My nineteen year old daughter has the opportunity to attend a workshop for film students at the Cannes film festival for two weeks. It seems that much of the travel arrangements
My nineteen year old daughter has the opportunity to attend a workshop for film students at the Cannes film festival for two weeks. It seems that much of the travel arrangements will be left to the participants and she has never travelled by herself before. She looks very young and is shy about speaking French. Has anybody attended this festival before? Can they give me some insights about it, such as safety issues, crime, the cost of meals and the best travel arrangements to actually get there. She is very excited (her parents less so!) Thank you.
Haven't been there, much too expensive for me. However, crime in Cannes wouldn't be any worse than other cities along the Riviera that I can imagine, and probably better than some as it is such a wealthy and expensive area. Of course, any time you have crowds and festivals, etc., you have to be on your lookout for pickpockets, etc., and I'm sure Cannes is no exception.
As for the best way to get there, there are so many possibilities, but I would fly into either Nice or Marseille and then take the train to Cannes from MRS and perhaps the train or shuttle bus from Nice. The train station is closer to the airport in Nice than in Marseille, but on the other hand, there is a pretty cheap bus that runs around hourly from MRS straight to the Marseille train station, so that's fairly easy also. But Cannes is very close to Nice.
This is fairly easy compared to alternatives (such as flying into London or Paris and taking the train the whole way),but to be honest, this sounds like a lot (long flight, transfer, then getting on a train) for someone that young who has never travelled alone before. It isn't clear to me if she knows French pretty well but it sounds like she doesn't or she wouldn't be shy about speaking it (unless she's shy in general, which again, makes this a little challenging and worrisome). It's just helpful, especially for reading signs and things, if you know French.
It is really complicated all the details to arrange and I could write a book (or pages at least), such as getting the train tickets, but at least that is the basic outline I'd do if I were going to Cannes. The flight will no doubt involve a transfer in some major city, also (such as London or Paris, etc., I'd probably suggest looking at Air France, they have good fares and then if something goes wrong with the connection, they will be responsible for getting the bags to her -- assuming she checks a bag). Cannes has a small airport, but I'm sure any connecting flight into there will be expensive, and Nice is only around 15 miles away.
As for the rest, things are expensive there, of course, and I"m sure hotels jack their rates through the roof during the festival. I also know people who had to book hotels many months in advance and they were booked up all the way to Nice. So there are many alternatives of where you could stay. YOu could stay in Nice and commute by train, for example. I don't know what kind of budget she would have, there are a few hostels along the French Riviera. I think there is a nice one in Cap d'Ail and probalby one in Nice, but don't know. Hotels in Nice can be pretty cheap.
It would really be good if she was staying with others and they figured out some accommodations for them to share, and it would help if she had someone to be with, probably. To be honest, throwing a shy, untraveled 19 yr old into the Cannes Film Festival is probably not what I'd do, either, as an introduction to travel. There are many film workshops all the time all over in a lot cheaper places, I know someone in that business, actually, who has one in Maine each summer.
I am sorry you are not as excited as your daughter at her opportunity to study film in Cannes during the festival. She is certainly old enough to travel to France on her own, and the Cannes will be filled with English-speakers and no end of people whose whole job it is to make sure the festival with its myriad events goes smoothly.
I see no reason for anyone to be negative, and if makes you feel any better, when I was a year younger than your daughter I went to the Middle East for 3 months, and I didn't speak any foreign languages. The Cannes Film Festival for two weeks is no doubt much safer -- although pricier. But it would be pricer still if she was going to NYC or SF. In general, if you are living in the US, your daughter will be safer walking around most any time of day in bustling, lit-up Cannes during the Festival than she would be in most of the US, including most of Maine.
Here are some links your family might find useful. I hope your daughter has a wonderful, eye-opening experience.
I have not attended the festival but I have visited Cannes while the Festival was in full swing. it is very crowded so for the best choice in accommodations book early. There was extra security everywhere. Many streets and sidewalks are behind barriers so traffic, both foot and auto, is very slow and a bit hectic. Flying into Nice would be the most convenient. We took a bus from Nice to visit Cannes, wise choice because of the crowds. This is an expensive place so I recommend eating in simple places (ask a local for recommendations) stay away from the places on the main draw near the red carpet ... prices appeared to be adjusted to maximize revenues of the cafes. Like any festival event petty theft is the major threat ... easily solved by not carrying expensive items... just watch your valuables at all times, better yet leave them in your room safe. It may be less expensive to stay in Nice and commute.
