Food and Drink

France has a fine reputation for delicious cuisine from the tasty peasant food of the rural regions through to the glitzy Michelin star modern dining in the big cities.  Almost every town has a selection of great restaurants, cafes and bars where you can enjoy some wonderful freshly prepared food.  The French cuisine is all about regional specialties which take advantage of the best local ingredients and these include dishes such as:

• Quiche Lorraine – an open egg pie with smoked bacon and cheese
• Soufflé au Grand Marnier – a delicious light dessert with orange liqueur.
• Salade niçoise – a fresh summery salad with tuna, anchovies, boiled eggs, green beans, black olives, potatoes, tomatoes and capers.

 France is also famous for its amazing range of wines from deep fiery reds through to light fresh whites.  There are also plenty of brandies, aperitifs, ciders and beers to choose from.

Cannes

Shopping

Cannes has a number of excellent shopping areas, with everything from international designer brands such as Chanel, Dior and Gucci through to high class gastronomic markets and chocolatiers. La Croisette is the best place for high fashion, and you can also find a number of exclusive boutiques at the Gray d’Albion arcade, and many of the best patisseries and delicatessens are on Rue d’Antibes.

If you are interested in local food and produce then head down to Rue Meynadier, which has a number of lively local market stalls, or head over to Marché Forville (Forville Market) down by the town hall for best fresh vegetables, fruit and seafood. Most shops open between 10am and 7pm, closing for at least two hours for the traditional French lunchtime, usually between 12pm and 2pm. You will find that many shop assistants and waiting staff in Cannes speak fluent English, and international credit cards are accepted in most of the larger shops, cafes and restaurants.

Main Attractions

There are plenty of things to see and do in Cannes , and despite the very glamorous, modern appearance of the town this is actually a very historic place, with a rich and diverse history and was once a Roman settlement and also a major religious centre, and also home of the monks of the Lérins Isles. Main attractions include:

• Musée de la Castre (Castre Museum) – this interesting museum is situated in the chateau that once belonged to monks of the Lérins Isles, and has some fine collections of local artists from the 19th Century and also excellent displays of classical antiquities from around the Mediterranean and Middle East.
• Ile St Marguerite (St Marguerite Island) – this island is the famous site of the mysterious ‘Man in the Iron Mask’, who was imprisoned here for over 11 years. You can take trips out to the island and visit the Fort of St Marguerite, now the Musée de la Mer, where you can see his cell and also various interesting maritime exhibits.
• Ile St Honorat (St Honorat Island) – the Cistercian monks still inhabit St Honorat Island, and you can visit the ancient site of a medieval church, and also see parts of the monastery grounds where wines, honey, lavender oil and Lérina, (herbal liqueur) is produced.