There is no shortage of hotels in Cannes, but there are very few which cater to the student traveller. In fact, none of them really cater to students, but some of them are at least kind of affordable. If you’re looking to stay along La Croisette be prepared to shell out €1000 per night. A few minutes north however, rooms can be had for under €50 if you play your cards right. Hotel PLM is your best bet on a budget while La Villa Tosca is an upgrade of the same style for a higher price. Whatever you do, just stay away from the Hotel Claremont.
HOTEL PLM
3 rue Hoche
493 38 31 19
http://www.hotel-cannes-plm.com/en/
The Hotel PLM is your best bet in Cannes assuming you can get the right room. It’s a small boutique hotel just north of La Croisette and within five minutes by foot from anywhere you’d want to go. Unfortunately, however, it’s generally a bit expensive. Rooms start a €50 and up unless you plan ahead and book the “petit single.” This room (and I say “room” because there seems to be only one of them), is €35 a night and is more than comfortable enough for a stay in Cannes.
Nonetheless, the PLM is your cheapest option in Cannes. Call ahead, book that petit single, and enjoy your stay. Though on second thought, you probably don’t need to call ahead. The petit single will probably be vacant because everyone else visiting the city is rich enough to afford their own bathroom.
Petit Singles €35; Singles €50.
HOTEL LA VILLA TOSCA
11 rue Hoche
493 38 34 40
http://www.villa-tosca.com/en/
Hotel La Villa Tosca is more or less the older brother of Hotel PLM. They’re operated by the same staff, owned by the same person, and are less than 100 meters apart from each other. The primary difference between the two is quality. This doesn’t mean that Hotel PLM is bad by any means, it simply means that La Villa Tosca is better. As you can imagine, that also means it’s more expensive. La Villa Tosca is probably where your parents would stay in Cannes if they didn’t want to empty your college fund, while the PLM is where you’d stay.
Villa Tosca features bigger and better rooms as well as a large, open first floor with a living room, dining room, bar, and the whole works. The location is difficult to beat — the hotel is right on Rue Hoche where many of the better restaurants are. It’s 5 mins from La Croisette and the Palais des Festivals, and ten mins from Le Suquet.
The gist of what you need to know is this: La Villa Tosca and the PLM are like genetically similar brothers, with one being the strong, handsome son who makes his parents proud, while the other is more like the runt of the family, but who’s still loved by his parents just the same. If you have some extra money, you can’t go wrong with La Villa Tosca. It really is just an upgraded version of the PLM. If you’re strapped for cash, however, the PLM is everything you need without the bells and whistles of La Villa Tosca.
Singles: €61-91 (depending on the season); Doubles: €82-125 (depending on season).
CENTRE D’ART LA MALMAISON AT CANNES
MUSEUM
47 Blvd. de la Croisette
497 06 44 90
http://www.cannes.com/fr/mairie/annuaire-pratique/lieux/serv_munic/centre-d-art-la-malmaison.html
The Centre d’art La Malmaison is the closest thing there is to a museum for young adults insomuch as there are no oil paintings of old rich people on the walls and no statues of greek gods/goddesses. In fact, the museum is dedicated to contemporary art from the 20th and 21st century and houses an ever-changing array of interesting exhibits. The most recent exhibition housed more than 100 African tribal sculptures with a variety of works from other artists who sought inspiration from such sculptures. Featured artists include Picasso and Warhol, each of whom you should probably have heard of before and if not, you probably won’t enjoy this museum.
The museum itself is rather small but it’s centrally located, making a visit both quick and convenient. Its entrance is along the boulevard de la Croisette and is hard to miss thanks to the giant and colorful humanoid sculptures towering over the doorway. The museum exhibits are well arranged, making an exploration of the artwork on display pleasantly uncomplicated. Finally the museum is well air-conditioned, which, if nothing else, is always worth a few minutes of your time.
As is the case with most museums in France, the Centre d’Art la Malmaison is free for students, which is a welcome relief from the expenses of staying in Cannes. The museum is great for a quick one-hour break from the beach during which you can soak up some culture rather than more UV rays—stop by any day during July or August before 8pm.
Full Price: €6; under 25 years old: €3; Students: Free with ID. 
Closed May & June; July-August open daily 11am-8pm.
PLAGE DU MARTINEZ
BEACH
Hotel Martinez, Rue de la Croisette
493 90 12 34
http://cannesmartinez.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html
Plage Martinez in and of itself is not necessarily your best bet in terms of beaches along La Croisette. Yes, it’s linked with the famous Hotel Martinez which makes you feel fancy and all that, but remember that the hotel is famous, not the beach. Honestly, the beach has good reviews on Trip Advisor probably because those reviewing it do not understand that all the beaches along La Croisette are not encapsulated by the title “Plage du Martinez.”
Okay, so you shouldn’t go to the beach specifically associated with Hotel Martinez, where should you go instead? Well, the beach slightly east of Plage Martinez (or left, if you’re facing the beach) is one of the best public beaches along La Croisette. It’s technically called Plage Zamenhoff, but that’s somewhat irrelevant. The important aspects of the beach are that it’s a) better than the other public beach (Plage Mace), b) less crowded than Plage Mace, and c) totally, 100% free.
If you are looking for a private beach, all of your options along La Croisette are more or less interchangeable. Baoli Beach is known as the best, but it’s also the most expensive (read: 100 euros for a beach bed). Plage 45 next door to Baoli is almost identical but really, if you’re trying to escape the peasants on the public beaches, you can’t really go wrong with any of the spots along La Croisette.
Open daily July-August 9:30am-7pm; September-June daily 9:30am-6pm.
MUSEE DE LA CASTRE
MUSEUM
Le Suquet, Rue de la Castre
04 93 38 55 26
http://www.cannes.com/fr/culture/musee-de-la-castre.html
The Musee de la Castre exhibits a collection of various works of art and artifacts from around the world, many of which will provide inspiration for your night-mares if you were running out of terrifying horror-thoughts. This is only partially a joke as the first exhibit upon entering is a collection of ancient masks from Oceania, the Americas, and the Himalayas, some of which include fragments of (human?) teeth and (human?) bones and all of which vaguely resemble the pig-mask man from Saw II. If you venture past the mask section without turning and running from the museum, the proceeding collections are much less intimidating and range from classical paintings of the French Riviera, to a collection of eclectic musical instruments from every corner of the world.
One of the primary draws of the museum, however, is its location. The museum sits atop Le Suquet, offering the best view of Cannes by a long shot. Outside the entrance to the museum is a quiet courtyard that houses a giant square tower overlooking the city and the ocean. Further out towards the front of the museum lies L’Eglise de la Castre, a beautifully ornate church that is said to have once almost bankrupted the city because of the expenses of the church’s interior. Crystal chandeliers, stained glass windows, hanging model sailboats, and iconic religious statues fill the nave to point that borders on excess, which is strangely appropriate for Cannes general theme of indulgence. The church itself is free of charge (while the museum will cost you without a student ID), and it’s well worth a peek if you have a few extra minutes.
Overall, a trip atop Le Suquet will run you no more than €6(and will likely be free assuming you’re a student). The price, or lack thereof, is well worth the view, museum, and church all in one. Climb up to the top of the hill, take some pictures of the view, take a look at the masks, and then say a prayer in the church on your way out to ask for eternal safety from the masks you just escaped from.
Full Price €6; Under 25 Years €3; Under 18 or students free. Open June Tu-Su 10am-1pm and 2pm-6pm; July-August daily 10am-7pm.
LA CROISETTE
STREET
Blvd. de la Croisette
La Croisette is, more or less, the main attraction of Cannes. Its unavoidable centrality to the city makes it a must-see even if you’re trying not to as you’ll inevitably have to walk along the street to get somewhere else. La Croisette is bookended by the Palais de Festival and the Palm Beach Casino, allowing it to effectively span the coastline just south of anything worth seeing in Cannes.
On one side of the street are the majority of Cannes’ private beaches, where a sun bed ranges in price from €6 for the day to north of €100. The beaches on each end of La Croisette are public, and only slightly rockier than the private ones (interesting how that works out…). On the other side of the street is the shopping mecca for billionaires the world over. Every high-fashion brand in existence has a storefront along the street in addition to one mediocre gelateria who’s ability to afford such expensive real estate is a question for the ages (*cough cough drug front cough*).
In addition to the private beaches and high-end stores, you can also spend even more money along La Croisette at one of the luxury hotels along the street. Buying a sandwich from the Carleton’s lobby restaurant will run you almost €50 which is probably comparable if not more expensive than your actual hotel room somewhere else.
As a student traveler, La Croisette is not where you’ll want to spend your money. However, a stroll down the promenade will give you a glimpse of the world’s richest 1% as they park their Bentley in front of the Hotel Martinez after their multimillion dollar shopping spree. There’s no better place to laugh at the ridiculous excess of Cannes while silently wishing you were a trust-fund baby.
Free (unless, of course, you’re a trust fund baby and can afford a sandwich here.
PALAIS DES FESTIVALS
VENUE
Boulevard de la Croisette
492 99 84 00
http://en.palaisdesfestivals.com/
The Palais des Festivals is the building responsible for roughly 90% of the general population’s perception of Cannes. This is the venue for the Cannes Film Festival—also known as the only time Hollywood’s biggest stars visit a city all at once and actually decrease the city’s average annual income per capita. The famous red carpet in front of the venue is the subject of millions of photos populating the hard drives of tourists and paparazzi alike, and the feet that have walked up the steps out front belong to the same superstars whose handprints are embedded in the bricks surrounding the building.
Unfortunately for the average tourist, however, after posing for a photo on the front steps, there’s not much else you can do at the Palais des Festivals. The venue is closed to the public and is only open and functioning during one of the many private events held there. There are no guided tours, no public access, no real substance to a visit to the Palais. On the bright side, however, that means there are no entry fees, right?
