Our summer was beautifully complicated with various commitments to see family and friends, a river cruise, and a bike trip in Switzerland. I thought we could fit in a return visit to Cannes though Marla was not so keen. I appreciate that she always loves to do something new. We have visited 7 times in the past with our last trip 10 years ago. She finally agreed, so I rented an AIRBNB for 5 nights. The photo above is Marla unpacking. Our view was great…but the bedroom was a nightmare with a very uncomfortable wall-to wall bed in addtion to 3 floors of winding stairs with luggage and no elevator. Cooking was difficult with the equipment options available. I confess to rushing my selection and not spending the neccessary time to check all the boxes. In this post I’ll share photos of our trip plus a few from past travels.

We usually rent an apartment near the “Midi Beaches” on Boulevard Jean Hibert. We were once again across from the the “Riviera Beach” club, which our friend Philippe turned us on to many years ago.

It is no surprise that many things had changed at the Riviera Beach Club since our last visit.

Marla enjoys some sun.

We returned to La Pizza Cresci, a restaurant we frequented when our girls were young, but found it disappointing.

We enjoyed a beautiful sunset view of the Massif de l’Esterel mountain range from our terrace.

We always shop for food items on the Rue Meynadier walking street.

Marla and I hit the street early to avoid the crowds.

One morning we walked on the Quai Saint-Pierre toward town. The port was full of beautiful medum-sized yachts. The giant, mega-million dollar yachts stay out in the bay as they are too large for the old port.

Marche Forville is the best place to shop for produce, meats, and pasta. It is bustling from Tuesday to Sunday from 7 AM to 1 PM. On Mondays It turns into a very fun flea market.

Beautiful fresh flowers tempt the many shoppers.

Loved the unusual pastries.

Across from the marche is a very good boulangerie and patisserie.

Above the old port Le Suquet sits at the top of the hill overlooking what is now Cannes. This was the original site of the town, which was once a Roman camp. The Romans occupied the entire area for five centuries, including the small islands of Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat which are just off the coast of Cannes. 

I have a tradition of getting up very early to explore the Le Suquet area before anyone is about. Many of the ancient streets were laid out over 400 years ago.

I walked up to the Notre-Dame-d’Espérance church high on the hill. Construction begun in 1521 was completed in 1627!

The small lanes are fun to explore.

Rue Saint-Antoine is charming.

The area is home to many interesting restaurants from mid to high priced.

We discovered a “L’Assiette Provencale” and enjoyed it so much we went back for dinner the following night. Their variation of an Aperol Spritz is a winner.

We started with “Beignets de Fleurs de Courgettes, sauce tomate et basilic” (Zucchini flower fritters with tomato sauce and basil), and it was absolutely outstanding. We then had the “Filet de Loup roti, infusion d’olives, legumes d’ete” (roasted fillet of sea bass with season vegetable and olive infusion). We loved both so much we had the same thing the next night. Reservations are a must in season!

We rode the tourist train around town for the first time!

Our favorite stop was at the church with great views of the city.

We enjoyed most of our Cannes trip with a few caveats. Unfortunately, coming here only fit in our schedule in August which is very hot and crowded. I would probably recommend one of the hotels next to the Croisette in town for first time travelers, unless you love to shop and cook. There are ferries in the old port for a quick ride to Île Sainte-Marguerite just off the coast. It is beautiful for hiking, and there is a restauarant at the dock. The famous “Man in the Iron Mask” was held captive here at Fort Royal in the 17th century. Ferries can be taken to numerous places like Saint Tropez for sightseeing.

Sharing some earlier photos of Cannes, this is Marla and daughter Stacy in 1985.

1991 photo of Marla, Stacy, and Lisa, near the Carlton Hotel…and too much sun!

In 2008 Marla and I hosted a sales incentive trip to Cannes with 21 Wesco Fabrics’ customers. We had to split up for dinner on a few evenings because of the size of our group.

2014 photo of Marla at the old port.

Looking stunning upon returning from dinner at L’Oasis-Comptoir Gourmand in Mandelieu-la-Napoule years ago with friends Kathy and Philippe. The multi-starred Michelin restaurant permanently closed in 2024.

Our summer adventure will resume next week as we head back to beautiful Prague.

Photos: Dick Gentry. Not to be used without permission.