A Day Trip to Cannes: Is It Worth Visiting?
After several trips passing by Cannes on the train ride to Nice or Monte Carlo, I finally took a day trip to Cannes with my dad a couple of weeks ago – and I finally got to see whether the film and celebrity-studded French Rivera town was worth visiting or not.
View of Plage Macé in Cannes, France; September 2025
As a whole, Cannes is known to be a glamorous, coastal hot-spot on the French Riviera and most famous for its annual film festival – but is Cannes, with its mix of scenic beauty and subtle opulence, really worth visiting?
I’m going to break down everything I did and saw during my day trip to Cannes from Nice to help you decide if visiting Cannes is worth it for your next trip to the French Riviera.
How Far Away is Cannes from Nice?
Cannes is extremely close to Nice, being only a 40 kilometer (or 25 mile) driving distance away from Nice. However, if you want to do a day trip to Cannes from Nice – the best way to get there is by train. Trains to Cannes from Nice operate from both Nice-Ville Gare Thiers and Nice-Riquier and take no more than 35 minutes.
📍 Distances & Travel Times from Cannes
| Destination | 🚗 Driving Distance | ⏱️ Approx. Travel Time |
|---|---|---|
| 🛥️ St. Tropez | ~85 km | ~1 hr 30 min (longer in summer traffic) |
| 🏖️ Antibes | ~12 km | ~25 min by car / 10 min by train |
| 🌴 Nice | ~33 km | ~40 min by car / 30 min by train |
| ⚓ Marseille | ~175 km | ~2 hr by car / 2 hr 15 min by train (TGV) |
Is Cannes Expensive?
Honestly, all of the wealth and stereotypes surrounding Cannes had me hesitates to visit – but I truly didn’t find the prices for restaurants, souvenir shops, or hotels in Cannes to be any more expensive than other cities along the Côte d'Azur.
This is especially true if you stray away from the restaurants along the beaches, or resort hotels and aim to look for things more “inland” away from the water and closer back toward the train station. Ultimately, whoever told you that you need to have cash burning a hole in your pocket to visit Cannes is wrong – you can thoroughly enjoy a vacation or a day trip to Cannes without breaking the bank, especially as many of the city’s best sights and activities are free of charge.
Wandering in the streets of Cannes, France; September 2025
What Makes Cannes So Special?
What makes Cannes special is that it can be dressed up or down however you like – Cannes can be as luxurious or low-key as you want it to be. If you want to shop luxury brands on the main boulevard, La Croisette, you can – but you can also spend the entire day chilling by the beach or slowly pursuing the old town.
What I found to be unique about Cannes is that it seemed to blend a lot of the highlights from other cities on the French Riviera into one place – such as great beaches found in Cap D’Ail, the luxury in Monaco, and old town found in Nice or Menton.
View of Cannes from Le Suquet, France; September 2025
Which U.S. City is Cannes Most Like?
Cannes is, quite literally, like someone picked up Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and plopped it next to South Beach in Miami, Florida.
As a whole, Cannes encapsulates both the palm-tree lined boulevards and resort-style hotels of South Beach and the luxury shopping found on Rodeo Drive – encapsulating the aura of both iconic U.S. cities in one place, except, you’re in France.
Take a look for yourself to see just how much Cannes is reminiscent of Los Angeles and Miami in our travel vlog below!
5 Free Things to Do on a Day Trip to Cannes
Walk La Croisette
As the daughter of a New Yorker, I have been window shopping down Fifth Avenue ever since I could remember – and Promenade de la Croisette, better known as La Croisette for short, is perfectly designed for this.
Spanning 2 kilometers (or around 1.2 miles) with hugging ocean views to its side, you won’t have any trouble finding your favorite luxury brand along La Croisette – including Cartier, Dior, Gucci, Chanel, Bvlgari, and more.
Boulevard de la Croisette in Cannes, France; September 2025
2. Public Beaches
While it’s true that several of the beaches in Cannes cost money, there are also several public beaches in Cannes such as Plage des Rochers, Plage Macé, and Bijou Plage.
We went to Plage Macé as it was a short 10-minute walk away from the train station, and was the perfect set up to easily walk to other tourist attractions like the old town or to climb up Le Suquet.
View of mountains and beaches in Cannes, France; September 2025
I finally got to swim in the Mediterranean for the first time, and after several trips of envying people in the Côte d'Azur who got to swim, it felt like heaven.
Is the Water in Cannes Cold?
