Cannes: More than a Film Festival

This Jewel of the French Riviera also has Markets, Monks and Museums

Oct 10, 2008 Mike Gerrard

There's much more to Cannes than merely a Film Festival. Wait for the movie stars to leave town, then explore its markets, museums, and the peaceful offshore islands.

It's Cannes, and there's Richard Gere! And there's Sharon Stone! And look – Sophia Loren! And here's Robert Altman. Robert Altman? Isn't he dead? Yes, but his memory lives on along the Cannes Walk of Fame, where the handprints of almost every movie legend have been set in stone outside the Palais des Festivals. This is the main home of the most famous event in Cannes, the Cannes Film Festival, which takes place here on the French Riviera every May.

The Cannes Film Festival is the best of times, and the worst of times. It's the best time for the movie buff to be in Cannes, but the worst time for everyone else. Hotel room rates go up, but none are available anyway as they're sold out months ahead. No, the best time to visit Cannes is anytime but during the Film Festival. For the rest of the year the city reverts to being just another of the jewels that sparkles along the necklace that is the French Riviera.

Marché Forville

When the Festival meat market is over, head for the fish market in the Marché Forville, Cannes' old food and flower market. The name comes from the ancient Provençal language, fors la ville, or outside the city, though today it is very much in the city. In Cannes there are still about 30 fishermen working, their boats a world away from the glitzy yachts that line the harbour. The catch of the day comes to the market and though you can buy lobster and oysters, it's also possible to put together a cheap picnic, which has to include the local delicacy panisses. This mixture of chick pea flour, olive oil and water is cut into strips like chips and deep-fried – these are real French fries, absolutely delicious, and dangerously moreish.

St Marguerite Island

From Cannes harbour a 15-minute boat ride takes visitors to St Marguerite island, a place that could hardly be more different from the image of Cannes that the Film Festival generates. Here on this car-free island, shady paths lead off in all directions, beneath tall pine trees where birds twitter and flutter high in the branches. Two-thirds of St Marguerite's 150 hectares is covered in forest. From the northern shore the glittering lights of Cannes can be seen, while from the south shore the view is of the smaller island of St Honorat, home to a monastery of Cistercian monks and even further removed from the Cannes that makes the May headlines.

Musée de la Castre

Back on the mainland, another of Cannes' surprises is in the city's 11th-century château, which tops the hill where Cannes was born. The Musée de la Castre has an astonishing ethnography section, containing such striking delights as masks from the Himalayas and from the Pacific islands, and a carved pirogue boat from New Guinea. In a 12th-century chapel is a collection of musical instruments from all over the world, including African harps and lyres, kalimbas, and Italian claquettes.

Above the museum is the Tour de Suquet, the tower built in the 14th-century to watch out for Saracen invaders. From here it does indeed seem possible to see across half the Mediterranean. Also visible, over the red-tiled rooftops of Cannes and almost filling the side of an entire building, a giant photograph of Morgan Freeman looks back and reminds everyone who'll soon be coming to town. Another handprint on the Walk of Fame.

More Information

For further travel information about Cannes visit the official website of the Office de Tourisme de Cannes.

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