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All you need to know about the Cannes Film Festival (2023)

Statue with the Palme d'Or celebrating the Cannes Film Festival

The Cannes International Film Festival is the glamorous meeting place of the Côte d’Azur where the biggest international stars converge every year. The Cannes Film Festival brings together more than 350 sales companies and institutions on more than 200 stands. But the Cannes Film Festival is above all the most publicized film event in the world. The emblematic ascent of the steps, its array of stars on the red carpet, contribute to prolonging the myth year after year.

From 16 to 27 May 2023, the entire international film industry will be looking towards Cannes.

How to get to the 76th Cannes Film Festival?

In order to obtain the entrance sesame to the heart of the Palais des Festivals, it is necessary to have an accreditation. Several options are available, including a Platinum badge, which offers exclusive access to attend popular screenings, producer presentations and workshops. This badge is also a pass for the Bistrot du Lérins, the lounge area and for the Palms beach.

Young woman walking on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival

If you don’t have accreditation, you can still stroll among the onlookers and hundreds of paparazzi searching for the most beautiful image. You can also attend private parties, the most popular of which are by invitation only.

What to see or do during the Cannes Film Festival?

While waiting for the jury’s long-awaited award of the Palme d’Or, Cannes and its surroundings deserve your full attention.

If the Croisette and its luxury brands offer hours of shopping just a few steps away from the Palais des Festivals, you will also appreciate the immediate proximity of Cannes’ beaches, especially the ephemeral beaches that take place during the festival. All are great venues for a festive and gourmet experience.

Nikki Beach 314 during the Cannes Film Festival and its view of the yachts

To get away from the frenzy and escape, the ideal thing to do is to enjoy the pleasure of chartering a yacht from Cannes for a day or more, which will allow you to discover the Lérins Islands, stroll through the narrow streets of the authentic fishing village of Saint-Tropez or spend an evening in the Bay of Cannes with a view of the facades of the Palais des Festival and Croisette’s palaces. You can also rent a sports car or a luxury sedan to discover the roads of Monaco’s Principality and spend an evening at the casino before returning to your Cannes palace.

Chartered yacht cruising in Cannes

Back in Cannes, you will not be able to miss the official parties and private parties organized by the biggest production companies or by the big luxury brands… This is the place to be… and to be seen. The biggest parties are held in the heart of Cannes’ palaces, in luxury villas or on the Croisette beaches. On exclusive evenings such as those of the Club by Albane (Albane Cleret), only members can slum with the biggest stars.

Nightclub the VIP Room during the Cannes Film Festival

All these evenings are the nerve center of Cannes from morning until late at night. Magnum Beach, Nespresso Beach, L’Oréal Beach, Nikki Beach wake up only during the Festival period. Martinez Beach is another must-see spot during the festival evenings. Here you dine while tasting the orgasmic pleasure of the cuisine of the virtuoso chef Christian Sinicropi before savoring a signature cocktail while dancing to the sound of DJ sets and the biggest stars of the world cinema. Carlton Beach, whose eponymous hotel has recently been reopened, will undoubtedly be a major venue for this 2023 edition.

How to travel to the Cannes International Film Festival?

The Cannes Film Festival is in the heart of the French Riviera, between Nice and Saint-Tropez. To reach the Croisette, several options are possible. If you arrive on an international flight at Nice Côte d’Azur airport, you can come to Cannes by renting a luxury car or opting for a chauffeur-driven car. It will take between 40 minutes and over an hour to drive, depending on the traffic flow. Ideally, you should take a helicopter connection, which puts Cannes only 10 minutes’ flight from the international airport.

A helicopter lands in Cannes for the Film Festival

The most comfortable way to become a real festival-goer is to rent a private jet. The Cannes-Mandelieu business aviation airport is particularly popular at this time of year, so it is best to book early if you choose this option. A driver can then drive you to Cannes Center.
Finally, the most exclusive mode of transport and stay during the festival period is the yacht charter. Onboard, you can both enjoy the magic of the Festival and discover the treasures of the French Riviera. Moreover, the yacht rental will offer you the possibility to organize your evening’s rest.

Where to stay during the Cannes Film Festival?

Palaces and luxury hotels are numerous in the area around the Palais des Festivals. The legendary hotels of the Croisette will provide the perfect setting, like the recently inaugurated Carlton Cannes A Regent Hotel, whose beauty will captivate all festival-goers this year.

The Hotel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes, the closest hotel to the Palais, welcomes you in a sumptuous decor. You will benefit from this proximity, the sublime view of the Mediterranean, the well-being provided by the professionals of the Spa Diane Barrière and the gustatory pleasures of the Paradiso Nicole & Pierre.

Further along the Croisette is the iconic art-deco façade of the Hotel Martinez Cannes. It is in this historic hotel that the selection jury meets before awarding the Festival’s Palme d’Or. In the 2-star La Palme d’Or restaurant, masterfully run by the creative Christian Sinicropi, the jury takes part in a tailor-made dinner, from the plate to the dishes tasted. If you stay at the Martinez hotel, you will undoubtedly appreciate the quietness and the bucolic setting of the Jardin du Martinez for the breakfast that will follow your crazy Cannes nights. Simply cross the Croisette and then relax on Martinez Beach or take part in one of the most popular evenings of the Festival.

Façade of the luxury hotel Le Martinez in Cannes

Another place, another atmosphere, the Five Seas Hotel Cannes is more trendy, located between the Croisette and Rue d’Antibes. The spot is ideal to stay in a contemporary setting and enjoy the rooftop overlooking the Suquet.

Return to the Croisette, where the JW Marriott Cannes hotel cultivates the glamorous atmosphere of the festival. It is here that the prestigious Club by Albane puts down its suitcases every year. If you wish to experience the Festival’s atmosphere during the day but find the luxury and discretion of an exceptional palace, the Cap Eden Roc hotel in Cap d’Antibes remains a legendary address.

The magic and glamour of the Cannes festival create an extraordinary atmosphere on the French Riviera. Hoteliers, party organizers and restaurants roll out the red carpet to turn simple participation into a unique experience.