Rub shoulders with the rich and famous in sun-kissed Cannes on a romantic honeymoon holiday on the French Riviera.
Join an international cast strolling the famed Promenade de la Croisette, lined on one side with 5-star hotels, chic boutiques and apartments houses, and on the other side with a long golden-sand beach crammed with sun-worshippers preening, cruising the beach and wading in the blue Mediterranean Sea.
Pick your own spot to sunbathe on the golden sands of this 12km-long beach, which is divided into more than 30 sections – a mix of mainly private, hotel run and public beaches.
The best public beach sits in front of the Palais des Festivals, with other less-crowded public beaches to the west along Plage du Midi as well as to the east.
Facilities on private and hotel run beaches include sun beds and parasols. Hotel beaches are complimentary for guests, while private concession beaches may charge up to AUD50 per day to access the beach.
Explore the narrow streets of Vieux Cannes (Le Suquet) to see the 14th century Tour du Suquet, the Musée de la Castre and the 16th century Notre Dame de l'Espérance, as well as views overlooking the harbour.
An easy way to take in all the sights is aboard the white-sided Petit Train Touristique de Cannes.
Elsewhere, visit the mini safari park at Parc Zoologique Frejus or the Musee de l’automobile, with its fine collections of classic and racing cars.
Don’t miss a boating excursion to the offshore Iles de Lérins: at Ile St Marguerite, visit the cell where the man immortalised in The Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned.
And on Ile St Honorat, stroll around the Abbaye de St Honorat, a mix of medieval ruins and early 20th century religious buildings inhabited by Cistercian monks. Or simply relax on one of the nearby beaches.
Visit in July during the Cannes International Film Festival to see your favourite movie stars, directors and producers.
Cannes offers an excellent choice of accommodation options to suit all tastes, such as the luxurious Hotel Barriere Le Majestic sitting on the esplanade facing the sea and Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez with its famous spa and exclusive private beach, as well as the following 5-star hotels…
Hotel Barriere Le Majestic Cannes
Location: La Croisette Bvd
Rating: 5-star
Ave nightly price: AUD380 per room
Description: Offering views of the Mediterranean Sea, the Majestic Barrière is located on La Croisette Boulevard in Cannes, 110 metres from Palais des Festivals and the old port. It features a casino, an outdoor heated pool, a spa and a private beach. Guests have free access to the wellness area and fitness centre. The Barrière Cannes offers 258 rooms and 91 suites featuring air conditioning soundproofing, satellite, LCD TV, free WiFi access and a private bathroom. Some rooms have sea views. Guests of the Majestic Barrière can enjoy massage and relaxation therapies in the hotel spa and relax on the hotel’s beach side sunbathing terrace. Access the hotel's private beach is free of charge, and sun beds can be rented on site. The hotel features 3 on site restaurants including Fouquet's, a traditional French brasserie, La Petite Maison de Nicole which offers a typical Mediterranean cuisine and La Plage restaurant, open all year long and located on the private beach. The hotel is situated just a minute’s walk from the beach and 400 metres from Cannes SNCF Train Station.
Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez
Location: La Croisette Bvd
Rating: 5-star
Ave nightly price: AUD366 per room
Description: Located on the famous La Croisette Boulevard in Cannes, Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez is a 5-star hotel with a vast private beach. It offers a heated outdoor pool, a piano bar and a spa. Guest rooms at Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez are decorated in a classic Art Deco style and feature a seating area. Each air-conditioned room features a marble bathroom and some have a private patio with views of the Mediterranean Sea. The Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez has 3 restaurants, including the award-winning La Palme d’Or with a terrace overlooking the sea. Guests can also enjoy a refreshing cocktail in the hotel piano bar. A continental breakfast is served every morning. A range of beauty treatments and massages are available at L.Raphael Spa and guests can exercise in the fitness centre. Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez offers direct access onto the beach and is within walking distance of the shopping area. With a secure private car park, the hotel also offers valet parking. Nice-Cote-d’Azur Airport is 20 km away.
