Cannes After Dark: Why Cinéma de la Plage Is Still the Festival’s Most Anticipated Event

 

While tuxedos climb the steps of the Palais and celebrities battle flashbulbs on the Croisette, the real soul of the Festival de Cannes often waits much closer to the sand.

It waits at night.

It waits at the Plage Macé.

And it waits under the banner of Cinéma de la Plage—the Festival’s open-air cinema where the public, not just the industry elite, gets invited to the show.

For the 2026 edition, running from May 12 to May 23, the Festival once again turns the beach into a giant seaside theater, with nightly screenings beginning at 21:30 and free public access, subject to available space.

That matters.

Because of all the mythology of Cannes—private yachts, velvet ropes, whispered deals in hotel bars—Cinéma de la Plage remains one of the few places where cinema escapes the gatekeeping.

This year’s lineup proves exactly why.

There are 11 films in total, and the programming is a love letter to both nostalgia and spectacle: Top Gun returns for its 40th anniversary, two Palme d’Or winners from 1966 return for a historical nod, Ken Loach makes a return with Land and Freedom, and there is a tribute to Brigitte Bardot through a screening of Viva Maria! by Louis Malle.

Even the beach itself is being symbolically renamed for the tribute, with the city organizing the homage as Plage Macé becomes the “Brigitte Bardot Beach.”

And then there is the headline surprise: the world premiere of Les Caprices de l’Enfant Roi by Michel Leclerc, starring Artus, Doria Tillier, Julia Piaton, and Franck Dubosc, lighting up the beach screen instead of hiding behind an exclusive premiere wall.

That choice says something.

Cannes knows its reputation. It knows the accusations: too exclusive, too self-congratulatory, too obsessed with prestige and not enough with people.

Cinéma de la Plage is the rebuttal.

No badge required for the beach screenings. No invitation list. No desperate networking. Just a chair, sea air, and a screen under the stars. The official city listing makes it plain: access is free, within seating limits.

That is Cannes at its best.

Not the luxury branding.

Not couture politics.

Not the standing ovation Olympics.

Cinema.

Shared, public, collective cinema.

There is something almost rebellious about watching Top Gun with strangers by the Mediterranean while a few hundred meters away executives negotiate million-euro distribution deals.

One space sells the dream.

The other remembers why the dream mattered in the first place.

That is why Cinéma de la Plage survives every year. Because beneath all the machinery of the world’s most famous film festival, audiences still want the simplest thing possible:

A good film.
A warm night.
And the feeling that cinema belongs to everyone.

Not just the people wearing the lanyards.

The Reality of Renting a Villa on the French Riviera in Peak Summer

 

There is a dream that almost everyone who desires to come here has at some point: a beautiful villa rental on the French Riviera in July or August, a pool overlooking the Mediterranean, long lunches on the terrace, walking distance to the beach, and enough space for friends or family to enjoy it all together.

It is a wonderful dream—and sometimes it can absolutely become reality.

But it also helps to be honest about what that reality actually costs.

Every summer, villa rental agencies across the Côte d’Azur receive a flood of requests from travellers hoping to find the perfect top luxury villa for surprisingly modest budgets. The issue is not that people should not ask—it is that many simply do not realize how the market actually works here, especially at the height of the season.

And peak season changes everything.

July and August are the busiest and most expensive months anywhere in the Mediterranean, but particularly on the French Riviera. From Nice to Villefranche-sur-Mer, Cannes, Saint-Tropez and Cap Ferrat, demand is enormous and inventory is limited.

A villa that sleeps six to ten people, with a garden, pool, sea view, privacy, and proximity to the beach, is not just “a rental.” It is often a multi-million-euro property with significant year-round costs.

Owners are not simply covering a mortgage. They are paying for landscaping, pool maintenance, gardeners, cleaning staff, insurance, security systems, repairs, taxes, utilities, and constant upkeep on homes that often exceed several million euros in value. Salt air, intense sun, frequent guest turnover, and luxury expectations all create serious maintenance costs.

These homes are expensive to own before a single guest even arrives.

That is why pricing is structured the way it is.

To put it into perspective, a simple one-bedroom apartment in Villefranche-sur-Mer for two people during summer can easily average around €200 per night. That is for a modest holiday apartment—not a private villa with a pool and grounds.

Meanwhile, a five-bedroom villa with a pool and a sea view in the same area during peak season will often start around €27,000 per week (if you are lucky to find one)—and very often much higher depending on the view, location, and level of luxury.

This surprises many people, but it should not.

People often assume that travelling as a group means a villa should somehow become “cheap.” In reality, group travel is a fantastic idea precisely because it helps distribute the cost per person.

If ten people split a €25,000 weekly rental, suddenly the number becomes much more manageable than if one family were carrying it alone. Group travel absolutely makes villa rentals more accessible.

But the starting number still has to be realistic.

Recently, we received a request for a villa for 24 guests, with a pool and sea view, close to the beach, for two weeks at the height of summer—with a budget of €1,000 per night.

At first glance, that may sound like a substantial budget.

But broken down, that works out to roughly €42 per person per night for a property large enough to legally and comfortably host 24 people in one of the most expensive summer destinations for two weeks in Europe. And these are just one of many types of daily requests agencies receive.

