Cannes With Kids: Beaches and Islands
Cannes suits families best in summer, when the sand beaches, short ferry rides and car-free islands do most of the work. Prices are in euros. The city has no aquarium, zoo or animal show to recommend, so plan around beaches, boats and walks.
Beaches
Cannes beaches are sand, with gentle shelving. Plage du Midi, on Boulevard Jean Hibert west of the old port, is public and has supervised swimming in season, though dogs are not allowed. Plage Zamenhof is a municipal beach on the Croisette with supervised swimming from 15 June to 15 September and loungers at about €9 to €15 a day. Private beach clubs along the Croisette charge from about €25 a day for a lounger, much more in July and August, so the public beaches are the family budget choice. Check lifeguard hours on the day, as the dates of supervision differ by beach.
A ferry to Sainte-Marguerite
The crossing to Île Sainte-Marguerite takes about 15 minutes from the old port. Trans Côte d’Azur, Horizon and Riviera Lines all sail there, and a return ticket was listed around €19 for adults and €13.50 for children aged 5 to 12. The island is car-free and wooded, bikes and scooters are not allowed, and there are picnic spots under the pines. A walk around it takes a few hours at a child’s pace; bring water and a hat. Fort Royal, with the cell of the Man in the Iron Mask, is open daily June to September and has free entry for under 18s.
Snorkelling with the statues
Confident swimmers can snorkel to six underwater statues off the south shore of Sainte-Marguerite. They are 3 to 5 metres down and 84 to 132 metres out, inside a marked swimming area where boats may not moor. Entry is free. Go only in calm weather, stay inside the buoys and keep children within arm’s reach. See the city’s Écomusée page .
Saint-Honorat picnic
Île Saint-Honorat has picnic areas and a coastal path of roughly an hour and a half. It is a working monastery, so ask children to keep their voices down near the abbey, and note that smoking is not allowed. A return ferry costs €19.50 for an adult online; the child fare is about €12.
Museum and evening
The Musée des Explorations du Monde in Le Suquet is free for under 18s and houses world ethnography in a medieval castle. It does not allow pushchairs. In July and August the fireworks festival lights the bay on six evenings, free to watch from the shore, and the show starts late at 22:00.
For a family-friendly boat trip or workshop, search Cannes family activities on GetYourGuide . Read more: Cannes day trips and activities in Cannes .