How to organise flights, accommodation, restaurants and transfers during festival season
For a few weeks each year, Cannes transforms from a glamorous Riviera beach town into one of the busiest networking hubs in the world. Superyachts line the harbour, branded beach clubs appear along the Croisette, and restaurants fill with advertising executives, filmmakers and entrepreneurs discussing deals over glasses of rosé.
If you happen to be the person responsible for organising the trip, however, the experience looks slightly different – and often begins with a last-minute request and a rapidly shrinking list of available hotel rooms.
A couple of years ago, about a month before the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, two of the executives I support mentioned they’d be heading to Cannes and asked me to sort the trip: flights, transfers, accommodation, restaurant reservations and everything in between.
A fairly typical brief, you may think. Except there’s nothing quite like the sinking feeling of a last-minute Cannes booking.
During festival season, this small Riviera city becomes one of the busiest places in Europe. Hotels are booked months in advance, restaurants fill up almost instantly, and taxis suddenly become a precious commodity.
Still, where there’s a will (and a decent Wi-Fi connection), there’s usually a way.
If you ever find yourself planning a trip to Cannes – whether for Cannes Lions, the Film Festival, MIPIM or another industry event – here’s what I learnt.
Cannes Festivals: What to Expect
Cannes hosts a packed calendar of international events throughout the year. The biggest include Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the Cannes Film Festival, the MIPIM property conference, and MIPCOM, the television market.
For several weeks at a time, the city becomes a collision of media, film, advertising, technology and luxury brands. Festival weeks are part conference, part networking event, part social spectacle – a whirlwind of panels, yacht parties, beachside lunches and dinners that seem to go on indefinitely.
Most major events take place at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès (palaisdesfestivals.com), the large convention centre on the waterfront that acts as the central hub of activity.
Where is Cannes?
Cannes sits on the French Riviera in the south of France, about 30 minutes from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE). With Mediterranean beaches, warm weather and a harbour full of superyachts, the city has long been associated with a certain kind of effortless glamour.
During festival weeks, however, the atmosphere shifts from relaxed Riviera to beautiful, organised chaos.
Where to Stay in Cannes
For a city with a population of roughly 75,000, Cannes welcomes a staggering number of visitors during festivals. Hotels are in extremely high demand – many are block-booked by agencies and event organisers months in advance.
Most visitors aim to stay near the Promenade de la Croisette, the famous two-kilometre waterfront boulevard that forms the social centre of Cannes during festival weeks. It’s lined with luxury hotels, beach clubs, restaurants and designer boutiques, and during festivals it buzzes with an almost relentless energy.
That said, staying directly on the Croisette can be noisy. A hotel a few streets inland often means a much better night’s sleep – and you’re still only minutes from everything.
A few things worth knowing before you book:
Air conditioning is non-negotiable during summer. Apartments can be easier to secure than hotels during peak weeks, particularly for last-minute bookings – and if colleagues are travelling together, they can work out considerably more cost-effective too.
When I was scrambling for rooms last-minute, there wasn’t a decent hotel available within a five-mile radius of the Palais. The only options left were guesthouses with shared bathrooms, no air conditioning – and still eye-watering prices. Apartments saved the day.
One more practical note: many hotels in Cannes still don’t provide USB charging ports. Remind your travellers to pack plug adapters.
It’s also worth checking whether your executive has been invited to speak on a panel or sit on a festival jury – organisers sometimes reserve hotel rooms for participants, which can bypass the availability problem entirely.
Apartment Providers Worth Contacting:
Born to Host Properties (borntohostproperties.com) – a well-known local company offering centrally located apartments specifically geared towards festival visitors.
Cannes Rentals & Services (cannes-rentals-services.com) – another reliable option with good availability for both solo travellers and groups.
Booking.com and Airbnb are always worth a look too, though during the major festivals, going direct to local agencies tends to yield better results.
Where to Eat in Cannes
Cannes has hundreds of restaurants, but during festivals, reservations are essential – often weeks in advance. I’d start this part of the planning earlier than feels strictly necessary.
Many restaurants sit along the beach on the Croisette, making them ideal for client lunches with a view of the Mediterranean. For something more atmospheric, head into Le Suquet, the old town of Cannes – just fifteen minutes uphill from the harbour, its narrow cobbled streets are packed with restaurants and wine bars that feel a world away from the festival frenzy.
Prices increase noticeably during festival weeks, so budget accordingly.
