Cannes’ best beaches stretch from the glamorous private clubs lining La Croisette to quiet public stretches of sand you’d only find by walking past them, plus a very different beach day just a short ferry ride away on Île Sainte-Marguerite.
The Croisette beach clubs, in particular, are where Cannes’ reputation for glamour really comes to life: candy-striped loungers spilling onto the sand, waitstaff moving between them, and an exclusive flair that makes an ordinary beach day feel like part of the show. Whether you’re chasing that energy or looking for a public beach nearby, this guide covers both ends of the spectrum.
Cannes’ beaches are some of the softest and sandiest on the French Riviera, a real departure from Nice’s pebbles just up the coast.
Are you ready to discover the best beaches in Cannes? Let’s go!
This article highlights the best beaches in Cannes, from the legendary beach clubs of La Croisette to pleasant public beaches and the hidden coves of Île Sainte-Marguerite.
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Best beaches in Cannes at a glance
|
Beach |
Type |
Best for |
Price (if published) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Private |
Iconic glamour & celebrity spotting |
Concierge/direct booking only |
|
|
Private |
Palace-hotel elegance |
From €66 – concierge/direct booking only |
|
|
Public |
Quiet, budget-friendly |
Free |
|
|
🏷️ Zamenhof |
Public |
Best value, family-friendly |
From €6.50 – book here |
|
Private |
Lively atmosphere |
Concierge/direct booking only |
|
|
Private |
Classic brasserie elegance |
||
|
Public |
Old-Hollywood glamour on a budget |
Free |
|
|
Private |
Nightlife-club atmosphere |
||
|
Private |
Quieter, upscale escape |
||
|
Public |
Hidden gem, less crowded |
Free |
|
|
Public |
No-frills, sun-facing stretch |
Free |
|
|
🧘 Plage Sainte-Anne, Île Sainte-Marguerite |
Public |
Relaxing, away from the crowds |
Free |
|
🐉 Crique Pointe du Dragon, Île Sainte-Marguerite |
Public |
Hidden cove, adventurous swimmers |
Free |
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A quick word about beaches in Cannes
The sand here is fine, and the slope into the water is gentle nearly everywhere, which makes Cannes one of the more comfortable places to swim on this coast; no water shoes required.
Fourteen beaches around Cannes currently hold the Pavillon Bleu (Blue Flag) label, an indicator of water quality and overall cleanliness rather than a swim-safety rating on its own. (I go into more detail on what the Blue Flag actually measures in my Nice beaches guide, if you want the full breakdown.)
Cannes’ beaches are soft and sandy, so much so that, so far, I haven’t felt the need to spend a full beach day on a lounger at one of the private clubs. I’ve walked past every one of them more times than I can count, though, and I’ve built this guide around what I know firsthand for the public beaches and what’s genuinely worth knowing for the clubs I haven’t sat down at yet.
Public vs. private beaches in Cannes
Cannes counts 24 beaches along La Croisette alone, and the private ones actually outnumber the public ones, a ratio that surprises most first-time visitors expecting Cannes to be all glamour. Here’s how that balance breaks down by area:
If you do want the beach club experience, plan ahead. Personally, I’m not a fan of reserving a beach day in advance; I like to see where the day takes me and fill in the gaps with some beach time. But that’s not an option if you want one of the more popular Cannes beach clubs in summer.
Unfortunately, that’s not really an option in Cannes during the summer season, when the best clubs fill up. Luckily, more of the Cannes beach clubs are now bookable through MySunbed, which shows the prices and conditions upfront.
One thing to watch for: some Cannes beach clubs require a mandatory lunch on top of the lounger rental, which adds up fast, and others charge extra for towels or a “service pack” (water bottles, a cooling mist, fruit) that isn’t always obvious until you’re checking out. Always ask what’s included before you settle in.
Once you’ve settled on a stretch of sand, you might want to explore the city too. Check out my guide to the best things to do in Cannes for when you’re ready for a break from the beach.
The best beaches in Cannes
Let’s start with the icons that give Cannes its reputation, then work through the quieter public beaches, before finishing with a short ferry ride out to Île Sainte-Marguerite for something completely different.
Psst… Further down this article, you’ll find a map pinpointing every beach in this list.
1. La Plage du Martinez
This club sits toward the eastern end of the Croisette, which gives it a slightly more exclusive feel than the clubs packed shoulder-to-shoulder further along the row.
The loungers and pontoon have terracotta and navy-blue striped cushions, while the chairs are styled in “réalisateur” fashion and named after famous actors and directors, a nice nod to the Film Festival spirit that defines this city.
The club is open daily for lunch, with dinner service added from July 1st.
