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| Hotel Simone, Cannes Centre

What to do during a rainy day

Happened to be in Cannes when the weather is moody? No need to worry, there are plenty of indoor activities for you to enjoy.

Museum

Stroll through fascinating contemporary art exhibitions at La Malmaison art center, located just nearby La Croisette, or take a 10-minute ride to the Bonnard Museum to appreciate the artistic legacy of famous French artist Pierre Bonnard. For more options, see our museum guide on the Hotel Simone Instagram page.

Casino

Your luck might come with rain… Cannes has 3 casinos : Casino Barrière Le Croisette, Casino Les Princes, and Casino De La Pointe Croisette. Feel free to pick your lucky venue for the day, who knows, you might make it rain too!

Spa

What could be better than pampering yourself for hours while its raining outside ? Make an appointment at Naline Thai Spa for the full-body, 90-minutes massage which will help relax your muscles and unwind your mind. Soothe and spoil your skin with by scheduling a tailor made facial treatment at Le Comptoir du Visage.

Cinema

Cannes is known for its love of films. Go to either one of the famous cinema like Cineum, Olympia or Les Arcades and you will find the latest released movies as well as iconic classic screenings available for you to immerse yourself into the ambiance of the city of films.

Perfumery

Only 30 minutes drive from Hotel Simone, you will be in Grasse, the world’s perfume capital. Take a day trip to visit the Fragonard Perfumery for a free tour of the perfume factory. Complete your journey with a unique souvenir by joining a perfume workshop and create your own scent!

Cannes International Game Festival

Each year in February, members of the gaming community gather up at a large game playground in Cannes to enjoy themselves.

The event is open to people of all ages, a wonderful opportunity for families and friends to spend playful moments together. Hundreds of board games from classic old-school to the newest digital plays are ready to be experienced. Take the chance to compete in game contests and win some large awards.

The festival is happening on February 24 to 26, 2023 from 10 am. to 7 pm. Visit the festival website for more information.

The Route of the Painted Walls

In Cannes, cinema can be experienced all year round. Thanks to the International Film Festival held in May, the city has a real open-air museum to admire in any season. Cannes is dotted with evocative murals, inspired by the great movie stars, which can be an original itinerary to get to know the city in a different way.

You can start your itinerary from the boulevard d’Alsace, behind the train station: at number 16, Marylin Monroe is painted. Continuing northeast, at number 9 rue Louis Braille, admire Harold Lloyd – one of the greatest actors of silent cinema – trying to stop time by holding onto the hand of a huge clock. A few parallels down the street, on Boulevard de la République, you’ll find the mural dedicated to the cars of movie stars, from Bonnie and Clyde to Batman and Starsky & Hutch. In the same street, you can also find the most romantic painting, representing famous movie kisses. Coming back to the center, on the place du 18 juin, there is the fresco “Le 7e Art”, dedicated to the cinemas of Cannes.

These are only a few examples of the many murals in the city… we invite you to discover them all!

Champfleuri Residence Park 

If you are lucky enough to visit Cannes on Heritage Days, here is a place 10 minutes from the Hotel Simone not to be missed! 

The park and gardens, which extend along avenue du Roi-Albert I and avenue de la Favorite in Cannes, originally had an area of 1.3 hectares. However, today, with the acquisition of the land of Villa Magali, the area has increased to 2.5 hectares. Famous above all for the variety of its extraordinary gardens in the Japanese, French, Italian, Provençal, Dutch and Moorish styles, the park and its gardens are considered historical monuments and have also been awarded the designation ‘Patrimoine du XX siècle’. A Mexican garden and two swimming pools complete the complex together with the building. The residence is private and closed to the public, but the gardens are accessible during Heritage Days. Many films were also shot in the Japanese garden; among them, Gambling Hell’ by Jean Delannoy. 

Villa Champleuri belongs to the seaside heritage of Cannes, surrounded by a park and thematic gardens. The eclectic-style villa, dating from 1880, was built by the Scotsman James Bland, where he died in 1884. Later, in 1925, it was settled by Marino Vagliano, who bought the land of Villa Magali. In 1961, Etienne and Basile Vagliano sold the property to the Champfleuri real estate company. The villa was replaced by a building and two swimming pools in 1964. Only the ornaments of the surrounding wall and garden were preserved.  

The Lerins Islands

Facing the Old Port are the Lerins Islands, a must-see for visiting Cannes and its surroundings. Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat are two jewels not to be missed!

Sainte-Marguerite Island

Sainte-Marguerite Island is the largest of the Lerins Islands. It offers an idyllic setting, between creeks and pine forests. The island has more than 22 km of trails, all offering unique landscapes. It also has a rich historical heritage, including archaeological remains and its Royal fort. 

Saint-Honorat Island

Separated from Sainte-Marguerite Island by only 600 meters of sea, Saint-Honorat Island also has a rich past. Its monks’ abbey and the remains of the fortified monastery make the island a destination not to be missed. The island is 1500 meters long and is ideal to discover on foot. Indeed, it is wooded and offers magnificent views.

The Cannes-Côte d’Azur Dance Festival  2021

Dance is honored in Cannes and its region, discover exceptional creations of the dance world from November 27 to December 12, 2021.

More than ever, the 4th edition of the Cannes-Côte d’Azur Dance Festival France, desire to unite artists and spectators. This 2021 edition brings together 28 French and international companies to celebrate dance and to rediscover the enthusiasm of the shows.

NRJ Music Awards 2021

The NRJ Music Awards 2021 are coming to Cannes in less than 1 month on November 20th!

This ceremony is the musical meeting of the French and international stars of the year. The event rewards the best artists and offers an exceptional show presented by Nikos Aliagas.

As every year, the NRJ Music Awards are an unmissable event that will do the greatest good following the COVID period that we went through.

Museum of the Iron Mask and the Royal Fort

On the first island of Lérins, the island of Sainte-Marguerite, the museum of the Iron Mask and the Royal Fort is located on the oldest part of the Vauban-type Royal Fort.

You can visit the old state prisons and the famous cell of the Iron Mask where the mysterious prisoner was incarcerated for eleven years.

On the upper floor you can see the underwater archaeological material from the Roman wrecks and the fragments of wall paintings found during the land excavations on the island of Sainte-Marguerite.

This museum is therefore a must-see place that will immerse you between mystery and history! 

The Museum of Explorations du Monde

The museum of Explorations du Monde, formerly museum of the Castre, located on the heights of the historical district of Cannes, offers you a travel in the heart of the Primitive Art, the Orientalism and the Antiquities.

The museum presents collections of Mediterranean archaeology and Primitive Arts. In particular, an exceptional collection of world musical instruments to admire in the Sainte-Anne Chapel.

Temporary exhibitions are also to be discovered! 

The Park of La Croix des Gardes

Less than a kilometre from the Croisette, the Croix des Gardes Naturel Park is the green lung of Cannes. he offers to its visitors many walks, each one more beautiful than the other…

Discover 80 wooded hectares, punctuated by 5 belvederes ideal for contemplating a panorama of the Bay of Cannes, the Esterel massif and the Pre-Alps!

This green space, full of history, will be the perfect place to discover Cannes in a new light.