Attractions
Antibes
Antibes is a pleasant excursion a few miles east of Cannes. It has one of the best markets on the coast and an excellent Picasso museum in its ancient seafront castle, the 16th-century Château Grimaldi. Picasso was lent a room in the castle to use as a studio in 1946. Several extremely prolific months followed before he moved to Vallauris, leaving all his Antibes output to what is now the Musée Picasso. Although Picasso donated other works later, most of the collection dates from this one period. The best known work is Ulysses and his Sirens. There are also works here by some of Picasso's contemporaries including Nicholas de Stael. Picasso himself is the subject of some of his paintings. Alongside the castle is a cathedral which dates from Medieval times; only the choir and apse survive from the original Romanesque building, the nave and magnificent facade are Baroque. Nearby is a market which is open every morning over the summer and overflows with local produce.
Openingtime: Musée Picasso open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm (June to September); rest of year 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm. Please note however that the museum is closed until further notice due to renovations
Admission: €4.58
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Ile St Honorat & Ile St Marguerite
The two islands of Lerins - Ile St Marguerite and Ile St Honorat lie within a 20-minute boat ride from Cannes. Ile St Honorat is a tiny forested island, the smallest and most southern of the Iles de Lerins. It has been the site of a monastery since the 5th century and today the Cistercian monks are the only inhabitants on the island. Much of the monastery is surprisingly modern, with the exception of the ruins of the 11th-century monastery on the sea's edge. The monks organize tours of the island and try to sell their produce to tourists including homemade wine, honey and lavender oil. The monastery also welcomes visitors for week-long retreats. On the neighboring Ile St Marguerite is the fortress where the man in the 'iron mask' was imprisoned.
Telephone: (04) 9299 5400 or 9298 7138 (boat trips)
Transport: Boats run daily to the island
Openingtime: 8am to 6pm (summer); 8am to 5pm (winter)
Admission: €8
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La Croisette
The long, shop-studded promenade of La Croisette, and its seven miles (11km) of beach, is Cannes' major attraction. Palatial hotels line this strip each with their own private beach and this is where you are most likely to spot a familiar face, or topless hopeful, especially during the film festival, though you'll be lucky to see further than the sweating backs of the paparazzi. La Croisette is best viewed from the highest point of Cannes' Old Town, Le Suquet, where the remains of the fortified tower still stand, along with the 12th-century Chapel of St Anne. Le Suquet is a lovely place to stroll, with its winding streets, small boutiques and restaurants. At the end of La Croisette is the Palais des Festivals, whose endless Allées des Stars is imprinted with handprints and signatures of the famous. Just beyond is the atmospheric Vieux Port, with its odd medley of luxury yachts and tiny fishing vessels, and the rows of palm trees and fragrant flower market of the Allées de la Liberté. Further west along the seafront are the free beaches (where the locals go), along the Plages du Midi.