If you only recognize one Cannes beach club by name after this year, it’ll probably be this one: the Hôtel Martinez, part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, is set to become the “White Lotus Cannes” hotel in the show’s fourth season, and its beach is about to get a lot more famous.
Best for:
Exclusivity, Film Festival atmosphere, that White Lotus factor.
Downsides:
Not bookable through MySunbed: reserve through your concierge or by contacting the hotel directly.
2. Carlton Beach Club
Carlton Cannes is a Belle Époque icon, and its beach club matches that reputation: crisp white and blue-striped loungers with touches of yellow carried through into the restaurant. The sophisticated setting lives up to the hotel’s name.
Located roughly halfway along the Croisette, Carlton Beach Club offers loungers on the beach itself or out on the pontoon. Rates are published on their website, which I appreciate given how opaque some Croisette clubs can be about pricing.
I still haven’t managed to try their mini lobster rolls, but I’ve heard enough good things that they’re firmly on my list for my next visit.
Best for:
Classic Riviera glamour, transparent pricing.
Downsides:
Not bookable through MySunbed: reserve through your concierge or by contacting the hotel directly.
3. Plage de la Roseraie
This is my favorite public beach in Cannes. Tucked into the southeastern corner of La Croisette, Plage de la Roseraie looks out over the bay from a quieter pocket of the boulevard, equipped with lifeguards and showers.
Like every beach in Cannes, it fills in from around noon onward, especially in summer, so an earlier start pays off. Its name comes from the rose garden situated just behind it.
Best for:
Bay views, a quieter corner of the Croisette, excellent facilities.
Downsides:
Gets crowded from midday, same as the rest of the Croisette.
4. Zamenhof
Tucked right next to the Martinez’s beach, Zamenhof is Cannes’ municipally run answer to the private clubs surrounding it: real facilities, fair prices, and none of the reservation stress. A day lounger runs from roughly €6.50, a parasol from €4.50, a fraction of what you’d pay one beach over.
I particularly like the location here, looking straight out over the Bay of Cannes. Reservations are strongly recommended in summer, since Zamenhof runs on a mandatory lounger-rental basis from mid-June to mid-September; outside that window, there’s no obligation to rent anything at all.
A quick heads-up: some visitors reported slower, less consistent service here in 2026, apparently due to a rougher patch with newer seasonal staff. So, if you manage your expectations service-wise, this is one of the best-value beach days in Cannes.
Best for:
A comfortable, affordable alternative to the Croisette’s private clubs.
Downsides:
Mandatory lounger rental in high season; service appears to have been inconsistent recently.
5. La Môme Plage
La Môme brings Mediterranean sharing plates and turquoise accents to a lively stretch of the Croisette, complete with a DJ from 4 pm and the kind of easy joie de vivre that makes an afternoon here feel more like a party than a beach day.
Loungers on the pontoon start from €90, and valet parking is available if you’re driving in.
Best for:
A lively, social beach club atmosphere with good food.
Downsides:
No MySunbed booking here, only through your concierge, by phone, or via email.
6. Ciro’s Cannes
Ciro’s is the beach club of the Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic, housed in a striking building directly across from the Palais des Festivals. The beach itself sits at the westernmost end of La Croisette, tucked into a quieter corner close to the Vieux Port.
The look here is classic and polished: navy-and-white striped loungers with red cushions, elegant red-lined umbrellas. Live music plays every evening from Thursday through Saturday, included in the experience rather than an add-on.
Given the Majestic’s reputation as one of the most family-friendly luxury hotels in Cannes, it’s no surprise Ciro’s runs a proper kids’ menu alongside the main one. Their signature bouillabaisse is one reason this beach club caught my attention, and I look forward to savoring it one day. For a closer look at the restaurants I’ve personally tried in Cannes, see my guide to where to eat in Cannes.
Best for:
Classic elegance, live music, family-friendly luxury.
Downsides:
Not bookable through MySunbed: reserve through the club’s dedicated booking page; tucked at the far western end, a longer walk from the Palais and central Croisette.
7. Plage Brigitte Bardot
Renamed in 2026 in tribute to the screen icon, Plage Brigitte Bardot (formerly known as Plage Macé) is the closest public beach to the Palais des Festivals, which means it fills up fast.
It sits sandwiched between two private beaches, Ciro’s Cannes and Plage Goéland, giving it a central Croisette location without the price tag of a private club.
Best for:
Central location, easy access, people-watching.
Downsides:
Busy, especially during peak season and events.
8. Hyde Beach
Hyde is the beach club of the Mondrian Cannes, set across the boulevard from the hotel’s own beautifully landscaped park. White and turquoise tones run through the loungers, and the kitchen leans Italian rather than the Mediterranean-French you’ll find at most Croisette clubs.
