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| | | Megawatt glamour |  | Why go on holiday to Cannes?
Cannes has become a byword for movie megawatt glamour even if the resort's namesake film festival fills just two weeks in the life of this French Riviera city.
Go in the second and third weeks of May and you stand every chance of passing Brad Pitt in a corridor at the Majestic Hotel or witnessing Sharon Stone in the thinly veiled flesh vamping her way up the Palais des Festivals' red carpet.
Cannes also hosts many other media and business junkets, but its glitzy reputation is its big pull. And once there you'll be diverted by the many splendid shops and restaurants as well as nearby chic spots such as Le Cap d'Antibes, St Tropez or Monaco.
How much does it cost?
Cannes can be as expensive or as cheap as your credit limit allows. A stay at one of the five-star hotels facing its famous promenade, La Croisette, could set you back £700 or more a night during the film festival.
The average price for double room accommodation in a three-star hotel or bed and breakfast (in town) is about £50 or less a night.
A meal for two in a smart fish restaurant in the old town, known as Le Suquet, will probably top £100, depending on wine. But there are plenty of cheaper seaside eateries where you can laze in the sun with a £3 beer or £5 snack.
The return flight to Nice from the UK can be well under £100 per person or as much as £300 plus depending largely on when you book. Early birds go cheap(er). A taxi from Nice Airport to Cannes costs about £40-£50.
When should I go?
The film festival will run in May 2006 if it's stars and/or the best movies you want to see.
May to September are the warmest months when the temperature can soar to more than 30 degrees centigrade. The 7.5 miles of sandy beach are well served by bars and cafes.
And don't forget the Monaco Grand Prix, just up the coast, which is also due to roar into action next May.
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| | | Movie action | | Where can I schmooze with celebs?
Much of the film festival action in May takes place in and around the Palais des Festivals and international pavilions along the Croisette.
To catch a glimpse of Angelina Jolie or Leonardo DiCaprio on the Palais red carpet you need to find yourself a good perch somewhere along the boulevard between the Majestic Hotel and the Palais in the late, hot, afternoon sun. A gigantic TV screen helps you pick out the A-listers.
Unless you're a guest of a movie-type person or VIP you won't get to sit next to Cameron Diaz at a Grand Theatre Lumiere premiere. But you can buy tickets for non-celeb screenings throughout the day if you're lucky.
In quiet moments seek out the countless handprints of movie actors on the Alles Des Stars east of the Palais - a sight that won't cost you a euro.
Note that major stars tend to stay outside Cannes, usually at the expensive Hotel du Cap in Antibes, where only cash (not credit cards) is welcome.
Any great places for a picnic?
For a fabulous view of the bay of Cannes, head west to the old town's hill and its Chateau de la Castre. Its square is a great place for a picnic.
And don't forget the Lerrins islets off the bay. Twice an hour ferries serve the Ile St-Honorat and Ile Ste-Marguerite. Honorat boasts a working monastery you can visit.
Ste-Marguerite is where the now famous Man In The Iron Mask was imprisoned in 1698 and has many cafes and restaurants. Both are tranquil with long, pine forest walks.
What's the food like?
Highly cosmopolitan and for all budgets: Provencal, Italian, Greek, fish, you name it. Family restaurants fringe the mid-coast part of town, just in front of the Palais.
A romantic dinner a deux is best in the old town. The narrow, stepped streets are usually a bit crowded with night-time shoppers, but relish the atmosphere.
Where's good for night life?
There are casinos and night clubs galore, such as Jimmy'z at the Palais. During the film festival the resort is alive with parties on the beach, laser shows over the bay and fireworks.
More adventurous night owls can travel up and down the Cote d'Azur in search of Riviera glamour, but clubs here can be selective at the door and drinks very expensive. Check local guides.
In Cannes itself Cat Corner is a favourite nightclub where a bottle of champagne can cost you about 200 euros.
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| | | Chic shopping | | What's the shopping like?
For kitsch movie gifts/photos, you won't have to travel far. For chic brands the Rue d'Antibes is a window shopper's dream (nothing cheap). The Rue Meynadier is good for cheaper and local goods.
In Le Suquet you'll find dozens of quality gift and food stores - a lovely way to spend an evening before dinner.
Are the beaches free?
There's access to free beaches at either end of the Croisette but between them you'll have to pay to enter hotel beach clubs such as Martinez's.
Celebrity yacht-watching is a common (free) activity on the sand. And famous cruiseliners often drop anchor in the bay for a night or two.
Other places to visit?
Film festival aside, there are many art galleries such as the Galerie de Cannes on the Rue d'Antibes and the Museum Of The Sea with its many shipwrecks. Just 17km from Cannes at Grasse is the Maison Molinard perfumers.
Monaco is always worth a day trip. Its exotic garden offers a panoramic view of the principality.
Is transport OK?
Buses are good and cheap for daytime travel but are irregular or non-existent after about 9pm. Renting a car is best, though roads get clogged along the coast.
Taxis are reasonable but discuss the fare before you embark. Those with bigger budgets can always hire a yacht or limousine, and there's the helicopter service from Nice Airport to consider.
Tourist office
French Government Tourist Office, 178 Piccadilly, London W1V OAL. Tel 0906 824 4123 (calls are charged at 60p per minute).
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| | Available rental properties in Cannes |
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| |  | | Luxury 1 bedroom apartment - Cannes French Riviera
Highly recommended luxury one bedroom apartment with all the facilities to make a great holiday.
|  | | Luxury - Newly built 3 bedroom apartment - Cannes
Fully air-conditioned, 3-bedroom apartment, right on Rue D'Antibes, 100m from La Croisette & very near the Cannes Convention Center
|  | | Luxury 2 bed apartment with A/C - 1km fm Palais
Modernised & recently refurbished two twin-bedroom apartment in Cannes centre, 1km from the beach. Ideally located for conference, cngress, festivals, vacation rental, seaside, beach, golf, fishing,
|  | | La Belle Bleue
A pretty, completely new studio apartment situated right in the centre of Cannes. It has a 5m2 balcony overlooking a beautiful public garden separatin
|  | | Appartement ST22RJ
This residence is situated in the lower California part of Cannes, only 800 metres from the Croisette. The district is quiet and each apartment has a
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