Croisette Beach Hotel - Cannes

To me, Cannes has really come into its own over the years in terms of being a gay travel destination.  More gay bars and nightclubs have opened up, more gay-friendly restaurants and hotels, fantastic beaches, and who could dare question the shopping?

With that I would like to start off by mentioning a gay-friendly hotel that I very much recommend.

Croisette Beach Hotel in Cannes is situated in the heart of it all.  This four-star hotel has world class shopping practically at the doorstep, is certainly within walking distance to the gay and gay-friendly bars and clubs and it even has its own private beach and restaurant area.

Croisette Beach Hotel

As soon as you step into Croisette Beach Hotel you will feel at home in a natural yet cozy environment.  In keeping with this motif, you will find very approachable, friendly staff that is genuine in their hospitality towards everyone.

The hotel has 94 spacious rooms varying in size to suit your needs.  For those North Americans used to a "standard" hotel room size, and understanding that some European hotel rooms tend to be smaller, you will be pleasantly surprised to find that even the smallest suites in Croisette Beach Hotel are very much in keeping with a North American room size.

And each unit, regardless of size, is paired with newly remodeled, sleek and modern bathrooms.

Each room also has its own safe, minibar, wifi internet and plenty of closet space, without question you will find everything you need.

For the business-minded, there are also various meeting and reception rooms to help with all your business and social needs.

On my visit to the Croisette Beach Hotel, I noticed the staff were always busy cleaning, organizing or arranging something but yet also paying close attention to hotel guests needs.  The staff is dedicated to the work and for that reason; Croisette Beach is perpetually kept in immaculate order.

Depending on your choice of hotel room, you will find yourself either facing the street with the beach less than a block away, or you will face the beautiful inner courtyard with its true green spaces, trees and an ample lounge area set up by the pool.

The gorgeous pool and courtyard area are just off the hotel's bar and dining room on the main level and is one of the few hotels in the center of Cannes with its own pool.
That alone is a luxury.

Croisette Beach Hotel is easy to find.  If you are about midway down the Croisette, just look for rue du Canada and you will find the hotel at: 13 rue du Canada.

As if the hotel wasn't enough, at the end of the street right on the Croisette is the private Croisette Beach and Restaurant, where you will find the same great service from the hotel.

Here you can have a wonderful meal at the restaurant while you take in the glorious scenery yet also enjoy drinks while you catch a few rays of sun on your own private lounge chair at the beach area.

For a Four Star hotel situated where Croisette Beach is, you are going to find this is one of the best deals in Cannes.

A special Thank You to Olivier.

Cannes Tourist Offices - Office du Tourisme

The city of Cannes has three tourist offices; two of them are in the main area of the city. 

One of the tourist offices that I mentioned in a previous post is connected to the Cannes Train Station – Gare de Cannes.

You will easily find this tourist office as it is right outside the train station doors and is open all year long.

The hours for this location are: Monday to Saturday from 9am–1pm and from 2pm-6pm.

Tel. +33 04 92 99 84 22
Note - This office is closed as of August 2012 due to renovations of the train station.

The second tourist office is at one end of the Croisette, on the waterfront at the Palais des Festivals building or 23 rue des Etats-Unis.  You can't miss this building either as its big, white, majestic with lots of blue glass.  It’s also where they film all the celebrities going up the red carpet during the International Film Festival.  Actually if you continue going to the right of the red carpet area but along the sidewalk you will immediately see on your left hand side the Office du Tourisme.

Inside, like the office next to the train station, there is a number of staff who can help you with any questions you might have.  There are also different information areas set up so that you can just pick up whatever hard copy information you might need, you can buy some souvenirs and they even have a small art gallery near the back filled with local artists work.

When I was last at this tourist office, there was a LGBT Cannes Rainbow station to the right once you walk inside filled with information on the local LGBT community.

For this office, the hours of operation are:   Everyday from 9am-7pm.  November to February from 10am-7pm.  July to August from 9am-8pm.

Tel. +33 04 92 99 84 22

If you get the chance to go to Cannes la Bocca you will find the same great service and information at the tourist office located at: 1 avenue Pierre Semard

Hours of operation are: All year, Tuesday to Saturday from 9am-12pm and 2:30pm-6:30pm.  In August they are open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am-12:30pm and from 3:30pm-7pm.

Tel. +33 04 92 99 84 22

More information can also be found at:

Cannes

I would also suggest if you have a Smartphone to download the Cannes Is Yours App as a helpful guide.

I can provide one website that you can download the free app from and that is:

AppBrain just go to the search box and type in “Cannes Is Yours” and you will find the app there to download.

