Tips needed in Cannes, France

[zhangf]

we are going to Port Cannes, France for one day from 8:00AM - 6:00PM, is this a good idea to rent a car to go visit the city? Where should we go to see, any recommendations please, this is our first time to visit the city.

Thanks in advance.

[Hlitner]

we are going to Port Cannes, France for one day from 8:00AM - 6:00PM, is this a good idea to rent a car to go visit the city? Where should we go to see, any recommendations please, this is our first time to visit the city.

Thanks in advance.

 

If you search this blog there are quite a few posts about Cannes options. But we have no idea what you mean when you say "visit the city." What city! Cannes is a tender port and you will be tendered right into the old port part of Cannes. You can walk from the tender pier into the center of the "city" in about 10 minutes. If you plan on going elsewhere in the region you can either use the train or perhaps even rent a car.

 

Hank

[cberge]

Please do some reading on these boards re your ports to get some ideas as to what to expect.Cannes is a city onto itself not a port per se. Lots of info on these boards and a guide book may be of help to you if this is your first trip to Europe.

[Eurotravelmagazine]

I've been to Cannes and the surrounding areas loads of times. If you want any advice do leave a message. Next visit will be in late August when we are on Celebrity Equinox

 

David

[Dgarv76]

I've been to Cannes and the surrounding areas loads of times. If you want any advice do leave a message. Next visit will be in late August when we are on Celebrity Equinox

 

 

 

David

 

 

Hi David! Do you have links or anything you can easily share? Not sure if we are allowed to share emails here.

[Eurotravelmagazine]

hi. try me on david.jacobs@aglpublications.com

[zhangf]

At Cannes, is it a good option to rent a car and drive own to Monte Carlo, Nice and Eze? Is there a car renatl company near by Port in Cannes?

[cberge]

At Cannes, is it a good option to rent a car and drive own to Monte Carlo, Nice and Eze? Is there a car renatl company near by Port in Cannes?

 

Do a search on this board looking for postings from Hank as he has driven all over France and has a lot of info he has posted..his was the 2nd posting on this post of yours.

[Eurotravelmagazine]

At Cannes, is it a good option to rent a car and drive own to Monte Carlo, Nice and Eze? Is there a car renatl company near by Port in Cannes?

 

If you are thinking about this, do bear in mind the following points

 

- Cannes is a tender port. If you arent on a ship's tour, you might have to wait quite a while to get of the ship. Delays of over an hour are possible

 

- Traffic can be horrific, especially in the summer, though the drive from Cannes - Nice taking the sea road is easy and pleasant

 

- Nice is a big sprawling city and for a first time visitor is not the easiest to find your way around. Personally it's not my favourite place on the Cote d'Azur, though the drive along the Promenade des Anglais is very worthwhile and the Flower Market area is lovely

 

- Eze apart you could consider train. They run every 30 mins from Cannes to Nice and Monte Carlo and Cannes station is walkable from where the tender will drop you. There is a station at Eze but the journey from Eze station to Eze village can be problematical unless you are super fit and are happy with a steeply uphill walk of about 60 mins in possibly very hot weather. There are buses but the service intervals are inconsistent.

 

- Having said that, car hire is easy to arrange from the station

 

- Don't be put off by stories about the French being bad drivers. I've driven thousands of miles in France and found them to be good drivers, especially on Autoroutes where their lane discipline is excellent (especially compared to the British, whose driving is awful in this respect) One word of warning to Americans in relation to this - don't overtake on the inside (ie in the slower lane). In France it's specifically prohibited.

 

Hope this helps

 

David

[zhangf]

Do a search on this board looking for postings from Hank as he has driven all over France and has a lot of info he has posted..his was the 2nd posting on this post of yours.

 

 

Be honestly, not very pleased with your answers. You are not obligated to answer people's questions but I hope you would rather save your time than posting the "Non help" answers.

