Cannes-do attitude

Just back from the most beautiful time away in Cannes on a press trip. It’s a while since I’ve been on an organised thing, and being quite an introverted person – and a chronic over-thinker – I can often feel quite anxious beforehand. What if I oversleep in the mornings? What if I’m hopeless at the hiking/yoga/climbing (insert relevant activity)? What if no one speaks to me – or, worse, they all hate me?

Thankfully, nothing like that has ever actually happened on a trip – at least not that I know about anyway. Well, okay, I may have been a bit rubbish at one or two of the activities – and the less said about my electric-bike debacle in the Drôme, the better – but, on the whole, the trips have always gone pretty well and everyone has been very nice.

I’m happy to say that this was definitely the case in Cannes. In fact, more than that, it was actually a wonderful experience and a great group of people. One of that special kind where a small part of you doesn’t want to leave and you wonder if you might even have made a few new friends.

Without giving too much away, as all will be revealed in my forthcoming feature for France Today magazine, our activities for this particular visit focused on the other side of Cannes. So, basically, what goes on away from all the glitz and glamour of the film festival. And, honestly, I was floored by just how much there is to the city sans cinema.

From the striking street art, quirky sculptures and numerous local artisans to the unexpected museums, acclaimed markets and officially one of the best boulangeries in France, that’s just the start. Frankly, who needs red carpets when there’s so much else to see? And that’s not to mention the nearby islands, Île Saint-Honorat and Île Sainte-Marguerite, renowned for their turquoise waters, rugged, rocky coastline and rich fauna and flora.

We were also fortunate to stay somewhere super-cool in Cannes, the brand-new Mob Hotel of the People, which only opened in July. While the hotel itself is beautiful – all Japanese-inspired minimalism, natural materials and plenty of wood – it’s the ethos of the place I loved. This small hotel chain has its roots in a vegan restaurant, and that influence can still be felt in the food today. They are also passionately committed to environmental responsibility, ethical sourcing and fair labour practices.

I will explain more in my article, but suffice to say, there is no greenwashing (or any other kind of washing, save the kind that goes on in the shower) to be found at this hotel. I’m now looking forward to checking out their place in Paris, in Saint-Ouen, which just happens to be within walking distance of where I live.

While it’s true that I cherished every moment of this trip, it was not entirely without incident. The first day, a huge storm rolled in, so ferocious that the wind howled around my sixth-floor hotel room like a wounded banshee. Consequently, our apéro had to be moved off the roof, lest we were blown away, and our boat trip the next day was… interesting. Think more Bay of Biscay than the Mediterranean. Let’s just say that I think my heart rate has returned to normal now.

Anyway, I lived to tell the tale – which is just as well because my editor is waiting for news of this tale as I speak. So, better crack on for now, and I will let you know as soon as I do when the article will be hitting the newsstands.