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Movie stars, moguls, and millionaires. Parties. Yachts. Luxury. If that’s what pops into your head when you think of this charming city on the French Riviera, you’re not alone.

For 10 days every May, the city garners worldwide attention when it is taken over by the Cannes International

Film Festival. Streets are clogged, rooms are hard to find (hotels have 12-day minimums!) and dinner reserva-

tions are near impossible (unless you’re “someone” — or you know “someone who knows “someone”). When the

red carpet is rolled up and the glitterati and paparazzi have gone home, the momentum continues as tycoons,

yachters and jet setters arrive for their summer vacations.

But if being treated like a celebrity is more important to you than spotting one, consider visiting Cannes in early

spring before movie star mania takes over, or in autumn when the days are breezy but still sunny. Hotel rates are

lower, the tiny winding alleys of the old city passable and the finest restaurants are are much easier to get into.

And if you want to venture a little farther afield, Cannes is ideally situated for fascinating day trips to Provence,

Monte Carlo and the islands of Ile Saint-Honorat and Ile Sainte-Marguerite.

Yes, We Cannes

Above: Poolside at the Martinez Hotel by Jérôme Kelagopian. Opposite page: clockwise from top left, Marché Forville, the local market: Le Bâoli restaurant and nightclub; the harbor, and Le Relais des Moines restaurant. All photos except Le Bâoli, Judi Rothenberg

B y J u d i R O t h e n B e R g

Cannes is easily navigated by foot — start by strolling along La Croisette, the famous crescent-shaped promenade near the Mediterranean Sea. At the west end you’ll find the Palais des Fes-tivals et des Congrès, the main venue for film festival premieres and screenings and a favorite place for picture taking. The street is lined with high-end designer shops as well as the triumvirate of fabled hotels: the Hotel Martinez, the Carlton and the Majestic. Most beaches are private to hotel guests but you can gain entrance to Zplage (the trendy club at the Hotel Martinez) by paying a fee for a sun lounger, lunch and drinks. A fun and quick way to get a feel for the town and its history is to hop on the Petit Train. There’s a choice of two tours, one along La Croisette and one that takes you to the top of Suquet Hill for a splen-did view of the harbor and the 14th-century tower, the Tour du Suquet. www.cannes-petit-train.com

Snacking and Shopping While there’s a burgeoning movement in the states to eat sea-sonally and locally, this is noth-ing new to the French. Farmers, butchers, bakers and fishmongers stock their stalls daily at the town’s local market, Marché Forville. In a riot of color and tex-ture, you’ll find tables stacked with tiny sweet cantaloupes, nearly

20 varieties of mushrooms, shiny firm tomatoes and fresh fava beans. Even if you’re not buying produce, the market is a site

to be seen — and tasted! Savory provençal specialties to try in-

clude pissaladiére (onion and anchovies on a bread pastry),

tourte aux blettes, a quiche covered with pastry and filled with peppered chard stalk, and socca, a crepe made from chickpea flour and olive oil.

In the old town, meander down the pedestrian-only cobble stoned rue Meynadier for small, moderately priced clothing shops, charcuteries, chocolate shops, fromageries and tiny cafes. Family-run stores spill forth with wonderful treats to take home — olive oils, lavender honey, clem-entine confit and jams. For a truly unusual and cre-ative experience, stop into M. Micallef Parfum Boutique. The fragrances are all private la-bel and made with the highest caliber natural essences in near-by Grasse. The distinctive per-fumes are then offered in your choice of hand-painted crystal flacons adorned with Swarovski stones. There is also a “perfume bar” where you can mix up your own signature scent. www.mmi callef.com

Nightlife No trip to Cannes would be complete without at least a taste of the nightlife. There are three casinos to choose from, offering the traditional games of English and French roulette, black jack and stud poker as well as slot machines. There’s also no short-

age of sexy clubs to dance the night away. The swanky patio of Le Bâoli, with its dramatic lighting, tall fringed palms and pillow strewn banquettes, is a favorite place for A-listers and the fashion set to quaff a glass of champagne and nibble on Asian-inspired cuisine while the DJ gets the crowd going. www.lebaoli.com