Five Seas Hotel Cannes
Location: rue Notre Dame
Rating: 5-star
Ave nightly price: AUD248 per room
Description: Located 100 metres from the sandy beaches of la Croisette and the Palais des Festivals, Five Seas Hotel offers spacious rooms and suites. It features a roof-top terrace with a 13 m outdoor swimming pool and a lounge bar. The contemporary designed rooms and suites are air-conditioned and include a flat-screen TV, an iPod docking station and a complementary mini-bar. Bathrobes, slippers and Cinq Monde toiletries are provided, and Free Wi-Fi access is included. All guests can enjoy the continental breakfast served daily. Located on the 5th floor with views of old Cannes, Sea Sens restaurant offers world-fusion gastronomic cuisine. Guests can relax in the spa which has a hammam, two saunas and a relaxation room. The spa features treatments by Cinq Mondes and Carita. Five Seas Hotel offers rooms for meetings, seminars and receptions that are technology equipped. The hotel also has a private yacht available for rent. Nice Airport is 28 km away and Cannes Train Station is 300 metres from the hotel. Private parking is available on site.
Radisson Blu 1835 Hotel & Thalasso
Location: Le Suquet (Old Town), Cannes
Rating: 5-star
Ave nightly price: AUD248 per room
Description: Ideally located in the heart of Cannes, Radisson Blu 1835 Hotel & Thalasso is just a 5-minute walk from the Palais des Festivals, Boulevard de la Croissette and luxury shops. It offers panoramic views of the harbour from the rooftop bar and terrace. The hotel is directly linked to the Les Thermes Marins de Cannes Spa and Thalassotherapy Centre. There are beauty treatments programs, daily packages, a sauna, Turkish bath, multi-sensory shower, hot tub and an indoor and outdoor swimming pool. Decorated in a contemporary style, the luxurious guest rooms at Radisson Blu 1835 are equipped with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a minibar. Most of the rooms have sea views and some include a Nespresso coffee machine. Refined gastronomic cuisine is served in the rooftop restaurant, Le 360, which has a panoramic view of Cannes Bay. Guests can enjoy a drink in the bar and dietary cuisine is served in restaurant Le Bio.
InterContinental Carlton Cannes
Location: La Croisette Bvd
Rating: 5-star
Ave nightly price: AUD444 per room
Description: Built in 1911, the InterContinental overlooks the bay on the Boulevard Croisette and features its own private beach, pier and Belle Epoque façade. It is situated 800 m from the Palais des Festivals, in central Cannes. The InterContinental Carlton Cannes offers air-conditioned guest rooms with satellite TV, video games and luxury bedding. The elegant rooms overlook central Cannes or offer panoramic views of the bay. The Carlton beach restaurant is open during summer and another traditional restaurant is also available on site. Guests can also enjoy a drink in one of the two bars. The Carlton’s staff are available 24 hours to assist with car rental and beauty treatments. A fully equipped Carlton Fitness Centre is provided exclusively for guests' use. The InterContinental Carlton Cannes is just a 25-minute drive from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport and 5 minutes from Cannes railway station.
The best time to visit Cannes for a beach holiday is during the summer months from mid-June through August. However, anytime from mid-April through September is also good.
Cannes enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with mild, wet winters and hot, sunny summers, which are usually tempered by a breeze.
Cannes has one of the driest climates in France, with clear sunny days in summer and short mild winters, with the most rain falling in autumn. Winter is generally mild, but it can sometimes get cold.
Note: To avoid the crowds, noise, traffic jams and high prices of July and August, visit Cannes in May, June and September.
For more climate info: French Riviera Weather Guide…
Cannes is located on the French Riviera around 24km (15mi) to the west of Nice and 78km (48mi) to the east of St Tropez.
The most convenient route to Cannes is by air to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE), located 24km (15mi) from Cannes, followed by a taxi, train or bus to Cannes. Cannes is a 30-minute train or bus ride from Nice, and around 25 minutes by taxi.
By bus, CannesExpress provides a door-to-door airport shuttle service between Nice Airport and various hotels in Cannes for 20 Euros per seat. Other bus and coach services arrive at the Gare Routière de Cannes, located in the city centre near the Town Hall.
Alternatively, high-speed TGV rail services to the Gare de Cannes provide access from all major French cities, including Nice, Marseille, Lyon, and Paris (5 hours 26 minutes).
Other cities with rail connections include Brussels (6 hours), Milan (5 hours), Basel (10 hours), Rome (10 hours), and Venice (10 hours).
Known as the Côte d’Azur in France, the French Riviera stretches for around 160km (99mi) along the southern Mediterranean coast of France, from St Tropez’s clothing-optional beach of Plage de Tahiti to the exclusive enclave of St Jean-Cap Ferrat, along the way encompassing the elegant resorts of Cannes, Cap d'Antibes, Juan les Pins and Nice.
For more information: how to get to Cannes…
Latest update: Where to Honeymoon in Cannes: 15 July, 2022
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