Tuesday 5 July
It's that time again. The Cannes summer starts tomorrow with the first open air beach based Electro-plage disco.
Performers will include A-Trak (Montreal and New York), Jack Beats (London), Satellit (Nice) and Slipmuzik (Cannes).
Every wednesday from 6pm until 12.30am you'll be able to dance to the sounds of celebrity DJ's unless you're past it like me who rocked to Bill Hailey and the Comets (who?) in the 50's (when?).
It's only 8€ (cool!). Photograph by Nice-Matin
Monday 4 July
The price of entry to Cannes' two museums - La Castre in Le Suquet and the Maritime Museum on the Isle St Marguerite - has risen from 3.50 to 6 euros. The reason given by the Mairie is a cracker: the previous low entry entry fee stopped tourists visiting, as they thought the contents of the museums couldn't be very good at that price. It's certainly right up there for originality as an excuse for a steep price rise. Entry is free for under 18s.
Sunday 3 July
Shops in the centre of Cannes and La Bocca can now open all day on Sundays all year round. It will be interesting to see if they do.
Summer sales will start 6 July - 9 August.
Saturday 2 July
You can now go online to find the best way to travel from A to B by public transport anywhere in the Alpes Maritimes. Great idea so log on to www.ceparou06.fr for itineraries, times and fares. Just put in your starting point and destination and it does the rest. It will be available on smartphones shortly.
Wednesday 29 June
If you are planning on going to Monaco for the wedding of Prince Albert and the mega concert by Jean Michel Jarre (right) on 1 July, public car parks will be free - 15,000 places - and there are extra trains in the evening. Last trains are Monaco to Cannes at 1.15am and 1.30am. The concert takes place at Port Hercule and is free and open to all. It takes place 10pm to midnight and includes special effects and fireworks. There are huge screens and they will be visible from most high parts of the town including the Casino.
Tuesday 28 June
Cannes has been experimenting with bendy buses. The trials have apparently been very successful. These monsters are 18 metres long and carry 160 passengers. Bus Azur plans to put six of the bendy buses into service end of next year. Having experienced the problems of bendy buses in central London - both as a car driver and a pedestrian - all I can say is "gawd help us".
Photo: Nice Matin
Monday 27 June
Now here's a great idea that makes flying by private jet affordable. French air taxi service Wijet ferries businessmen across Europe by private jet. These planes often travel one way empty so CoJetage has been born. Up to four people can share a private jet on the empty leg - or you can book all four places. Prices start from 160 euros per person but the downside is you have to be very flexible. Who knows where the next jet may be flying from or to...
Log on to www.cojetage.fr
Cannes has the second busiest private airport in France after Le Bourget by the way.
Sunday 26 June
Did you know the 16th Bishop of Gibraltar (and now Europe) was here today to confirm seven members of the congregation of Holy Trinity Church in Cannes and to commission a lay preacher? Did you know the 4th Bishop of Gibraltar, Charles Waldegrave Sandford, who died in Cannes in 1901 had his photograph taken in 1860 by Charles Dodgson who in 1865 under the name Lewis Carroll wrote Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
You don't get quality information like this except on cannestouristinformation.co.uk
Saturday 25 June
At 11 o clock this morning Frederic Mitterand,
minister for culture, opened the Bonnard Museum
next to the mairie in Boulevard Sadi Carnot in Le Cannet.
Free entry today and tomorrow 10am to 8pm.
See www.museebonnard.fr
Friday 24 June
If travelling through France by car this summer, there are new regulations about radar warning signs.
The warning panels were always placed 400 meters from the cameras but now in a typical French fudge each department will choose a system. If a warning panel is removed it must be replaced by an electronic panel which tells you your speed. There must be one before every speed camera but it can now be from a few meters to several kilometers away.
Thursd
ay 23 June
I am very grateful to Microsoft personnel at Festival of Creativity for solving a problem on this site. Thanks particularly to Joe Walton of Shandwick, their public relations consultant (see left)
Monday 20 June
All kinds of ancient cars paraded along the Croisette yesterday - Aston Martins, Jaguars, an Austin Healey, Triumphs, as well a plethora of French and Italian vehicles. There was even a rare 1938 Bentley.
Photographs by Nice Matin.
Sunday 19 June
Come along and see an old load of old rubbish or you might like to call it alternative sculpture (la sculpture autrement) using discarded items like doll's heads, newspapers and other jetsam.