[zhangf]

If you are thinking about this, do bear in mind the following points

 

- Cannes is a tender port. If you arent on a ship's tour, you might have to wait quite a while to get of the ship. Delays of over an hour are possible

 

- Traffic can be horrific, especially in the summer, though the drive from Cannes - Nice taking the sea road is easy and pleasant

 

- Nice is a big sprawling city and for a first time visitor is not the easiest to find your way around. Personally it's not my favourite place on the Cote d'Azur, though the drive along the Promenade des Anglais is very worthwhile and the Flower Market area is lovely

 

- Eze apart you could consider train. They run every 30 mins from Cannes to Nice and Monte Carlo and Cannes station is walkable from where the tender will drop you. There is a station at Eze but the journey from Eze station to Eze village can be problematical unless you are super fit and are happy with a steeply uphill walk of about 60 mins in possibly very hot weather. There are buses but the service intervals are inconsistent.

 

- Having said that, car hire is easy to arrange from the station

 

- Don't be put off by stories about the French being bad drivers. I've driven thousands of miles in France and found them to be good drivers, especially on Autoroutes where their lane discipline is excellent (especially compared to the British, whose driving is awful in this respect) One word of warning to Americans in relation to this - don't overtake on the inside (ie in the slower lane). In France it's specifically prohibited.

 

Hope this helps

 

David

 

Thank you so much David, it helps.

[cberge]

Be honestly, not very pleased with your answers. You are not obligated to answer people's questions but I hope you would rather save your time than posting the "Non help" answers.

 

I am not a hand holder,and I apologize if I offended you by saying to find some help on these boards which are here for the wealth of info they provide. I believe one should do some homework on their own before they embark for a new destination is all. Hank has the most knowledge of driving in the area and car rental and I cannot cut and paste on this computer iw hy I posted what I did. I am glad you found information.Maybe he will see your post and help some more.

[Cornishpastyman1]

we are going to Port Cannes, France for one day from 8:00AM - 6:00PM, is this a good idea to rent a car to go visit the city? Where should we go to see, any recommendations please, this is our first time to visit the city.

Thanks in advance.

This is just a quick look at Cannes from when you get off the tender. There must be several fabulous restaurants, and it has a nice sea front and a quaint old quarter but we just used it as a place to catch a train to Nice. All the best, Tony

 

[YOUTUBE]gO4Luc3h41k[/YOUTUBE]

[Hlitner]

If you are thinking about this, do bear in mind the following points

 

- Cannes is a tender port. If you arent on a ship's tour, you might have to wait quite a while to get of the ship. Delays of over an hour are possible

 

- Traffic can be horrific, especially in the summer, though the drive from Cannes - Nice taking the sea road is easy and pleasant

 

- Nice is a big sprawling city and for a first time visitor is not the easiest to find your way around. Personally it's not my favourite place on the Cote d'Azur, though the drive along the Promenade des Anglais is very worthwhile and the Flower Market area is lovely

 

- Eze apart you could consider train. They run every 30 mins from Cannes to Nice and Monte Carlo and Cannes station is walkable from where the tender will drop you. There is a station at Eze but the journey from Eze station to Eze village can be problematical unless you are super fit and are happy with a steeply uphill walk of about 60 mins in possibly very hot weather. There are buses but the service intervals are inconsistent.

 

- Having said that, car hire is easy to arrange from the station

 

- Don't be put off by stories about the French being bad drivers. I've driven thousands of miles in France and found them to be good drivers, especially on Autoroutes where their lane discipline is excellent (especially compared to the British, whose driving is awful in this respect) One word of warning to Americans in relation to this - don't overtake on the inside (ie in the slower lane). In France it's specifically prohibited.

 

Hope this helps

 

David

 

I do feel obliged to expand on some of your comments. The Eze train station (you mention) is actually well below the village of Eze and getting between this station and Eze Village can be very difficult (there is a period during early afternoon when you could wait nearly 2 hours for a bus).

 

As to "car hire is easy to arrange from the station" we are not sure which station you refer. But the Eze/Bord sur Mer station (this is the station closest to Eze) is more like a small "whistle stop" with no facilities (other then a small cafe across the road). There are no rental car companies that serve this station and it can even be difficult to find a taxi (you usually need to call a radio taxi). And one needs to consider that nearly all the rental car agencies (except at the Nice Cote d'Azur Airport) are closed on Sundays, holidays and often on Saturday afternoons.

