My apartment in Résidence Maeva - Cannes Verrerie, La Bocca is a great place for a summer holiday on the French Riviera. Situated under 2 miles, or less than 3 km, from the centre of Cannes and the famous Croisette it enjoys an outstanding location just a few steps from the beach and the lively locality of Cannes La Bocca. To walk along the seafront to Cannes can take less than 15 minutes or you can take one of 3 regular buses which will put you in Cannes centre in less than 5 minutes. The apartment is 2 minutes walk to the La Licorne theatre and cinema - one of the main exhibitor cinemas during the Cannes Film Festival and there is a free shuttle service to the Palais des Festivals in Cannes during major conferences and events and during the Film Festival. If you use the public transport bus it will cost you only €1 per trip or you can buy travel/carnet cards in the bus station in central Cannes.
The complex is spread out in two arcs around the two large outdoor swimming pools and beautiful flower gardens. The beach is literally just across the main road, barely 20 metres away. The apartment is on the fifth floor and has a 10 m² balcony, giving it amazing panoramic views across the bay - this is a beautiful place to stay. There are plenty of lifts in the complex so there is full disabled and wheelchair access.
If you wish to bring your own vehicle there is secure private parking below the complex. The maximum height for any vehicle is 1.85 meters and there is direct lift access from the car park to the apartment
Within the residence is a fitness room, a games room, a luggage/storage room, phone boxes, and a poolside bistro (Café Bleu) offering light meals and drinks during the season.
The apartment has one double bedroom with an orthopaedic mattress which is very good for anyone with a bad back, and the apartment can sleep a further three people in the living room. You may decide it is too small for your needs.
The apartment is fully furnished with all linen plus towels for the bathroom and the beach. Also all necessary crockery and dish cloths are provided. There is a washer/dryer machine, a hair dryer, an oven and microwave, a rotisserie, a toaster, a fridge with a small freezer/icemaker compartment, heating and a small air conditioning unit. The apartment is equipped with beach chairs & two umbrellas, a picnic hamper and crockery for the beach.
WiFi Internet access is available at an additional cost to be paid at the reception which is €8 a day. However if you have a coffee in the Café Bleu they provide free WiFi access. Mobile phone coverage is very good if you wish to use a broadband USB connection, otherwise there are several internet cafes across the road from the complex. Please note that I would advise against using any laptops on the balcony, for security reasons.
In addition, the Résidence Maeva Verrerie organizes an array of leisure and sporting activities, plus excursions and sightseeing tours around Cannes and the French Riviera, full details are available at the reception desk.
The picturesque town of Grasse is just a short train ride (or you can use the 610 bus), where you can visit Fragonard Parfumeur or wander around Grasse. Likewise there are the pretty villages of Villefranche, Eze and Beaulieu all of which are easily accessible by train from Cannes La Bocca or Les Bousquet stations nearby. Also you can visit. If you do go for lunch there I would recommend the bistro café at Hotel Negresco on the Promenade des Anglais - it is excellent value and delicious.
If you venture further you can get the train to Ventimiglia in Italy where they have a fabulous market day every Friday until around 4 or 5 pm. A return ticket by train is reasonably priced and the journey time is about 1½ hours. Also there is Monaco en route to Italy if you have the energy!
Otherwise rest by the swimming pools, or cross the main road and you are on the beach.
In the alleyway opposite the entrance of the building you will find four very good restaurants; the French one (Cafe Luna) in particular is excellent. However there are many other local restaurants to enjoy. Local market day in Cannes La Bocca is Saturday (mornings only) although there is a general food market most days until around 2:00pm, excluding Sundays.
There are plenty of local supermarkets and shops and opposite the complex is a pharmacy. If you are looking for a very large supermarket you need to turn left at the top of Rue de la Verrerie and keep walking until you reach the roundabout and then you will see a Casino and an InterMarche on your right.
My cleaner charges Euros 14 an hour if you would like her to come and clean the apartment during your stay. Also she can pick you up from the airport and drive you directly to the apartment. She charges €60 for this service, which is almost less than half the price of a taxi and less than the cost of a family of 4 taking the Nice Airport to Cannes (Bus 210) express bus (about €16 per person). Also she offers babysitting services. If you require any of these services I can organise it or I will give you her mobile telephone number and email address so you can organise it directly with her if that is easier. She is fluent in French, English and Russian.
Medical
In the UK you can apply online for your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before travelling to France. Visit www.dh.gov.uk/travellersto find out what charges you might incur in France and how to reclaim those charges. Nearest hospital is between Cannes and Le Cannet and the number 2 bus goes directly there from the apartment.
First Aid
There is a full first aid kit in under the bathroom sink.
