Buses - every year, for the film festival, the buses are rerouted to avoid the Croisette and the town centre. The E-Lo bus does not run at all by the way. Best to pick up buses from the bus station at the side of the Mairie - you will wait for two weeks for a bus if you wait outside the railway station! At the bus station is the bus information office - they will help you and they speak English. The open topped number 8 bus will not run along the Croisette after 3pm from 11-22 May but along the voie rapide to Palm Beach.
The night bus service runs from 8.30pm until 2.30am. During the 12 days of the last festival this service, called Midnight Bus, carried 19,000 night owls.
Did you know... hotels in Cannes make at least 15% of their annual turnover during the 12 days of the festival
Did you know... Cannes is the world's biggest market for film producers, distributors, buyers and sellers. Away from the glare of the camera deals are being made and contracts signed.
Facts and Figures: 20,000 flowering plants are planted for the festival and 250 extra gardeners are employed.
700 additional tonnes of waste are generated during the festival.
The festival costs 20 million euros to stage
Sunday 22 May
And the winner of the Palme d'Or is...
The Tree of Life by Terrence Malik
NEWS
Saturday 21 May
Sean Penn, Cannes jury president in 2008, has wowed everyone with his performance as an ageing rocker in This must be the Place.
British actor Malcolm McDowell (left) was a big hit also when he gave an acting master class yesterday.
The fundraiser for Aids has added 7 million euros to the charity's coffers. Another WOW factor.
You too can dine at the Eden Roc. Dinner menu starts at 140 euros. Lunch a la carte, 150 euros. Wow again.
Friday 20 May
Lars "I'm a Nazi" von Trier has been banned from the film Festival after his remarks about Hitler, although his film Melancholia - once a favourite - is still so far in the competition.
Fans of black and white photos of film stars have just three days left - pop into the Croisette and Les Princes casinos - to see this excellent collection of 40 photographs.
Last night at the Eden Roc hotel the stars, the rich and famous gathered for the annual fundraiser Cinema against Aids, for Aids research. Last year it raised 5.36 millions for the charity. Guests included Prince Albert ll of Monaco and his fiance Charlene, Janet Jackson (photo), Brooke Shield, Mick Jagger and Patrick Dempsey.
Thursday 19 May
A galaxy of stars have been illuminating Cannes so far this week. After Jane(see left, well she's prettier) came brother Peter Fonda as well as Eva Herzigova. At a party at Hotel Eden Roc came Goldie Hawn and Leonardo di Caprio et al. Melancholia director Lars von Trier caused a stir at his press conference when he appeared to support Hitler.
The film about the rise of Sarkozy hit the headlines here but the general opinion is that he came out of it well. He needs to: his popularity has fallen from 65% at his election to 28% last month.
And finally, there are almost 1000 police in Cannes to protect the public and the stars during this festival - good practice for the G20 in the autumn.
Wed
nesday 18 May
Weekly evening market at Theoule -sur-Mer.
Disgraced star Mel Gibson bravely climbed the red carpeted steps with his friend Jodie Foster to promote The Beaver.
French superstar Jean Paul Belmondo, now 79, was honoured for his lifetime achievement. He drew an enormous group of French actors past and present to Cannes.
Tuesday 17 May
Angelina Jolie has designed a jewellery collection with Robert Procop. It can be seen at Sem-Art Gallery, Monaco.
She has been wearing items from it each day at the film festival and, since green is her favourite colour, emeralds feature a lot.
A percentage of the price of each piece is donated to the charity she and hubby Brad Pitt set up to help child victims of war. We are talking top prices for this luxury range... so be warned.
Monday 16 May
Naomi Campbell hits town today.
She is organising a fundraiser for the Japanese Red Cross on behalf of Fashion for Relief in cooperation with Italian Vogue... at Forville Market at 7.30pm tonight. Fashion show and auction of clothes.
Jean Paul Gautier, designer, organised the Paris Canaille party at Forville last week - on the menu was lobster, seabass and strawberries. Obviously the in place now that it's has been pedestrianised.