For the most part, there isn’t much entertainment to be had here. Nonetheless, you can spend a few minutes walking around the building without having to go out of your way, as the Palais is central to Cannes most heavily trafficked areas. The building sits essentially between La Croisette and Le Suquet, and is just West of one of Cannes primary public beaches. Cannes’ tourist office is located on the ground floor of the Palais, adding to the building’s centrality and convenience. Take a look around when you’re in the area, but don’t spend too much time here.
Closed to the general public.
CIMITIERE GRAND JAS
CEMETERY
205 Avenue de Grasse
493 99 48 18
The Cimitiere Grand Jas is far from everything that Cannes represents by pretty much every definition of the word “far.” Not only will it take you about an hour to walk here from the center of Cannes, but the mentality of this cemetery is so distant from the ethos of everything that Cannes represents. Without sounding too cheesy, Cannes is the embodiment of the accumulation of wealth, while the cemetery towering above the city is a testament to the fact that sooner or later, you will die, and all that money you earned will be for nothing, and everyone will forget you, and then the world will end, and all of your offspring will perish, and there is no God, etc.
Okay maybe that went a little bit too far, but you get the point—the cemetery exists as an interesting yet oddly appropriate juxtaposition to Cannes. A quick trip to the cemetery is a good way of putting some perspective on the mentality of Cannes. Standing in silence and pacing through the peaceful, flower-laden graves prevents you from getting caught up in all of that materialistic superfluity that you’ll find on every street corner in Cannes.
Stop by the cemetery, pay your respects to the dead, and if nothing else, enjoy the view of the ocean from atop the hill. Or don’t. You’re young, you’re on vacation, maybe the last thing you want to do is walk between a bunch of spooky tombs and think about all the dead people you know.
Free.
PLAGE MIDI
BEACH
Boulevard du Midi Jean Hibert
Plage Midi is, by popular opinion, the best public beach in Cannes. Its 5 min separation from La Croisette is enough to make all the difference in terms of crowds and real estate. The beach itself is much larger than either of the two public beaches that bookend La Croisette, and the human per square-foot-of-beach ratio is far more favorable than elsewhere.
What really separates Plage Midi from the rest of the public beaches in Cannes, however, are the rafts. Roughly 200 meters offshore giant square rafts are tethered to the ground. The rafts exist for your diving pleasure or, for the more boring folks who are opposed to getting sand in their unmentionables, they exist for sunbathing without sandbathing.
The other benefit to Plage Midi is the view from the shore. Rather than staring at the yachts and private beaches that surround the public beaches of La Croisette and serve as reminders of how much money you don’t have, the shoreline of Plage Midi looks out towards the mountains to the west of Cannes. In the evening, the sun begins to sink behind the mountains, reducing them to silhouettes reflecting the blue color of the water, which is actually really cool despite how corny it sounds in a sentence. Finally, the lack of a port between Plage Midi and those same mountains eliminates any reason for yachts to anchor between the two, giving you an unobstructed view and allowing you to forget the likelihood that you’ll never own a yacht yourself. Ultimately, if you’re heading to the beach and not planning to spend some cash for a seat at any of the private ones, Plage Midi is your best bet.
Free, with various public beaches along the same street.
FOOD
Restaurants in Cannes vie over tourists’ money and, as such, maintain quite high standards as far as food goes. This being the case, however, you’re not gonna leave any of the best restaurants without shelling out quite a few euros. Unless you know where to go. Some of the choices are obvious ones and though they may be touristy (where in Cannes isn’t), they’re at least worth a bite. Our list has got everything, from the 3am dive, to the best seafood in the city.
LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN
BREAKFAST $$
5 square Merimée
497 06 53 78
http://www.lepainquotidien.fr/en/store/cannes
Okay okay, this place is about as authentically France as Au Bon Pain but it’s still some of the best breakfast you’re going to find in the area (unless you’re planning to spend more on breakfast than you did for your hotel room…) The petit dejeuner comes with an espresso, a glass of fresh orange juice, a basket of freshly baked bread, and either a croissant or some pan au chocolat (a croissant with chocolate inside -- it’s awesome). The bread is served with a variety of homemade jams and marmalades with an occasional jar of dutch chocolate spread (aka fancy Nutella). The best thing about the breakfast here, however, might be the price tag -- the whole shebang will run you just south of €10 which is on the lower end of the spectrum for a hearty meal in Cannes.
The location of Le Pain Quotidien is about as convenient as it gets. The cafe sits across the street from Le Palais de Festival and is within crawling distance (read: really close by) to the beach, le Suquet, and La Croisette. Convenient location aside, the interior of the cafe is similar if not identical to every picture in your Pinterest folder titled: “Dream Kitchen.” The walls are bare and the brickwork underneath peaks through in patches, giving the cafe a homely, comfortable feel. The kitchen is open and pots and pans hang down from racks on the ceiling, and a soft light filters in from the windows. The whole atmosphere is like comfort food for your eyes. Seating is available both inside and out, with an additional communal table for parties bigger than six or for strangers looking for friends. Finally, apart from their bread, Le Pain Quotidien’s signature is their assortment of tartines, or Belgian open faced sandwiches. And if you’ve never eaten a sandwich before, there is an informational graphics conveniently placed along the side wall explaining the proper way to do so, (just in case).
Breakfast from €8; lunch and dinner from €10. Open daily 8am-11pm.
LE CIRQUE
FRENCH $$
30 Rue Hoche
493 30 02 38
lecirquecannes.fr
The French equivalent for the English term “hipster” is “bobo,” and Le Cirque is where the “bobos” eat. It’s a cool, under the radar restaurant with great food and relaxed vibes. The only thing slightly non-hipster about the restaurant is its lack of a vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free/trending-diet-fad option. The menu’s entree section is titled “Terre & Mer” and is essentially a list of different dead animals prepared in fancy ways, whether they once lived on land (“terre”) or in the sea (“mer”). Despite the unappetizing tone of the previous sentence, the dead animals served here are actually incredibly delicious, and the menu is less macabre than the review here (due to a possible error in translating the menu to english, one of the listed plates is titled “smiling lamb”).
The restaurant itself is affordable in comparison to the rest of Cannes. Entrees range between €10 and €20 but never rise above the latter. Le Cirque boasts an extensive wine list as well, so if you are a vegetarian and the menu turns you off, you could just drink until you either leave the restaurant or become a carnivore again. Finally, the atmosphere of the restaurant adds substantially to its charm. Unique newspaper sketches of circus acts line the walls to create a lighthearted, colorful decor. Seating is available outside along the street with plenty of space inside as well. Escape from the touristy eats alongside La Croisette or near Le Palais de Festival and grab a bite of something that used to bite things itself at Le Cirque.
Entrees €10; Plats €15. Drinks from €6. Open M-F 9am-midnight, Sa 1-10pm, Su noon-2am.
AU PETIT CREUX D’AZUR
RESTAURANT $
17 Rue du Maréchal Foch
664 82 55 69
https://www.facebook.com/auptitcreuxdazur
Hallelujah! The concept of 24-hour food joint does exist in the French Riviera after all! Well, it almost exists. Au Petit Creux d’Azur, the Cannes equivalent to a food truck, is open every day from 2am till 8pm. Not quite 24-hours, but as close as it gets in Cannes. This tiny sandwich shop and bakery exists just across the street from the train station and serves an interesting customer base consisting of police officers, homeless people, and heavily intoxicated college students (who on certain night could also be mistaken for homeless people).
The “restaurant” could hardly be called glamorous, but it satisfies the specific needs of the late night binge eating population who, for the most part, are looking for anything but glamorous restaurants. The food is an interesting creation in itself. The “menu” revolves around a series of sandwiches which are either flatbread paninis or footlong baguette subs depending on the night as well as your comprehension of French. The lack of seating turns every meal into a “to-go” meal, consequently meaning that an order of fries ensures that they are jammed right into the heart of the sandwich, which is sometimes surprising but mostly delicious.
In addition to the sandwiches, Au Petit Creux d’Azur also sells baked goods out of the front display. While the majority of the pastries here will be far from the freshest you’ll find in France, the thick slices of chocolate cheesecake are nothing to shake a stick at. For the budget traveler living far away from La Croisette, this tiny cafe will likely be closer to your headquarters as it’s located towards the more reasonably-priced end of Cannes. Sandwiches run about €5, providing a serious meal for a not-so-serious price tag.
Sandwiches €5. Pastries €3. Open daily 2am-8pm.
RAINBOW KEBAB
KEBAB $
22 Rue Jean Juares
Rainbow Kebab has one of the best value-per-cost ratios for food vendors in Cannes, and we’re talking both quantity and quality here. €5.50 will get you a big Kebab Galette and€ 8 will get you an XL Kebab Galette. Both options are filling and satisfying, and combo meals exist with fries and drinks included for marginally more cash.
Rainbow Kebab is conveniently located just across the street from the train station, making it easy to access and easy to find—just don’t mix it up for the other kebab stop a few storefronts down, as you’ll leave there disappointed and with a lighter wallet. The staff here are friendly and speak English, which may not be essential but if you’re not a kebab veteran, the ordering process goes a lot more smoothly when you can ask questions in a language you understand. For example: No, hot sauce, garlic sauce, and ketchup don’t mix well—but it’s easy to understand why one would think that. (Just kidding… What were you thinking?)
As a general rule of thumb, the farther you get from La Croisette, the less expensive the restaurants become. As a rule for your other thumb, kebabs are generally cheaper than pretty much anything else in the South of France. And finally, as a rule for your tastebuds, Rainbow Kebab is one of the better options for cheap food in Cannes. Part with your precious €6 and grab a kebab before catching the train.
Kebabs €5.50; with fries: €6.50; with fries and drink €7.50. Open M-Sa 11am-12am.
