The focus of nightlife,
as elsewhere on the Côte d’Azur, is
the casino. The streets buzz at night, particularly
around La Croisette, along la rue du Dr Monod and
la rue Saint Antoine in Le Suquet, except for the rare occasions
when it rains.
Many of the restaurants double up as bars and clubs, as the night
draws on. On the whole, the Cannois like to dress up to go out on
the town. But visitors will feel at ease in anything from jeans
to eveningwear, depending on the venue. Restaurant-bars serve drinks
until about 0200 hrs, casinos remain open until about 0400 hrs and
discos and nightclubs until 0400 or 0500 hrs. Many bars have a happy
hour 1800-1900 hrs.
The legal drinking age in
France is 16 years. While the standard price for a drink
is aorund €3, prices tend to rise dramatically during high
tourist season and key festivals.
Entertainment listings and information is available online (website:
www.cannes.fr)
and in Le Mois a Cannes, a monthly listings magazine
published in French, available at the Cannes Tourist Office.
However, for all its excitement, Cannes is a small town and long-term
residents and revellers are often tempted to make the trip to nearby
Nice.
Bars
The popular Loft bar, 13 rue du Dr Monod, above
a Chinese restaurant, is ideal for a relaxing drink. Another cosy
little bar is Les Coulisses, 29 rue Commandant
André, which plays black American music.
Why
Not?, 8 rue des Freres Pradignac, just a stone’s
throw from La Croisette, can be relied upon for playing the latest
pop tunes to a lively crowd. Le Légend Café,
9 rue d’Oran, plays chilled music in the early evening, before
progressing to techno from 2300 hrs onwards.
Morrison’s,
10 rue Teisseire, with its entire décor imported from Ireland,
acts as a magnet to Cannes’ youthful foreign crowd. There
are plenty of reasons to join them, not least the wide choice of
beer and drinks.
Le Zanzibar, rue Félix
Faure, is Cannes’ oldest gay bar. For romantic nights, head
for seaside La Fregate, boulevard Jean Hibert,
to watch the sun slowly rise as this restaurant-bar is open 24-hours.
Casinos
The
Carlton Casino Club is located on the seventh floor of
the smart Hotel Carlton, 58 La Croisette.
The
Casino Croisette Club is situated inside the Palais des
Festivals. Gaming at both venues is restricted to those over 18
years and French law requires the presentation of an identity card
(EU nationals) or passport at all casinos. Casual dress is accepted
for the slot machines, however, formal attire is required to gain
access to the gambling rooms.
Clubs
Le Cat Corner, 22 rue Macé, is one
of the trendiest and most happening clubs in Cannes. Jane’s
Club, Hotel Gray d’Albion, 38 rue de Serbes, has
themed evenings on Fridays and disco nights on Sundays.
Le Jimmy’s, at the Casino Croisette, has
a bar, a thumping dancefloor and a large terrace for an older crowd.
Gays and straights converge at Disco 7, 7 rue Rouguiere,
known for its techno music, transvestite show and party atmosphere.
Live music
Within the palatial hotels on La Croisette, there
are many piano bars, such as Le Bar des Célébrités,
Hotel Carlton, 58 La Croisette, and the wonderful L’Amiral,
Hotel Martinez, 73, La Croisette. Or you could try Brumel’s
Piano Bar, 3 boulevard de la République, as an alternative.
Irish pubs are particularly good for live music, including Morrison’s,
10 rue Teisseire. Salsa and Latino groups play at restaurant-bar
El Caliente, 84 boulevard del la Croisette, also
excellent for Cuban cocktails and spicy meals. |