 

Agree with your assessment of driving in France. We have also found the French to be excellent drivers who tend to follow the rules. Perhaps that is why I find driving in Italy a lot more fun :). As to the "Brits".......well what can you say about folks that drive on the wrong side of the road when they are sober :)

 

Hank

Edited May 5, 2015 by Hlitner

[zhangf]

I do feel obliged to expand on some of your comments. The Eze train station (you mention) is actually well below the village of Eze and getting between this station and Eze Village can be very difficult (there is a period during early afternoon when you could wait nearly 2 hours for a bus).

 

As to "car hire is easy to arrange from the station" we are not sure which station you refer. But the Eze/Bord sur Mer station (this is the station closest to Eze) is more like a small "whistle stop" with no facilities (other then a small cafe across the road). There are no rental car companies that serve this station and it can even be difficult to find a taxi (you usually need to call a radio taxi). And one needs to consider that nearly all the rental car agencies (except at the Nice Cote d'Azur Airport) are closed on Sundays, holidays and often on Saturday afternoons.

 

Agree with your assessment of driving in France. We have also found the French to be excellent drivers who tend to follow the rules. Perhaps that is why I find driving in Italy a lot more fun :). As to the "Brits".......well what can you say about folks that drive on the wrong side of the road when they are sober :)

 

Hank

 

Mr. Hank,

 

Thanks for your inputs...as reading from previous messages on this board, I know you have a lot of experience touring in France, however, I cant combine all the information together and make up the best plan on my trip in Cannes, very struggling now:confused: . Do you mind if I ask your opnions on my first visiting in Cannes:

 

1). Driving my own to visit the cities, with GPS of course (either rent one from Car Rental, or bring my own), NIce, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Eze, I'd reserved a van, (180 Euro with Automatic).

 

2). Take a train - walking in 30 min from Port to the train station...but I am worry about my mom, she is 75 years old and is not very capable walking in long time, and its hard to find the Taxi in Port area.

 

3). Take bus, but no idea how to make a best route by taking bus to visit these cities (Nice, Monaco, Monte Carlo and Eze, our time in Cannes is limited, maximum is about 7-8 hours (9:00 - 17:00)

 

The last option, of course the easiest, go with private tour...very costly, 600 euro.

 

So, if you have a chance, could you give your advise...I will be very appreciated...Thank you in advance!

 

Frank

[Solarad]

Hi David,

Wondering if you've been in town during the film festival. I have not found much info from doing a search. I was planning just to stroll around Cannes, specifically along La Croisette and maybe up to Le Suquet or possibly ride le petit train. Or is the place so packed with people during the festival that this will not be a good idea. Just wanted to have some idea what to expect.

Thanks for any thoughts.

~Sonia

[Hlitner]

Hi David,

Wondering if you've been in town during the film festival. I have not found much info from doing a search. I was planning just to stroll around Cannes, specifically along La Croisette and maybe up to Le Suquet or possibly ride le petit train. Or is the place so packed with people during the festival that this will not be a good idea. Just wanted to have some idea what to expect.

Thanks for any thoughts.

~Sonia

 

The Film Festival does fill-up the hotels and increase business at restaurants and shops. But this really has little impact on cruise ships other then making it more difficult to book a rental car or find a taxi. One benefit is that you are more likely to see some "beautiful people" strolling around town.

 

Hank

[Hlitner]

Mr. Hank,

 

Thanks for your inputs...as reading from previous messages on this board, I know you have a lot of experience touring in France, however, I cant combine all the information together and make up the best plan on my trip in Cannes, very struggling now:confused: . Do you mind if I ask your opnions on my first visiting in Cannes:

 

1). Driving my own to visit the cities, with GPS of course (either rent one from Car Rental, or bring my own), NIce, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Eze, I'd reserved a van, (180 Euro with Automatic).

 

2). Take a train - walking in 30 min from Port to the train station...but I am worry about my mom, she is 75 years old and is not very capable walking in long time, and its hard to find the Taxi in Port area.

