Public
Transport
Bus
Buses are the only form of public transport available in Cannes
and a number of companies provide transit services. These include
STU de Cannes Bus Azur (telephone number: (04)
9345 2008, fax number: (04) 9306 6716), Bus Azur
(telephone number: (04) 9339 1871), CTM Cannes La Bocca
(telephone number: (04) 9390 9292) and Beltrame
(telephone number: (04) 93496090). The Handibus service is for the
disabled.
Buses stop at the two coach stations in Cannes, at place
de l’Hôtel de Ville and place Cornut-Gentille.
Other stops include the port, railway station and town hall. The
network includes the nearby towns of La Bocca, Le Cannet and Mandelieu–La
Napoule. Buses run every 15 minutes, 0545-2045 hrs.
Single tickets can be purchased on the bus and cost €1.25.
A carnet of 10 tickets costs €8.30 and a week pass costs €9.20
and these can be purchased at the coach station or on the bus.
Coach
The Gare Routière de Nice (telephone
number: (04) 9385 9260) is Nice’s international coach station,
located at Promenade du Paillon.
Agence Intercars-Eurolines
(telephone number: (04) 9380 0870, fax number: (04) 9380 4220)
Agence Phoceens Cars, 2 place Masséna, Nice
(telephone number: (04) 9385 6661, fax number: (04) 0313 8201),
both provide regular services to major European centres.
Rail services
Societé
Nationale de Chemins de Fer – SNCF (telephone number:
(08) 9235 3535) is the national rail carrier. Cannes Ville
station (telephone number: (08) 9235 3535) is situated
at place Pierre Semard and place Jean-Jaurès. Facilities
at the station include a newsagent, bakery, tourist infromation
office (telephone number: (04) 9339 2453) bar, snack bar and car
park.
Cannes is served by the international trains, Trains Bleus
(the Paris–Nice–Ventimiglia Express), TEE
(the Trans-Europe Express) and TGV (high-speed
trains).
There are direct links to Paris, twice daily in
winter and four times daily in summer (journey time approx 7 hours),
as well as to Basel (journey time approx 10 hours 30 minutes), Brussels
(journey time approx 6 hours 30 minutes), Milan (journey time approx
5 hours), Rome (journey time approx 9 hours 50 minutes) and Venice
(journey time approx 9 hours 50 minutes).
The station is just a 5 minute walk from Cannes city centre, with
the rue d’ Antibes leading onto La Croisette. A Rapide-Côte
d’Azur bus stop is located at the station. Taxis are also
available at the station.
Taxis
Taxis are centrally run, reliable and arrive within about 5 minutes
anywhere in the city centre. Drivers are generally honest and will
usually discuss the stars they have chauffeured around. Taxis can
be hailed at taxi stations or ordered by telephone from Taxis
de Cannes (telephone number: (04) 9299 2727). There is
a €2.35 pick-up charge and the standard rate is €1.71
per kilometre. Passengers pay €0.59 for each item of luggage
and €1.09 for animals or children’s buggies. The fourth
passenger pays €1.18. Tipping is not expected but is appreciated.
Limousines
A limousine service is provided by Guard Limousine,
Portes de l’Aréna, Hall C 455 Promenades des Anglais
(telephone number: (08) 0180 1164. Vehicles, with a capacity for
6 passengers, are available for a minimum of 4 hours, at a cost
of €200 per hour.
Driving
in the City
Driving in Cannes is rarely a frustrating experience. Traffic jams
are few and far between, there are several car parks surrounding
the city centre and orientation is relatively easy, the rue d’Antibes
is one of the few one-way streets. Since the recent improvements
at boulevard Carnot, which leads from the Croisiere to the entrance
to the motorway, access to and from the city has improved.
There is only one major pedestrianised street, the rue Meynadier.
The only times that tourists should beware of driving in Cannes,
is during the film festival, when roads are blocked from 1800 onwards,
and during major congresses.
The main car parks cost approx €2 per hour and include Uniparc,
place Vauban, place du Marché Forville, Palais des Festivals,
Pantiero Esplanade and Hotel Gray d’Albion.
