The world's most glamorous film festival — red carpet, Palme d'Or, and the Croisette.
The Cannes Film Festival is 12 days of the world's most concentrated film industry energy — 12,000 accredited professionals, 45 countries competing for the Palme d'Or, and the most photographed red carpet in cinema. A custom Cannes trip doesn't require industry accreditation: the Croisette, the beach clubs, the evening screenings for the public (L'Cinéma de la Plage), and the surrounding Riviera are all accessible. We book the hotels, secure access to the public events, and combine the festival with Monaco, Saint-Tropez, and the Provence hinterland.
The official Competition screenings require press or industry accreditation — you can't get into the Palme d'Or ceremony or the main competition red carpet without it. What you can do: watch the red carpet arrivals from the public area at the base of the Palais steps (free, arrive 2 hours early), attend L'Cinéma de la Plage (free outdoor screenings on the beach each evening — films from the official selection), browse the Marché du Film public areas, and attend the retrospective screenings open to the public in the Salle Buñuel.
The Croisette is Cannes's palm-lined waterfront boulevard — 3km of beach clubs, hotels (the Carlton, Martinez, Majestic), and the best people-watching in Europe during festival week. La Bocca beach (west of central Cannes) is calmer and free compared to the private beaches in front of the Grand Hotels. Rue d'Antibes (the shopping street running parallel to the Croisette) has excellent restaurants without festival price markups. Old Town Le Suquet (the hill above the port) is medieval Cannes with panoramic views.
Cannes 2026 ends May 24 — Monaco GP starts May 22. The two events overlap in the final days, making a combined Cannes + Monaco trip the most efficient use of a single Riviera trip. Arrive in Nice, spend 4 days in Cannes for the final festival days and red carpet, then move to Monaco for the GP weekend. Or reverse: Monaco first, then settle in Nice for Cannes access. Saint-Tropez is 90 minutes west by boat from the old port — a 3-day extension adds the most famous beach on the French Riviera.
Pick your match, market, or race — we build the trip from the city you land in.
What we build for typical requests. Every trip is customized — these are starting points.
The Palais des Festivals red carpet steps face a public viewing area. Arrive 2 hours before the evening screening for a position. The scale — floodlights, photographers, gowns — is extraordinary even from outside.
Free outdoor beach screenings each evening during the festival — films from the official selection, on a 220m² screen on the Macé beach. Bring a blanket and arrive 45 minutes early for a good spot.
The hotel at Antibes that has hosted film stars since 1870 — not just during Cannes but year-round. Lunch on the terrace overlooking the Côte d'Azur is the most Riviera-specific dining experience available.
Cannes ends May 24; Monaco GP race day is May 24. The overlap week is the most glamorous 7-day stretch in Europe — we coordinate the logistics for both events in one Riviera package.
Rent a private motor launch from Cannes old port to Saint-Tropez (90 min). Lunch at Club 55 (the beach club since 1955). Swim in the Plage de Pampelonne coves. Return by sunset.
30 minutes north into the hills: Grasse is the perfume capital of the world. Fragonard and Molinard ateliers offer create-your-own-fragrance experiences (€80/person, 2 hours). The old town of Grasse is beautifully preserved.
Cannes Film Festival 2026 runs approximately May 13–24, 2026 (official dates confirmed by the Festival de Cannes organizers in early 2026). The Palme d'Or ceremony is on the final Saturday evening.
Yes — many aspects are open to the public: the red carpet public viewing area (free, arrive early), L'Cinéma de la Plage (free evening beach screenings), some retrospective screenings in smaller venues, and the entire Croisette, beach clubs, and city. The main Competition screenings and the Palais du Festival interior events require accreditation.
Cannes itself (walking distance to the Palais) is ideal but hotels triple in price and book out 6+ months ahead. Nice (30-minute direct train, every 30 min) is the smart base — comparable hotels at 40% less. From Nice you can be in Cannes within 45 minutes door-to-step. We recommend the Nice base unless budget is truly no concern.
The overlap is almost perfect: Cannes closes May 24, Monaco race day is May 24, Monaco practice begins May 21. The final 3 days of Cannes overlap with the Monaco GP practice days — it's the most glamorous 7-day window in Europe. We package both events together as our most requested Riviera experience.
Early morning (before 9am) for a calm Croisette walk and beach swim. The red carpet arrivals happen at 7–9pm for evening screenings. Late afternoon is the most crowded time on the Croisette. L'Cinéma de la Plage screenings start at dusk (around 9:30pm). The Rue d'Antibes restaurants peak at 8–9pm.
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