Car Rental Cannes - Exploring Cannes

Most people prefer to make Cannes a day trip from other, more affordable, locations on the Cote d’Azure, such as Antibes and Nice (less than a hour away). The entire southern coastline and Provence region, inland, makes it worthwhile hiring a car.

Antibes, the nearest of the holiday towns, is popular in summer with the locals, and perfect for families. It has a pleasant and manageable town centre, without any airs and graces, and boasts some of the beast sandy beaches in the area. It also has a large mariner which is home to super yachts during the summer.

Nice is the commercial and tourist hub, situated in the sweeping Baie des Anges. Popular by day and lively by night, the old town is a delightful mish-mash of winding streets and squares full of Genoese, Provençal, medieval and Baroque architecture. Highlights include; the exotic Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Cathédrale Sainte Réparate, Palais Lascaris, Opéra house, grand Hôtel Negresco and Promenade des Anglais. It also has some fantastic museums and galleries boasting some of Europe’s best collections of impressionist artists.

Further along is Monaco, one of the world’s few remaining absolute monarchies, surviving on a reputation for attracting the wealthy but bored. Its Casino Royale, Castle rock, the aquarium and super-yacht mariners are all highlights.

To the west is the picture perfect and idyllic upmarket town of Saint Tropez, a nice place to visit for a few hours but ruinously expensive to stay in.

Inland, the Provence region is a delightful excursion, arural hinterland characterized by vineyards, sleepy villages and the historic towns of Avignon and Arles – including Roman excavations.