The exhibition housed in the ECO'PARC in Mougins, is open every week between 10.30am and 7pm from Tuesday to Sunday until 2 October. Entrance 8 euros, free for children and students.
If you haven't a car there is a bus 24 from Cannes but it runs only every two hours and not on a Sunday.
See http://www.sillages.eu/nos-lignes/transport-urbain/secteur-de-mougins/ligne-24.htm
Saturday 18 June
In a recent survey by Connexion,
the English paper in France,
expats missed real ale and a good curry.
They did not miss British television or the NHS.
Friday 17 June
Cannes doesn't really like cars.
Just outside the main hospital they are widening the pavements
on each side of the road to cater for alighting bus passengers.
This automatically stops the traffic including emergency vehicles.
The road itself needs mending - surely a better way of spending public money.
Thursday 16 June
Tomorrow and Saturday Rocheville Le Cannet will be celebrating the Feast of St. John.
Wednesday 15 June
Plans have been agreed by Cannes council to modernise the market at Cannes la Bocca. This follows the renovation of the Gambetta market in the centre of Cannes. Work will start in October and be completed by May next year.
Tuesday 14 June
A brand new free map is now available at hotels,
restaurants and at the port for cruise liner passengers.
Beautifully designed in a three dimensional format,
it has a hotel and street index and a description of
Cannes' sights, history and culture written by
the authors of this website, Leigh Mendelsohn and Paul Leppard.
Monday 13 June
Avoid central Nice like the plague tomorrow, Wednesday and Friday. A film, including a car chase along the Promenade des Anglais, is being made by Luc Besson. Expect huge traffic jams, frayed tempers and long delays if you do venture into Nice by car or even on a bicycle.
Sunday 12 June
During July and August trains are free of schoolchildren. The Carte Isabelle is the ticket for you. It allows you to travel all day for just 12€ on any line in the Alpes-Maritimes and to Ventimiglia in first or second class. You can also use it on the scenic Roya Valley railway from Nice to Tende. Tickets are available at Cannes station.
See timetables
Saturday 11 June
Whitsun Sunday tomorrow. The main sign of Pentecost is the colour red. It symbolises joy and the fire of the Holy Spirit. Priests and choirs wear red vestments and in modern times, the custom has extended to the congregation wearing red clothing in celebration as well. Red banners are often hung from walls or ceilings to symbolise the blowing of the mighty wind and the free movement of the Spirit.
Friday 10 June
Cannes has been searching for the quintessential local dish since 2000 - without success. Here's an idea: Lord Brougham while staying at an inn in Cannes was so impressed, so the story goes, with a fish stew served to him that he stayed on and on, bought land and founded modern day Cannes.
Voila, not so difficult really!
Thursday 9 June
The Cannes Air Show starts today. There is a display by the Patrouille de France - equivalent to Britain's Red Arrows - at 11.30am.
The show takes place 10am till 6pm at the private airport of Cannes-Mandelieu and costs 35 euros today and tomorrow and 15 euros on Saturday. Free parking. See www.cannesairshow.com
Wednesday 8 June
Good to know the staff are on the ball. A fire at Sparkling disco in the Carre d'Or in the early hours of the morning led to the 100 clubbers praising the club's staff. Everyone was evacuated and the fire brought under control very quickly.
Sparkling will be open tonight.
Tuesday 7 June
Top stars from the world of showjumping are in Cannes for the 30th "Jumping International" which takes place 9-11 June, after a huge party at Port Canto tomorrow night. The showjumping and dressage takes place at the Palm Beach end of town. During the day you can watch the heats free of charge, 1-5pm. Evening tickets, 25-30 euros, from the Palais des Festival.
Sunday 5 June
The weather didn't help as thunder and lightning did its best to drown out the 120th anniversary memorial service of the Victoria Chapel in Grasse. It would have been better if such an imprtant occasion had been rehearsed. Giles Williams, the preacher from Holy Trinity, Cannes, had trouble being heard despite his efforts in both English and French. Queen Victoria would not have approved of the organist who kept coming in early and as for the choir she would not have been amused at all.
Saturday
4 June
Has anyone recently seen a beggar with a white cat and a dog with collars on? Probably not far from the port or the 
Forville market. Please contact us
Found them in rue Felix Faure. Cat's woken up.