Day Trips The rugged beauty of the Isles of Lérins provides a nice counterpoint to the glitz and glamour of the city. Both islands offer hiking trails along their coastlines. The Royal Fort on Ile Sainte-Marguerite houses the Musée de la Mer (Museum of the Sea) and contains the prison cell where the Man in the Iron Mask was held captive for 11 years. On Ile Saint-Honorat, the monks of the Abbey of Lérins will give you a tour of their church and vineyards. The monks also run a casual restaurant called La Tonnelle and sell their wines, liquors and honeys in a small shop. Ferry service is 15-25 minutes from the harbor. www.cannes-ilesdelerins.com, www.tonnelle-abbayedelerins.com

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Above, Zplage Beach Club by Jérôme Kelagopian; vineyards of Château Sainte Roseline by Judi Rothenberg.

Below, hand-decorated bottles at M. Micallef Parfum Boutique

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A splendid outing for oenophiles with an appreciation for art and a gour-met palate is a visit to the magnificent vineyard, Château Sainte Roseline in Provence. Century-old plane trees, foun-tains and sculptures dot the park-like setting around the tasting room. There’s also an intriguing chapel on the prop-erty with a lovely mosaic by Marc Chagall and the body of Sainte Rose-line, for whom the church and grounds are named. Five minutes down the road, chef Sébastien Sanjou presides over a little gem of a restaurant, Le Relais des Moines, where he serves up impeccable treats like carpaccio of langoustines dotted with caviar and a salad of asparagus and morels covered with shaved foie gras. www.sainte-roseline.com, lerelaisdesmoines.com Another fun excursion is an hour’s drive north to the steep, wind-ing streets and lavish waterfront of Monte Carlo in the tiny principality of Monaco. This high profile city has been used as the backdrop for nu-merous films and is the home of the Grand Prix and Monte Carlo Rally auto races as well as the stately Monte Carlo Casino, with its unforgettable marble atrium and 28 onyx columns. The casino’s dress code, by the way, is jacket and tie for men.

To discover Cannes’ haute cuisine at La Palme d’Or, please turn the page.

La Palme d’Or The Hotel Martinezwww.hotel-martinez.com

Hotel Carlton (Intercontinental)www.ichotelsgroup.com

Hotel Majestic Cannes Barrièrewww.accorhotels.com

General trip planning information in English:www.cannes.travelwww.cannes-hotel-booking.com

Resources

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An inside look at Cannes’

La Palme d’Or It’s a rare treat to dine at a Michelin-rated restaurant and even rarer to be afforded the opportunity to shadow the chef as he shops for an evening meal at the local farmers’ market. But such was the privilege of a small group of Americans on a recent sunny morning when chef Christian Sinicropi of the renowned La Palme d’Or visited the Marché Forville, where he explained the nuances of produce. In France, Sinicropi said, the smaller the vegetable, the more flavorful the taste, with the exception of purple asparagus, where the largest are the most prized, and the price reflects it. When asked how to prepare purple asparagus, he gave a wink and said, “You’ll see tonight.” Against the stunning backdrop of the Bay of Cannes, Sinicropi presents serious gastronomy with a playful edge. A renaissance man with a love of drawing, painting, poetry and philosophy, the chef extends his culinary vision to the title of his dishes and their serving vessels. Many of the pieces are collaborations with local ceramic artist, Glag. The purple asparagus did turn up at dinner but in a completely unexpected way. The dish, “Bloom of Vegetables,” was served on a Sinicropi-designed plate painted with a vase and stems. The bloom on top of each stem was a bit of the prized purple asparagus accompanied by feta cheese and double bay prawns topped with black olives. This was just the start to a parade of dishes that were a work of art for the eyes as well as the palate.

Photos: Two dynamic culinary presentations from the collaboration of Chef Sinicropi (above) and ceramist Glag