Updated February 28, 2022
A day trip to Cannes is an easy excursion if you’re staying on the French Riviera. We were staying in Nice, so took the scenic train ride from Nice to Cannes the morning of our trip.
Interested in doing the same? Check out my tips on travel from Nice to Cannes, including a guide to a full day of Cannes highlights for a perfect day trip.
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Nice to Cannes: Tips to Make it Happen
How do you get from Nice to Cannes? The train is the easiest and most economical route to get from Nice to Cannes.
Nice to Cannes buses are also possible, but you’ll likely need to transfer at some point during your journey. If you go that route, the Cannes bus system is run by Palm Bus.
If you take my advice, instead, the Nice to Cannes train takes a little more than half an hour and is a comfortable ride. The total trip distance is 34 kilometers or about 21 miles. We were able to buy tickets at the Nice-Ville station, the Nice city train station, without any problems and within minutes.
Fun fact: I called the train from Nice to Cannes the “warm blanket train” for how nap-worthy it was, although that may have also been the wine and cheese.
If you’re traveling with a group, the only other transportation option is a rideshare or taxi service for a scenic Nice to Cannes drive. It may be a more comfortable way to travel if train timetables don’t work out for you and your group. Prices will vary depending on surge pricing, traffic, and the number of travelers coming along on the journey.
What is the main train station in Cannes? There is one main station in Cannes, Gare de Cannes, for trains into Cannes. You can check times on your Google maps app, but generally, you’ll get a train every half hour.
How much is it from Nice to Cannes? The average cost of a train ticket from Nice to Cannes is around 7 USD each way. Tickets may vary depending on travel time and date of travel.
Fun fact: SNCF is the main train operator in Nice, France, and across France.
Which is better to visit, Nice or Cannes? Nice and Cannes are both lovely and worth your time on a trip to the French Riviera. I’d consider Nice a great base for day trips to not only Cannes but nearby Antibes and Monaco if you have the time.
Getting from Nice to Cannes is the hard part. Let’s dive into things to do in Cannes once you’re there.
Interested in a map of all the fun to be had in Cannes? Follow the link below for a Nice to Cannes map!
GIMME MY NICE AND CANNES MAP!
Nice to Cannes: In the Morning
Start off your morning early, with one of the first trains out from Nice to Cannes. You’ll want as much time as possible in Cannes, especially if you’re only there for the day.
Before we get on with it, here’s a brief disclaimer: France is notorious for random business closings when it comes to its bars and eateries. Before getting your heart set on what you’ll be eating (or drinking) on your Cannes day trip, it’s always best to call ahead if you have any must-dos on your list.
Even better, have an alternative plan at the ready in case the establishment you’re wanting to visit on your trip to Cannes is closed.
Stop 1: Breakfast
When you’re in France it’s important to eat as many pastries as you can. We started off our day of Cannes travel at the La Boulangerie par Jean-Luc Pelé. Somehow, it was my first croissant on the trip, and it was well worth the wait, with pain au chocolat for Brian.
While munching on sweet treats and chugging espresso, we got tickets online for the ferry to Sainte Marguerite Island. There seem to be a few tour operators, but we used the Riviera Lines site.
Note: It’s cheaper to get your ferry tickets online. The difference is about a dollar unless they’re running a promo, in which case it’s even cheaper. There’s no time attached to your ticket, so best to just go ahead and book on the site.
If you’ve got some time to kill, the bakery is near the historic Rue Meynadier, a pedestrian-only street full of specialty shops. Just imagine yourself back in the day in a horse and carriage situation, shopping for your cheeses and your hats and your shoe polish, or whatever.
Stop 2: Ferry Docks
You’ll need timed paper tickets to get on the ferry to Sainte Marguerite Island from the booth at the Port de Cannes. Ferries run about every hour out to the island, apart from a two-hour break in the middle of the day when everyone is having lunch. The workers will tell you which dock to wait at.
Your ticket is roundtrip, and you can get on any of the return boats from the island.
We got on the second boat out and went into a minor panic when we realized that there was that long lunch break for the ferry operators that would leave us on the island for three hours.
As there’s no food on the island, we speed-walked to a mini-mart to get some cheap sandwiches and weird-flavored chips (isn’t that one of the best parts of travel??) to bring with us, and speed-walked back to the dock.
The Marché Forville, a local market near the port, is another option for fresh produce, meats, and local foods if you’re not in a hurry.
Stop 3: Sainte Marguerite Island
The ride out to Sainte Marguerite Island, Île Sainte-Marguerite, was only 15 minutes, but it was a bumpy 15 minutes. If you’ve got motion sickness, best to prep ahead of time. I was definitely doing the stare at the horizon thing the whole way out, despite taking some seasickness tablets.
Once on shore, we spent about an hour walking around the old ruins and the Musée de la Mer inside the Fort Royal. The main draw of the museum is the chance to see the prison of the Man in the Iron Mask.
Yes, I’m talking about the same mysterious man played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie of the same name.