Friday 3 June
The accident and emergency service at Cannes Hospital has now been transferred to the new building. The A&E department has 10 examination rooms and seven hospital beds with 17 doctors and 60 support staff including nurses. There is also a GP service evenings and weekends manned by local GPs for less serious problems.
If you need to use the hospital services remember to carry your European health card at all times. You will be charged the full fees but can claim it back, ideally through your travel insurance company. Claiming through the French health service is quite a to do and they will send you a euro cheque to boot.
Thursday 2 June
An English family camping in the Esterel claimed they came face to face with a bear while they were out walking and cycling. This has triggered a massive bear hunt in the area but nothing so far has been found.
Wednesday 1 June
An absolute gem of a museum opens on Friday in Mougins village. We had a sneak preview yesterday and its doors open without fanfare on Friday before its official inauguration 10 June. Called the Musee d'Art Classique, 32 rue Commandeur in the old village, it has a fabulous array of 600 artefacts from the Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Persian classical periods. It also ingeniously mixes 100 items of relevant contemporay art - from Picasso, Cocteau, Man Ray, Chagal etc - among these ancient art pieces. So cleverly is it done that often one has to think twice about what one is looking at.
Housed in an old village house - a maximum of 40 people will be admitted at any one time - the four floors can be reached by stairs or a four-walled glass lift. It also includes modern touch screen information panels. The museum houses a private collection whose owner wanted the public to enjoy it as well. The museum is run by an English couple and French, English, German and Italian tours will be available. Entry 15 euros pp.
Cannot recommend it too highly.
Tuesday 31 May
Every Saturday in June there will be a surprise happening.
Word is, however, that it will be some form of street threatre.
4 June - Forville Market; 11 June outside Palais des Festivals;
18 June at Forville again; and 25 June at Gambetta Market.
Monday 30 May
A debate is going on to decide whether Cannes shops can open on a Sunday on a regular basis. The town council is for it and the unions are against. Watch this space.
Sunday 29 May
Cannes becomes a giant sweetie shop with 55 huge sculptures of "bonbons" by Laurence Jenkell appearing along the Croisette and throughout the town. Each is painted in the colours of a country (one shown here represents Italy) representing the G20 countries and the European Union members. They are on show until 5 November.
Get walking.
Saturday 28 May
How many visitors to Cannes ask which beaches have a Blue flag is debatable. But this year it won't matter because all of Cannes' 16 public beaches - except Mourre Rouge - have it for 2011. Mourre Rouge, at Palm Beach, has good quality water but not Blue flag standard. Private beaches are not included in the system but the Mairie points out the town maintains them, and it's the same sea, but charges the licence owners ...so all's well.
Friday 27 May
Not really a nice day for the beach - good thing really if you normally go to the section of the Midi between kiosks 29 and 30. Workmen yesterday accidentally drilled through the main sewer and the beach was evacuated and will remain closed off today. Weather is nice for a day trip, a bit of culture or a trip to the cinema. Les Arcades cinema is showing Midnight in Paris, opening film at Cannes Festival, and The Tree of Life, winner of the Palme d'Or, in English.
A dramatic accident took place today at about 4pm. A young driver in a Mini Cooper batting along from La Bocca met this oncoming lamp post which then fell on to a number 1 bus. Knocked unconscious, she was rescued from the badly damaged car, given mouth to mouth resuscitation, and taken to Broussailles Hospital.
All this was witnessed by our website photographer, Paul Leppard, whose picture of the accident appears in Nice Matin on Saturday.
Thu
rsday 26 May
Giant sweet sculptures will adorn the streets of Cannes from Saturday until 5 November when the G20 conference takes place. The 55 works, two to five metres high, created by sculptress Laurence Jenkell, portray the colours of the countries invited with members of the European Union.
Wednesday 25 May
The 69th Monaco Grand Prix starts tomorrow with Formula 1 practices at 10am and 2.30pm. Best to take the train from Cannes. Information and tickets see www.formula1monaco.com
Tuesday 24 M
ay
Television in Cannes and the rest of the Alpes Maritimes made history today in passing from analogue to digital.
The 20th edition of the Guide Gantie, local restaurant guide, has been launched. It is available in English.
