A Wine-Lover’s Weekend Guide To Cannes

Pam Hotel Nice

There’s two options for most American travelers heading to the Côte d'Azur: Fly into Paris and take a five hour train down to the region, or fly into Nice and spend a day or two in this central city before venturing deeper into the Riviera. As lovely as French ground transportation can be, I’m going to recommend flying into Nice every time. While you’re getting your bearings and adjusting to jet lag, a few nights at the delightfully campy Pam Hotel will sort you out. This brand new property is bright, accessible, and within easy walking distance of Old Nice, which is packed with restaurants and wine bars—many with ocean views—and the waterfront Promenade des Anglais. And unlike the pricey, historic hotels that line this famous thoroughfare, Pam is quite affordable, which is a great way to kick off the trip. 

Mondrian Cannes

Once you get settled into the French Riviera and actually make your way down to Cannes, about an hour or so away from Nice by train, a splurge on one of the city’s prominent luxury hotels is in order. There’s currently no better option than the brand new Mondrian Cannes, a property that comes with a historic past. Originally built in 1863, Le Grand Hôtel, which is now the Mondrian, is the tallest building in Cannes at 11 stories. A pedigree as the oldest palace on La Croisette and just 75 rooms makes this an understated option with a boutique feel that’s far removed from some of the other massive hotels on the boulevard. With 50,000 feet of oceanfront gardens, direct access to shopping on Rue D’Antibes, a private beach club, and Mr. Nakamoto—an on-site sushi restaurant with a killer wine list—it’s practically perfect. Oh, and did I mention most of the rooms have ocean views?

Lavomatique

Speaking of food, there’s one restaurant in Nice that is an absolute must-try for wine aficionados, and that’s the 50 Best-recognized Lavomatique. Recently earning a spot on the 50 Best Discovery list for their impeccable, concise seasonal menu of 10-15 small plates, it’s the sprawling wine list packed with natural wine gems and parenthetical like oxydatif (oxidative) and even more direct: SUPER FUNKY that steals the show. After you’ve settled on a bottle, pick a couple of plates per person to go with it. Their homemade falafel and tahini is the richest, nuttiest, and fluffiest iteration I’ve ever had of either item, and al naturale beef tartare seasoned with just lemon, salt, olive oil, black peppercorn, scallions and bottarga really let the meat shine.

Uva

Renowned chef Noël Mantel has a long history in the Riviera, including a stint at the Negresco in Nice, but his Cannes fine dining outpost, Table 22 in Suquet Hill, has been a restaurant staple in town for over two decades. In more recent years, Noël partnered with his son, Étienne Mantel, on Uva, a more casual spot that’s devoted to local produce and a heavy emphasis on French wine. Uva literally means “grape” in Latin, and the wine cellar here is stocked with over 500 wines (!), so if you’re looking to expand your experience with some fine French bottles, this is an ideal spot.

Cafe Le Suquet

Another newcomer to the area, Cafe Le Suquet is the adjoining restaurant to a new hotel of the same name, and the menu from executive chef Basile Arnaud puts an emphasis on provincial French dishes made with fresh, local ingredients. For instance, their salad Niçoise combined the freshest tuna, with crunchy green beans and radishes, plus soft red peppers, a mix of local greens, and hard boiled eggs for a dish that finally made sense to me—seasonality matters!

Paired with a couple of glasses of crisp French white, this plus their squash blossoms, adorned with herbed goat cheese, candied lemon, and pickled red onions, composed a superb late night dinner. around 10 PM one night (which in France they just call dinner). Atmospheric note: Serene outdoor tables just outside the harried fray in the heart of the Suquet make this a great spot for a romantic dinner for two.

