Cannes

Cannes sits on the French Riviera in the Alpes-Maritimes, wrapped around a wide bay of the Mediterranean and best known for the palm-lined seafront boulevard of the Croisette, where the grand hotels, sandy beaches and the Palais des Festivals line the shore. Each May the town hosts its famous film festival, but its appeal runs well beyond that fortnight.

Above the port, the old quarter of Le Suquet climbs a hill of narrow lanes to a church and a viewpoint over the red-roofed town and the yachts below, while just offshore the wooded Iles de Lerins offer a quiet counterpoint reached by a short boat ride. High season is the warm, busy stretch of summer, with the sea at its best; spring and autumn are quieter and mild. For families and groups who want space near the sea and the shops, luxury villa rentals in Cannes spread across the hills above the bay, within reach of both the Croisette and the coast.