| Population | 69,000 |
| Language spoken | French |
| Currency | Euro (EUR); 1 Euro = (appr.) 1.224 USD |
| Average temperature | Summer: 74°-81°F; Winter: 56°-58°F |
| High season | May to August |
The luxurious jewel of the French Riviera, the beachside town of Cannes boasts more glitz and glamour than sister resort towns St. Tropez or Antibes. Famed for hosting the annual mega-celebrity gathering that is the Cannes International Film Festival, the energy in the town builds to a crescendo as the festival approaches, then sustains for long thereafter, as a large number of sun-seeking tourists retreat to Cannes throughout the whole summer.
Although it is largely renowned as a posh French resort, Cannes is accommodating even to the shoestring-budget backpacker. Nonetheless, this town's a lot more fun when you have money to burn. Let's take a look at what a no-holds-barred, money-is-no-object, three-day vacation in Cannes, France can do to relax your psyche and empty your pocketbook. Unless otherwise specified, all prices are in American dollars and account for two people.
Day 1: Do the Cannes-Cannes
The beach-centric town of Cannes has a lot to offer the leisure-loving traveler. The U-shaped beach, the perpetually busy Croisette Boulevard and numerous haute couture stores are among the main attractions, so it's important to be near the action.First consider checking into the Martinez Hotel, located right on Croisette Boulevard. Famous for offering some of Europe's most expensive hotel rooms, the Martinez provides its richest guests with an 8,000-square foot penthouse suite, complete with a 2,000-square foot wraparound terrace, two huge bedrooms, a 24-hour on-call butler and use of the hotel's limousine. The price for such incredible, Art-Deco-inspired accommodations? $18,000 a night.
martinez's beach
Whether you're a rich traveler or a penny-pinching student backpacker, your first destination in Cannes should be the beach. Unlike the beaches in Nice, Cannes' are sandy and always inviting, thanks to 300 days of sunshine a year.In addition to providing great spots to soak up some rays, Cannes' coast is the ideal locale to spot some beautiful topless Europeans. The difference between your beach experience and that of the struggling student traveler's is that you'll have the pleasure of enjoying the Martinez Hotel's private beach, complete with restaurant service and comfy chairs. If the Bay of Cannes' water is too choppy, you can do your swimming in the Martinez's huge octagonal pool.
do the boulevard
Once you've had your fill of the sweltering heat and tropical drinks, finish a light beachside lunch courtesy of the hotel and hit the Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes' busy seafront boulevard. When it comes to pure swank, the Croisette rivals even Nice's Promenade des Anglais, and offers pedestrians a view of the beach on one side and expensive shops on the other. Bring your wallet as you cruise west on the wide sidewalks and prepare to splurge on some of the latest and trendiest clothes and accessories.Designer boutiques on Croisette Boulevard include Chanel, Dior, Gucci, and Jean-Paul Gaultier. Many jewelry stores and art galleries line the street as well, making your little shopping stroll a potentially very expensive one. Even if you go fairly conservative and restrict yourself to a designer suit and watch, you'll easily be looking at a bill of over $6,000.
Having lightened your wallet a bit, make your way to Rue d'Antibes, a street that runs parallel to Croisette and is home to a multitude of smaller fashion boutiques. Here you can get funky clothes as well as Provencal-style gifts, and the liberal spender should expect to drop about $800.
To get a taste of Cannes' respected culinary treats, be sure to visit one of Antibes' chocolatiers or confiseries where incredible pastries, chocolates and, coolest of all, crystallized fruits are sold.
fine dining & opera
As the day grows old and people leave the beaches and boulevards to prepare for the night's festivities, it'll be time for you to dine. Cannes is home to a number of wonderful restaurants, with most top places offering extensive French and Mediterranean menus. Some of Cannes' finer spots offer just as great an ambience as they do food, making it difficult for the first-time visitor to choose.If you settle on La Villa des Lys on the ground floor of the posh Hotel Majestic, no one will question your decision. Owner of a Michelin star and winner of the coveted Cl? d'or de la gastronomie, La Villa offers up traditional French fare, as well as more eclectic modern cuisine, including exotic Asian dishes. Chef Bruno Oger caters to an exclusive, wealthy clientele with refined tastes, and his set menus can run you up to $150, excluding wine. Bills totaling $250 and more per person are not unheard of here.
