Cannes Beaches

Many would argue that there is no better family activity than going to the beach and Cannes has a great selection for you to choose from.

You may have heard that lots of Cannes’ beaches are private and whilst it is true that a big swathe of the main stretch in Cannes, La Croisette, is taken up with private beaches there are still plenty of free public options to choose from. I am not going to detail all the private areas (briefly - they entail paying €18 for a sun lounger for the day with bar and restaurant service available), but rather I will summarise the public beaches that are free to all.

Golden sand on Plage du Midi

Map of Cannes Beaches

A - Plage du Midi 

First up is Plage du Midi – holder of the coveted Blue Flag beach award. This magnificent long sandy beach stretches all the way from the old port on the west side of Cannes (marked A on the map) to Cannes La Bocca some 6km away. For those staying in Cannes it’s an easy walk to the beach in front of the Radisson Blu hotel. Heading west from this beach you will then find a string of beachfront restaurants before the continuation of the public area as far as the eye can see. There is also a beach volleyball court for those feeling energetic. The water is clear and warm and the sand is beautiful , all framed with views of the Esterel hills to the west and the Isle des Lerins to the east. There are plenty of ‘cabanes’ along the way selling reasonably priced sandwiches, drinks and ice creams. There are lifeguards on duty during high season and the water stays shallow for quite a distance so it’s a good place for young families. This stretch is also great for a run or walk – on or off the sand. Parking can be found around Square Mistral or in the public parking du port. As you leave Cannes there is free parking alongside the road.

TOP TIP: In peak months this can get very busy  - the best times to arrive are first thing in the morning, or actually at lunchtime when a lot of beach-goers leave for lunch.

In peak season we like to have breakfast on the beach before the crowds arrive.

B - Plage du Palais des Festivals

Right in the centre of Cannes there is a large public area of beach beside the Palais des Festivals. Again you have fantastic views out in the bay of Cannes and golden sand. The parking for this beach is one of the central Cannes car parks but for those staying in the centre of Cannes (le Banane) it is just a short walk away. There are plenty of snack cabanes on the Croisette and also public toilets near to the Palais.

                        

A view from the Palais beach out to the bay of Cannes and her resident yachts

C - Plage de la Croisette Est

There is also a public beach at the eastern end of the Croisette and whilst both this and the Plage du Palais des Festivals can get very busy with holidaymakers this one is slightly quieter.  There are lockers available and it is close to snack stands as well as a children’s playground. There is a rocky area for kids to explore and stronger swimmers can swim out to the underwater ‘pipe’ where people appear to be standing on the water despite being a long way out to sea! 

Still fun to be had even in the Christmas season

STOP THE PRESS: The mairie of Cannes have spent upwards of €10 million during the winter of 2017/18 shipping in 80,000m3 of sand to almost double the volume of the Croisette beaches so hopefully this increased capacity will ease crowding on the town's beaches.

D - Bijou Plage

For families this is possibly the best beach Cannes has to offer  - Bijou plage is located after Port Canto by Palm Beach right at the eastern end of the Croisette. 

It is a small beach and has calm waters as it is protected from the wind so is great for young swimmers. Parking is either very close by in the small car park or on the road or a few minutes walk away there is a big free car park at Palm Beach.

In addition to this the left hand part of the beach has been equipped to cater for people of reduced mobility including easy sea-access, purpose-made sun loungers, accompanied swimming, a system ‘audioplage’ for those with hearing and sight impairments and kayaks, flotation devices etc for handicapped children. There are plenty of dedicated reduced mobility parking spots in the adjoining car park for ease of access as well.

Handiplage

Public beach with sunloungers at cheaper prices

If you want something in between a public beach and one of the high-end private beaches with sun loungers then perhaps you might want to head along to Plage Mace. It’s next to the Plage du Palais des Festivals (B on the map) and during the high season - from June to end of September - it has sun loungers and parasols for rent at heavily reduced prices compared to the private beaches. Prices for the 2018 season are here and it’s free for kids under 10.

		1/2 DAY FROM 8H30 TO 13H30 OR FROM 13H30 TO 18H30		FULL DAY FROM 8H30 TO 18H30
1 SUNLOUNGER		6 €		8 €
1 PARASOL		4 €		7 €
1 LOCKER		2 €		3,50 €

A note on Jellyfish: Unfortunately the Riviera does get its fair share of jellyfish in the summer months. There are nets in place between June and September at Plage Mace (beside Palais des Festivals beach) and Plage du Midi but none at Bijou plage so do take care when in the water. This website provides up-to-date information on sightings and can be a very useful tool. http://meduse.acri.fr/carte/carte.php

And a note on dogs: From April 1st to October 1st dogs are forbidden on the beaches. Outside of these times you are free to ramble with your four-legged friends but please be sure to clean up any mess after yourselves.

Accommodation:
Visiting the French Riviera and haven't booked your accommodation yet? Why not check out our wonderful centrally-located, self catering, townhouses and apartments sleeping from 2 - 11 people. All our properties are air-conditioned and are located on pedestrian streets within 5 minutes walk of the beach. We are a small family-run company so we are on hand for anything you may need before, during or after your stay!
Chic Gites - Accommodation Cannes