GELATERIA DI TORINO L’ILE DE GLACE
GELATO $
2 avenue de Grasse
https://www.facebook.com/pages/L%C3%AEle-de-la-glace/459831490714690
There are a lot of options for glace in Cannes, but an overwhelmingly large amount of them will leave you disappointed. Taking a walk past the train station and into the less touristy sector of Cannes will solve this problem quickly and effectively. L’Ile de Glace is owned by Giovanni Torino who makes all his glace in-house and only from the ingredients he deems fresh enough to flavor his incredible boules (scoops) of frozen sugar-milk. As a result, you won’t find an overwhelming array of flavors, but those that are offered are guaranteed to satisfy your craving. The sorbet has bits of fresh fruit mixed inside and the sweeter, chocolatey flavors have bits of magical tasty goodness mixed inside.
Since the glacier is located a few minutes north of La Croisette, the prices won’t bleed you as much as the more touristy glaciers will. This comes in handy since you can then pay the same amount for twice the glace and then forego eating a real, more nourishing meal but who cares because #vacation. One scoop will run you €2.50 with an additional €1 for each extra scoop. You can attempt the L’Ile de Glace challenge in which you pay full price for each flavor and if you can finish all of it in under one hour you win a really bad stomachache and an awesome sense of accomplishment. (Note: This isn’t a real challenge but the temptation to try it will probably be there anyway now that we’ve given you the idea).
1 Scoop €2.50; additional Scoops €1. Open daily 11am-9pm.
AT’HOME CAFE
CAFE $
11 Rue Felix Faure
650 09 42 44
At’Home Cafe is tucked into a quiet alleyway just outside Le Suquet and invites passersby in for a quick bite. Maybe you got sick of Le Pain Quotidien and wanted something more authentic to start your day, or maybe you got a bit lost in your search for Place de la Castre and wandered in for directions and a cup of coffee. Either way, you can’t go too wrong with At’Home Cafe, but you haven’t really gotten it right.
At’Home Cafe is quiet, tiny, and a bit cramped, which could be cute if it panned out the right way but after bumping into the door with your arm every time you try to stab a piece of your crepe with you fork it becomes a bit less cute and a bit more confusing as to why they put a table so close to the entrance. Furthermore, hopefully your date enjoys a lengthy game of footsie, as there’s only room for one pair of legs under the table, and those belong to the table.
On the bright side, At’Home seems to reject the French idea of eating only a piece of bread and an espresso for breakfast. €8.50 will buy you a breakfast complete with an omelette, a basket of bread, and a coffee, which, for Cannes in not a bad deal. The value of the food, however, is unfortunately not matched by taste. The food isn’t bad by any means, it just isn’t great, and if you’re in Cannes, a city where the food is generally above average, you’d be unwise to settle for anything less.
Breakfast from €5. Espresso €1.50.
RESTAURANT ASTOUX & BRUN
RESTAURANT $$$$
27 rue Félix Faure et Louis Blanc
493 39 21 87
http://www.astouxbrun.com
Restaurant Astoux & Brun is one of the most popular seafood restaurants in Cannes, and for good reason. The restaurant specializes in shellfish and doubles as a take-out vendor from the side street for those with enough hubris to think they can out-cook the chefs who work here. The restaurant is located between Le Suquet and La Croisette and the outdoor seating, which includes a view of the port, is also great for people-watching.
Despite being a bit touristy, the food here is delicious. Mussels are a specialty of Cannes (as well as the Riviera as a whole) and you’d be remiss not to try them. Keep in mind that the locals use one mussel as a pincher to grab the rest rather than a fork—follow suit or risk looking like the clueless tourist that you truly are. In addition to the food, the atmosphere is uniquely charming. All of the tables have original paintings of different fish, and the elevated platters of various crustaceans will get your saliva flowing before you can even read the menu.
The only downside to Astoux & Brun is the price tag. You can get away with a giant plate of mussels for less than €15 but ordering anything else like oysters will quickly exceed your budget. Nonetheless, grab a seat on the terrace, order up a plate of mussels and practice using a pair of Riviera chopsticks (using the mussels to pinch other mussels like we talked about).
Entrees range from €15 to €50. Order the mussels, seriously. Open daily 12pm-2:30pm and 7pm-11pm.
NIGHTLIFE
As you now know, Cannes is alluring for three reasons: the beaches, the shopping, and the nightlife. It’s also well-known for being an incredibly wealthy city. And anyone with the math skills of a first grader and the common sense of a fourth grader knows that wealth + parties = good parties. Unfortunately, anyone with the common sense of a fourth grader also knows that wealth + parties = expensive parties. The nightlife in Cannes is some of the best in the French Riviera, but indulging in the fun will take a serious toll on not only your liver, but also your bank account. The clubs in Cannes are great but they’re alarmingly expensive. Affordable options exist but if you want to do Cannes right, save your money before you arrive and when you do, hit the following venues.
ZOA
BAR
2 Place Charles de Gaulle
493 30 00 30
http://www.zoasushibar.com
Zoa is the most relaxed of the popular nightlife venues in Cannes and can occasionally be the most touristy due to its location just across from the Palais des Festivals. It operates as a restaurant during the evening and is rumored to have the best sushi in Cannes. The bar however, is also one of the better options in the city–their gin and tonic is a game changer (think cucumber instead of lime), and is conveniently more gin than tonic, making the price tag easier to swallow but perhaps not the drink. Like most bars and clubs in Cannes, Zoa features a live DJ most nights who, like most DJs in Cannes, spins a mix primarily featuring deep house vibes.
Zoa gets fairly calm during weeknights but picks up during July and August (as does the whole city). The club is clean and minimalist, giving it a chic, almost sterile feel, which sounds a bit off but in this case works. The bar is well-stocked and pop-culture bearbricks are hidden among some of the bottles, which is an interesting and subtle nod to the art and culture for which Cannes is well-known. They were also almost certainly expensive, which is the other thing Cannes is well-known for. If it’s within your budget, stop by Zoa early in the night for some sushi, and stay for drinks and good music.
No Cover Charge. Cocktails from €10. Open daily 5:30pm-2:30am.
BAOLI
CLUB
Porto Canto, Blvd. de la Croisette
493 43 03 43
http://www.lebaoli.com/baoli
you haven’t heard people raving about Baoli yet, you should leave your hotel room for more than five minutes or invest in a hearing aid. Baoli is arguably the best club in Cannes (but only in argument, as Gotha probably takes that title). Nonetheless, the runner up for such an award in a city teeming with nightlife venues is nothing to shake a stick at. If it’s the weekend, and you’re at Baoli, you’d have to try reallllly hard to have a bad time.
Baoli is located nearby the Palm Beach Casino, which is somewhat unfortunate as that places it about 20 mins away from the center of Cannes by foot. If you are heading there on foot, make sure you have good directions, as it’s somewhat easy to miss if you don’t know what you’re looking for. The building is one story tall and is surrounded by overgrown vines and tropical-looking plants, which is cool once you realize its a nightclub, but is easy to write off as just another one-story building with overgrown vegetation if you’re not paying attention.
Bear in mind that Baoli, being one of the better options in Cannes, is fairly exclusive. flats and flip-flops are a big no-no and if you look like you came from the beach, that’s where you’ll be heading back to. Drinks are expensive (surprise!) but the prices are worth it to experience the club at least once. Bust out your highest heels and double-check your bank’s overdraft fees, you’ll need the former to get in and you won’t leave without the latter.
Cocktails from €15. Open April-October daily 8pm-5am; November-March weekends 8pm-5am.
B. PUB
BAR, CLUB
22 rue Mace
493 38 17 30
https://www.facebook.com/BPubCannes
B. Pub is somewhat of a hybrid between the energy-packed nightclubs of Cannes and the slightly more relaxed bar life. It has the energy of a bar with the atmosphere of a club, which, on paper makes it sound like a really bad club though in actuality it’s more like a really cool bar.
Tables line the walls of the club with high seating and dim, purple lights. In the center, the bar is crowned with a clean array of illuminated Grey Goose bottles with seating available around the bar. B. Pub hosts fairly good DJs who spin sets chilled out deep house music to match the discotech-y atmosphere.
Any Cannes local will tell you to show up to B. Pub for a pre-game session before hitting Bâoli or Gotha. That Cannes local will also ask you which yacht is yours and will order a bottle of Grey Goose assuming you’re good to split the cost because the Cannes local has more money than you know how to count. As a student traveler, your best bet is to pre-game B. Pub as drinks range between €10 and €15 a pop (just wait ‘til you see the prices at Bâoli or Gotha…). Limiting yourself to one drink and then nursing it as long as possible is a good way to survive the night financially. Finally, the bouncers are heelists and will turn away any female wearing flats or flipflops. They’ll also turn away any male not accompanied by a female in heels, so figure that out before showing up at the door.
All in all, despite its cost and exclusivity, B. Pub is one of the more popular nightlife venues for the front end of the night in Cannes. Sure, you can choke out some karaoke in the Station Tavern by the Gare S.N.C.F. but you’re in Cannes to live it up, and if your idea of living it up is train station karaoke, you’re doing it wrong.
Beers from €7. Cocktails from €10. ~ Open daily 9pm-2:30am.
BACKSTAGE
CLUB
Rue Gerard Monod
Backstage is your most affordable late-night club option but is also ranked third in terms of popularity. Gotha and Baoli are generally more populated, but are both farther away from the center of Cannes, and can be a bit too much effort during the weeknights. Backstage is more down to earth and more manageable of a venue, not to mention slightly cheaper than the rest of the exclusive clubs.
Fortunately, you might even get past the bouncer in flats at Backstage, especially on an uncrowded night, which may seem unimportant but can be a nice change of pace from the occasionally suffocating exclusivity of Baoli and Gotha. The venue is set up similarly to B. Pub, with neon purple and blue lights and a well-stocked bar in the center. Don’t ask the bartender to mix you “his favorite drink” however, as you might end up drinking what is, for all intents and purposes, Listerine.
Backstage is situated towards the easternmost edge of central Cannes, conveniently close to the Pint House, making the gap between your last pre-game drink and your first game time drink under 5 mins. If you’re too lazy to make a big ordeal out of going out or you need a break from the popular kids at the other clubs, Backstage will suit you just fine.