If you’re not aware of the legend, the man was an unidentified prisoner whose face was hidden from view. The material the mask was made out of has never been determined, but I like to go with iron, based on the works of Alexandre Dumas. Oh, you didn’t know you’d get schooled here, too?
Tickets are around 6 USD. It doesn’t cost anything to wander the grounds.
We checked the time after we saw all of the remaining exhibits in the museum — paintings inspired by the prison, the remains from shipwrecks in the surrounding waters, and Roman cisterns — and realized we could make the next ferry back, before the long lunch break for the ferry operators. We shook a leg and made the ferry.
Be less like us and check the timetables ahead of time, if you don’t want to be stuck out on the island for a good chunk of time.
We really didn’t feel like we missed anything by bolting out of there, but that doesn’t mean I don’t highly recommend a visit. We’re all about checking out the weird and wonderful on our trips, and this was certainly that.
Interested in more of a guided experience? Check out these tours to Île Sainte-Marguerite and other islands nearby:
Things to Do in Cannes: Afternoon Stops
Grab a bite and check out the best of Cannes’ historical side as you continue your day trip to this glitzy town.
Stop 4: Lunchtime
We had gotten those quick market sandwiches on our way to the island, so had those on a very windy bench once we returned to shore in Cannes. We didn’t know we wouldn’t need the additional time exploring Sainte Marguerite Island, but now you do, so if you time things right, you can grab lunch back on land.
I suppose we saved some money that way, and I have no regrets about the smoked gouda kettle chips we shared with our sammies.
If you’re not slumming it, there are a handful of lunch options in Cannes that won’t break the bank.
The Fromagerie Ceneri was on our list. It’s a cheese shop with local yums from the Provence region that’s been open since 1968. I have no problems with cheese plates as meals.
If you’re feeling like a nice sit-down meal, try the family-run Aux Bons Enfants, open since 1935. Reservations are available online and highly recommended. At the very least you’ll be able to make sure you’re not missing their annual one-month holiday.
Stop 5: Le Suquet
Le Suquet is Cannes’ oldest area, and what would be considered the city’s “old town.” Its windy, narrow streets will give you a bit of a workout following lunch as you climb up Rue Saint-Antoine.
Once you’re at the top, you’ll see the Musée de la Castre. We didn’t go in, as for us it was enough to see the medieval tower from the outside. If you visit, you’ll be treated to landscape paintings, musical instruments from around the world and, if you climb the tower, views of the surroundings below. Tickets are around 6 USD.
A stop we did make was at the Église Notre-Dame de l’Esperance, a 17th-century church still in operation as a place of worship. If you’re there in July, the area outside is used for concerts, which just sounds dreamy. We saw some ads for a Christmas concert the upcoming weekend, as well.
Instagram-lovers will love the Cannes sign, just opposite the church. We had one of us take pics from down below. (Peep back to the featured photo for the result.) I mean, it’s a must, pretty much, even though it was probably placed there for this purpose. If anything, the view from up there is fantastic.
Stop 6: Hotel de Ville
We made a quick stop outside of the Hotel de Ville, a former hotel that is now the city’s town hall. A visit inside isn’t necessary, as its significance is the exterior architecture. A war memorial across the street from the town hall honors the country’s dead soldiers across wars since World War I.
Stop 7: Le Vieux Port
Walking through Le Vieux Port is where things start to get fancy in Cannes. It’s a busy port where celebrities and generally rich humans dock their yachts. This is before doing their boutique shopping and eating of snails and things on land.
This is actually one of the oldest ports on the French Riviera and well worth a stroll. We had some fun pondering who owned which yacht. There were no George Clooney sightings.
Stop 8: Palais des Festivals et des Congrès
Passing by the port, we followed our online maps to find the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, where the Cannes Film Festival is held every year. There is a series of 22 steps that we wanted to take photos on, famous for leading into the main hall. It’s where all the Meryls and other celebs (but really, who else matters?) ascend to take in the year’s best films.
We were feeling pretty proud of ourselves when we found what we thought were the steps. We spent approximately 15 minutes taking photos of ourselves doing various poses and duck lips. I even got on the ground for some leg action.
Sure, we thought it was weird that there was no one else there. And they were just these drab gray stairs leading into what, in hindsight, looked like an entrance for the help, or at most, the D-list celebs.
We went for it anyway.
We continued our way around the building and our hearts sank when we saw a line of people waiting to take their photos on the actual steps, festooned with a red carpet and all.
Oops!
My friend Cindy and I decided we had to attempt a re-do of what just occurred on the D-list steps, but this time we did it together…since there was a line. In any case, if you don’t see the red carpet, you’re in the wrong place.
Continue making your way past the actual steps and you’ll pass L’Office de Tourisme de Cannes.
You don’t need to step inside unless you’re looking for additional information on things to do in Cannes, but it’s worth some time to check out the handprints of celebrities who have visited Cannes for the film festival. The prints are right outside the tourism office and wrap around the festival building.
Basically, I can say I held Meryl Streep’s hand now that I’ve placed my hand in her handprint.
Not creepy at all, right?
