The seaside resort city of Cannes is world famous for two things: its iconic movie festival and its sandy mediterranean beaches. It’s really only because of those two things that the big retail labels, the big Casino and the luxury apartments followed. And even though it was a beautiful, sunny, summers day when Teddy visited, Teddy was left wondering what Cannes would have to offer without either of those two items.

Perhaps it was just unfortunate timing – a massive boat show was just moving out, and half the harbour and half the main road were fenced off, causing enormous traffic hold-ups and pedestrian nightmares – but Teddy just didn’t feel the magic he was expecting.

There’s no doubt that Cannes is a pretty city. The position on a wide mediterranean bay, with its broad, sandy beaches and framed behind with low rolling hills, gives it a tranquil, natural setting perfect for lovers of the water. With a safe, natural harbour, this means a heavenly location for fishing boats and luxury yachts.

Hotel de Ville, Cannes

The Cannes Film Festival (officially it’s called the Festival de Cannes, and runs for around two weeks in May each year) is the biggest spectacular in the global film industry, with billions of dollars of business done each year. It attracts all the world glitterati – the rich, the powerful and the beautiful. Such an army always attracts the support crew and hangers on, and wherever beautiful people assemble, you’re bound to see the big brands – Gucci, Cartier, Dolce and Gabbana, and Luis Vuitton are all here, among many others.

The big Casino is very shiny, and no doubt attracts many of the rich and famous to part with their millions. Judging by the size and opulence of some of the boats Teddy saw at the September boat show, the Cannes glitterati – most of whom are very temporary residents – still have very deep pockets. But if you’re not one of the privileged few, does Cannes have anything to offer?

Fortunately, the answer is “oui”, but not an emphatic one. Even without all the beautiful people (or perhaps, because of the absence of the beautiful people), Cannes can still exude a small-town charm. The foreshore is very pretty (as long as you’re not looking toward the Casino) and the beaches are soft and inviting (as long as it’s not peak period and so you don’t have to pay a fortune just to sit on the sand).

There are very cute and intimate cafes and restaurants aplenty just a little way off the main drag, and the food is generally good. Alas, accommodation near the centre of town remains expensive, and in many cases over-priced for what you get.

It’s not one of Teddy’s favourite places in France, despite the obvious allure of both the natural beauty and the presence of the rich and famous. It would have been a much nicer place to visit forty or fifty years ago – when the beautiful people still frequented, but before their visits became an industry of its own.

Cannes – Sun, sand and loads of money