Beer from €6. Mixed drinks from €10. Open daily 8pm-5am.
LES MARCHES
CLUB
Palais des Festivals, Blvd. de la Croisette
493 39 77 21
http://www.lesmarches-club.com
Les Marches operates under the philosophy that the more bouncers a club has, the more exclusive it is. In a way, they aren’t wrong, as getting past all three checkpoints on your way into the club will either make you feel attractive, important, lucky, or all three. Although while you have to give the club credit here for their business strategy, they lose credit in other areas.
Les Marches isn’t a bad club by any stretch of the imagination, it’s just not where you should go as a student in Cannes. The majority of the people here are in their thirties or beyond, which is a little weird given the club’s young attitude. Though in a way it makes sense because of the club’s convenience and centrality to Cannes (it’s located on top of the Palais des Festivals). Furthermore, while the Victoria’s Secret fashion show playing on all the TVs behind the bar is a nice touch while waiting for a drink, it starts to feel a little bit creepy when you think about all the forty year-old men with their eyes glued to the screen.
If you had no other option, Les Marches would still be a fun club to hit. However, the abundance of nightlife venues in Cannes makes it easy and somewhat smart to avoid. Yes, they sometimes have high profile DJs and artists perform, but at the same time, if you’re excited for a Fat Joe concert, you’re living in the wrong decade and you should go “make it rain on dem hoes” somewhere else.
€10 cover charge. Mixed drinks from €10. Open daily 8pm-5am.
LA CROISETTE / THE BEACH
BEACH
Blvd. de La Croisette
Yep, you’re too poor to afford any of the popular clubs in Cannes. It’s sad but true. Nonetheless, you can still get drunk with all the other kids at the beach and unless you’re sense of FOMO is so strong that you’re having a panic attack from not being at Baoli, you can still have a pretty fun time. The peasant’s oldest trick in the book is to grab a bottle of rose and a six pack and head down to the beach. Unlike everywhere else, you won’t need heels and a dress to get in, and its recommended that you don’t wear heels because a) you’ll look like a stripper drinking cheap alcohol at the beach in stilettos, and b) the legality of drinking at the public beaches at night is blurry, and your escape plan will fall to pieces as quick as you will when you try to run from the cops a few drinks in.
Fortunately, almost every corner store in Cannes hosts a collection of wine, liquor and beer, and even more fortunately, they won’t cost you your first born son. You can get enough rotten grape juice to blur your vision for under € 15 euros which is comparable to the price of a single drink anywhere else. You can actually enjoy your drinks while thinking of how much money you’re not spending, whereas the opposite is true when you go to any of the real clubs in Cannes.
Free! (Except the drinks part. Find a place to buy ’em.)
GOTHA
CLUB
Palm Beach, Place Franklin Roosevelt, Pointe Croisette
493 45 11 11
www.gotha-club.com/
Gotha club is like that club you see in movies all the time then say to yourself “man, I wish clubs like this were actually real!” Well, it turns out they are. Enter: Gotha Club. Exit: Your entire life savings. Gotha club is an absurdly over the top establishment in terms of both awesomeness and exclusivity. It all makes sense if you think about it -- the best club in a city that somewhat revolves around nightlife? Yeah, it’s gonna be a good time.
Taking a look at the summer lineup is like scrolling through the hip-hop and house music genres on your iTunes—Wiz Khalifa, Rick Ross, Snoop Dogg, Nervo, David Guetta… You get the point—and that’s just July’s schedule. The only problem with Gotha? You probably won’t get in. Okay, that’s not necessarily true, but you’re gonna have to pull out all the stops if you want a chance to see the other side of the door. Guys: Call that Victoria’s Secret model who gave you her number the other night. (Oh, that didn’t happen?). Girls: Be that Victoria’s Secret model. Maybe that’s an exaggeration but you get the point—You have to look nice. Rumor has it the club literally hires a small team of fashion experts to judge who to let in and who to turn away.
Do you need admission to Gotha to have a good time in Cannes? Absolutely not. If you do get turned away you have plenty of other, almost just as good options. And you can at least feel like your soul remains pure and unadulterated by the superficial glitz and glamour that is Cannes nightlife.
Cover charge depending on the event. Cocktails €15. Open April-September 8pm-5am.
THE PINT HOUSE
BAR
17 Rue Frères Pradignac
493 38 90 10
http://www.pinthouse.fr
Woah—A nightlife venue in Cannes that you can actually afford and that isn’t the street or the beach! The Pint House is not only one of the few affordable bars in Cannes, it’s one of the only fun ones. Unlike the sketchy, dirty bars where the not-so-friendly natives and clueless backpackers congregate (though that’s usually a recipe for an interesting night), The Pint House is actually a popular venue among the youth of Cannes. In the summer months, you’ll find a mix of students home for the summer, yachties (people who work on yachts rather than own them), and the culturally literate backpacker (that’s you!).
The Pint House is conveniently located along Rue Hoche, the easternmost blocks of which is home to some of the less exclusive bars of Cannes. If you get bored, you can walk next door for a different beer list or across the street to talk to that French girl who you’ve been making eye-whoopie with for the last twenty minutes. The seating along the street is primarily outside, as are all the other bars, making the street seem like one big, drunken party.
A beer will run you around € 5 which, while not necessarily cheap, is about as low as it gets in Cannes without sneaking in your own alcohol. Speaking of which, we know from experience that actually sneaking in your own alcohol is weird and usually pretty obvious, and the staff will be quick to point out that either the six-pack of Heineken leaves or you do. If you’re not into the exclusive club scene but want to be more social than the sad beach-drinkers, grab a pint here. Or if you want to be more economical in your pursuit of drunkenness, put the following adage into practice: “one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.”
No cover charge. Pints €4. Shots €5-10. Open daiy 6pm-6am.
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICE: Underneath the Palais des Festivals. (1 Blvd. de la Croisette 492 99 84 22; www.cannes.fr. Open July-Aug 9am-8pm, Sep-Jun 9am-7pm.) Additional branch next to the train station.
• POST OFFICE: 22 rue de Bivouac Napoleon. (493 06 26 50. Open M-F 9am-7pm; Sa 9am-12pm.) Additional post office at 34 rue Mimont.
• POSTAL CODE: 06400
Emergency
• POLICE: 1 av. de Grasse. (4 93 06 22 22) Additional location at 2 quai St-Pierre (08 00 11 71 18).
• HOSPITAL: Hospital des Broussailles. (13 av. des Broussailles 493 69 70 00)
• PHARMACY: Pharmacies are located on essentially every street in Cannes and are easily spotted due to the flashing neon green crosses out front.
Getting There
By Train
Gare de Cannes. (1 ave. Jean Juares. Open daily 5:55am - 8:55pm) Trains run to Antibes, Grasse, Marseille, Monaco, Nice, Saint-Raphael, and Paris
By Plane
The closest airport is Nice-Cote d’Azur. Fly into Nice, take the bus to the train station, and the train to Cannes takes only 30 minutes.
By Bus
Rapide Cote d’Azur. (pl Hotel de Ville 493 48 70 30)
Getting Around
The easiest way to get around in Cannes is by foot. Everything worth seeing is within walking distance of La Croisette.
cassis
Cassis is one of the smaller towns along the southern French coasts but is nonetheless worth visiting. Locals and visitors alike brag that Cassis is one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, place in Southern France. It’s up to you whether or not you agree, but even if you don’t you’ll still want to stop by at some point during your trip to Provence. From the harbor to the calanques, the shoreline around Cassis is breathtaking. In some areas, the crystal clear, aquamarine seawater allows you to see the ocean floor with complete clarity from depths of almost 50 feet. Furthermore, Calanque d’En Vau is one of the only places in Southern France where the beach is naturally sandy, which is convenient if you don’t like getting an unwanted deep-tissue foot massage every time you hit the beach. Further west, the beaches give way to flat, solid rock ledges perfect for lounging on or launching off. Cool off at the beach during the day and then stroll around the town center at night where you’ll find locally sourced seafood, homemade ice cream, and quiet plazas to enjoy it all in.
SIGHTS
CALANQUE D’EN VAU
CALANQUE
Have you ever seen those breathtaking pictures of the fjords in Norway and then told yourself you’d visit them one day knowing full well that you’ll never go to Norway? Well now you don’t have to! The calanques in Cassis look almost the same as the Norwegian fjords except they’re in southern France, they’re warm enough to swim in, and they’re easy to access. Okay, France, you win.
Calanque d’En Vau is the crown jewel of Cassis and debatably one of the most beautiful sights in all of Southern France. Picture a small sandy beach with rocky white cliffs stretching up over one hundred feet and wrapping around the beach on all sides. Then picture the cliffs leading out into a narrow canyon which opens up into the ocean a few hundred yards away. And then fill the entire canyon from the beach to the ocean with crystal clear water that shines with an aquamarine color that looks so perfect that you’re convinced someone photo shopped real life. That’s Calanque d’En Vau, except the real thing is even better because there’s no effective way to capture its beauty with words.
So now that you’re committed to checking it out, here’s the catch – Calanque d’En Vau is crowded. Very very crowded. It’s a small beach with a lot of hype, so every tourist and their mother are going to check it out. There is, however, a way around the crowds if you hit the beach early. The crowds roll in (or paddle in, as the beach is easiest to access by kayak), around 12pm on most weekdays. Getting there around 10am will give you a much calmer and more secluded beach experience, and arriving any time before 10am will likely give you the beach all to yourself.
PLAGE BLEUE
“BEACH”
Route des Calanques Port Miou
Plage Bleue, or Blue Beach, is not actually a beach. It’s known locally as “flat rocks” which is decidedly appropriate considering the “beach” is actually just a group of smooth, flat rocks extending out above the water. The rocks are littered with sunbathers and cliff jumpers alike giving the beach a very Mediterranean feel with the groups of Europeans occupying different ledges of flat stone on which to soak up the sun.
