I hope you are all having a wonderful summer vacation post-Ramadan! I had the opportunity to take the most amazing trip to Cannes, France for the first time to Hotel Barriere Le Majestic with Cpasdelacom. Cannes is located right on the French Riviera right at Croisette Avenue, so naturally, the hotel rendered a refined and luxurious experience.
To help you all plan your future visit to Cannes, today, I'm sharing my top tips on things to do in Cannes based off what I did during my stay!
1. Where to Stay: I highly recommend staying on La Croisette Avenue. Hotel Barriere Le Majestic is situated right at the forefront of all the action in Cannes. I was able to see the venue where the Cannes Film Festival takes place every year right from my balcony, along with the sea-front; it was such a magical experience and so much fun spending time on the balcony each night with an espresso and fruit. This hotel location will eliminate the need for any rental car because of all the exciting things to do on this avenue and easy access via walking. You can walk to and from your hotel throughout the day whether it be for breakfast at the hotel, a swim on the beach, and more!
2. How to get around: While we rented a car for our day trip to Monaco (only 30 miles away), we mainly walked by foot all day! There are so many little shops that have bike and scooter rentals, which looked like so much fun for a longer stay. The city is super small so you can get around most places safely between the alleys and avenues. It's easy to maintain a sense of direction with the city being based on the sea-front. The concierge at Hotel Barriere Le Majestic was amazingly friendly and welcoming and offered a variety of languages, especially when a lot of locations in France unfortunately do not have very many English speaking staff. They were able to guide us all throughout the city with maps and more.
3. Where to eat: We had the best lunch EVER at B'fire by Mauro Colagreco, situated at the beach front of the Mediterannean sea. This restaurant belongs to Hotel Barriere Le Majestic, and the menu reflects everything beachy-healthy from citrus cheese salads to fresh salmon sandwiches. I am the biggest cheese lover, so naturally, the dining in France was super delicious! For dinner, I recommend heading to La Terrase du Gray. It's part of our hotel chain and is a short five minute breezy walk. We had some of the best salads and steak entrees there, as well as a delicious variety of ice cream desserts. The atmosphere is super eclectic, with a hint of luxury. Also, the staff is so friendly and welcoming, and speaks perfect english (as that can be a rare accommodation in France sometimes).
4. Where to go explore: On La Croisette, a mile-long promenade that skirts the shore, you can lookout on the sparkling Mediterranean and the hills. You can also take in all the glamorous pedestrians, which is a super fun area to people watch (and car watch all the luxurious rides). Along the board walk, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants, a mini amusement park for children with a merry-go round, bike rentals, outdoor events, and so much more! I would recommend taking part in all your exploring activities early in the morning, since many stores and locations tend to close after 7 pm.
5. Where to shop: Right at the entrance of the Hotel Barriere Le Majestic are plenty of luxury designer retailers that exude French elegance and class. The windows of these retailers will spark you with their French-inspired displays and outfit combinations. I always feel inspired after traveling and seeing all the colors and prints paired together. Also, Rue d'Antibes has some of the best designer shopping which is a short walk from Hotel Barriere Le Majestic. From Prada to Zara, you'll find so many stores to either window shop or pick out a few summer-vibe items. There are also so many perfume and pastry shops here! I ended up finding the best souvenirs at Fragonard which is a local perfume shop that manufactures everything right outside of Cannes and it was so cute for my mom, dad and even little brother!
6. Where to relax: On one of the mornings of our stay, we headed down to the Spa Diane Barriere at Hotel Barriere Le Majestic for one of their local treatments. The setting was so luxurious and calming away from the hustle and bustle of Cannes. The massages are super personalized to your preferences, and they have a chic waiting room with drinks and snacks before and after the treatment. I also recommend heading to the beach for a walk on the boardwalk. It's so breezy and a great way to experience the culture with all the locals walking around and enjoying an ice cream or drink on the shore.
7. What activities to do: I would recommend taking a ferry trip to the Lerin Islands. It was about a 20 minute boat ride on the Mediterranean sea to a historic island that now has museums and restaurants on there. It was where they based the story of the Man With the Iron Mask. It was a nice way to experience the sea and see the view of Cannes from ahead. Hotel Barriere Le Majestic kindly arranged this tour and the tickets from our concierge in the early morning! It was about a 15 minute walk to the Ferry Deck to reach the boat departure.
Ultimately, I had the most amazing and relaxing time in Cannes with Hotel Barriere Le Majestic and I can not wait to make another trip to Cannes in the future! There's so much to do in the French Riviera, and you'll be sure to feel refreshed and inspired after this magical visit. From the deep blue beach to the global fashion to the rustic French elements of the city, I couldn't have spent my summer vacation a better way. Thank you Cpasdelacom for coordinating this amazing stay, and stay tuned for future travel posts!
P.S Wael Kfoury will be in Cannes for a big live concert this summer at Majestic Beach this Sunday, August 5th, along with a contemporary dance ballet with the famous dancer Alexandra Cardinale. Be sure to plan your trip around that!
Much love,
