When Coco Chanel came here and got a suntan, returning to Paris bronzed, she shocked the milk-white society ladies—who quickly began to copy her. Today the bronzed bodies, clad in nearly nonexistent swimsuits, line the beaches of this chic resort and continue the late fashion designer’s example. A block back from the famed promenade de la Croisette are the boutiques, bars, and bistros that make Cannes the Riviera’s capital of cool.
Things to Do
Strolling along glamorous seaside promenade La Croisette is a requisite activity. Follow the celebrity handprints of Allée des Etoiles on the palm-lined La Croisette, climb the medieval slopes of the old town of Le Suquet, or smell the salty breeze as you admire the yachts along the Vieux Port. Forville Market is the place to fill your picnic basket with freshly caught fish, pungent cheeses, and tapenade (olive paste).
Beaches
Sun worshippers head to sandy private beaches along La Croisette. If you relax with retail therapy, you're in luck: There are designer labels along La Croisette, high-street fashion along the rue d'Antibes, and bargain finds on rue Meynadier. On summer evenings, watch fireworks light up the Bay of Cannes or listen to open-air classical concerts in La Castre museum's courtyard.
Restaurants & Dining
Cannes is the city for spring-to-autumn alfresco dining and coffee drinking in pavement cafes. Splash out on Michelin-starred restaurants along La Croisette, try bouillabaisse (fish stew) on Quai Saint Pierre and rue Félix Faure, or sample traditional French cuisine in place du Suquet. For dining on the hoof, grab a filled baguette from rue Meynadier.
Nightlife & Entertainment
From high rollers to celebrity chic, La Croisette's hotel bars and casinos, including those at the Majestic and Carlton, have seen it all. On the streets around rue du Commandant André, you'll find kitten-heeled Cannoises sipping mojitos at cafe-bars. For summertime nightspots where you can ogle the Mediterranean as you boogie until dawn, head for the jutting peninsula of the Pointe Croisette.