Any of these tourist offices may be a good start if you are trying to find your way around upon first arrival to Cannes.  I have always found the people working in these offices to be very helpful and full of information.  And of course I will be sure to continue with all kinds of information on my end as well.

A special Thank You to Frédérique.

Cannes Train Station - Gare de Cannes

Cannes main train station or Gare de Cannes could not be easier to navigate. 

SNCF

If you are arriving in Cannes for the first time, when you get off the train just follow the crowd also departing the train into the main lobby of the station.  It’s really that simple.  There aren’t that many platforms and only one tunnel to catch the various trains and plenty of signage to help guide you.  The station itself is not a massive building so you really don't have to worry about getting lost in it and even at night I have found it safe.

Inside the arrival and departure area you will find the main train schedule boards, a newsagents, waiting areas and also easy to use ticketing machines to purchase and validate your train tickets.  Upon exiting the building, to your left is one of Cannes’ tourist offices with a small parking lot in front of you.

The train station is located at 1 rue Jean-Jaurès and it’s easy to find by some of the unique architecture features of the building (see pics).  Currently the train station is undergoing an extensive renovation and upgrade but I have never found it to impede on my visits.

Illustration of the renovated Cannes Train Station

The train station has connections between the Cote d’Azur with all the regions of France and all the major cities in Europe are provided by the SNCF's express and high-speed trains (TGV).  The TGV connects up Paris and Cannes in about 6 hours at least 3 times daily.

Nice is approximately a 35-minute commute away by train, traveling along the sea past some wonderful beaches and towns to get there.  Since Cannes does not have a major airport, many people choose to use the train system to get to Nice where they can make their way to the Nice airport from there.

The train station is located in the heart of Cannes, literally less than a five-minute walk to the beach and getting there can take you to the start of the many fantastic shopping areas in the city.  It's also close to the hotels, restaurants and clubs with everything being within walking distance.  When you depart the station, literally just pick a street in front of you, head South and you’ll be on the Croisette and at the beaches in no time.

Cannes Emergency Contact Numbers

I have always found Cannes to be a very safe city.  Fortunately I have never had an incident of any kind happen to me there, but it's always better to be safe than sorry so here are a few key numbers and addresses you might want to know about:

For medical emergencies, accident and fire always call tel. 18

Medical – Samu  Tel. 15

Police – Gendarme  Tel. 17

Fire/Medical – Pompier/Sauveur  Tel. 18 or +33 04 93 48 78 00

Riviera Medical Services (English Speaking)  Tel. +33 04 93 26 12 70

Dental Emergencies  Tel. +33 04 93 68 28 00 


Night Pharmacy - 15 avenue de Grasse
Tel. +33 04 93 68 33 33

Night Pharmacy 15 avenue de Grasse

There are a number of police stations but here is one in Vieux Port:

Police Municipale - 2 quai Saint-Pierre
Tel. +33 08 00 11 71 18

Police Municipale 2 quai Saint-Pierre

Here is some information for the main hospital in Cannes:

Cannes General Hospital - 13 avenue des Broussailles
Tel. +33 04 93 69 70 00

Cannes General Hospital 13 avenue des Broussailles

Stay safe!

Cannes!

I love Cannes.  When I was a little boy, I used to watch all the stars on the red carpet during the International Film Festival on television and dreamed of someday going to Cannes to see all the glitz and glam.

I must tell you that no matter how many times I visit the city, even now as an adult, I am still thrilled to be there.  I have literally done things in Cannes that has helped me live out my dreams.

Cannes is of course world famous for their annual International Film Festival, but I've discovered the city and the surrounding area have even more to offer than all that.  It’s not a city that shuts down after an annual two-week party.

Cannes is a welcoming, beautiful and very gay-friendly city that is culturally diverse and steeped in history.

Just when you think you have done and seen it all in the city, sure enough you'll end up meeting yet another amazing person living there who will show you what they also love about Cannes. 

There is so much to see and do in this part of the Cote d'Azur, so if you are ready to do some exploring, I would like to keep you in touch with its growing gay community, and keep giving you reasons to want to come to see Cannes, whether it's your first visit or your fifteenth. 

I’d like to make this my introduction to you on what to explore in Cannes and its immediate vicinity.  As Cannes, like Nice and the rest of the French Riviera, is becoming even more of a worldwide gay travel destination.

From time to time, I will be posting about what gay and gay-friendly establishments there are in Cannes for you to experience.  The community has certainly grown in the past many years, so there are many places for you to check out for yourself.  