As is the case with many of the smaller towns in Southern France, affordable housing options in Cassis are few and far between. The best option is to book somewhere through Airbnb as it will give you the best shot and staying somewhere central to Cassis without breaking the bank. The only hostel in Cassis is the Auberge de Jeunesse, the government funded hostel which is so far outside the center of Cassis that it might as well be in Marseille. If airbnb doesn’t pan out, you’re better off searching on couchsurfing.com for a place to crash in an attempt to avoid the lengthy trek to and from the Auberge de Jeunesse.
AUBERGE DE JEUNESSE
La Fontasse
044 201 0272
www.hifrance.org/auberge-de-jeunesse/cassis.html
The Auberge de Jeunesse is the government funded hostel in Cassis and is comparable to the DMV of accommodations. The staff at most of these locations are often not the most friendly of folks, and while the rates are cheaper than any of the hotels in Cassis’ center, you’ll understand why when you make the hour-long trek from the harbor to the hostel.
The location of the Auberge in Cassis seems alluring given its proximity to the calanques but make no mistake -- the calanques are good for spending the day at, but are otherwise in the middle of nowhere. Furthermore, the Auberge is still far enough away from the calanques that you’ll still have to take a day trip there from the hostel anyways. You could comfortably camp closer to the center of Cassis than if you stayed at the Auberge (and this might not actually be a bad idea).
Ultimately, if you’re looking to stay in Cassis, your best bet is to either book through airbnb or couchsurfing.com or else fork over the extra cash for a hotel in the town center. Unless you’re looking to spend your time in Cassis power walking to burn off all the croissants you’ve eaten, the Auberge de Jeunesse is not an ideal place to stay.
Dorms €22. Reception 8-10:30am, 5-9pm.
Plage Bleue offers a place to tan without getting sucked in with the crowds in the more local beaches next to the town center. Swimming at Plage Bleue, however, is a bit of a struggle. Ignore for a moment that the water feels like it’s below freezing, the only way to access it from Plage Bleue is to jump. This option is fairly safe given the depth of the water and the varying heights from which to leap -- the real struggle, however, comes with trying to get out of the water. The rocks leading out are covered in seaweed and as the surf comes in and out, you’ll find yourself quite literally sliding up and down slabs of slimy rock (which is actually kind of fun if you can forget about how foolish you look).
If cliff jumping or polar plunges aren’t your thing, Plage Bleue still comes with it’s own entertainment. The rocks are frequented by groups of local kids who put on a show for the less adventurous beach-goers by flipping, twisting, and twirling off of the highest points and into the water. Each kid tries to one-up the last in terms of difficulty which is endlessly entertaining for the not-so-faint of heart.
FOOD
LE ROMARIN
RESTAURANT $$
5 Rue Docteur Séverin Icard
442 01 09 93
As the locals of Cassis will eloquently explain to you, “the restaurants along the harbor are shit.” Rather than testing the validity of that statement with firsthand experience, we recommend you walk two minutes north of the harbor and eat at Le Romarin. Le Romarin is a small, unremarkable-looking restaurant stretching out into one of the side streets of Cassis. Though while the décor of the restaurant leaves room for improvement, the food itself does not.
The restaurant’s specialty is beef tartar, which is served in one of five different ways. The tartar is great, but it might not change your life. The fried calamari with pasta, however, will. It’s that good. Order the calamari, and then once you finish it, just sit there for a few hours until your hungry again and order another plate. We can’t say we did this ourselves, but we can say that we wish we had.
The restaurant is convenient to get to from just about anywhere in Cassis given the size of the city. It’s a short walk from the harbor and is fairly easy to find. As mentioned earlier, the ambience isn’t the best in the city, and the service won’t impress you with speediness, (although the wait staff are all very friendly). At the end of the day, however, you’re going to a restaurant for the food, right? Well, good food is in abundance at Le Romarin.
Entrees start at €10. M-Su 11am - 10pm
AMORINO
ICE CREAM $
4 Avenue Victor Hugo
04 42 04 65 94
http://www.amorino.com
Okay, you caught us – Amorino is somewhat of a chain and now we’re recommending it on Let’s Go. Maybe you think we’re sellouts but the cold hard truth is that Amorino serves damn good ice cream – and we would know because we eat a lot of ice cream.
Amorino prides itself on making its ice cream with no artificial colors or flavoring, which is actually somewhat impressive considering the array of chemicals masquerading as ice cream at this point in time. This being the case, however, you won’t find one hundred different flavors like you might at a different glacier. Amorino offers just over ten ice cream flavors and ten sorbets. Oddly enough, within those ten ice creams are three types of chocolate and two types of vanilla. Even more odd is the fact that there are distinctly perceptible differences between all of them, so you could order three scoops of chocolate and not get bored.
Unlike everywhere else in France, Amorino doesn’t charge in terms of “boules” (the French word for scoops). Amorino fills the cone with “florets” of ice cream, sculpting each bit of heavenly sweetness around the mouth of the cone and creating what looks like a frozen flower of godlike tastiness. If one floret isn’t enough, however, you can order a tub of ice cream to go. And while you don’t necessarily have to leave the store in order to eat the entire contents of that tub, you might get some weird looks if you don’t.
Small €2.50; Medium €3.80; Large €4.90. M-Su 10am-10pm.
NIGHTLIFE
LE BIG BEN
CLUB
Place Georges Clemenceau
Cassis is a small town and Le Big Ben is the only worthwhile nightlife joint within it borders. This is a sad truth to hear, but on the bright side, Le Big Ben is actually a pretty good club. It’s easy to miss from the outside, as the exterior isn’t much more than a windowless doorway squeezed in between a few other shops and restaurants. If the doorway doesn’t catch your attention, however, the bouncers will. Being the only fun club in the area without making the trip to Marseille, Le Big Ben has the privilege of being picky about who they let in. Keeping this in mind, however, the bouncers are fairly lenient and seem relatively good-natured.
If you make it through the door, you’ll find yourself walking down a lengthy flight of stairs into the basement/dungeon that makes up the entire club. The bar sits immediately to the left of the stairs with tables and booths lining the walls and a dance floor in the middle. Strategically placed mirrors make it look like there are other rooms in the club where people are mimicking the people in the room you’re in. Maybe that’s how all mirrors work, maybe you’re witnessing a parallel universe in which everything is exactly the same except for the fact that everyone’s hands are sewn on backwards and no one can pronounce consonants, or maybe you drank way too much. We’re not here to judge, but the mirror thing is a nice touch. If you’re a vampire and the mirrors don’t do much for you, the TVs inside the club play full-length feature films (Forrest Gump, for example), which is weird, but kind of fun at the same time.
The best thing about Le Big Ben, however, just might be the prices. Cassis is sandwiched between some of the most expensive cities on a backpacker’s itinerary, so the €7 drinks at Le Big Ben feel like Christmas morning after the assault and battery that your wallet has likely seen over the past few days. If you read that past sentence and are thinking to yourself that €7 drinks are expensive, then our helpful travel tip to you would be to avoid southern France altogether or else smuggle your own alcohol in with a Poland Springs bottle like you did at your seventh grade dance.
Drinks €7. Open Tu-Su 11pm - 5am. Closed Monday.
ESSENTIALS
Getting There
BY TRAIN
Getting into Cassis by train is the easiest way to access this seaside village. The train station is only 20 minutes from Gare St. Charles in Marseille, making Cassis an easy spot to get to. Trains run between Marseille and Cassis every 30 minutes or so, and given the duration of the journey, tickets are refreshingly cheap.
BY BUS
Buses run from the Gare SNCF into the town center roughly every 20 minutes. The easiest stop to get off and hit the town center is at La Poste (rue L’Arene). One trip is €0.80 and the bus runs from 7am until 7pm every day.
Getting Around
By Bus
Buses run from the Gare SNCF to the center of town every twenty minutes. Beyond that, taking a bus anywhere else in Cassis would be foolish if not impossible, considering how small the city is.
By Taxi
Taxis can be had by calling (04 42 01 78 96) but you’re better off hoofing it, as everywhere within the town limits is easily within walking distance.
By Foot
Cassis is small and as such, everywhere within the town is accessible by foot. The longest walk you’ll have to take is that from the center of town to the first calanque, and that will only run you thirty minutes maximum.
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICE: quai des Moulins. (08 92 25 98 92 www.ot-cassis.com. Summer hours daily 9am-7pm.)
• TOURIST INFORMATION: 08 92 25 98 92
Emergency
• EMERGENCY TELEPHONE: 17
• FIRE: 18
• POLICE: 17 or 04 42 01 17 17
• HOSPITALS: Blvd. Lamaritine, 13600, Cassis (04 42 08 76 00)
• PHARMACIES: 34 rue l’Arene (04 42 01 71 71)
lyon
Lyon is a serious contestant for the best city in France. Yes, you read that correctly, we said Lyon, not Paris – hear us out. Lyon is a thriving French city that is only slightly smaller than Paris. It has a perfect mix of historical significance and thriving youth culture. It is the gourmet capital of France and boasts several Michelin-rated restaurants, world-famous chefs, and culinary schools. It has the best rooftop club in all of France as well as a bar with a bartender who’s ranked #5 in the world (yeah, apparently bartenders can be ranked). Lyon has a thriving arts community with up-and-coming musicians, artists, actors, designers etc. And, the icing on the cake is that Lyon is not the crowded, over-commercialized, snobbish and somewhat stereotypically French Paris. Almost everything you’re looking for in Paris can be found in Lyon (there’s even a radio tower that looks kind of like the Eiffel Tower). There’s a reason why the people of Lyon are unanimously and outrageously proud of their city and they will go out of their way to show you why they love it so much. To write Lyon off as just another French city subpar to Paris is more of a disservice to you than to Lyon. Lyon will survive without you, but you won’t have an authentic impression of France without checking out this grounded, genuine, and impressively cool city.
