Cannes was the perfect destination for a long weekend! The resort town is, of course, best known for the Cannes Film Festival when the rich and famous come here to the French Riviera in May. The atmosphere during the festival is astounding, and depending on where you stay, you can watch the famous stars hit the red carpet from your penthouse or hotel room.
The summer months still call the jet set crowd — days can be spent relaxing in the sunshine on one of the private beaches or from the deck of a superyacht. Cannes is said to be just as lovely in fall and spring: the vibe is more relaxed but no less glam. Whenever you choose to visit, Cannes epitomises that South of France elegance and is a dreamy destination for a long weekend.
I happened to be very luck stricken once again this year with a travelling opportunity, this time thanks to Intercontinental Hotels. Believe it or not, I was invited as a guest influencer to stay at the luxury 5 star Carlton Intercontinental Hotel in Cannes for a weekend! With its fantastic location on the Boulevard de la Croisette, this luxurious hotel is known to have welcomed stars such as Leonardo de Caprio and George Clooney, as it sumptuously blends the charms of yesteryear with upscale, modern amenities and leaves no stone unturned in hospitality. The service is impeccable and the location, breakfast and butler service couldn’t be better!
Intercontinental Cannes Hotel
This was an exceptionally well-appointed hotel in its public spaces. Turn a corner and see suites named for Michael Douglas, Cary Grant and Greta Garbo. Walk down a hall and find sofas and side tables that wouldn’t be out of place in a French chateau. Look down the staircases and marvel at the marble steps and brass railings. Sip your cocktail next to the aquarium. And all over: fresh flowers, divine chandeliers and subtle lighting and colours set up with a festive Christmas spirit.
Even the fitness centre with adjoining spa was pretty. Complimentary for guests, it was among the nicest facilities I’d seen in any hotel. The equipment was clean or brand-new: treadmills, stationary bikes, yoga mats and exercise balls, full weight sets. Whatever your workout, you could do it here with the aid of free fruit, towels and water, and it was open 24 hours a day! No excuses for not working out!
I was invited with a guest, and since my husband Marco could not make it due to work commitments, I asked my bestie, fashion lover and red carpet afficionado Denis Aljush if he would come along with me. I knew that this place was one we would really enjoy together. We have travelled many times before to Milan Fashion Weeks so we are great travel buddies. He said “YES” and so we went for a weekend in December, just in time for the Festival De La Dance, for which we also had invites to attend various Press Events organised for the internationally accredited bloggers/media persons from across the globe. Our favourite was the contemporary ballet by the James Sewell Ballet titled “Titicut Follies” a gripping and strange ballet with, sometimes, a pinch of humour, but above all a surprising sense of derision to outline problems of today’s society. It was fun to hit this world-famous red carpet twice during this amazing festival.
My outfits on this trip were all by my Fashion Partner on this trip – Nina Covaci Malta. I hope you enjoyed these various outfits I prepared for this weekend in Cannes! Apart from this dreamy pink gown which melted my Instagram feed with comments and messages, I really enjoyed sporting all the outfits! Thank you NINA COVACI for believing in me and supporting me here on this beautiful experience!
Shopping
There are so many designer stores as well as chic boutiques, punctuated with cafes, restaurants and lovely with pastry and ice cream stores. But for one-of-a-kind pieces visit Promenade de la Croisette, do visit the market on a Sunday. I picked up a few vintage French posters to decorate my new home with and a few antique toys for my daughter Luna.
Be sure to visit Marché Forville. It’s a wonderful market selling fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood, cheese (so much cheese) and red-label meat. There is also vendors selling everything from fried vegetables to paella, and a selection of blooming flowers. It is open everyday from 7am until 1pm, except Mondays.
The GUCCI window display this December on La Croisette
No visit to La Croisette is the same without at least one stop at the Giorgio Armani Caffe’ where they have amazing lattes and French chocolates to die for and you can stop to shop for some gorgeous item in the designer store before or after that if you wish to!
Check out this beautiful beast behind me – a powder blue Ferrari just outside the entrance to our hotel
Notre Dame de l’Espérance Church – A Spiritual Experience
Who said there was little to do in Cannes besides the shopping. We took a break from the luxury and visited this beautiful 16-century Catholic church. You will witness the best view of the town and, it will bring a little bit of culture to your trip to the heart of the French Riviera. I felt a wonderful energy shift when I visited and just like when I visited the pyramids in Egypt, I started shaking and crying with a sense of serendipity. Some things we just can’t explain but we can share them and hope that someone out there can one day explain what happened at the moment!
Historical monument
The Church of Our Lady of Hope is located on the top of the Suquet Hill in the Old Town of Cannes, overlooking the whole city, the Napoule Bay and the hills of Mars. The place was classified as a historical landmark of the area in 1937. It keeps its picturesque atmosphere and makes a good contrast with the extravagant look of the coastline.
The gothic style church took almost a hundred years to complete. It features peaceful interiors with medieval carvings, with a statue of Our Lady of Hope above the main altar from the 17th-century. The bell-tower was built with a Romanesque style and the two lateral chapels are dedicated to the craftsmen who did the decorations. Near the entrance of the church, there’s a small garden passing the gate. It is quiet and offers a retreat from the craziness of the city below. I stopped in the church, lit a candle and said a prayer for more peace and unity on our planet. Lovely experience I shall always remember for how it made me feel – full of love and gratitude for the blessings in my life!
Fresh seafood restaurants on La Croisette
This area is famous for its seafood restaurants, all next to eachother! The top ones on Trip Advisor are Le Rendez-Vous, Astoux Brun, Vega Luna, Le Saint Antoine, Le Hit and O’Key Beach.
Coquillages Astoux Brun stole my heart, on the corner of rue Louis Blanc and rue Felix Faure has some of the best seafood in Cannes. Pick from a menu of quality, fresh seafood including oysters and paella. Tuck into a steaming bowl of mussels or pick a platter full of goodies to share. You can even make up your own seafood platter. Why not head here for a late-lunch or dinner. I recommend it for the best oysters!
I will never forget this wonderful weekend in Cannes!
Hope you enjoyed my fashion and travel post and stay tuned to my Instagram page @graziellecamilleri for so much happening every week this month heading into an ambitious 2020!
Much love and good vibes to you all.
xxx
Grazielle