Sunday 15 May
What a great first week of the film festival. Stars and glamour are back on the Croisette: from Jane Fonda to Sarah Jessica Parker. Gala magazine gave its "Palme du glamour", for best dressed star of the day, on Saturday to Cheryl Cole who wore a dress by Stephane Roland. Cannes is a huge showcase for all the major brands. Designers from Balenciago and Fendi to Pucci and Armani have dressed the A list stars - with Elie Saab a favourite among the Hollywood crowd. And the jewellery, by brands such as Cartier and Bulgari, is to die for - all of course borrowed by the stars! The tent in the gardens of the Grand Hotel houses French vodka Grey Goose's cocktail bar. Dior has a beauty suite at the Majestic and its nail bar is a real hit with the stars. The company launched Les Rouges collection especially for the festival. Fendi has a VIP showroom at the Martinez - Sylvia Fendi arrives next week.
Saturday 14 May
The whole cast of the Pirates of the Caribbean will be on the red carpet outside the Palais des Festivals this evening.
Cheryl Cole caused a stir with her plunging neckline last night on the steps of the Palais. Woody Allen, whose opening film Midnight in Paris was well received, has announced his next tour de force will be... Rome.
Making the most of the Festival are the big names in fashion. You can buy the latest ready to wear from Chanel now if you are in Cannes, while the rest of the world will have to wait until June. Like Chanel, Louis Vuitton has opened a second outlet in the Croisette just for the festival.
Friday 13 May
Get away from the film festival. Lots happening this weekend. At 11.30am tomorrow at Marche Forville there is the Festival of Food in honour of Jean-Paul Belmondo. Grasse, famous for its perfume productionm is hosting its annual rose show - all weekend. Go by bus, train or car. At 5pm on Sunday listen to popular operettas in the garden of the chateau at Mouans-Sartoux. Train, bus or car.
See May events.
Thursday 12 May
Buses back to normal but I saw factory strikers today
blocking a road near Cannes La Bocca
and one of the vehicle affected was a BUS.
The police looked on.
Bring back Mrs T.
Wedn
esday 11 May
Film Festival starts today so, of course, the buses have gone on strike for the day.
At 11am outside the Mairie the inauguration of Cannes fait le mur with the photographer and stars whose pictures adorn the streets of Cannes.
Want to see the opening Festival film, Midnight in Paris, in English tonight? Pop along to Les Arcades cinema, 77 rue Felix Faure, at 2pm to buy a ticket (9 euros) for the 7.15pm showing. Sorry no red carpet!
Tuesday
10 May
Like every year, for the film festival, the buses are rerouted to avoid the Croisette and the town centre. The E-Lo bus does not run at all by the way. Best to pick up buses from the bus station at the side of the Mairie - you will wait for two weeks for a bus if you wait outside the railway station! At the bus station is the bus information office - they will help you and they speak English. The open topped number 8 bus will not run along the Croisette after 3pm from 11-22 May but along the voie rapide to Palm Beach.
The night bus service runs from 8.30pm until 2.30am. During the 12 days of the last festival this service, called Midnight Bus, carried 19,000 night owls.
Monday 9 May
Two days before the start of the film festival 140 yachts have come to Cannes. There are 30 metre yachts which attract 2000 euros a day in mooring fees. The largest boat is Lady Moura at 108 metres, owned by Nasser Al-Rashid, a Saudi billionaire businessman.
Security is tight and teams of police boats patrol along the coast. Dogs are used to protect the harbours.
Sunday 8 May
During the film festival, you can become a French chef or at least learn to cook the French way. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday each week at 6pm sign up for a 45 minute two course cookery lesson. Wok a chicken with coriander followed by fresh strawberry tart, skewer large prawns with honey and soya sauce followed by chocolate mousse or make a tajine of chicken with pineapple and amonds.
For 25 euros you can become an culinary star at Les Apprentis Gourmets at 6 rue Teisseire, (just off rue d'Antibes) ring 04 93 38 78 76.
Wed
nesday 4 May
With just a week to go to the Film Festival, Cannes is being decked out with wonderful photographs
by the German born, French based photographer Marcel Hartmann.
Among the featured stars are Diane Kruger, Audrey Tatou and Martin Scorsese.
Seventeen canvases will be erected across the rue d'Antibes and on walls throughout the town centre
Thursday 21 April
The jury for this year's film festival is Jude Law, Urma Thurman, Olivier Assayas, Johnny To, Martina Gusman, Mahamet Saleh-Haroun, Nansun Shi and Linn Ullman. They will be viewing 19 films and awarding seven gongs but only one Palme d'Or.