SIGHTS
BASILIQUE NOTRE DAME DE FOURVIÈRE
BASILICA
8 Place de Fourvière
04 78 25 13 01
www.fourviere.org
The Basilique Notre Dame is that big church you’ve been looking at on the hill above Lyon but have been too lazy thus far to visit it. While it would be convenient for you if we told you it’s not worth the trek, it is worth the trek, so you should stop eating croissants and guzzling red wine for long enough to pay a visit.
Fourvière is a giant behemoth of a building with enough gold leaf and intricately carved figures on the ceiling to make Versailles nervous. The best thing about the basilica, however, is its location. Fourvière sits on top of a giant hill to the west of Lyon and the view from the basilica’s rear is one of the best (if not the best) of the entire city. The basilica is within climbing distance from the city proper, and we say “climbing” because to get there you’ll be doing exactly that. The streets running up towards Fourvière are anything but level and if you’re quads aren’t on fire by the time you summit then you should stop blood doping because its cheating.
The basilica, despite being somewhat out of the way, sits along a route that loops you around the western edge of the city and is worth visiting. Fourvière overlooks Old Town, and that’s where you should logically start. Leaving Old Town and hiking up to the basilica will only take about 10-15 mins. The basilica itself is free and you can visit for as long as you’d like. Leaving Fourvière, head south and pay a visit to le Jardin des Curiosites for the only view in Lyon that gives Fourvière’s a run for its money.
Free. Everyday: 9am-12:30pm, 2-6pm.
MUSEE DES BEAUX ARTS
MUSEUM
20 place des Terreaux
04 72 10 17 40
www.mba-lyon.fr
Lyon’s fine arts museum is somewhat underwhelming given the otherwise rich culture present throughout the city. Structurally, the museum itself is beautiful. The inner courtyard inside the museum mutes the crowds from the plaza and gives the museum a quieter, more intimate feeling. The exhibitions within, however, could be improved.
There’s no doubt that France houses some of the most impressive museums in the world but these historical and artistic powerhouses are certainly not found in Lyon, and even more certainly, not in Lyon’s Musee des Beaux Arts. The exhibitions within the museum are unmemorable and unremarkable to say the least. This is a fine arts museum where even the art-history majors struggle to recognize a single noteworthy piece or artist.
Lyon’s fine arts museum is not one that will attract visitors the world over, and you likely won’t find a work here that will change your life, or even your mind about the museum. You obviously won’t be worse off for visiting the fine arts museum here, but you could probably spend your time in a much more entertaining or enlightening way while in Lyon (like getting hammered and eating delicious gourmet food). If art is hugely important to you, the Musee des Beaux Arts is worth a quick visit but for the average tourist who isn’t inexplicably aroused by oil on canvas, perhaps sit this one out.
Free for persons under 25 years; €7 for all others. Open M and W-Su 10am-6pm, except opens 10:30am on Fridays. Closed Tuesday.
FOOD
YAAFA
FALAFEL $
17 Rue D’Algerie
06 61 35 03 73
www.facebook.com/Yaafa
Yaafa stands for “you are a falafel addict” which is hilarious but also totally accurate once you’ve eaten here. This falafel joint is, in many ways, the food venue from heaven. It’s cheap (€5 euros for a falafel). It’s open late (and serves perfect drunk food). And it’s really fucking good (apologies for the language, but if you ask the chef for his best falafel, he’ll make you one that is, in his words, not ours, “really fucking good.”
The trifecta of cheap, drunk-friendly, and good, justifies the title of the restaurant and makes its customers very likely to return time and time again. Furthermore, the restaurant itself hires some of the best staff in Lyon – don’t be surprised if you bring your sandwich outside to eat and five mins. later the guy who made it sits down at your table and tells you some of his favorite places in Lyon. (Full disclosure: eating a meal with your falafel guy can sometimes be creepy, but in the case of Yaafa, the staff is all 30-somethings with great tips and good conversation.
Finally, Yaafa is entirely vegetarian. This is good for vegetarians (obviously) but it’s also not bad for carnivores, who generally shy away from these types of venues. The falafel here is great, and doesn’t taste anything like a veggie-burger or any of that vegan cardboard stuff. If you’ve never had a falafel before, or if you’ve never had a good falafel before (which you haven’t if you haven’t tried Yaafa), then search your pockets for €5 and become a falafel addict.
Falafel €5. Mon-Wed: 11:30am-10pm; Thurs-Sat: 11:30am-12am
BUTCHER BROTHER
AMERICAN $$
4 Rue Longue
04 78 30 41 92
www.facebook.com/ButcherBrother1
You are in an authentically French city and now you’re being told to go to a very American restaurant… We understand that this might not be what you were expecting but sometimes you need a break from snails and frog’s legs. Butcher Brother is a New York inspired burger joint with a hamburger that will make New Yorkers question their nationality. Everything about this burger is made entirely in-house – even the bun. Ask for the most popular burger and then pretend you can understand the waitress when she explains what’s on it in French. We guarantee once you try it you really won’t care too much about the ingredients.
For once you actually have a choice as to where to stay in a city as there are multiple affordable options. There is, however, one obvious winner and that is Slo Living Hostel. Beyond the first choice, you have Cool & Bed (www.coolandbed.com, 426 18 05 28) with airbnb or couchsurfing coming in a close third. Finally, you also have your local Auberge de Jeunesse, but with so many more attractive options, book a room at the Auberge only as a last resort.
SLO LIVING HOSTEL
5 rue Bonnefoi
478 59 06 90
http://slo-hostel.com
If your Pinterest board and your Tumblr feed had sweet sweet intercourse and that lovechild emerged onto this good green earth in the form of a youth hostel (why that would happen is beyond us), it would undoubtedly emerge in the form of Slo Living Hostel. If you’re confused by that previous sentence and by what it could possibly mean, all you need to gather from it is that Slo Living is f***ing cool.
The hostel was created by a group of three friends who traveled the world for a year, gathering data on what the liked and didn’t like about each hostel they stayed at, and then combined all the good things to make their own, which they opened to the public in June of 2014. Even the actual building was designed by one of the three who conveniently studied architecture for a short time. The lobby is high-ceilinged with copious amounts of natural light flooding in through the towering windows. Beyond the lobby is an inner courtyard with deck chairs on grassy lawn and a natural wood porch lining the outskirts. Hallways lead out into the courtyard with dorms and bathrooms on the inside.
The hostel embraces Lyon’s gourmet culture and serves a traditional French, three-course meal every evening for a small additional charge, as well as a small French breakfast in the morning with cereal, croissants, coffee, and juice. One of the greatest aspects of Slo Living, however, is the staff. Everyone at Slo Living is unreservedly proud of Lyon and will be eager to point out the dos and don’ts of the city. The staff’s recommendations for bars, clubs, restaurants, and sights within the city are absolute gems and if, for some reason, Let’s Go’s guide to Lyon disappeared off the face of this earth (which it won’t, don’t worry), Slo Living’s staff would probably do the next best job of giving you the ins and outs of Lyon.
Dorms €25; Doubles €75; Deluxe Doubles €85.
The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner every day but Monday, but lunch is your best bet. Diners who show up before sunset have the option to get a burger, a side of potatoes, a side of salad and a glass of (really good) wine for just €12. Not necessarily cheap, but if there’s one French city where you don’t want to skimp on the food budget it’s Lyon.
Butcher Brother is tucked away into one of the side streets of the 2eme Arrondissement (the neighborhoods of Lyon are numbered 1-9), which is convenient as its fairly central to Lyon as a whole. It’s just around the corner from The Ou where you can grab a homemade pastry for dessert inside a modern Victorian tearoom (try the carrot cake and the iced tea). Get rid of your homesick food-feelings and grab the best burger of your life at Butcher Brothers.
Burgers range from €10; Lunch Special: €15 for burger, sides, glass of wine. Open Tu-Sat 12-2:30pm; 7:30-10:30pm.
CAFE THOMAS
RESTAURANT $$
1 Rue Laurencin
04 72 16 28 64
www.restaurant-thoomas.com
It’s probably a good sign to walk into a restaurant in the gourmet capital of France and find it teeming with locals (good sign #1). It’s probably also a good sign when every single person in the restaurant is ordering the meal of the day because it’s so damn good (good sign #2). Finally, it’s probably a good sign when the waiter knows enough about each of the wine options to fuel a two-hour conversation (good sign #3). In conclusion, all you really have to do is find Café Thomas (which isn’t hard) and everything else will be taken care of–meal of the day with the best wine pairing–that’s pretty painless. If you really want to make your own decisions, you can order a few of the French tapas written on the chalkboard in the back of the restaurant. You’ll save a bit of money and stomach-space this way, but honestly just get the meal of the day, there’s no need to be difficult.
If this café doesn’t help you understand why people rave about the food in Lyon, then you have the palate of an earthworm and should just save your money and go to Subway. The food and wine are both locally sourced, and the chefs probably are too but that’s slightly less relevant as long as they continue to churn out the plates they’ve been creating. The café is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday but sometimes opens up on Mondays just for fun. It’s nestled into a side street running perpendicular to the Saone in the second arrondissment. It’s easy to get to, fairly easy to find, and difficult to leave. The wait-staff are very friendly and all speak English, which is somewhat interesting considering there is an alarming lack of tourists here. (Good news for you, bad news for the other tourists). Grab a bite at Café Thomas on Tuesday and then book a hotel for the rest of the week so you can keep coming back to try tomorrow’s plate of the day.
€9-16. Open Tu 6pm-12am; W-F 11am-2pm, 6pm-12am; Sa 11am-2pm.
NIGHTLIFE
LE SUCRE
CLUB
50 quai Rambaud
04 27 82 69 40
www.le-sucre.eu
Le Sucre is celebrated as the “best rooftop in all of France,” and we’re inclined to agree. The nightclub is perched on the rooftop of a now-defunct sugar factory on the southern tip of Lyon where the two rivers converge. As such, you end up with a nightclub, on top of a defunct factory, with a view of two rivers and the whole of Lyon. Yeah, that’s not a bad venue.
