If you are going to stay for a few days in the elegant and beautiful French city of Cannes, known internationally for its film festival, the best area to do so is the promenade, where the old town, known as Le Suquet, is located. There you will find the most exclusive hotels, the most gourmet restaurants and the most emblematic buildings of this famous town on the French Riviera.
On the famous Boulevard de la Croissette, the promenade of this French town, you will find the most exclusive designer shops and five star hotels, at the end of which you will find the Palais des Festivals.Next to this emblematic building is the beautiful Vieux Port, very close to Cannes’ town hall: the Church of Notre-Dame de l’Espérance, the Suquet Tower and the Forville Market are all located in this privileged area, which has everything you need for an excellent stay in this sophisticated city.
The city centre, in which the Cannes train station is located, is a few metres from the Croissette and is also a good choice for accommodation, as there are first class hotels and other more affordable ones, as well as plenty of clothes shops and restaurants, and it is very close to the old town and the seafront.
If you are interested in knowing where to stay in Cannes , you may also be interested in knowing where to stay in La Provence, where to stay in Nice, where to stay in Marseille and where to stay in Paris.
The seafront and the old town of Cannes
To talk about Cannes is to talk about cinema, glamour and luxury, but also about antiquity and history. The best way to savour the virtues of the city is to book a hotel on the Croissette or in the city centre close to it, a simpler place but with all kinds of amenities and services.On the famous promenade that borders the spectacular French coast, which is worth taking long walks while contemplating its beaches, are located the most luxurious hotels and the most exclusive shops and boutiques, within reach of few pockets.
Three kilometres is the distance from La Croissette, along which you can see palms, pines and trees, and finally reach the spectacular Palais des Festivals et des Congres, a meeting place for the seventh art that must be scheduled in advance, as there are no daily visits.This building is part of the historic centre of Cannes, known as Le Suquet (which means “summit” in English) and located on Mount Chevalier.There is the Suquet tower, an old square shaped building that measures about 20 meters, from which you can enjoy an incredible view of the bay, the port and other dream places, such as the Lerins archipelago, a group of four paradisiacal and little exploited islands (Santa Margarita and San Honorato are the largest and most touristy, since the others are uninhabited) which can be reached by boat in about 20 minutes.
At the foot of the Suquet tower is the old port (vieux port), which was born as a fishing and merchandise port that still maintains that function, but has become an elegant place full of tourist services and amenities for cruise ships and pleasure boats that arrive in the Bay of Cannes or are anchored there, where you can find the Saint Pierre pier, where there are exquisite restaurants where you can taste the best fish of the city and other delicious dishes.A few steps away, in the heart of the old town, are two emblematic buildings of this coastal city: the town hall (Mairie de Cannes), a 19th century building with monumental staircases, and the Musée de la Castre (Museum of Mediterranean and Ancient Civilizations), an old castle whose tower and chapel are listed as historical monuments.Next to this museum is the church of Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza (Notre-Dame d’Espérance), the oldest parish church in the city, which still has an impressive solid oak door.
Very close to the town hall is the rue Meynadier, which connects the old quarter of Cannes to the new quarter and is one of the liveliest streets in the city, where there are many restaurants, clothes shops of different categories and beautiful 18th century houses that still have original doors and windows that will captivate the visitor.Behind it is the Marché de Forville, an old Provençal-style building that receives the goods of local producers, fruits, vegetables and flowers, where there are also antiques and second-hand objects.
If you have found our recommendation on where to stay in Cannes useful, don’t miss our recommendation on the best areas to stay in other outstanding destinations in Europe.