 

3). Take bus, but no idea how to make a best route by taking bus to visit these cities (Nice, Monaco, Monte Carlo and Eze, our time in Cannes is limited, maximum is about 7-8 hours (9:00 - 17:00)

 

The last option, of course the easiest, go with private tour...very costly, 600 euro.

 

So, if you have a chance, could you give your advise...I will be very appreciated...Thank you in advance!

 

Frank

 

That is tough because your Mom has to be the major concern. If in your situation we would probably rent a car/van since that gives us more control over our schedule and allows rest stops as necessary. A Private tour would also be a great idea if one did not mind spending the big bucks. You are also choosing to go to places that are some distance from Cannes (about an hour to get to Monte Carlo). Both Monte Carlo and Nice are relatively large cities so you will need to do some planning on where you want to go (within the cities) and also have to deal with parking issues.

 

We definitely would not recommend trying to walk your Mom from the tender pier to a rental car office and finding a taxi for that relatively short haul is questionable. I would probably go get the rental car and then drive back to pick-up the others near the tender area. If you have cell phones that work...the logistics are a bit easier.

 

Given your situation we would also not recommend using public buses as they are not efficient when trying to cover the long distances in a limited amount of time.

 

If you do get a car/van, and the weather is good, we would suggest heading directly to Nice's Old Town area for the Flower Market (unless it is a Monday). This is a relatively compact outdoor market in the Cours Selaya. That being said, parking close to the market will be somewhat of a challenge unless you can find a nearby parking garage. The Flower Market is probably a place that will be appreciated by all....and there are plenty of cafes in the market area where one can sit, relax, and enjoy some cafe au lait.

 

If you Mom is able to do a lot of walking where she is able to browse shops and take frequent rest breaks we would also toss St Paul de Vence into the mix. Personally, we would rather spend 2 or 3 hours strolling though St Paul de Vence (plenty of cute shops and art galleries here) than going to Monte Carlo. But I am very biased since both DW and I just do not like Monte Carlo.

 

Hank

Edited May 5, 2015 by Hlitner

[zhangf]

That is tough because your Mom has to be the major concern. If in your situation we would probably rent a car/van since that gives us more control over our schedule and allows rest stops as necessary. A Private tour would also be a great idea if one did not mind spending the big bucks. You are also choosing to go to places that are some distance from Cannes (about an hour to get to Monte Carlo). Both Monte Carlo and Nice are relatively large cities so you will need to do some planning on where you want to go (within the cities) and also have to deal with parking issues.

 

We definitely would not recommend trying to walk your Mom from the tender pier to a rental car office and finding a taxi for that relatively short haul is questionable. I would probably go get the rental car and then drive back to pick-up the others near the tender area. If you have cell phones that work...the logistics are a bit easier.

 

 

 

Given your situation we would also not recommend using public buses as they are not efficient when trying to cover the long distances in a limited amount of time.

 

If you do get a car/van, and the weather is good, we would suggest heading directly to Nice's Old Town area for the Flower Market (unless it is a Monday). This is a relatively compact outdoor market in the Cours Selaya. That being said, parking close to the market will be somewhat of a challenge unless you can find a nearby parking garage. The Flower Market is probably a place that will be appreciated by all....and there are plenty of cafes in the market area where one can sit, relax, and enjoy some cafe au lait.

 

If you Mom is able to do a lot of walking where she is able to browse shops and take frequent rest breaks we would also toss St Paul de Vence into the mix. Personally, we would rather spend 2 or 3 hours strolling though St Paul de Vence (plenty of cute shops and art galleries here) than going to Monte Carlo. But I am very biased since both DW and I just do not like Monte Carlo.

 

Hank

 

Mr. Hank,

 

Thank you so much for the information, they are valuable to our trip. I had reserved the Car (with 5 passanger seats) with Hertz, 102 Euro with unlimited mileage, not bad in comparison with 550 Euro in private tour, but unfortuantely they dont have GPS in that location...I plan to print out the maps by doing search online for each cities where we plan to visit (majorly, Nice, Monaco, Monte Carlo and Eze)...but worry about driving in the city/country where I'd never been, hopefully the Hertz rental office could provide a good map for driving direction.

