BUYING A PROPERTY IN CANNES
Cannes is a fairly safe haven for property investment but do not expect price inflation as in the UK.
Cannes is a highly desirable location, it is almost totally built up, and prices drop little in the bad times and can rise dramatically in the good times. It is an excellent all-year-round rental location with 300 days of conferences at the Palais des Festivals and excellent holiday letting potential.
Cannes is a linear town and half encircled, on the non sea side, by other municipalities: Theoule, Mandelieu-La Napoule, Le Cannet, Mougins and Vallauris-Golfe Juan.
The great thing about Cannes, compared with many other towns along the Cote d'Azur, is that it is a working town that has its own vibrant, chic existence 12 months of the year.
For many, Antibes and Nice are just too big and brash and other places, such as Juan les Pins, virtually close down during the winter. If you want an expat life head for Valbonne, Biot and Antibes. In Cannes you become a Cannois.
You can buy books to guide you through buying a property in France and look at various online web sites. Here, though, we offer you some insider tips to buying in Cannes.
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO BUY
This is key. It is very important to know what you are looking for: a rental property, a holiday home, or somewhere to live or retire to.
Do you want to be near a bus route, a parade of shops - especially a bread shop bearing in mind you will need to visit it twice a day? Flats - and houses in gated communities - are more secure if you do not intend to live here permanently... and you will make friends more easily.
How many rooms? An F2, for example, is a one bedroom, sitting room, kitchen and bathroom, an F3, 2 bedrooms, etc. Traversant means there are windows back and front allowing for a through breeze.
For a house, the French adore a fireplace in the sitting room. A "cuisine d'ete" is an outdoor kitchen for summer dining. A "cuisine Americaine" is an open plan kitchen. A "dressing" - a walk-in wardrobe but also a fully fitted wardrobe - is fashionable in France.
Do you want a communal swimming pool - great for meeting neighbours and letting, a garage or a parking space? Most flats have a "cave" or cellar room for storage. Older residences may or may not have a lift and usually have only a small balcony but they will have high ceilings and large rooms, usually with beautiful parquet flooring.
A sea view costs dear and remember if there are trees in front they grow up and can hide that expensive sea view.
ESTATE AGENTS IN CANNES
Unless you have great French, or a French friend, to guide you through the purchasing maze, estate agents are useful. A good estate agent is worth his/her weight in gold. Compared with the UK, for example, their charges seem exorbitant (7%+) but they will negotiate their fees (lower) with the seller to bring down the sale price to make a deal. They should help you with notaires, banks, insurance and utilities etc.
Do not be surprised at the utterly crap property some agents will show you at first - some are desperate to offload their worst properties on foreigners. They do not like browsers testing out the market and will push you hard to buy.
Don't worry, just resist and move on to a new agent if they cannot satisfy your needs.
Knowing what you are looking for will give them confidence you are serious.
WHERE TO BUY IN CANNES
The two top residential areas are Croix des Gardes, west of the centre, and Californie, to the east.
The Croisette is of course very expensive and highly desirable but take care, the nearer to the centre of town you are the noisier it is. And if you are super rich you can opt for Super Cannes on the hills high above the town.
Palm Beach is popular but quite expensive and many residences are second homes meaning it is very quiet in the winter.
La Banane: this is the area south of the voie rapide and railway line and is called such because of the shape of the area. It is very much the town centre and a top letting area.
Other desirable areas are Petit Juas and Montrose. The cosmopolitan Republique quartier has had a lot of money spent on it by the town and is becoming increasingly desirable.
At the lower end price wise is La Bocca but again it is up and coming.
Many people opt for Le Cannet which is considerably cheaper than Cannes but very nice.
If buying to rent out remember conference delegates like to be near the Palais des Festivals.
Beware:
1. The Carre d'Or in the centre is the home of late night restaurants and clubs.
2. Cannes is very hilly so if walking is a problem opt for the flatter areas near the coast.
3. Certain parts of Cannes are noisy - from the railway which runs through the town and road noise from the Riou, voie Rapide and the Bd Carnot, for example.
4. Penthouses are great but watch out for the wind.
Cannes is a highly desirable location, it is almost totally built up, and prices drop little in the bad times and can rise dramatically in the good times. It is an excellent all-year-round rental location with 300 days of conferences at the Palais des Festivals and excellent holiday letting potential.
Cannes is a linear town and half encircled, on the non sea side, by other municipalities: Theoule, Mandelieu-La Napoule, Le Cannet, Mougins and Vallauris-Golfe Juan.
The great thing about Cannes, compared with many other towns along the Cote d'Azur, is that it is a working town that has its own vibrant, chic existence 12 months of the year.
