LOCAL CULTURE
EATING CUSTOMS
Most restaurants close between 2.30pm and 7pm. Try to book your table in advance, especially in gourmet restaurants. The local food is a mix of French and Italian.
GOING TO THE CASINO
Feel like gambling? There are no less than three casinos in Cannes. Don't forget your passport.
SHOPPING CUSTOMS
Most designer shops close between 12.30pm and 2.30pm. Most shops close at 7pm and all shops are closed on Sundays and bank holidays.
TIPPING CUSTOMS
It's customary to tip if you are satisfied with the service, but never feel that it's compulsary.
TRAVELLING TO ITALY
If you plan on driving to Italy, make sure you have a warning triangle and a reflective security jacket in your car because it's compulsory there. Also, be careful not to bring back any copies or counterfeits you may find in local Italian markets as French law punishes possession of these very harshly.
DID YOU KNOW ?
Feel like a star
The famous Alfred Hitchcock movie To Catch a Thief, with Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, was shot in the Carlton InterContinental in 1954.
The First Supreme Council of the League of Nations
In January 1922 the Carlton Hotel was requisitioned for the first Supreme Council of the League of Nations, whose task was to establish lasting peace in the world. An Italian journalist working for Avanti, Benito Mussolini, made himself undesirable by being too noisy and was expelled from a meeting involving Lloyd George for England, Harvey for the United States, Briand for France and representatives belgium, Italy, Japan and Germany.
Movie stars on hand
Each star that comes to the world-famous Cannes Film Festival leaves their handprints. Some of them are displayed around the Palais des Festivals where the celebrities climb up the stairs.
The Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovitch
The story of the building of the hotel Carlton in Cannes is, in essence, a Russian love story. Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich, who wished to marry the woman he loved and thus rejected the idea of marrying for personal gain, paid dearly for his romantic ideals. he decied to marry Sophie de Merenberg, the granddaughter of the poet Alexander Pushkin, after falling in love with her in Nice in 1891. Since Sophie was from a familyt of modest means and did not enjoy the same aristocratic statusas the Grand Duke. The Duke was banned from Russia, by Nicola II Tsar of Russia, stripped of his military rank as well as his position as heir to the throne. Forced to live in exile in the Côte d'Azur, he financed the construction of the Hotel Carlton, which he then inaugurated upon its completion.
Lord Brougham and his love for Cannes
In 1800 Cannes was still just a small modest fishing village. In 1834, however a memorable event was going to change its history. An English lord, Lord Brougham, passed through Cannes on his way to Italy. However he was unable to cross the border due to a cholera epidemic so turned back and stopped off in Cannes. He was so attracted by the beauty of the place that he decided to stay and build his house. The English aristocracy subsequently followed in his foot steps and considerably increased the town's population, putting Cannes firmly on the map.
WHAT TO PACK
Electrical appliances
Voltage in France is 220V, so if you plan on bringing electrical appliances such as, for example, a curling iron that works on 110V, bring the appropriate power converter. In your room you will find an international plug adaptor, priced at 12 euros.
Evening outfit
If you plan on going to the casino or having dinner in one of the Riviera's gourmet restaurants, bring a smart-casual outfit. And don't forget your tuxedo for the film festival.
Summer season
If you are coming between May and September don't forget to bring your swimsuit, sunglasses and Panama hat to fully enjoy your stay in our seaside resort.
Winter season
If you are coming between January and April and are fond of skiing, why not bring your ski suit, gloves and ski socks. The southern Alps ski resorts are only two hours drive from the hotel.