Things to do in Ile Sainte-Marguerite

The Promenade Des Anglais is a lively walkway that runs along Nice’s azure coastline. The three-mile (five-kilometer) stretch of pavement is lined with blue and white umbrellas, pebbled beaches and blue sea on one side. Cafés, restaurants and up-market hotels line the other side, separated by a busy road.

La Croisette is a gorgeous seaside boulevard lined with palm trees, luxurious hotels and the most fashionable restaurants and bars in the city. This 1.2-mile (2-kilometer) boardwalk is where the big names of the movie industry come to be seen during the Cannes Film Festival.

The Palace of Festivals and Congress Hall is the home of the Cannes Film Festival. This is where many movies are screened and prizes are awarded during the annual spectacular. For the rest of the year, the landmark building hosts a variety of exhibitions and events, including boat shows, ballet performances, concerts and conferences.

Place Massena is the main square in Nice. The large plaza lies between the Old and New Towns, and is lined with shops and restaurants. It sits at a crossroads of several main boulevards, including the grand Avenue Jean Médecin. Locals flock here on their way to school and work. Stop for a coffee at one of the cafés dotted around the edge of the square and take in the action. The tramway runs through the center of the plaza, but otherwise it’s pedestrian only.

Cannes Harbour, or Old Port, sits in the heart of the glamorous city, below the historic old town. Filling its berths are a mixture of sailboats, yachts and super yachts, creating one of the most iconic sights of this part of the French Riviera.

Enjoy a game of soccer or rugby among fellow sports fans at the Allianz Riviera, Nice’s finest stadium. The venue is the home ground of OGC Nice, the city’s popular soccer team playing in Ligue 1, France’s top league. The stadium also occasionally hosts home matches for Toulon, one of France’s most successful rugby union teams.

Explore Fort Royal, a vast 17th-century structure perched on the cliffs of Île Sainte-Marguerite. The fortification has a fascinating and storied past, having held mysterious political prisoners. It was also occupied by the Germans during World War II. Explore the site today to see original buildings and eerie prison cells, as well as a museum dedicated to marine archaeology.