For many, Antibes and Nice are just too big and brash and other places, such as Juan les Pins, virtually close down during the winter. If you want an expat life head for Valbonne, Biot and Antibes. In Cannes you become a Cannois.
You can buy books to guide you through buying a property in France and look at various online web sites. Here, though, we offer you some insider tips to buying in Cannes.
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO BUY
This is key. It is very important to know what you are looking for: a rental property, a holiday home, or somewhere to live or retire to.
Do you want to be near a bus route, a parade of shops - especially a bread shop bearing in mind you will need to visit it twice a day? Flats - and houses in gated communities - are more secure if you do not intend to live here permanently... and you will make friends more easily.
How many rooms? An F2, for example, is a one bedroom, sitting room, kitchen and bathroom, an F3, 2 bedrooms, etc. Traversant means there are windows back and front allowing for a through breeze.
For a house, the French adore a fireplace in the sitting room. A "cuisine d'ete" is an outdoor kitchen for summer dining. A "cuisine Americaine" is an open plan kitchen. A "dressing" - a walk-in wardrobe but also a fully fitted wardrobe - is fashionable in France.
Do you want a communal swimming pool - great for meeting neighbours and letting, a garage or a parking space? Most flats have a "cave" or cellar room for storage. Older residences may or may not have a lift and usually have only a small balcony but they will have high ceilings and large rooms, usually with beautiful parquet flooring.
A sea view costs dear and remember if there are trees in front they grow up and can hide that expensive sea view.
ESTATE AGENTS IN CANNES
Unless you have great French, or a French friend, to guide you through the purchasing maze, estate agents are useful. A good estate agent is worth his/her weight in gold. Compared with the UK, for example, their charges seem exorbitant (7%+) but they will negotiate their fees (lower) with the seller to bring down the sale price to make a deal. They should help you with notaires, banks, insurance and utilities etc.
Do not be surprised at the utterly crap property some agents will show you at first - some are desperate to offload their worst properties on foreigners. They do not like browsers testing out the market and will push you hard to buy.
Don't worry, just resist and move on to a new agent if they cannot satisfy your needs.
Knowing what you are looking for will give them confidence you are serious.
WHERE TO BUY IN CANNES
The two top residential areas are Croix des Gardes, west of the centre, and Californie, to the east.
The Croisette is of course very expensive and highly desirable but take care, the nearer to the centre of town you are the noisier it is. And if you are super rich you can opt for Super Cannes on the hills high above the town.
Palm Beach is popular but quite expensive and many residences are second homes meaning it is very quiet in the winter.
La Banane: this is the area south of the voie rapide and railway line and is called such because of the shape of the area. It is very much the town centre and a top letting area.
Other desirable areas are Petit Juas and Montrose. The cosmopolitan Republique quartier has had a lot of money spent on it by the town and is becoming increasingly desirable.
At the lower end price wise is La Bocca but again it is up and coming.
Many people opt for Le Cannet which is considerably cheaper than Cannes but very nice.
If buying to rent out remember conference delegates like to be near the Palais des Festivals.
Beware:
1. The Carre d'Or in the centre is the home of late night restaurants and clubs.
2. Cannes is very hilly so if walking is a problem opt for the flatter areas near the coast.
3. Certain parts of Cannes are noisy - from the railway which runs through the town and road noise from the Riou, voie Rapide and the Bd Carnot, for example.
4. Penthouses are great but watch out for the wind.
Buying a Property in Cannes - Areas
Buying a Property
1. North La Bocca
2. South La Bocca
3. Croix des Gardes
4. Riou, Petit Juas, Ave de Grasse
5. Carnot
6. Prado Republique
7. Californie, Pezou
8. Pointe Croisette
9. Town centre
10. Le Suquet, Iles des Lerins
Source of map - Cannes Town Council
Click here: CONTACT US
2. South La Bocca
3. Croix des Gardes
4. Riou, Petit Juas, Ave de Grasse
5. Carnot
6. Prado Republique
7. Californie, Pezou
8. Pointe Croisette
9. Town centre
10. Le Suquet, Iles des Lerins
Source of map - Cannes Town Council
Click here: CONTACT US
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Popular Sightseeing Trips:
Antibes, Juan Les Pins, Golfe Juan, Le Cannet, Mougins, Mandelieu La Napoule, Theoule sur mer, Vallauris
WHAT'S ON IN CANNES 2025
COTE D'AZUR FRANCE
78th Cannes Film Festival 2025
Antibes, Juan Les Pins, Golfe Juan, Le Cannet, Mougins, Mandelieu La Napoule, Theoule sur mer, Vallauris
WHAT'S ON IN CANNES 2025
COTE D'AZUR FRANCE
78th Cannes Film Festival 2025