Once you've digested that fine meal, l'Opera is the place to go burn it off. A self-proclaimed "playground for the rich and famous," this nightclub, located on Rue Lecerf, will serve your wealthy needs quite well. A fashionable, beautiful clientele, a long champagne lists and frequent celebrity visitors make l'Opera the most exclusive club in town. How do you get in? Roll up in the Martinez's limousine and flash your thick wad of Euro bills.
Cannes is a place that loves and respects money, so if you act like you've got it, you'll be pouring Moet inside l'Opera in no time. Drinks and "tips" for the bouncer will cost you $500, and that's if you stick to one nice bottle of champagne.
Price tag for day one: $25,550.
Day 2: High life on the high seas
Undoubtedly tempting you and your money-lined pockets since your arrival, Cannes' welcoming port holds some of the world's most luxurious yachts. A number of celebrities and rich businessmen, including Paul Allen and Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, even compete to see who can float into Cannes' port with the biggest yacht. Though you may not be able to compete with Ellison's 425-foot behemoth, you can damn well come close.Luxury yacht rental company CharterWorld.com can provide your competitive nature with a beautiful boat that will make most Cannes-goers (Allen and Ellison aside) quite jealous. The 141-foot Magnifica yacht, for example, is a sleek vessel capable of comfortably accommodating 10 lucky guests in five staterooms.
From the master cabin on the main deck to the salon, every inch of the yacht is luxuriously designed. The rental cost of the Magnifica includes a crew, use of a Jacuzzi, two waverunners, diving gear, huge projection screen TVs on the main deck, and state-of-the-art telecommunications equipment. A week aboard this floating mansion will set you back an astounding $150,000, or roughly $21,500 per day.
visit the masked man
Once you have the keys to this beautiful boat, you'll have to settle on a destination. One tourist-friendly island perfect for a morning trip is Ile Sainte-Marguerite, the most well-known of the Lerins Islands group that lies off of Cannes' coast. It was here that the infamous Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned by decree of King Louis XIV in the late 17th century. His story was dramatized by author Alexandre Dumas and later in a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and the legend lives on in the ruins of Ile Sainte-Marguerite.After docking your yacht, visit "The Man's" prison cell in the ruins of a 1st century B.C. Roman village, then climb up to the Fort de l'Ile, a 300-year-old Spanish military settlement. Entrance to these sites is free.
Lunch opportunities abound on the island itself, where several small restaurants have opened up. Once your belly's full, take a return route popular with well-to-do visitors and follow the Mediterranean coastline, passing villages and other resort towns as you enjoy all the amenities that your yacht has to offer.
la palme d'or is golden
Evening-time in Cannes is when the town really starts to come alive, so head back to the port in time for dinner. For your second supper in Cannes, you'll be dining at La Palme d'Or, consistently ranked as one of the Riviera's best restaurants. You'll have no trouble finding this restaurant, as it is located inside the Martinez Hotel, where you are staying.The traditional French menu changes each season, but you're sure to find the best foie gras, rabbit, squid, clams, and fresh fish here. Main courses are priced from $57 to $150, while the prix-fixe menu will cost between $88 and $170 per head.
As La Palme d'Or represents the finest in fine dining, set at least three hours aside for the experience. After you finish, engage in an activity that the French Riviera has become famous for: gambling. Cannes' most popular casino is the Casino Croisette, located inside the Palais des Festivals (the same building that the red carpet leads to during the Film Festival).
As you approach the Palais, you'll notice that you're walking on cemented handprints of all the famous people who have visited Cannes to promote their films. Everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Samuel L. Jackson has left their mark.
