandelieu Airport - this is
the international airport that makes the city reachable from the rest of the
world.
The airport is just 3 km from the city center.
By Road : Buses are the only form of public transport available in
Cannes and a number of companies provide transit services. These include STU
de Cannes Bus, Bus Azur, CTM Cannes La and Beltrame. The Handibus service is
for the disabled.
Buses stop at the two coach stations in Cannes, at place de l’Hôtel
de Ville and place Cornut-Gentille. Other stops include the port, railway
station and town hall. The network includes the nearby towns of La Bocca, Le
Cannet and Mandelieu–La Napoule. Buses run every 15 minutes.
Taxis are centrally run, reliable and arrive within about 5 minutes
anywhere in the city centre. Taxis can be hailed at taxi stations or ordered
by telephone from Taxis de Cannes.
By Trains : Societé Nationale de Chemins de Fer - SNCF is the
national rail carrier. Cannes Ville station is situated at place Pierre
Semard and place Jean-Jaurès. Facilities at the station include a
newsagent, bakery, tourist infromation office bar, snack bar and car park.
Cannes is served by the international trains, Trains Bleus (the
Paris-Nice-Ventimiglia Express), TEE (the Trans-Europe Express) and TGV
(high-speed trains).
There are direct links to Paris, twice daily in winter and four times daily
in summer (journey time approx 7 hours), as well as to Basel (journey time
approx 10 hours 30 minutes), Brussels (journey time approx 6 hours 30
minutes), Milan (journey time approx 5 hours), Rome (journey time approx 9
hours 50 minutes) and Venice (journey time approx 9 hours 50 minutes).
The station is just a 5 minute walk from Cannes city centre, with the rue
d' Antibes leading onto La Croisette. A Rapide-Côte d'Azur bus stop is
located at the station. Taxis are also available at the station.
Getting Around
By Trains : Societé Nationale de Chemins de Fer – SNCF
is the national rail carrier. Cannes Ville station is situated at place
Pierre Semard and place Jean-Jaurès.
By Road : Buses, taxis, rented cars are available to provide a great
service to the people in the city.
Accommodation
The city has many hotels to provide a comfortable stay to tourists. Here is
a list of a few of the hotels in the city:
5 Star hotels in the city:
Hotel
Splendid
Hotel 314
Hotel Renoir
4 Star hotels in the city:
Hotel Martinez Inter Continental
Hotel Carlton cannes
Hotel Canberra
3 Star hotels in the city:
Hotel America
Major tourist attractions
Cannes, best known for its annual International Film festival, is a
delightful city to visit any time of the year. Mentioned below are some of
the most visited places:
Musée de la Castre : The Cannes chateau has been converted
into a amazing museum which has a diverse blend of artwork.
La Croissette : It features the glamour of Cannes. There are vendors
selling souvenirs, billboards promoting the film festival and upscale shops
across the street. Best of all, there are wonderful cafes along the beach
where one can sip a coffee and enjoy the spectacular views around.
Musée de la Mer : This distinct museum features display
devoted to the prison system and to underwater archeological collections.
The museum's highlight is the showpiece devoted to the mysterious man in the
iron mask.
Shopping Zones : The city has very beautiful shops which sell all
sorts of article. In the shops on La Croisette, there are numerous streets
heading north from the street and paralleling La Croissette. There is a
shopping mall nearby with upscale chain stores like Gucci, Christian Lacroix
and Ferrari and local boutiques.