Le Sucre is known for being somewhat of an electronic mecca. Live DJs perform several nights per week and the club is frequented by electro-snobs and EDM-fiends alike. You won’t be an outcast here if you’re not a diehard Radiohead fan, just don’t start going off about how the music sounds like a malfunctioning elevator with a broken radio inside, because you might get thrown out (or off).
Any local with more than two friends will tell you Le Sucre is the best bet for clubbing in Lyon. The good news is that it’s popular and will rarely, if ever, have a slow night. The bad news is that the club owner knows this and therefore charges admission and occasionally requires tickets for the more popular DJs. The tickets usually run about €10 which isn’t too bad, but you won’t get a free drink with the cover charge like you might elsewhere. Check online before heading out to see if you can buy a ticket, as this will get you through the door much quicker and will save you some money by not having to buy a ticket at the venue. If you like music, alcohol, or fellow humans, check out Le Sucre for a sweet time (get it?!).
Cover Charge up to €10. Drinks €6-15. Open 10pm-12 am Thurs; Fri-Sat 11pm-5am; Sun 3pm-10pm.
REDWOOD
BAR
1 Rue Chavanne
04 72 26 62 27
Redwood is a Rum Bar situated in the second district of Lyon. Yes, Rum Bars apparently exist outside of Pirates of the Caribbean and yes, they’re just as awesome as they sound. This small bar has a clean and minimalist vibe with both terrace seating as well as tables on the inside. You won’t find the pounding music or the squad of bouncers outside the door like you will at some other venues, which is a refreshing change and somewhat of a surprise given the chic vibes of the bar.
If you’ve ever been to one of those slightly tacky restaurants where they cook your meal on the stovetop in the center of your table, ordering a drink at Redwood is a somewhat similar experience without the tackiness. The bartender is an expert in his craft and mixes a drink with such showmanship and finesse that you’ll be unconvinced he doesn’t have more than two arms. More importantly, he churns out some of the better rum-based drinks in France.
Finally, Redwood’s location in the center of Lyon leaves you some options for your next post-rum stop. Heading south will bring you to Le Sucre, while a quick trek north will bring you to Le Terminal. Stop in for a Moscow Mule or ask for the bartender’s choice. You’ll end up with a damn good cocktail for an even €10 and the show is free.
All cocktails €10. Open Tu-Su 6:30pm-1am; opens 8pm Su. Closed Mon.
ESSENTIALS
Getting There
By Train
Trains to Lyon run through either Gare de la Part-Dieu or Gare de Perrache. Part-Dieu is the larger of the two and is where all national or international trains depart from. It’s located on 5 pl. Beraudier and the ticket desk is open 8am-8pm M-Th and Sunday, and from 7am-10pm on Friday.
By Plane
Lyon’s main airport is Aeroport Lyon-Saint-Exupery. The airport itself is small as most international flights fly out of Paris. From the airport, Rhonexpress trains shuttle passengers from the airport into the main part of the city.
Getting Around
By Metro
Public transport in Lyon is run by TCL (08 20 42 70 00 / www.tcl.fr) and includes access to buses, trams and the metro. Tickets to any of the above run €1.70 and public transit runs from 5am - 12:20am. Metro trains via line T1 run directly to Gare Part-Dieu.
By Bus
Public transport in Lyon is run by TCL (08 20 42 70 00 / www.tcl.fr) and includes access to buses, trams and the metro. Tickets to any of the above run €1.70 and public transit runs from 5am - 12:20am. Bus routes and maps are available at the touris office.
By Taxi
Taxi Lyon: 04 72 10 86 86
By Foot
Lyon is large enough that getting around on foot can be inconvenient if you plan to cover lots of ground in one day. Nonetheless, the city is certainly manageable to experience by foot.
By Bike
Lyon has Velo’v bike stands all throughout the city where you can pick up or drop off rental bikes. Tickets can be purchased at the stand, online, or at the tourist office.
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICE: Place Bellecour (04 72 77 69 69 www.lyon-france.com. Open daily 9am-6pm. The tourist office offers accommodation bookings, maps, and a Lyon City Card: €20 for access to museums, public transport, a city tour and a boat tour.)
• TOURIST INFORMATION: 04 72 77 69 69
• ATMS: 24hr. ATMs in Bellecour Square.
Emergency
• EMERGENCY TELEPHONE: 17
• FIRE: 18
• POLICE: 17
• HOSPITALS: Hopital Hotel-Dieu (1 pl. de l’Hopital, 2eme / 08 20 08 20 69)
• PHARMACIES: Marked by glowing green crosses.
bordeaux
Bordeaux is the wine capital of the world and that’s about all the convincing you should need to book a ticket there. That isn’t even a joke. That really is all the convincing you should need. So since you’ve already made up your mind to visit Bordeaux, we’ll at least give you an idea of what else you’ll find there besides wine. For starters, you’ll find more wine. Beyond that, you’ll find a city with incredibly rich history, buildings that could be classified as works of art in and of themselves and life size reflections of those buildings in the Miroir d’Eau. Furthermore, you’ll find the world’s largest continuous pedestrian street, and the world’s largest pedestrian crowd walking down it at all times (that second fact probably isn’t even remotely true, but the street is pretty crowded). You’ll find a lively student body, gourmet French restaurants to feed them in, and several bars and clubs to “hydrate” them in. At the end of the day though, if Bordeaux had none of those things but the wine, it would still be worth visiting. Go drink the wine.
SIGHTS
BORDEAUX CATHEDRAL
CATHEDRAL
Place Pey Berland
05 56 52 68 10
www.cathedrale-bordeaux.fr
The Bordeaux Cathedral (also known as the Saint Andrew Cathedral) is the biggest, most centrally located cathedral in Bordeaux and in terms of sight-seeing, is really the only cathedral worth visiting. It’s likely not the most impressive cathedral you’ll see during your time in France, but given its centrality to downtown Bordeaux and its free admission, you’d be foolish not to stop in and take a look around.
The building itself is formatted in the shape of a cross with several different chapels hidden behind the center of the cathedral. These chapels shockingly cost a bit extra however, so bring some change with you if you’re looking to thoroughly investigate the sights within the cathedral.
The cathedral is located in the heart of Bordeaux, and is just around the corner from La Musee de Beaux Arts, allowing you to knock out both sights in an afternoon if you’re ambitious. Be wary of the somewhat odd hours within the cathedral however, as a lack of planning will end with you showing up to locked doors. During the summer the cathedral is open from 10am - 1pm and 3pm - 7pm everyday except Monday during which it’s open only during the afternoon.
Free. Open Monday 3-7:30pm; Tuesday-Saturday 10am-1pm, 3-7:30pm; Sunday 9:30am-1pm, 3-7:30pm.
MUSEE DES BEAUX-ARTS DE BORDEAUX
MUSEUM
20 cours d’Albret
05 56 10 20 56
www.musba-bordeaux.fr
The Musee des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux is one of the better fine arts museums in non-Parisian France. The layout of both the museum’s interior and exterior is expertly done, and the entire venue is well cared for and well curated. The entrance to the museum features an inner courtyard with a charming garden and expansive lawn which offers a peaceful escape from the steady hum of Bordeaux. On either side of the courtyard you’ll find the North or South gallery which host the artwork.
Since it is a fine arts museum, you can expect to see an overwhelming amount of oil paintings of old men with the occasional slightly plump naked woman. However, the Musee des Beaux-Arts features more than just that—there you’ll find sculptures of wolves attacking deer, paintings of pastoral landscapes, yard sculptures of cubism-inspired women, and a significant portion of art inspired by Greek mythology.
The interior of the museum has a slightly modern feel which pairs well with the classic, formal feel of the artwork. Paintings are arranged in several open rooms with walls in the middle, making the entire gallery feel somewhat like a large, extended hallway with random slabs of wall jutting into the center. Finally, if the courtyard, artwork, and location aren’t enough to lure you in, keep in mind that the museum is well air-conditioned during the summer months.
Free for anyone under the age of 25 years. Open M, W-Su 11am-6pm; closed Tuesday.
Cheap accommodations in Bordeaux are slightly hard to come by, but those that exist are good enough to comfortably stay in the city for reasonable prices. With careful planning, airbnb may offer the best options, but the Auberge de Jeunesse which was renovated in 2011 is more than good enough for the average student traveler.
AUBERGE DE JEUNESSE
22 cours Barbey
556 33 00 70
www.auberge-jeunesse-bordeaux.com
The Auberge de Jeunesse is the only youth hostel in Bordeaux and while it could use a bit of friendly competition, it’s still more than comfortable enough to stay in. The biggest downfall of the Auberge is the location. It’s located in what seems to be the red light district of Bordeaux. This is good news if you’re a big fan of strip clubs, (and good news if you’re a stripper looking for work), but bad news if you’re a God fearing Christian or something like that. Furthermore, while the Auberge’s location in the red light district isn’t ideal, it’s not as unfortunate as the twenty-minute walk into the city center. Nonetheless, a tiny bit of exercise is worth the €30+ you’ll pay to stay closer to the center of Bordeaux.
Apart from the location, the Auberge in Bordeaux is pretty standard. The rooms are, for the most part, clean, and spacious enough to accommodate the four people per room. Don’t be turned off by the reviews online claiming the hostel has extensive water damage, as the hostel is newly renovated and is actually fairly well maintained. The staff could be a bit more friendly, however, as some of the receptionists are comparable to Roz, the secretary from Monster’s Inc.
All in all, the Auberge de Jeunesse is more than good enough for a stay in Bordeaux assuming you’re not vehemently opposed to a bit of walking. You’ll have a clean room, a shower, and a place to sleep for €22 a night. Who knows, you might even change your mind about the strip clubs!
