Get dragged along the waves on a wakeboard
Go hiking underground in the Caves of Saint Cezaire
Revisit the past at Musee de la Castre
Suquet Hill is Cannes' old town quarter, and its diminutive, maze-like streets now serve as ground zero for shops, bars and restaurants. At the top is the charming
Musee de la Castre with its ethnographic history of Cannes. Even if you're not into the relics, it's worth the hike for the view.
Ile Sant Honorat
Reputation would have us think that Cannes is all about high-end shopping and champagne cocktails. If that is your vibe, all power to you. But if you want something a little more holistic, take the 15-minute boat ride to Ile Sant Honorat, home to 20 Bendictine monks. They'll even let you join them for morning mass (1125 weekdays, and 0950 Sunday).
Work out those things with stand-up paddleboarding
To the bystander, this relatively new watersport might look about as taxing as a stroll along La Croisette, but balancing on oversized surfboards is a tough workout for the lower body. It's also a novel way of exploring Cannes' scenic coastline. Hire all the gear from Cannes Stand-Up Paddle (tel: +33 (0) 6 8217 0877;
www.cannesstanduppaddle.fr)Beach
Cannes's main attraction, the long, shop-studded stretch of La Croisette, boasts 12km (7.5 miles) of beach. There are many expensive private beaches here, offering privacy to well-heeled clients and celebrities during the film festival. Further west, along the seafront, are the free beaches where the locals gather along the Plages du Midi. These can get very crowded in summer. There are more beaches to the east of the Croisette.
Shopping
It’s easy to haemorrhage money in Cannes’ designer boutiques; after all this is the Côte d’Azur. But although the town is a magnet for dedicated followers of fashion, there are plenty of affordable shops lurking down the side streets for those with less money/more sense.
Nightlife
Cannes has a lively nightlife that usually spills into the following morning. It's hardly Ibiza, but the town has many pubs, bars and clubs, ranging from swanky celebrity hangouts to backpacker boozers. The cobbled alleys of Le Suquet are perfect for a romantic drink. If you fancy something livelier, head to rue des Frères Pradignac and the surrounding streets.