Stop 9: La Croisette
We continued our fancy times down La Croisette, the main shopping drag in Cannes. It’s a beautiful promenade with all kinds of cheesy stops to make.
Brian wanted to feel what it was like to be held by Leonardo DiCaprio, so he pulled a Kate Winslet in a cardboard cutout at one point.
Photos of famous faces who have visited the film festival are found along the sidewall. We considered walking into one of the boutiques (Prada, to be exact), and then looked at ourselves and thought against it.
La Croisette took us all the way to the InterContinental Carlton Cannes, a hotel that just feels rich and famous, where we spotted a gal taking selfies without trying to look like she was taking selfies. We thought about asking her if she wanted us to take her photo, but it all looked very purposeful.
She was probably selling something, like Rolex watches or whatever else people wear to the InterContinental.
Nice to Cannes: In the Evening
Finish off your day trip from Nice to Cannes with a delicious wine stop before hitting the Cannes to Nice train.
Stop 10: Wine/Snack Times
We were a touch fatigued by this point, so we went on a hunt for some wine and a nosh.
We found Le Cirque, a bistro on a busy side street with cheap wine and plentiful outdoor seating. Unfortunately, outdoor seating in France often means you’re exposed to secondhand smoke. France, you do so well in so many things. Why so much smoking?
The only fun thing about being around cigarette smoke was watching a youth blow smoke right into the ear of the friend next to him for a good half hour. The friend never protested, so I had many questions about that dynamic.
The bistro was very busy as well, with one waiter handling all the folks outside. His relief person appeared to be panicking, speed walking the interior with butter knives in his hands. We weren’t in a rush, so we split some warmed camembert and bone marrow with our cheap wine.
Oof, this cheese! It is So. Good.
We were heading back to Nice for a sunset stroll around the harbor and dinner, so headed to the train after our wine and appetizers.
Note: If you’re sticking around Cannes, an option among its slew of restaurants that’s a bit more spendy but not AS spendy as many others is La Table du Chef, a small bistro with ever-changing menus. Reservations are available on La Fourchette.
Missed Opportunity: Île St-Honorat
Visiting Île St-Honorat is another option if you’re not into the “Man in the Iron Mask” on Sainte Marguerite Island. Or, it could be an add-on if you’re spending additional time in Cannes. The island is essentially run by the monastery there.
These monks are on French soil, so of course they make wine. If you’d like to tour the winery and taste their wines, book a visit online. Île St-Honorat is another 15-minute ferry from Cannes, and ferry tickets may be purchased in advance. Timetables do differ based on the season, so do your research ahead of your visit!
Missed Opportunity: Cannes Beaches
We went in the fall. While we had great weather for a day in Cannes, it wasn’t beach weather by any means. What we did enjoy was off-season prices during our French Riviera fun times, despite some rainy days spent in Nice.
If you’re visiting in the summer, you’re probably going to want to spend your morning on the beach. Assuming you’re not staying in Cannes with access to some of the private beaches along La Croisette, you have several options for some fun in the sun.
Plage du Midi, a sandy public beach, boasts easy access to Cannes’ old quarter and beautiful sunsets. Port Palm Beach, on the tip of the Pointe Croisette, is popular with kite surfers. Plage de la Bocca is outside of the city center, which means it may be a bit quieter come peak beach time.
Have you spent a more traditional day in Cannes, complete with beach time and umbrella drinks? Tell me all about it in the comments, along with any tips you may have on day trips to Cannes!
Where to Stay in Cannes?
If you’re lucky enough to have an overnight in Cannes, check out these well-reviewed options from the map below:
Ready to Go to France?
Your Flight: I use a variety of tools to find cheap airfare, but when I’m looking to book during a particular period of time like for this trip, I’ll use Skyscanner. It’s a great tool for when you’re more flexible, too, as it allows you to compare travel based on length of travel, departure date, etc.
Deals to France, particularly Paris and Nice, happen quite often. Another strategy is following the major airlines to catch good deals that may come up for your city.
Your Accommodations: We used Booking.com for our trip to Nice and nearby day trips like Cannes for the cheapest rates. They have a good range of lodging options from city centers to the middle of nowhere. The more stays you book with them, the more you’ll get back, too.
The property we stayed at that I’d recommend is the Hostel Ozz Nice by HappyCulture in Nice. They have both hostel-type accommodations and private rooms with bathrooms. This is budget lodging, for sure, so expect small spaces. You’ll have more euro for exploring the Riviera, though!
If you’re interested in a comparison tool for properties you’re considering, Hotels.com is a good place to start, as they’ll have very similar properties on their site.
Vrbo has also become our preferred Airbnb alternative if you are looking for a more apartment-friendly vibe.
Seeking even more wallet-friendly accommodations? Try Hostelworld. Their picks are heavily vetted and reviewed to offer you a safe experience on a budget.
Etc.: For general travel goodies, visit my Favorite Things page. For more general travel tips, visit my Travel Tools page.
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Too much, or just enough?
All of the above! If you’re coming to Cannes by train from Nice or Marseille be sure to get a seat with views of the bay. They really are very lovely.
Great tip, Michael!