Mr. Nakamoto

As mentioned above, there is at least one excellent sushi restaurant in Cannes, and that is located on the sprawling, verdant lawn that separates the Mondrian hotel from La Croisette. With everything from traditional sashimi and nigiri—including Mediterranean specialties like Sicilian shrimp—to fresh cut rolls with salmon, yellowtail, and spicy tuna, a crispy, savory aubergine and miso appetizer, and the decadent black cod with miso and yuzu, this menu is incredibly comprehensive. For pairing, I recommend a bottle of Mas Foulaquier’s Into The White, a juicy blend of grenache blanc, rolle, and chardonnay with citrus and herbal notes that wonderfully complement the fish. Dessert is almost a must—the peach, pistachio and lime mousse is unmissable.

Okay Pizza

Tucked away from the bustle of La Croisette, this tiny mom and pop pizza joint by a couple who relocated to Cannes from Milan is slowly but surely making a name for itself. How can you tell it’s a mom and pop shop? They have absolutely no online presence, except a Facebook page that hasn’t been updated since 2015. None of that matters once the food starts arriving—orange and pink swathes of melon and ham, grilled steak with green beans, squash and home fries, a simple cheese and pepperoni pizza. All this plus a bottle of Nebbiolo and a pitch perfect tiramisu for less than a hundred euros is a steal, and the cooking is so good, this place won’t stay a secret long.

Chateau La Mascaronne

Venture just a half hour by train to the Les Arcs-Draguignan station to head to this magical winery, which is about a 20-minute taxi ride from the train station. American travelers will likely be more familiar with La Mascaronne than most Provencal wineries, simply because Tony Parker of Spurs fame is one of the investors, but it’s also renowned for producing some of the best rosé in Provence.

Located on an idyllic estate just outside the village of Le Luc, the property’s bastide, or country house, can be rented out by the room or in its entirety. You might want to stay in the area for the evening if you’re planning to taste through their portfolio, which encompasses not just rosé, but also whites and reds. A new rosé blend focused toward a younger demographic, Folly, is just as worth trying as the grand reserve rosé, proving great terroir and winemaking transcends price point.

Chateau Gassier

Head a bit farther into Provence, another hour or so by train to Aix-en-Provence, and you’ll be perfectly positioned to visit Chateau Gassier. Again, just a short car ride from the city center, this family-owned organic vineyard in the shadow of the incredible Mount Victoria is an absolutely charming winery. Red dirt terroir made up of limestone and shale soil means quick drainage for these vines as they soak up the sun and dry mistral wind. The temperate valley climate and stunning mountain views makes this winery a popular site for gatherings and events—they were hosting a concert the night I visited—and their portfolio keeps it simple by focusing only on whites and rosé.

Gassier’s standout wine is a bit of a departure from typical rosé producers, though: An aged rosé called Elevae that’s kept in barrel for 24 months delivers rich, spicy notes along with more typical peach and honey flavors. It’s an astounding, successful experiment that just might change the way we think about the shelf life of rosé in the future, and a visit to Gassier’s estate is worth it for the chance to try this rare vintage.

Carlton Beach Club

No visit to Cannes is complete without a day spent at the most iconic destinations in the world—the Carlton Beach Club. Though the stretch of beach along La Croisette is dotted with clubs for miles, this is the one that everyone wants to be at. Lunch at the restaurant, sunbeds along the sand or on the pier, and the chance to swim in the dazzling blue water that gave the Côte d'Azur its name are all available to you during a day spent at the club. Reservations begin promptly at 10 AM and the club closes at 6 PM, and you can book half or full day rentals right here.

Hyde Beach Club

One of the new additions to the Mondrian Cannes property is a brand new beach club, with a full restaurant, sunbeds, and even more private sun loungers up on the historic pier. Again, this club is a bit quieter than some of the other beaches, but still offers a relaxed party atmosphere that’s suitable for sun-bathing, day-drinking, and soaking up the Riviera sun. Spots at the beach club are so popular that it’s best to make a reservation the night before, even if you’re a hotel guest, just to make sure there’s space. There’s no better way to finish out a trip to Cannes than with a bottle of Provencal rosé and a day at the beach.