"Direction Cannes" a Cannes Travel Page by NiceLife

The story of Cannes

Height of the season, the thermometer just crossed 30C, bodies are turning brown and the bar bill is climbing with alaming speed. No matter - you are here for the Riviera experience, and you are going to have to pay. Bienvenue a Cannes (leading credit cards accepted).

A hundred and fifty years ago Cannes was just a simple fishing village. The British Lord Chancellor Lord Brougham was on his way to Winter in Italy, as was the custom, when he found his progress blocked by a military cordon sanitaire established to prevent spread of an outbreak of Cholera. He was taken with his enforced stopover, warming to the charms of Cannes and decided to make it his future winter base. He returned each year, and in his footsteps came more British high society, soon making "Brighton-on-the-Med" Europe's most fashionable tourist destination.

In the harbour, royal playboys moored their "batchelor pad" yatchs. Ladies eager to find themselves in the company of royalty found the invitation card to "join the Prince of Wales on his yatch" impossible to resist. (I mean, ladies, could you, honestly?) It was said Queen Victoria despaired of her son's escapades, but at least, on the Riviera, such frivolous pleasures were out of sight. Victoria held court in Cimiez over five Winters while eldest son "Bertie" partied in Cannes. His final accession to the British throne alas meant farewell the Riviera. But Cannes was already on a roll...

Lacking any essential industry other than pleasure, the canny Cannes municipality saw potential in the Conference Industry, and in 1983 up went the Palais de Festivals. Now hardly a week goes by without the fifth world annual conference of something or other, attended by armies of earnest young men in suits carrying laptops, barking down mobile phones and poring over their Blackberrys to ensure they "stay in the loop" - ie. that their department is not downsized or outsourced whilst away on their Riviera freebie

Cannes scooped the pot when it established its annual Film Festival, held in May each year. Stars stars stars. Hollywood-sur-mer. It screams glamour. So much so the low-cost airlines briefly cease to be low-cost. The papparazzi book every available seat a year in advance.

The Croisette is the essential Cannes promenading and people-watching stretch along the beach-front. Outside the luxury grand hotels you can press your nose against the windscreen of Lamboughinis and Ferraris, and speculate on who's who.

So that is Cannes today: luxury hotels, private beaches, expensive restaurants, fashion shopping, glamorous and ritzy people. There is something deeply appealing about the shallowness of Cannes. Dip in, if you can afford it, dip in even if you can't. - there's still a little public beach left.

There are two Cannes. The one of beaches and outrageously expensive hotels which line the front, where Lamborghinis jostle with the Ferraris for parking space at the height of the season. The other Cannes, of the old town area of Le Suquet, tucked behind the port, crammed full of narrow streets with tiny boutiques, restaurants, galleries and various shops.

Add a little colour to the scene. Sit out at a beachfront cafe and order the standard thirstquencher, l'eau gazeuse Perrier avec sirop de menthe, or ask for a biere pression "Monaco" - draft beer with grenadine, which turns it a rich red.

Go into a luxury hotel restaurant, sit down, bang the table, and in a loud voice demand "Make me poor!" They will oblige.

Every designer label is here in the elegant Rue d'Antibes. Saturday afternoon it really buzzes. The crowds throng, everybody has the right style - and is eagerly looking for more. Sale time is good - expect 70% off at least. Otherwise, why not play "Fantasy Credit Card" . With shoes to die for at only 500 euros a pop, you could soon make up an imaginary wardrobe that would put footballers wives to shame.

Note:
The right sun shades must be worn, preferrably on the forehead. The Style Police can issue on-the-spot fines for tourists caught wearing baggy shorts, and socks worn with sandals ;-)