Fun things to do in Cannes
From hotel to shops and back again
A wonderful photo exhibition takes place in Cannes every summer; the International Festival of Fashion Photography. So when I read that fashion photographer Chico Bialas was going to be the guest of honour, I took a break from holidaying in Saint Tropez and headed to Cannes for a bit of culture. I met Chico years ago when I was just hired as the fashion editor for ELLE. He was most well known in Holland for his humorous and original Mexx campaigns. He worked with Naomi Campbell, Helena Christensen and Monica Bellucci, who can be seen in all their glory on a 3 by 5 metre blown up photo hanging between the palm trees. On the Jardin de la Roseraie. There is also work from other famous and less famous photographers, and it’s on until the end of this month along the Croissette in Cannes.
What to wear
The paparazzi are constantly ready to pounce in Cannes. Everyone does their very best to look styled to the nines. The polished, all over designer look wins over the nonchalant bohemian look seen in Saint Tropez. Go for Hermès, Louis Vuitton or Chanel (even if only a bag if your budget won’t stretch any further). A pair of skyscraper heels naturally (even with a bathing suit). You never know who you’ll bump into or if he’ll invite you back to his yacht…
Where to lunch
If you’d like to eat at the beach, try to reserve a seat at Z Plage from Hotel Martinez. The chef combines healthy and delicious using fresh products from the area. Z Plage is the place for people watching. While I was there, the paparazzi were desperately trying to snap pictures of Madonna’s children jet skiing. While dining at the Nice Matin the next day, I saw that they had succeeded. You need to book ahead in the high season.
Where to eat
Celebrities and the fashionable jet set gather in the evenings at Le Baoli. It is the absolute hotspot during the film festival and where you’ll be sitting side by side with Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Paris Hilton and Uma Thurman. Later in the evening it breaks out into a party and the restaurant turns into an open air night club.
Where to Shop
You’ll find just about anything designer chic along the boulevard lined with beautiful hotels like the Carlton. Many very expensive jewellery shops and also other well knowns like Dolce & Gabbana. I always pop by Jacques Loup on the rue d’Antibes 21, for the latest (shoes and clothes) from Marni, Lanvin, Jil Sander, Fendi, Todd’s and many more.
Vintage shopping
In a place where credit card limits do not exist, where strutting is taken to the next level, where women change at least three times per day and are never ever seen in the same outfit twice; second hand shops are the natural consequence. You can find the luxury vintage shops Le Depot and Declic Depot just a stone’s throw away from the Croisette.
If you’re lucky, you’ll find something in your size for half or sometimes less than half the original price. I bought a vintage Kelly bag from Hermès at Le Depot a few years back, guaranteed the real thing and already gone up in price. A far better investment than stocks and shares or is this sounding like a really weak excuse for my shopping addiction?