Monday 23 May
Great bargains to be had in Cannes this August at the top hotels. Ramadan, 1-30 August, means the high rollers from the Arab world will not be holidaying in Cannes this year. The five star hotels will be offering rooms and suites at June prices, lower than July. The Martinez (left) is lowering its prices by 25%: the Queen Suite for example falls from 578 euros in July to 379 in August. The Majestic is offering a normal room at 384 euros (514 in July) and the JW Marriott has a garden view room at 380 euros (600 in August). And if you are lucky you can negociate a room at the Carlton (right) for 150 euros per night.
Start going on line and keep looking - the Martinez admits it can change its prices three times in one day!
Sunday 22 May
And the winner of the Palme d'Or is...
The Tree of Life by Terrence Malik
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.
Saturday 7 May
The ice cream war in Cannes is hotting up with the weather. Melt down comes end of May when rue Felix Faure - the Mairie end of the rue d'Antibes - will have three ice cream parlours within yards of each other. So you will be able to take your pick from Barbarac, open for three weeks now; Amorino, opens 20 May; and Star Glace open since 1995. Barbarac ice cream - "made in St Tropez" - is only its second outlet. Amorino is an upmarket Italian chain and Star Glace ice cream is made on the premises.
Cool...
Friday 6 M
ay
The mayor of Cannes spends 25m euros - five per cent of his budget - on the municipal police: "There is no prosperity without security," he says. M Brochand, the mayor, goes on to say his concept of the local police is akin to the English bobby on the beat. In 10 years petty crime has been cut by 60% in the town and the municipal police made 700 arrests last year. This local police force has to call in the national police to deal with more serious crimes.
Thursday 5 May
From 10am tomorrow for three days there will be an army exhibition.
It takes place in the car park next to the Golfe-Juan old port. Many demonstrations taking place.
Recruitment officers available.
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.
Tuesday 3 May
Aerial view of the house in Corniche du Paradis, Californie, owned by Yeslam Biladin, half brother of Osama Ben Laden, where it is alleged a family meeting took place four days after the attack on The World Trade Center in New York on 11 September 2001.
The house was searched by police in March 2002 but nothing was found.
Monda
y 2 May
Still got some some French francs tucked away?
The deadline for changing them into euros is 17 February next year.
Just a thought!
Sunda
y 1 May
From 1561, Charles IX of France decided to offer a lily of the valley
every 1st May to ladies of the court.
Now, people present loved ones with bunches of lily of the valley lily or dog roses on this date.
It is also Labour Day in France which if it falls on a Sunday
does not give rise to a holiday on Monday.
Saturday 30 April
Today and tomorrow you can experience a little Italy at the Italian market in Mougins. Parmesan cheese, dry sausage, olive oil, wine, and bread are all on sale here.
Walk up the road afterwards, see the strident colours of local paintings, choose from a multitude of restaurants and make a day of it.
Friday 29 April
A splendid wedding ceremony which kept off the rain and showed all in their finery particularly Kate Middleton who became Duchess of Cambridge on the orders of the Queen. Prince William very serious during the service, relaxed smiling as they drove back to Buckingham Palace in a 1902 carriage.
Visitor Geoff Lawler from Leeds with Cannes resident
Leigh Leppard celebrate the event (right)
Photograph by Connexion (left)
On page 23 of today's Nice Matin William's mother Princess Diana is alleged to have gone to Eton!
Thursday 28 April
Tonight at Sparkling for You, Cannes, a charity evening
in aid of Japanese and French Red Cross.
Drinks on the terrace at 8pm followed by dinner with a disco from 11.30pm all for 45 euros each.
There will also be an auction including a painting by Olivier Domin valued at 5,000 euros.
Reservations: 04 93 39 71 21
Wednesday 27 April
The Thailand tuk tuk has arrived in Cannes. Psychedelically painted yellow, violet and pink it is a fun vehicle befitting Cannes. They may also be used by companies as a very visible marketing tool.
Both the three and the six seater 'taxi' can be hired for journeys within Cannes for 20€. A 30 minute joyride is 30€ and an hour costs 60€. You can bomb around in it all day for 500€. Bookings 04 93 99 38 51
Picture: Nice Matin
Tuesday 26 April
If you are a resident of Cannes for all or some of the year, you are entitled to enter a lottery for 1,500 tickets to films being shown at the film festival.
From today until 9 May, Monday to Friday, 9am-7pm, take proof of residence and identity to the town hall to register. The draw takes place on 10 May. Best of luck!
Photographs of Jude Law and Uma Thurman by Variety.
Monday 25 April
Guests at the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton this Friday will include Albert II of Monaco and his fiancee Charlene Wittstock.
