Cannes Tours: Palais, Fort Royal, Abbey
Cannes has a short list of attractions with real opening hours and tickets, and most are within a short walk of the old port or a ferry ride away. Prices are in euros and change by season, so treat the figures below as a guide.
Palais des Festivals guided tour
The Palais des Festivals et des Congrès at 1 Boulevard de la Croisette is the home of the film festival. Outside congress and festival periods the forecourt and red-carpet steps can be seen from outside. Guided tours of the inside run only on a few set days in July and August: English at 15:30 and French at 15:00, from the tourist office. The 2026 price was €6 full and €3 reduced for disability card holders. Book through the Palais tour listing or by phone on 04 92 99 84 22. Dates are set around the Palais’s own events, and suitcases and bulky bags are not allowed in.
Fort Royal and the Man in the Iron Mask
The Musée du Masque de Fer et du Fort Royal is inside the 17th-century fortress on Île Sainte-Marguerite, where the prisoner known as the Man in the Iron Mask was held until 1698. From June to September it opens daily from 10:00 to 17:45. From October to May it closes on Mondays and shuts for lunch, with afternoons ending at 16:45 in winter and 17:45 in April and May. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. Full price is about €6.50, and entry is free for under 18s and students under 26, plus on the first Sunday of each month from November to March. The city directory entry lists the closing days. A separate ferry ticket is needed.
Saint-Honorat abbey
Île Saint-Honorat is a working Cistercian island served only by Planaria, the abbey’s boat company, from Quai des Îles in the old port. The crossing takes 15 to 20 minutes and a return ticket is €19.50 for an adult when bought online. The fortified monastery is free to enter, the monks make wine and offer tastings, and the La Tonnelle restaurant takes bookings online. Dress modestly, do not smoke, and check the last boat back before you walk off. Boats can be cancelled in bad weather; the island’s official site posts notices.
Musée des Explorations du Monde
This museum in Le Suquet, formerly the Musée de la Castre, fills the medieval castle of the Lérins monks with world ethnography, Mediterranean antiquities and Provençal art. Entry is about €6.50 full price and €3.50 reduced, free for under 18s. Hours run from 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:00 in winter, closed Mondays, and daily in July and August.
Petit Train and Grasse
Le Petit Train de Cannes leaves from the Gare Maritime and runs daily in 2026 on a Big Tour that blends the old town with the Croisette; check the operator for fares. Grasse perfume houses are a short rail trip away: Fragonard offers a free factory visit at 20 Boulevard Fragonard and Molinard a free visit at 60 Boulevard Victor Hugo.
To compare operators, search Cannes tours on Viator . Read more: Cannes day trips and the Cannes 3-day itinerary .