Cannes Hotels

Once a small fishing village, Cannes is now a glamorous and expensive seaside town considered to be one of the social hubs of Europe. Its moment to shine arrives in May as the venue for the Cannes Film Festival, entertaining the rich and famous. During the festival, fans can see actors, celebrities, and directors up close and in person on the famous steps of the Palais des Festivals at the end of La Croisette. Although its nightlife, casinos and high end restaurants give Cannes a feel of exclusivity, Cannes does have alternatives to suit all types of budgets. Tourists can check out the beauty and architecture of Le Suquet, with its cobbled streets and breathtaking views, or sit at street side tables and enjoy the favoured hobby of people watching up and down the lovely marina. These days Cannes is tantamount to its International Film Festival, when it twinkles with a constellation of silver-screen stars, and a meteor shower of camera flashes. Though the festival lasts less than two weeks, the city basks in its aura for the rest of the year. Long before it started screening flicks, Cannes' offshore islands, the Îles de Lérins, were inhabited by the Ligurians, then the Romans; and the town was first mentioned by name in the 11th century. Like elsewhere along the coast, its star ascended in the 19th century when newly arrived British luminaries triggered an influx of London's high society