Thanks for the advice and the links. I would prefer for her also to get the most direct flight in rather than to connect through Paris or London. Any other ideas are welcome.
I believe there may be flights directly from NYC to Nice - so she could change flights in the US.
If she is going to do this be prepaed for 2 things:
1) Everything will be very expensive - including lodging (we did a meeting in Venice right after their fil festival and the hotel was more than $800 per night for the last night of the festival versus abuot $450 for our congress) 2) Everyhting will be very crowded.
She doens;t need to worry a lot about French - as long as she knows the basic polie phrases - but she needs to plan everythng in advance and understand how local transit works - and get a room ASAP - as in NOW - to be sure of getting one at the best price possible.
As for 19 being too young - if she's not ready now she never will be -- it's time she spreads her wings.
I used to work for music and video executives who attended the Cannes film festival annually, and I have been there myself during that time on several occasions. Part of my job was making the travel arrangements.
Air and hotel space is very tight at that time, and a lot of it is block booked under the control of festival organizers and not available for purchase by the general public - only festival attendees.
While my bosses stayed at the very high end hotels, I also knew many low budget independent producers who made their own arrangements at less expensive hotels farther from the action in the back streets of Cannes and as far as Nice. Many of these more low cost accommodations had prices also jacked up for the festival and limited availability, but they were good buys considering the circumstances.
You probably should contact the organization arranging the student workshop again. Surely they are aware of the tight hotel situation and the expense and should be willing to make some suggestions for these students if they want them to enroll in their workshop. I'm sure they'll be hearing from other parents as well. Perhaps there is a home stay program or student accommodations available. From what you write, they don't seem too forthcoming with help and information. Perhaps their counterparts in France who run this workshop would be more helpful.
Flights into Nice are often sold out or very expensive during the days when most people fly in and out for the festival. You could save a lot by flying before or after that time which would provide a nice opportunity to extend the stay in France beyond the time of the workshop.
Don't commit yourself until you've found positive air and hotel space that you can afford. I've generally found the Cannes film festival to be a pretty closed scene to those who were not part of the proceedings. There were those who were a part of it, and the rest of the people stood outside of the various venues to gawk at them. Being part of a student workshop there will give your daughter a worthwhile focus and a sense of involvement. From what I've experienced, much of what takes place at the festival is translated into English. If she gets to go, she'll be fine and safe and probably have a positive experience both with the other students at the workshop and learning to travel internationally by herself.
Nothing wrong with a workshop in Maine either. There are many beautiful places in Maine.
Thanks for the feedback. The workshop organizers have accommodation worked out which is covered in the cost. She should be sharing a room with other college students. She has taken French classes so hopefully she will put them to good use now!
I am a senior who went to France during the Cannes Film Festival 2 years ago. It was very busy and quite exciting! You may want to create a post on how to get from the Nice Airport to the downtown. I remember it not being difficult. There are white tents lined along the beach as long as a football field. The press and stars hang out there to relax. The structure that houses the festival is not really very glamorous. It is barricaded from the thousands of spectators. There was a lot of security patrolling the area and I didn't feel in the least threatened. So many people speak English that I am sure your daughter won't have any trouble there. The biggest problem with be with a place to stay and the flight there. Your daughter is very lucky to go there during that time.
If either of you is still tentative, pay for the services of an experienced travel agent. If nothing else, they will be a phone call away to help if (when?) things don't go exactly as planned.
You can look in a guidebook to see if there are suggestions. Also, Conde Nast Traveler magazine puts together lists of agents who specialize in different parts of the world.
If either of you is still tentative, pay for the services of an experienced travel agent. If nothing else, they will be a phone call away to help if (when?) things don't go exactly as planned. You can look in a guidebook to see if there are suggestions. Also, Conde Nast Traveler magazine puts together lists of agents who specialize in different parts of the world. Posted by phred
Considering the time difference of 6 hours (from east coast USA) I don't know how helpful this would be, unless the young woman in question has the Travel Agent's home telephone number.
In Response to Re: Cannes Film Festival : Considering the time difference of 6 hours (from east coast USA) I don't know how helpful this would be, unless the young woman in question has the Travel Agent's home telephone number. Posted by Arion
5 or 6 hours is quite manageable. Europe to West Coast, not so much. And if the agent is affiliated with a company like AmEx or Wagonslit, there will probably be a fallback number to call 24/7.