 

Thanks

Frank

[Eurotravelmagazine]

I do feel obliged to expand on some of your comments. The Eze train station (you mention) is actually well below the village of Eze and getting between this station and Eze Village can be very difficult (there is a period during early afternoon when you could wait nearly 2 hours for a bus).

 

As to "car hire is easy to arrange from the station" we are not sure which station you refer. But the Eze/Bord sur Mer station (this is the station closest to Eze) is more like a small "whistle stop" with no facilities (other then a small cafe across the road). There are no rental car companies that serve this station and it can even be difficult to find a taxi (you usually need to call a radio taxi). And one needs to consider that nearly all the rental car agencies (except at the Nice Cote d'Azur Airport) are closed on Sundays, holidays and often on Saturday afternoons.

 

Agree with your assessment of driving in France. We have also found the French to be excellent drivers who tend to follow the rules. Perhaps that is why I find driving in Italy a lot more fun :). As to the "Brits".......well what can you say about folks that drive on the wrong side of the road when they are sober :)

 

Hank

 

Sorry - the station I was talking about hiring a car from was of course Cannes.

 

As regards Brits driving on the wrong side of the road, here's a piece of totally irrelevant trivia for you: the British have been driving on the left for almost 2000 years and apparently all the formerly British, Dutch, Spanish and Portuguese colonies in the Americas originally kept to the left and the first keep-right law in the United States was passed in 1792

[Hlitner]

We have a few more comments. Regarding the GPS issue, if one has a functioning smart phone (either iPhone or Android) these can be used for GPS as long as one has data service in Europe. But before GPS we had to print out maps and used Viamichelin for info. One could have a real debate regarding Viamichelin versus Google Maps :).

 

The free maps you get from the agency are not good enough for navigating within the cities so use your home printer and have fun :). A few years ago I broke down and invested in a decent Garmin Nuvi which has European maps and it probably saved my marriage. DW's map reading skills are legendary in our family. Typical conversation would go some like this: Me: "Honey, where are we?" DW: "How can I tell where we are if we are lost?" And she would say this kind of thing with a detailed Michelin map set on her lap.

 

Hank

[zhangf]

We have a few more comments. Regarding the GPS issue, if one has a functioning smart phone (either iPhone or Android) these can be used for GPS as long as one has data service in Europe. But before GPS we had to print out maps and used Viamichelin for info. One could have a real debate regarding Viamichelin versus Google Maps :).

 

The free maps you get from the agency are not good enough for navigating within the cities so use your home printer and have fun :). A few years ago I broke down and invested in a decent Garmin Nuvi which has European maps and it probably saved my marriage. DW's map reading skills are legendary in our family. Typical conversation would go some like this: Me: "Honey, where are we?" DW: "How can I tell where we are if we are lost?" And she would say this kind of thing with a detailed Michelin map set on her lap.

 

Hank

 

Yes I do have Iphone and will have Data service (AT&T) in Europe, but depending on how good signal can receive it (3 or 4 G, or same as here with LTE), I have Apps (MapQuest, google maps etcc) on the phone, hopefully it will work out.../frank

[Solarad]

The Film Festival does fill-up the hotels and increase business at restaurants and shops. But this really has little impact on cruise ships other then making it more difficult to book a rental car or find a taxi. One benefit is that you are more likely to see some "beautiful people" strolling around town.

 

Hank

Thanks for the info Hank! Yes, we are hoping for a celebrity sighting. For instance, seeing George Clooney would be nice 😄

[luv2gonow]

This is just a quick look at Cannes from when you get off the tender. There must be several fabulous restaurants, and it has a nice sea front and a quaint old quarter but we just used it as a place to catch a train to Nice. All the best, Tony

 

[YOUTUBE]gO4Luc3h41k[/YOUTUBE]

 

Thanks for the video!!!

Was that promenade and the beach to the right when I get off ship?

Thanks

Kerri

[Hlitner]

Thanks for the info Hank! Yes, we are hoping for a celebrity sighting. For instance, seeing George Clooney would be nice 😄

 

You might have better odds if you take a side trip to Bellagio (on Lake Como).

 

Hank