Motorways bear the prefix ‘A’, national roads ‘N’
and minor roads are classed as ‘D’ roads.
Driving Regulations
Traffic drives on the right and drivers must give way to the right,
unless the route is marked with Passage Protégé signs,
a broad arrow, a yellow diamond or an ‘X’ on a triangular
background, or the driver is at a roundabout indicating vous n’avez
pas la priorité.
Speed limits are 130kph (81mph) on motorways, 110kph (68mph) on
dual carriageways separated by a central reservation, 90kph (46mph)
outside built-up areas and 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas. Visitors
who have held a driving licence for less than two years face tighter
speed restrictions. The French police fine motorists on the spot
for driving offences such as speeding. The legal alcohol to blood
ratio for driving is 0.05 per cent and random breath tests for drinking
and driving are common.
The minimum age for driving
is 18 years. All front and rear seat passengers must wear
seatbelts and children under 10 years may not travel in the front
seat.
A national driving licence, the car’s registration document
and a red warning triangle must be carried at all times or the driver
may be fined. All headlamp beams must be adjusted for right-side
driving, by use of beam deflectors or by tilting the headlamp bulb-holder.
EU nationals taking their own cars to France are strongly advised
to obtain a Green Card, without which insurance
cover is limited to the minimum legal cover in France. The Green
Card tops this up to the level of cover provided by the car owner’s
domestic policy.
The Regional Motorway Network (telephone number: (04) 9178 7878)
provides information on traffic conditions and driving regulations.
Emergency breakdown service (toll free):
Inter-Mutuelles Assistance (0800) 757 575.
Free emergency telephones are situated every 1 kilometre (0.6 miles)
along the motorways.
The Côte d’Azur is linked to the European
network of motorways. The A8 Estérel motorway links Paris
to Cannes. From Nice, Exit 42 (Cannes Est) leads to Cannes.
Approximate driving times to the city from Paris is approx 8 hours
and from Nice is approx 30 minutes.
Car Hire
Operators include Ada,
91 boulevard Carnot (telephone number: (04) 9338 3893, fax number:
(04) 9338 1711)
Avis,
69 La Croisette (telephone number: (04) 9394 1586, fax number: (04)
9343 9226)
Budget,
160 rue d’Antibes (telephone number: (04) 9399 4404, fax number:
(04) 9298 6762) and
Hertz France, 147 rue d’Antibes (telephone
number: (04) 9399 0420, fax number: (04) 9339 1114).
The minimum age for hiring a car is 21 years, although drivers may
have to be 25 years old to hire the more expensive models. Driving
licenses and credit cards are required. Prices vary but visitors
should expect to pay €40-€265 for a week’s hire,
depending on the model of vehicle. Insurance is usually included
but it is advisable to check.
Bicycle
Hire
Some suggestions for two-wheeled transport are Alliance
Location, 19 rue des Frères Pradignac (telephone
number: (04) 9399 9030; e-mail: alliance.location@wanadoo.fr).
Cycles Daniel, 2 rue du Pont Romain (telephone
number: (04) 9399 9030), and Location Mistra, 4
rue Georges Clémenceau (telephone number: (04) 9399 2525).
Hire costs around €20 for 24 hours and €50 for 5 days,
depending on the model.
Boat
Hire
For those without their own yacht, a substitute may be hired from
Camper & Nicholsons, Port Canto (telephone
number: (04) 9343 1675, fax number: (04) 9394 1348).
International
Yacht Charter, Jardin du Grand Hôtel (telephone number:
(04) 9299 3993), or
Mediterranée Plaisance,
20 quai St Pierre (telephone number: (04) 9339 5460, fax number:
(04) 9368 6313).
Cannes Station Voile
(telephone number: (04) 9218 8888, e-mail: centrenautique@wanadoo.fr)
Folly Ttoo (telephone number: (04) 9343 4880)
La clé de sol (telephone number: (04) 9347
0435) and
Au Fil de L’eau (telephone
number: (04) 9342 0845)
Prices vary depending on the type of boat hired and visitors can
expect to pay around €30 per hour for a catamaran or €17
per hour for a dinghy. |