Here are the places I’d book first:
La Môme (lamomecannes.com) – one of the most popular dinner spots during Cannes Lions, known for its lively atmosphere and Mediterranean menu.
Scalini Cannes (jwmarriottcannes-restaurants.com/scalini) – inside the JW Marriott on the Croisette, this Italian is a reliable choice for polished client dinners.
Astoux et Brun (astouxetbrun.fr) – a Cannes institution since the 1950s, specialising in seafood and shellfish. Excellent for impressing clients who appreciate tradition.
Le Baoli (baolicannes.com) – part restaurant, part nightclub. Famous during festival week and a go-to for brand events and late-night entertaining.
La Guérite (restaurantlaguerite.com) – located on the Île Sainte-Marguerite, a short boat ride from Cannes. Many Cannes Lions guests make the trip for long lunches that drift happily into sunset.
Zuma Cannes (zumarestaurant.com/en/cannes) – the Cannes outpost of the internationally recognised Japanese group, inside the Palm Beach Cannes. Stylish, reliable and always popular with a festival crowd.
Lucia Cannes (luciarestaurants.com/) – a lively Italian that has quickly become a firm favourite during Lions week.
Salama Cannes (salama-cannes.com/en/) – a glamorous Moroccan restaurant with dramatic interiors and cocktails to match. Ideal for late-night client entertaining after evening events.
Aux P’tits Anges (instagram.com/auxptitsanges) – a charming French restaurant tucked into the old town, with a warm, intimate atmosphere and none of the festival price inflation you might expect.
L’Assiette Provençale (l-assiette-provencale-cannes.eatbu.com/) – traditional Provençal cooking, well-suited to smaller client dinners.
La Cave Cannes (lacavecannes.com) – a relaxed wine bar and restaurant known for excellent meat dishes.
La Brocherie (la-brocherie.fr/) – seafood and grill dishes in a welcoming, informal setting.
Noisette (cannesnoisette.wixsite.com/lepri) – a lively Italian that’s often easier to get a reservation at than the Croisette hotspots. Worth keeping up your sleeve for last-minute bookings.
Getting to Cannes
The closest airport is Nice Côte d’Azur Airport (NCE), roughly 30 minutes from Cannes by car. Flights sell out quickly during festival periods, so book as early as possible.
If Nice flights are expensive or unavailable, Marseille Provence Airport (MRS) and Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport (GOA) are both viable alternatives – both connect to Cannes by train.
Nice Airport itself also connects easily to Cannes via train, which can be a refreshingly straightforward and economical option.
Taxis and Transfers
During festival weeks, taxis become remarkably elusive. Pre-booking transfers is not just advisable – it’s essential.
A company I’ve used personally and would recommend is Class Drivers (classdrivers.fr) – responsive, flexible and able to handle last-minute schedule changes without drama.
Prestige Group (prestigecarsandcouriers.co.uk) is another solid option.
Uber operates in the area, though availability during major events can be unpredictable.
For those in a hurry – or arriving in true Riviera style – helicopter transfers between Nice Airport and Cannes take around seven minutes.
Festival Passes
Don’t forget to organise the correct pass for whichever festival your executive is attending. Different passes provide varying levels of access, from general entry through to priority access, networking events and hospitality areas. Full details can be found on the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès website.
Final Thoughts
Cannes during festival season is a slightly surreal experience – glamorous, chaotic and endlessly busy, sometimes all at once.
For busy executives, getting a trip like this organised – particularly at short notice – is exactly the kind of task that eats time you don’t have. But with the right contacts, a bit of persistence and a good list of restaurants already saved on your phone, it’s entirely manageable.
And if nothing else, it’s certainly more interesting than booking another routine business trip.
Planning a trip to Cannes — or anywhere else on the calendar this year?
I’m Sarah Kerrigan, founder of Admin Land, a virtual assistant service offering executive-level support to busy professionals and businesses. From sourcing hard-to-find hotel rooms and managing restaurant reservations to handling transfers, itineraries and the inevitable last-minute changes, I take the logistics off your plate so you can focus on the reason you’re travelling in the first place.
I’m also an independent travel agent — which means I can book flights, accommodation and transfers on your behalf, often with access to options and rates you won’t find searching on your own.
If you’d like support with an upcoming trip, or you’re looking for ongoing VA assistance, get in touch with Admin Land.
Admin Land – professional support that gives you back your time.
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