Entry to Casino Croisette is free, but if you want access to the blackjack, roulette and other grands jeux rooms, it will cost you about $15. You'll also need to don a jacket -- this high-class casino that invokes memories of Sean Connery-era James Bond movies. Mingle among the high rollers, play your game of choice and see if you can spot a famous face or two as well. As far as winnings go, be happy if you break even.
hit the bar des stars
After you've had your fill of the glitz that the Casino offers, cross over to Boulevard de la Croisette once again and enter the Hotel Majestic, where you'll find the Bar des Stars. This locale is aptly named; and the Bar des Stars truly is a celebrity hangout during the Festival.Throughout the rest of the year, this lounge remains Cannes' most sophisticated nightspot, and is a great place to compare the size of your money clip with the rest of the wealthy elite. Champagne cocktails will set you back almost $15 per drink, so a few hours here can easily cost you over $200. Keep in mind that you'll probably be buying drinks for a new entourage, as people are always drawn to a man of your power and wealth.
Price tag for day two: $22,040.
Day 3: Le Golf
France is home to over 600 golf courses, more than either Scotland or Ireland, or Spain, Italy and Portugal combined. Some of the finest courses in the country are located in the south, and what stands out in particular is the Royal Mougins Golf Club, only a 10-minute drive from Cannes. Consistently ranked as one of Europe's best courses, the par 71, 6,566-yard course meanders through a varying landscape, including rolling hills, forest and a network of eight lakes and interconnecting rivers and waterfalls.A tee time at the Royal Mougins is a must during your stay in Cannes. Take your hotel-provided limousine and head to the town of Mougins, home of the golf course and a pretty little hamlet. Only 20 non-members are permitted to register per day at the course, so you'll need to either show up early or use your clout to get on the schedule. The 18-hole green fee during high season is $250 per person, including rental of a golf cart.
Once you've finish hacking your ball out of the rough, searching for it in the woods and generally having an amazing, albeit frustrating, time at this professional-level course, it's time to relax. Grab a late lunch at the Royal Mougins' restaurant, a fine establishment where a solid sirloin steak costs $32 and filet of Royal sea-bream, a popular Cote d'Azur dish, costs $25.
spa day at the givenchy
After returning to Cannes, you may feel the urge to chill at the beach and relieve some of the tension you built up during your morning on the links. But you'll find better therapy at the Martinez Hotel's Givenchy Spa. Get yourself a four-handed Ylang Ylang massage, then head to the sauna and solarium to completely zone out. A one-day relaxation package at this spa will set you back $380.Re-energized from your afternoon at the spa, you can take time before dinner to tour Cannes by foot. Revisit Boulevard de la Croisette and Rue d'Antibes, then walk along the streets of Suquet (Cannes' old town) and the old port, both situated along the western edge of Cannes' beachfront. Once you've had enough of the quaint shops and narrow streets, head back to the central beach area and find the Hotel Gray d'Albion, on rue des Serbes.
feast like a king at le royal gray
Inside the hotel you'll find Le Royal Gray, a renowned French restaurant designed in cozy 19th-century decor. Try the terrines de foie gras, lobster fricasse, roasted John Dory, or Provencal herb risotto. Excluding wine, a dinner here can easily cost $85 per diner.For a final nighttime of fun, you have several choices. Cannes has a slew of nightclubs that are both exclusive and expensive. Les Coulisses, for example, is a prime spot for the young and wealthy, where cocktails sell for nearly $20 a pop and bouncers require that your name be on the guest list.
Le Cat-Corner is another hip spot where dancing is emphasized and the young come to flirt and drink the night away. Either way, you'll be sure to have a long night of drinking and partying ahead of you that will cost at least $150.
Price tag for day three: $1,680.
and the total is...
Following our three-day, unlimited budget itinerary and flashing your cash in Cannes will put you in the hole $49,270. In a town where celebrities routinely show off what fun their funds can bring, you'll fit right in.Total price tag: $49,720.
tips for the trip
Resources:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/france/attractions.htm
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/france/
http://bases.cannes.fr/tourisme/plan_interactif/planvilleANG.html
http://www.hotel-martinez.com/uk/navigation.htm
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/travel/eworldguides/entertainment/cannes_entertainment.html?part=shopping
http://www.charterworld.com/index.html?sub=yacht-charter&charter=magnifica-charter-motor-yacht-839
http://www.royalmougins.fr/english/GolfCourse.htm
http://www.10best.com/Cannes/Restaurants/Elite_Dining/index.html?businessID=36692
Cannes Travel Guide
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