They, themselves, will be married on 8 July with the religious ceremony taking place the following day.
Sunday 24 April
Just experienced a French mass in an English church. St George's in the Californie area is, in fact, shared by Catholics and Anglicans but it is only open four times a year, Easter, Whitsun, France's heritage day and Christmas.
After the death in Cannes of Queen Victoria's youngest son Prince Leopold in 1884, the church was built and inauguration took place in 1887 by his elder brother Edward, Prince of Wales. Victoria visited in 1891 to see the statue of her son.
In 1970 it was sold to the Catholic diocese of Nice for 300,000 euros. 
Beekeepers and honey producers converged on the annual honey festival in Mouans-Sartoux. Easter sunshine brought out crowds of tasters and buyers. Acrobats, stilt walkers and a traditional jazz band added to the atmosphere.
Saturday 23 April
Looking forward to bank holiday Monday? Win a lunch for two at Felix Restaurant, 63 Boulevard de la Croisette. Get here at 9 o clock in the morning and take part in an Easter Egg Hunt. Great way to start a day - all ages welcome.
Have a good St George's Day.
Friday 22 April
The Easter holiday season is in full swing and the town is heaving. The event of the long weekend is the Cannes Shopping Festival. Rue Hoche is a centre of activity with bands and dance troupes as well as fashion shows. At 6.30pm each evening there is a tombola with lots of prizes. Many of the bars have events at happy hour and the clubs have fashion themed evenings. Forty shops are offering a glass of champagne each evening between 6-8pm. Friday-Sunday evenings there are fashion shows at the Palais de Festivals - tickets from Tourist Offices. If you can't get to one Sparkling for You is showing them on screen during happy(s) hour from 6pm.
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.
Wednesday 20 April
The latest creation from Aston Martin has a pre launch outing on the Croisette. Called the Cygnet it costs 38,250 euros and the bodywork and interior has a completely new design.
Tuesday 19 April
Cannes council has approved the provision of a cycle lane from Cannes to Golfe Juan along the coast. Work will begin this autumn. It is part of a plan to build a cycle lane route from Theoule to Menton by 2015.
Monday 18 April
Cannes' women's volley ball team - Le Racing Club de Cannes - has won the French national championship for the 15th time inits 16 year history and seven times on the trot. Chapeau (well done). They beat neighbours Le Cannet 3.0: Le Cannet was playing in its second final and also lost to Cannes in 2008. Photo right: Nice Matin
Local fisherman have promised that all fish sold in Forville Market is now 100% wild. One fish off the slab as a consequence is loup, sea bass. There is a fish farm near Cannes and many fish escape so the fishermen cannot guarantee the loup they catch is "wild".
Sunday
17 April
The French parliament is to vote on banning the waving or display of the Union flag - and all other non French flags - in public without permission. 1500 euro fine if you do.
How ridiculous and how sad. Will yachts with the red ensign be banned? Will supporters at international sports events be banned from waving national flags?
Well, I for one shall now be dispaying the Union flag on 29 April. Apt really as this silly proposed law started out to ban the waving of foreign flags outside Mairies in France, especially at weddings... royal or not.
Saturday 16 April
A flower show in Cannes this weekend involves the mayor, flowers and garden novelties, eating and drinking - that's what makes it different.
Place de Verdun.
Friday 15 April 
Work has started on the redevelopment of the Cannes railway station. And guess what, the exterior trompe l'oeil of the Lumiere brothers' film (see right) - was the first thing to be destroyed. Why?
The good news is that the arrival escalator is now working.
The first of the cruise ships for 2011 came into Cannes yesterday. It was the one year-old P&O liner Azura with 3,200 passengers on board and 1200 staff - all of whom came ashore.
Thursday 14 April 
Nineteen films, selected from 1,715 submitted, will be in the Film Festival competition. There are 14 from European countries, including Turkey, two from Japan and one each from Australia, USA and Israel. The largest number of women directors ever - four - have been selected including Scottish Lynne Ramsey's We need to Talk about Kevin and Australian Julia Leigh with Sleeping Beauty. Brad Pitt who stars in the film The Tree of Life, in competition, is certain to attend - he lives just down the road from Cannes.
Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci - Last Tango in Paris and The Last Emperor - will receive an honorary Palme d'Or for his life's work.
Picture Lynne Ramsay - Guardian