€23 per night. Reception 7:30am-1pm; 3-10pm.
FOOD
LE PETIT COMMERCE
CAFE $$$
22 rue Parlement Saint-Pierre
05 56 79 76 58
https://www.facebook.com/pages/
LE-PETIT-COMMERCE/151929008218963
This little café is nestled into the wall on Rue Parliament – one of the better streets for dining out in all of Biarritz. Here you’ll find traditional French food as well as an assortment of seafood, but don’t even bother glancing at the menu – you want to order the magret de canard. Southwestern France is famous for its duck and while you could settle for the confit de canard, the quality (and quantity) of the magret at the Le Petit Commerce can’t be beat. One glance at the slab of duck on your plate will have you wondering how many ducks they seem to have glued together to produce it, and one bite will have you questioning why they didn’t glue on more. Imagine cutting through a crispy, salty outer crust to find delicious, tender, moist duck meat underneath. Pair that with a side of mashed potatoes, green salad, and a bottomless glass of red wine and you’re good to go.
Aside from the food, (as if anything else matters at this point), the Le Petit Commerce has a very charming ambiance and is a joy to eat at. The restaurant has indoor seating, but the tables set out on the terrace are much more pleasant, as they provide a view of the old cobble stone streets of Bordeaux as well as a great vantage point for people-watching. The waitstaff are friendly, English-speaking, and are quick to offer advice or a good wine pairing.
If you still need convincing, Le Petit Commerce is located in the heart of Bordeaux, making it easily accessible and in a prime location to head down to the Miroir d’Eau afterwards to catch the sunset. If you like food, or if you like edible happiness, head down to Le Petit Commerce for some of the better food and drink in Bordeaux.
Entrees €15-30. Open daily 10am-1am.
LA PETIT MAISON DE PIERRE
RESTAURANT $$
10, Place Saint Pierre
05 57 34 48 76
La Petit Maison (de Pierre) is a tiny restaurant tucked into the corner of the square at the end of Rue Parliament. The restaurant is hidden enough that it stays out of the average tourist’s line of sight, but is still right in the heart of the city, offering an optimal location.
The size of the restaurant itself provides a few minor problems, as the lack of space on the terrace causes uncomfortably close seating arrangements. You may have gotten used to eating alone by now but when you’re sandwiched in between two couples on dates, you have to have some serious self-confidence to not feel slightly awkward.
If you don’t mind eating your meal while bumping elbows with couples who will almost certainly be bumping uglies later that night, La Petit Maison de Pierre serves some seriously delicious French cuisine that will leave you reconsidering whether Lyon deserves its title as the gourmet capital of France. We suggest that you order the confit de canard, as duck is somewhat of a specialty in southwestern France. Grab a glass of red to go with it (because Bordeaux) and you should be set for a great meal.
Entrees: €10-20. Open Th-M 11am-10pm. Closed Tu-W.
LA MAISON DU VIN
WINE BAR $
1 Cours du 30 Juillet
05 56 00 22 88
This venue isn’t so much about food as it is about wine, but it’s the perfect place to justify day-drinking, so you should pay it a visit nonetheless. The wine bar is located directly underneath L’ecole de Vin, one of the most prestigious wine schools in the world. We recommend taking one of their wine-tasting courses in English before attempting to discern the subtleties of wine at the bar below, but then again the teachers at the school advise you to spit your wine out after tasting it, while the waiters at the bar below prefer you to do just the opposite.
La Maison du Vin serves some of the cheapest good wine in Bordeaux, and each glass ranges from €2 – €5. They offer dry white, sweet white, rose, and red wine, and our professional opinion is that you should try one of each. The venue also offers small assiettes to accompany each glass ranging from charcuterie, to cheese, to chocolate. These assiettes are more expensive, however, at €7, and will slowly rob you blind as you knock back glass after glass.
If you’re in Bordeaux, you should be heading to at least one wine bar, and La Maison du Vin is one of, if not the, cheapest option in the city. Furthermore, La Maison du Vin is a perfect example of getting more than what you paid for, seeing as the wine is cheap in price but rich in taste. Lastly, while you might not expect a cheap wine bar to be all fancy and whatnot, but La Maison du Vin is a glorious temple to alcoholic grape juice that is anything but dingy. Lounge chairs are arranged around low tables and light filters in through stained-glass windows depicting portraits of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. Do Bordeaux justice by heading to La Maison du Vin and sampling some of Bordeaux’s best (affordable) wine.
Glasses of wine: €2-5; Snacks: €7. Open M-Sa 11am-10pm.
NIGHTLIFE
THE DOG & DUCK
PUB
3 Quai Louis XVIII
09 67 05 07 7 0
www.facebook.com/thedogandduckbordeaux
For the size of the city, Bordeaux boasts an impressive amount of English Pubs, and The Dog & Duck is easily in the top three. A solid beer list, relaxed atmosphere, good location, and English-speaking staff make the Dog & Duck a great place to grab a pint, but what you really want to head there for is trivia night. The Dog & Duck hosts a trivia night every Sunday where crowds congregate to answer questions based on a certain theme. Examples include war, rugby, St. Patrick’s Day, and pretty much everything in between. The entire contest takes place in three parts: picture identification, thematic trivia, and general knowledge. The best thing about trivia night, however, is the prize for winning. The first place team earns a bottle of their choosing behind the bar, be it vodka, whiskey, gin, etc. The runner up team gets a meter of shots – 10 shots lined up on a block of wood filled with assorted types of alcohol. Finally, third place gets a bottle of wine from behind the bar. Prizes one through three are all solid rewards for the collection of useless facts that’s been taking up real estate in your head since your family started playing Trivial Pursuit. Unleash the contents of your memory bank, claim your prize, drink it, and then prepare to add nothing new to your memory bank for the remainder of the night.
If Sunday night trivia isn’t exactly your thing, you should make it your thing. Until then, the Dog & Duck is still a great place to grab a beer with friends during the rest of the week. The beers on tap are fairly priced and the staff is entertaining and easy to talk to. Grab a table inside with your friends or, if you went to the bar alone for some reason, head outside to the terrace and make some new ones. If you’re looking for a fun night out without the excess and overload of a nightclub, the Dog & Duck is your go-to.
Pints €6. Open M-F 3pm-2am; Sa-S 12pm-2am.
HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
PUB
11 rue de Parliment
05 56 79 38 03
http://www.hop-pub.com
Okay, recommending three English pubs in a very French city is an interesting choice, but the students and young adults of Bordeaux tend to hang out at such venues, and so should you. Houses of Parliament is probably the smallest of the three English Pubs listed here, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in upkeep. The pub is clean and well built, with a pool table in the back and plenty of tables in the middle and front rooms of the pub. The pub hosts a collection of beers on tap and houses enough booze to keep you drunk for the better (or worse) part of a year.
While Houses of Parliament lacks the terrace seating that you’ll find at the Dog & Duck or HMS Victory, it claims the best location of the three in the heart of Bordeaux. Houses of Parliament is just down the street from all of the best restaurants in the city. Furthermore, Houses of Parliament is almost directly next door to Club 07, which is one of the better places to spend the later half of the night.
If you churn out an English pub-crawl, save Houses of Parliament for last and you’ll be ideally situated to jump from the rowdy British bar scene into the chic French club scene. It might be an interesting transition, but then again, if you’ve completed your English pub-crawl in Bordeaux, you probably won’t even notice you’ve swapped nightlife environments, let alone the fact that the people surrounding you are now speaking French.
Pints €6; Cocktails €8. Everyday: 3pm - 2am
HMS VICTORY
BAR
3 Place Général Sarrail
05 56 92 78 47
The HMS Victory is an English Bar where a significant portion of Bordeaux’s student body congregates. The drinks are affordable to begin with, and every Thursday night is student night, discounting each pint to an even more palatable price. The atmosphere at the HMS is friendly and upbeat and the English waitstaff are a breath of fresh (English) air after attempting to order drinks in French, (Gin and Tonics in France are called “Gin Tonics…” It’s tough to wrap your head around, we know, but you’ll get used to it eventually).
The HMS offers indoor and outdoor seating, but you’d probably never realize that even after a few trips there. The outdoor seating is extensive and much more appealing, as the HMS’ terrace spills out into the plaza and provides a laidback yet still somewhat lively atmosphere. And the waitstaff walk around and serve drinks, which eliminates the need to ever step foot inside the actual building. Just be aware that the Bollywood bar next door is almost certainly a drug front and the bouncers there will protect it physically if need be. (Just kidding, but the Bollywood does send out some slightly uneasy vibes).
The HMS Victory is your best bet if you’re looking to grab a beer outside with some friends or mingle with the student population of Bordeaux in the early hours of the night. You might not get the most extensive beer list here and you won’t win a meter of shots on trivia night, but you can’t go wrong with a few terrace beers before hitting the club later in the night.
Beer pints €6. Cocktails €8. Open M- Sa 12pm-2am; closed Sunday.
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICE: 12 Cours de 30 Juillet. (05 56 00 66 00 www.bordeaux-tourisme.com. M-Sa 9:30am-1pm, 2-7pm. It also provides city guides to Bordeaux, maps, brochures, reservations, information on vineyard visits and wine tastings.)
• TOURIST INFORMATION: 05 56 00 66 00
Emergency
• EMERGENCY TELEPHONE: 17
• FIRE: 18
• POLICE: 17
• HOSPITALS: Hopital St-Andre (1 rue Jean Burguet) (05 56 79 56 79)
• PHARMACIES: Marked by neon green crosses
Getting There
By Train
Trains to Bordeaux run through Gare St-Jean (rue Charles Domercq) and run from the city to Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Paris, Poitiers, and Toulouse)
BY BUS: Buses depart from Reseau TransGironde and run to many smaller vineyard towns neighboring Bordeaux which is the quickest way to get from the city to wine country. Bus stops and schedules are somewhat tricky within Bordeaux, so your best bet is to double check with the Tourist Office.