One thing I appreciate here: Hyde is refreshingly upfront about its child policy, which not every club bothers to spell out. Children under 12 can share one sunbed between two; from age 12, each child needs their own. Hyde is bookable through MySunbed, though I’d confirm the shared-lounger arrangement for younger kids directly with the club, since that kind of detail isn’t always something you can specify during online booking.
Best for:
Italian cuisine on the beach, families who want clear policies upfront.
Downsides:
The shared child-lounger policy isn’t guaranteed through a MySunbed booking; confirm directly with the club if you’re traveling with young kids.
9. Miramar Beach
Just west of La Plage du Martinez, Miramar trades the Martinez’s exclusivity for a more festive, relaxed atmosphere: live cooking, live music or a DJ set most summer nights, and cream-colored loungers and umbrellas against a Mediterranean-food menu.
Bookable through MySunbed, including special Fireworks-night packages when Cannes’ summer firework shows line up with a beach evening here.
Best for:
A livelier, more social club experience; easy online booking.
Downsides:
The festive atmosphere means it’s not the spot for a quiet afternoon.
10. Bijou Plage
Out on Pointe Croisette, between Port Canto and the luxury Palm Beach club, Bijou Plage is one of the most family-friendly beaches in Cannes. It holds the Handiplage accessibility label, has a staffed lifeguard station with supervised swimming, and slopes gently enough into the water for young kids.
Plenty of watersports rental outfits operate just south of the beach if you want to add some activity to your beach day.
Best for:
Families, accessibility, supervised swimming.
Downsides:
A bit further from the city center than the central Croisette beaches.
11. Plage du Midi
West of the Vieux Port and Le Suquet, Plage du Midi sits just outside the main tourist center, and it shows: this stretch feels noticeably more relaxed, with public and private sections alternating along the shore.
La Petite Cannoise is the first private beach you’ll come to here, and it’s a true little gem, worth a stop if you want a more low-key private beach experience than anything on the Croisette proper. A little further along, Le Bénitier offers pontoon loungers, and it’s bookable through MySunbed if you’d rather reserve ahead. Keep walking west toward La Bocca, and you’ll reach Plage des Rochers, a beach that’s more of a locals’ favorite than a tourist stop.
Best for:
A quieter, more local beach day away from the Croisette crowds.
Downsides:
Further from the center; less polished than the Croisette’s showcase beaches.
12. Plage Sainte-Anne, Île Sainte-Marguerite
A short ferry ride from the Vieux Port gets you to Île Sainte-Marguerite, and Plage Sainte-Anne is one of the best reasons to make the trip. It’s just a 5-to-10-minute walk from the ferry stop, past the island’s sailing school, on the north side of the island facing straight back toward Cannes.
This is a long stretch of fine pebbles with a gentle slope into the water, making it one of the most family-friendly beach settings near Cannes. The Étang de Batéguier sits just behind it, and there are plenty of shaded picnic spots nearby if you want to make a full day of it.
Best for:
Families, a change of scenery from the mainland, shade and picnic spots.
Downsides:
Requires the ferry crossing; fine pebbles rather than sand.
13. Crique Pointe du Dragon, Île Sainte-Marguerite
Île Sainte-Marguerite hides a handful of small coves along its coastline, and this one is my favorite. It sits just south of the Étang de Batéguier, not far from the ferry stop and close to the island’s Ecomuseum, with views across to the neighboring island of Saint-Honorat.
Getting down to the water means a rocky path through pine trees, so this isn’t a beach for anyone with reduced mobility, but the payoff is a scenic, little cove that feels secluded. The water here is noticeably cooler than back on the mainland, and the shoreline itself is a small patch of pebbles rather than sand.
Best for:
A scenic, secluded cove away from every crowd.
Downsides:
Rocky, uneven access; cooler water; not accessible for reduced mobility.
Map of the best beaches in Cannes
For your convenience, I created this map to help you visualize the beaches in Cannes.
Beach essentials in Cannes
Before heading to the beach, here are some important things to know about swimming conditions, safety, and local etiquette:
Where to stay in Cannes
For easy beach access, staying along or just behind La Croisette puts you within walking distance of most of the beaches on this list. But other areas of Cannes can work just as well for a beach vacation. My full guide to where to stay in Cannes breaks down every area in detail.
Practical tips for enjoying Cannes’ beaches
A few things I’d keep in mind when planning a beach day:
FAQ about the beaches in Cannes
Which of these Cannes beaches will you visit?
That’s a wrap on this guide to the best beaches in Cannes, from La Croisette’s legendary clubs to the quieter corners of Île Sainte-Marguerite. Whichever one you choose, you’re in for one of the softest, sandiest beach days on the French Riviera.
For more beach bliss, check out my guide to the most beautiful French Riviera beaches.
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