Life in Le Cannet comes highly recommended. This pretty hillside town has been charming visitors and locals for years with its magnificent views and enviable lifestyle. With 3 weekly markets, an exciting restaurant scene and a very lively social calendar, you’ll never be at a loss for something to do while you’re in town. Explore some of the best art museums on the French Riviera, discover Medieval churches hidden in the narrow streets of the old town or kick back and enjoy an outdoor concert in the village square, there’s always something going on in Le Cannet.
If you enjoy eating out, be prepared to fall in love with the incredible restaurant scene in Le Cannet.The town boasts a superb selection of restaurants ranging from local bistros to Michelin-starred dining rooms. Enjoy delicious local specialities in one of the many brasseries which line the village square or head up into the Vieux Cannet to dine under the stars on a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean. From fresh fish to Thai food, Mediterranean cuisine to authentic Tex-Mex, Le Cannet has so many fantastic restaurants on hand, you might decide to eat out every night once you move here!
Of course, if you do decide to eat in occasionally, there’s no better place to go shopping than the local market. And here in Le Cannet, there are no less than 3 local markets held each week, so when it comes to local produce, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Pop along to the market in Place Jean Jaures held on Tuesday mornings for fresh fish and meat, and then hit the market in Place Foch on Thursdays to pick up sun-ripened fruit and veg grown in the hills around Le Cannet. On Sundays, Place Foch also hosts a town market packed with goodies for the home and garden. Snap up a bargain for your new house or simply go and watch the stall holders bartering with the locals, market day is always memorable here in the South of France!
If you love to shop til you drop, Le Cannet is also the perfect place for a spree. The streets of the old town are lined with lovely boutiques selling delicacies made from local orange and lemon trees. Pick up some sweet smelling lavender soaps or a hand-carved olive wood bowl for your dining table, there’s nothing like buying a little piece of Provence directly from a local artisan. Over in the modern town centre you’ll find lots of stores selling one of a kind gifts and home goods for your Le Cannet villa or apartment. And of course with Cannes just minutes away, you’ll have the perfect excuse to pop into the city and check out this season’s fashion in the luxury shops along the Croisette.
Another great reason to live in Le Cannet is its fabulous location on the French Riviera.Set in the hills and surrounded by greenery and parkland, Le Cannet is the ideal place to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Make the most of all the sunshine by hiking along the Siagne Canal. The canal route will take you through country lanes and past ponds and streams until you reach the summit which overlooks the bay of Cannes and the hills around Mougin and Grasse. Stop to admire the breathtaking views before making your way back to town. Or if you prefer to do your walking on nice flat pavements, why not stroll around the pedestrian circuit in the heart of Le Cannet and take in some of the most historical buildings in town? Check out the 16th Century Danys Tower designed by monks from the Iles de Lérins, or head to Rue Saint-Sauveur and take a selfie in front of French artist Peynet’s “lovers wall” installation. Then when you’re done, make sure you head to the village square for a well-deserved afternoon aperitif in the sunshine.
While walking is a great way to stay in shape and discover your new home, Le Cannet also has lots more exciting activities to enjoy. Check out the outdoor fitness circuit in the Cour de Goule nature reserve, play basketball or handball at the multi-sports arena or enjoy a game of tennis with friends on one of the 11 courts in the centre of town. Younger kids will love the playgrounds and parks found all over the town while you can expect your teenagers to spend all their free time at the brand new skate park up on the Bonnard Plateau. At less than 15 minutes away from the coast, Le Cannet is also the ideal location for watersports enthusiasts. Head down to the glorious stretches of sandy beach in Cannes to spend the day kayaking or windsurfing out on the Mediterranean or jump on a jetski to explore the hidden coves over on the Iles de Lérins. With so much on offer, we predict the only problem you’ll have once you move here is finding time to fit it all in!
From sport to culture, Le Cannet is also the perfect place for history buffs and art lovers. There are 6 historical chapels and churches to explore in the old town plus several museums and art galleries. Le Cannet’s favourite adopted son Pierre Bonnard put the town on the map with his fabulous Cannet landscapes in the 1920’s and 30’s, and the beautiful Bonnard museum on the Boulevard Carnot is well worth a visit. The town’s La Palestre stadium plays host to concerts, plays, one-man shows and more throughout the year and during the summer season the streets of Vieux-Cannet light up with live music from both established artists and new talent. And of course, Le Cannet hasn’t forgotten its beginnings as an olive producer either. Every March the town hosts an olive festival when the Avenue Maurice Jeanpierre is taken over by olive producers. Taste artisan oils flavored with truffle or lemon, nibble on freshly-baked olive bread, or stock up on locally grown black olives for an aperitif hour on the terrasse. With all this, plus the international events down in Cannes to look forward to throughout the year, you might want to start clearing some space in your diary once you decide to take the plunge and make the move to Le Cannet!