Walking
tours
Guided two-hour walking tours leave every Wednesday at 1430 hrs
from the Tourist Information Office, Palais des
Festivals, Esplanade Georges Pompidou (telephone number: (04) 9339
2453). These cost €7 and take in the Old Town (Suquet), the
old port, rue d’Antibes and La Croisette.
The most rewarding nature trails are to be found on the Lérins
Islands. In the summer season, the Office National des
Forêts (ONF) offers guided tours to the Ile Ste Marguerite.
Outside of these times, visitors can follow the signposted botanical
trail.
Train Tours
Les petit trains de la Croisette et du Suquet
(telephone number: (06) 1409 4939) depart regularly from the Tourist
Office, Palais des Festivals. The Le Suquet (Old Town)
tour costs €6 and the La Croisette tour costs €5. Both
trips last approx 40 minutes and include a multi-lingual commentary.
Self-drive Tours
Clearly sign-posted information points along the Route Napoléon
recount the progress of Napoleon, after his escape from the Isle
of Elba. The Action Nationale des Elus pour la Route Napoléon
(telephone number: (04) 9340 1233, fax number: (04) 9340 1233) provides
further information.
For a Half
Day
Grasse
The world capital of the perfume industry for over 3 centuries,
Grasse is situated just 16km (10 miles) from Cannes.
Four of its 300 perfume factories and the Musée International
de la Parfumerie, 8 place du Cours, are open to the public.
August brings the Fête du Jasmin, with a
carnival atmosphere and floats of flowers. Other attractions include
the fascinating Musée d’Art et d’Histoire de
Provence, 2 rue Mirabeau, Amiral de Grasse Museum and the 12th-century
cathedral, which contains three Rubens. Rapide-Côte d’Azur
buses to Grasse depart from the Cannes train station. The Grasse
Tourist Office, Cours Honoré-Cresp (telephone number: (04)
9336 6666, fax number: (04) 9336 8636), provides further information.
For a Whole Day
Nice
32km (twenty miles) east along the coast, Nice is a museum Mecca.
The Musée Matisse, 164 avenue des Arènes
de Cimiez (telephone number: (04) 9381 0808) displays a rich collection
of paintings and sculptures in the artist’s former home.
The Musée National Message Biblique,
avenue du Dr Ménard (telephone number: (04) 9353 8720) houses
the enormous dreamscapes of Marc Chagall. Proud portraits of Napoleon
and Josephine, religious art and Flemish and Germanic sculpture
are displayed in the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire,
65 rue de France (telephone number: (04) 9388 0622), located in
the lush turn-of-the-century Palais Masséna.
The prestigious Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain
(MAMAC), Promenade des Arts (telephone number: (04) 9362 6162) displays
French and American works from the 1960s to the present day. The
New Museum of Asian Arts has opened at 405 promenade
des Anglais (telephone number: (04) 9229 3700).
There are direct SNCF trains and Rapide-Côte
d’Azur buses to Nice, departing from Cannes train
station.
Nice Tourism, 5 Promenade des
Anglais (telephone number: (08) 9270 7407, fax number, (08) 9214
4803, e-mail: info@nicetourism.com;
website: www.nicetourism.com)
is open Monday-Saturday 0800-2000 hrs, Sunday 0900-1800 (June-September)
and Monday-Saturday 0900-1800 hrs (October-May). |