For more travel information, keep coming back to Gay French Riviera.

The Gay Nude Beach at St. Laurent - Eze

The whole of the Cote d'Azur provides endless gay and gay friendly places to explore, from one end of the region to the other.

One area I am going to mention is quite the local favorite, the popular gay nude beach at St. Laurent-Eze, located just east of Nice, past Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the way to Monaco.

Before you go though, there are a few things to mention.  First, bring along a big bottle of water and whatever else you want to eat or drink, as there are no shops nearby to buy any of these things once you get there.  Second, keep in mind that the beaches are small and discreet.  Third, the beaches boast different terrains, ranging from sandy to pebbly and rocky, and some people even choose to sunbathe right on the big beach rocks.  For this trip I would recommend wearing running shoes to negotiate the terrain, but of course also bring along your towel and/or beach mat.

In general, people will tell you the gay nude beach is in Eze, but to get there you want to make sure you have the location right because if you are traveling by bus or train, you'll end up in the lovely village of Eze instead, and then have quite the hike to get to the beach in St. Laurent-Eze.

Just North of the red marker, at the curve is the starting point.

If you are in Nice and plan to take the bus, take the number 100 Menton bus that can be found going through many areas of Nice.  A good place to spot the bus if you do not know where they pick up people in Nice would be to try the Port area, just across the street from the big Catholic Church.  It only costs 1 Euro for one way and it travels the autoroute, a very scenic route along the sea to Monaco.  It does make regular stops along the way, but be sure to tell the bus driver that you want to get off at St. Laurent-Eze for the beach.

Transit Information

The bus stop is also beside a small, usually filled to capacity, parking area.  Trains do not stop at St. Laurent-Eze: only at Eze, and then Cap d'Ail.  St. Laurent is between those but still it would be quite a walk to get to the beach this way.

Bus stop/Parking lot

If it works out better for you to take the train, just take it to Eze, get off at the station and the bus stop is literally just outside the station, so wave down the 100 Menton bus when it comes your way.  The cost for the train will be about 3 Euros one-way, then another 1 Euro for the bus.

If you are driving, it’s a breeze to get to St. Laurent-Eze.  Just follow the direction the buses take along the autoroute.  Leaving Nice from the Port area, go around Mont Boron and into Villefranche-sur-Mer, which will then bypass Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, into Beaulieu-sur-Mer, which very quickly leads into Eze and the next stop will be St. Laurent-Eze, where you will see the parking area back into the valley.

Once you are in St. Laurent-Eze, cautiously cross the busy autoroute and you will likely see others heading down into the valley towards the sea on the trail.  The trail itself is called “Castelleret – Inferieur”.  It’s obvious where to go as the trail stands out.

The trail has lots of steps and walkways all leading to the same place along the path for a 10-minute walk down towards the sea to the public beach.  You’ll know when you are practically there because you will have to walk through a big tunnel carved into the stone.  This is a very safe and beautiful area, and you won’t get lost on the trail.

Once you hit the public beach, you'll want to turn right and head to the end of the beach where you will see what used to be a gated staircase.  Proceed up the stairs and carefully continue your way in the western direction.  You’re going to be walking on low cliff edges, up and over some rocks, but the scenery is amazing.  Although at this point you can stop wherever you find a spot you might like, the actual gay nude beach itself is about a five minute hike from that point.

Looking back at the public beach from the top of the stairs.

You’ll know you are getting closer when you start to see more hot naked men around and the gorgeous Hotel Cap-Estel not far away.  There’s a rope on-site to help you climb down the man-made steps carefully on to the actual beach itself.

Once you have found a spot, which can get quite busy especially on the weekends, it’s up to you if you want to strip completely down or not.  Personally I had no qualms about it and was soon swimming in the sea.  The area we were at even had a little man-made spring with fresh water and a bucket, so after you get out of the sea, you could just grab a bucket of the fresh water and pour it over yourself to remove the sea salt before you go back to sun tanning or whatever you wanted to do.

I have found the people on the beach were from all over the place and very friendly.  I didn’t notice any attitude at all, and think it’s a fantastic way to spend a glorious afternoon.

As for the cruising thing: yes, it happens.  If you met someone in the beach area that you are interested in, people tend to get back on the path going east towards the main public beach again where men will just walk off the path a bit to other man-made paths and fool around in the bushes.  Honestly, I didn’t see this being something that people get carried away with; I think it’s an in-the-moment type of thing.  It seems people are content simply being surrounded by other beautiful men in an extraordinary place.

For obvious privacy reasons I have no pictures of the nude beach itself, but believe me, you won't be disappointed.