For comparison, during July and August, it can be difficult to find even a shared hostel room in Nice for that price as an individual.

Expecting a large private villa with a pool, prime location, and luxury amenities for that rate simply is not realistic. And that does not even account for the wear and tear on a property hosting 24 guests—constant pool use, heavy kitchen and bathroom use, increased cleaning, more laundry, more maintenance, and far greater risk for the owner.

Large groups create significantly higher operational costs.

This is not about being elitist or dismissive. It is simply about understanding the market before planning around it.

The best advice for travellers is simple: do your homework early. Most people reserve a villa during the winter months here (or even a year ahead) for the summer as there are more properties available to choose from with better rates.

As per usual here when property stock gets tighter that means less options and even bidding wars for some rentals from last minute requests during the summer. Having mentioned that, an agency such as ours that has been in business for over 15 years does have the connections to help.

So before falling in love with a vision, or something you’ve scrolled by on social media, ask questions. Speak with a local rental agency.

Be honest about your budget and your priorities from the start as it also helps narrow down the search for you much more rapidly. Is the sea view more important than walkability? Is a pool essential? Would a charming smaller villa work better? Would two nearby apartments make more sense than one giant villa?

Often, agencies can guide people toward better options they had not considered.

Sometimes that may mean a smaller villa that fits the budget beautifully. Sometimes it may mean booking a beautiful hotel suite instead, where service and location offer better value for the money.

Sometimes it simply means adjusting expectations.

And that is not disappointing—it is smart.

The French Riviera is extraordinary, and there are incredible ways to enjoy it at many different budgets. But when it comes to renting a summer villa with space, privacy, a pool, and a sea view, honesty matters.

Luxury here is real.

So are the costs.

Monte-Carlo Casino Undergoes a Major Restoration Ahead of F1 Grand Prix

 

Behind the elegant trompe-l’oeil façade currently covering the legendary Monte-Carlo Casino, an ambitious restoration project is bringing one of Monaco’s most iconic landmarks back to its former Belle Époque glory.

The historic building, owned by the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM), is undergoing a €2.5 million renovation that will be completed just in time for the prestigious Monaco Grand Prix. With thousands of visitors expected to descend on the Principality for race weekend, the timing could not be more significant.

To preserve the visual elegance of the famous Place du Casino during construction, SBM installed an extraordinary 1,500-square-meter decorative tarp printed with a full-scale replica of the casino’s Belle Époque façade. Created using drone photography, the covering conceals nearly 80 tons of scaffolding erected in January, ensuring that tourists seeking Monte Carlo’s famous luxury experience are met with only minimal disruption.

“We couldn’t imagine doing it any less well than this,” said Luc Leroy, Director of Construction and Built Heritage at SBM, emphasizing the high standards expected for a project involving one of Monaco’s most treasured architectural jewels.

Behind the temporary façade, dozens of craftsmen are working meticulously to restore the building’s exterior, tackling everything from masonry and paintwork to the marble entrance staircase and the grand canopy above it. The project also includes the restoration of four statues—two in copper and two in plaster—the two glazed-tile domes and their lightning rods, as well as the architectural lighting that helps define the casino’s unmistakable nighttime presence.

Built in 1863, the Monte-Carlo Casino has been the centerpiece of Monaco’s luxury identity for over a century. While it has undergone smaller maintenance works over the years, this marks one of the most significant restoration efforts ever undertaken on its main façade.

According to SBM, the work is part of a larger heritage preservation campaign that began in 2018, with restoration projects scheduled outside of the summer season and extending across multiple sides of the building over several years.

The renovation comes after major transformations around the casino district, including the redevelopment of Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, Café de Paris Monte-Carlo, One Monte-Carlo, the Jardin des Boulingrins, and the entire Place du Casino.

“It is essential that we preserve our heritage,” Leroy explained. “SBM has a very rich history; it’s part of our DNA, and that’s what sets us apart.”

Years of sun, rain, sea spray, pollution, and time had left visible marks on the structure—peeling paint, weather-worn façades, blackened statues, weakened ornamentation, and occasional roof leaks all signaled the need for deeper intervention.

 

Now, with the world’s eyes set to return to Monaco for Formula 1’s most glamorous race, the crown jewel of Monte Carlo is preparing to shine once again.

 

Photos courtesy of Justine Meddah / Nice-Matin 

Nice to Rise for Equality: LGBTQ+ Community Calls for Powerful Peaceful March on May 17

 

On May 17, Nice will take to the streets with pride, purpose, and determination as the LGBTQ+ community and its allies gather for a major demonstration marking the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia.

The call is clear: make some noise for equality and stand firmly against discrimination in all its forms.

Participants are invited to meet at 3 p.m. at the plaza of Gare de Nice-Ville (Thiers train station), where voices will unite in a visible and powerful show of solidarity. Organizers are urging people from across the city and beyond to come together—loud, proud, and impossible to ignore.

At a time when LGBTQ+ rights continue to face challenges across Europe and beyond, this gathering is about more than symbolism—it is about presence, resistance, and community. Friends, families, supporters, and activists are all being called to stand side by side.

Visible. United. Determined. Peaceful.

On May 17, Nice marches for dignity, respect, and equality for all.