Cannes, Ville des Etoiles

As everyone who's anyone knows, the Cote d'Azure is the place to vacation in France, better known to Americans as the French Riviera. Well, there is a reason for this. It is beautiful, luxe, full of wealth and has everything a vacation should offer, sun, sand, food and relaxation. Well, Cannes is one such city. As my European guidebook puts it, Cannes "basks year-round in the glory of its week long film festival, which occurs in May." Well, indeed, in early October, Cannes is still basking in the fading rays of the May festival, and those rays can still provide quite a beautiful tan. 

The beach is the most obvious landmark in Cannes, with miles of seemingly endless sand and sparkling waters, and far off cruise ships parked on the horizon. The sand is soft, smooth, and sparkles beneath the shining water, creating a relaxing beauty that stimulates the senses. The hotels, which are indeed numerous, are all either small, hidden gems, or else, loud, tall glories that scream wealth, privilege and prestige. The restaurants are plentiful, though the cuisine tends to be relatively similar, especially at the beachfront tourist locations. However, there is some variety of ethnic cuisine to be found further away from the water. 

Besides the beach, the two other most famous landmarks in Cannes are the Palais des Festivales, the location of the annual film festival and the Rue d'Antibes, known for its upscale, boutique shopping. The Palais itself, though interesting, is rather underwhelming, just a event hall. However, running around the Palais are blocks of concrete carrying the signatures and hand-prints of hundreds of famous actors, producers and directors, a veritable walk among the stars. Further inland lies the Rue d'Antibes, known for its upscale boutiques and expensive chain stores. Inside, luxury and expense are the names of the game,  no wonder everyone on the Cote is so well dressed.