In September, the water was pretty cold when first walking in – but once I was all the way in, the temperature was perfect. Plus, you get to swim with the beautiful mountains of Cannes in the distance – it can’t get much better than that!
View of the ocean in Cannes, France; September 2025
3. Le Suquet
Perhaps the most enriching and rustic part of Cannes, Le Suquet has a hill that you can either climb up to the top or take a short shuttle for stunning views of Cannes and it’s coastline.
Approaching Le Suquet clocktower in Cannes, France; September 2025
There are both stairs and ramps that you can walk up to the top of Le Suquet. If you’re older or steep inclines bother you, I suggest using the ramps or even using the little shuttle service they have up to the top – I saw little white trains and pink cars that took people to the top of Le Suquet.
Whichever way you decide to get up to the top of the hill, you’ll want to take some time to soak up the views and take pictures – as it’s a side of Cannes you probably haven’t seen yet, since so much of “upscale” Cannes hogs the internet.
View of Cannes from Le Suquet, France; September 2025
4. Old Town
While the old town in Cannes isn’t as bustling or vibrant as the ones found in Nice or Menton, it’s still worth a walk through – especially if you’re a sucker for colorful photographs.
You could even sit in the old town for a quiet lunch or dinner if you wanted, as my dad and I both found it peculiarly quiet – as it seemed all of the beachside restaurants were full to the brim, leaving cafés and brasseries in old town Cannes at a standstill.
Old Town in Cannes, France; September 2025
5. Rue Meynadier
Reminiscent of Rue Montorgueil in Paris, a more casual side of Cannes can be found on Rue Meynadier – which is endlessly adorned with cute boutiques, cafés, and little gift shops sure to satisfy anyone looking for the more “local” side of Cannes.
Rue Meynadier in Cannes, France; September 2025
Busier and more alive than the streets in old town, Rue Meynadier gave us the perfect taste of residential life in Cannes – as we passed by barber shops, pharmacies, and other daily necessities people would need living in Cannes. Ultimately, I preferred wandering Rue Meynadier more than I did La Croisette – but that’s just my travel style.
🎬 Cannes FAQ 🏖️
| ❓ Question | 💡 Answer |
|---|---|
| 🚆 How much is a train ticket from Nice to Cannes? | A roundtrip ticket from Nice-Ville to Cannes costs €9.40 per person, and the journey takes about 33 minutes each way. |
| 🏖️ Do I need to pay for the beaches in Cannes? | Yes, many beaches in Cannes are private beach clubs that require an entry fee. However, there are also several free beaches that are just as stunning and perfect for swimming, such as Plage du Midi and Plage de la Bocca. |
| 🍽️ Is food in Cannes more expensive than other Riviera towns? | Not really — prices are similar to those in Menton, Villefranche-sur-Mer, and Nice. To save money, avoid waterfront restaurants, which tend to charge a premium. |
| 👥 Is Cannes crowded? | Yes, even in September (shoulder season), Cannes was bustling with tourists and beachgoers. If you want a quieter experience, avoid peak summer travel. |
| 🎥📅 When is the Cannes Film Festival? | Every year in May (typically mid-to-late May). Expect higher prices and heavier crowds across the Riviera during the festival period. |
Is Cannes Worth Visiting?
Yes, I think Cannes is 100% worth visiting – as it isn’t just for film connoisseurs or wealthy celebrities, but also for the average tourist looking for the perfect beach day and cute town to explore.
Ultimately, the decision whether or not to visit Cannes will depend on what you enjoy – but if you enjoy window shopping, sunny beach days, photo opportunities, and wandering through old towns, you’ll probably enjoy Cannes and should add it to your list of French Rivera cities to visit. In a nutshell, there’s a little bit of something for everyone in Cannes and it’s hard to go wrong – as rustic travelers can head to the old town and those in favor of cushioned travel can slowly stroll air conditioned shops along Boulevard de la Croisette.
I personally can’t wait to go to Cannes again, to swim in the ocean and to wander along both the old town and the fancier shops along La Croisette – as it truly serves as the perfect way to slowly savour the best of the French Riveria from ever angle possible.
Street view of Cannes, France; September 2025
Looking to read more about France to plan your trip to the French Riviera?
Click here to read all about my travels in France, as I’m an American living in Paris with ample knowledge on my adoptive country!
Additional articles you may find helpful include:
Never want to miss out on my local French tips? Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to always hear the latest on what’s going on in France.
Last updated: September 23, 2025