Apartment
In the event of emergency there is a security guard on duty out of normal hours in the reception who can help you with police, ambulance or any other emergency.
Groceries
There are several small supermarkets such as Petit Casino and Huit à 8, which are the equivalent to the UK’s Sainsbury ‘Local’ or Tesco ‘Metro’ supermarkets, close to the apartment. Petit Casino stocks English essentials such as Marmite and Bisto gravy powder, but at very inflated prices. There are 2 large supermarkets, Hyper Casino and Intermarché, within a short walking distance. Further along Avenue Francis Tonner there is a new very large Carrefour, or you can take the 20 bus to Mandelieu and visit Géant Casino (really large supermarket and DIY). There are 2 cigarette shops nearby, one opposite the Place du Marché and one at the roundabout opposite Intermarché. There is a Nicolas wine store opposite the Place du Marché or in Avenue Michel Jourdan (the road that runs north opposite the Boulangerie). Bear in mind that most shops close for lunch between 12:30pm and 2:30pm daily, that they also mostly close by 8:00pm and that many are only open on Sundays between 09:00am and 01:00pm. The larger stores do not close at lunchtimes and are mostly open until 08:30pm. During Film Festival most stores will shut early, including the larger food stores. In Cannes there is the Monoprix close to the Gare SNCF which is open late on Monday to Saturdays, but closed on Sundays. Don’t forget to take shopping bags with you – in France you have to pay for shopping bags. Also in Casino and Carrefour stores you must weigh and tag fresh produce yourself. All the other stores do it for you.
Pharmacies
There are 2 pharmacies close to the apartment. Pharmacie Fodda is located opposite the apartment complex (5, rue de la Verriere) and Pharmacie de La Bocca Compte is just round the corner in Avenue Francis Tonner.
Local restaurants and cafés
Cheap:
L’African – Avenue Francis Tonner/Place du Marché. Cheap and busy bistro. Open until very late and will sell you cigarettes or a bottle of wine out of hours.
Café Commerce – very busy café, popular with the locals but a bit pricier now
Average:
Le Baptistin – Avenue Francis Tonner opposite Intermarché supermarket. Good food and very popular with the locals. Often packed.
Le Marmite – Rue Barthélémey beside the internet café. Very nice restaurant modestly priced.
AMICI – Rue Barthélémey next door to Le Marmite. Good Italian and Argentinian steak restaurant, very reasonably priced
Above Average
Luna Café – Rue Bartelemy. Very good food and service at good prices. One of my favourite restaurants. Roughly €80 including wine for 2 people
Maema Plage – Boulevard du Midi (opposite the point where most cafés and restaurants start as you walk into Cannes along the Midi). Very good and friendly beach restaurant and open all year.
Café Roma – Opposite the Palais des Festivals. Really good food and very cheap (roughly €45 for 2 people including wine)
Chateaux Napoule – Very romantic setting outside the castle in Napoule. Very well priced and excellent food.
Sports
Swimming
There are 2 large swimming pools in the Maeva complex one of which is circular and the other rectangular. To get into the pool area every member of the family must be wearing one of the pink wristbands which are found in the blue bowl on the table in the apartment.
Also about halfway along Avenue Francis Tonner there is the Stade complex which has a public Olympic-sized pool.
Watersports
Walk along the Boulevard Du Midi towards Mandelieu and you will see a number of places offering everything from parascending to waterskiing. There are some good sailing schools as well.
Golf
There is an 18-hole golf course in Mandelieu due south of the Géant Casino store beside the Cannes Marina (Rue de Golf). Opposite the entrance to the golf course there is a driving range as well.
Tennis
Just before you reach the Carrefour there is a Cannes Sports Tennis Municipal (public tennis) with 5 clay courts and 12 synthetic professional hard surface courts – telephone: 04 93 47 29 33.
Getting Around the Coté D’Azur
Buses
With the exception of the Express Cannes to Nice Airport bus nearly all other bus routes charge a fixed price of €1 per trip. I recommend that you visit the bus station in Cannes and purchase an Abonnement pass for €11 per person (cheaper for children) which will give you unlimited travel for 7 days. From La Bocca you can get a bus 1,2 and 20 into Cannes central and in the Avenue Michel Jourdan you can get bus 610 to Grasse. If you go into Cannes you can get a bus to just about everywhere else, from St Tropez to Monaco but you may find it easier to use the local trains for longer distances – for example it is far quicker to take a train to Biot if you want to visit Antibes Marineland.
Trains
If you intend to go to the market in Ventimiglia (Ventemille), Monaco or Fréjus the train is definitely the best way to get around. Don’t forget to buy a Carte Isabelle instead of the usual single or return fares since this gives you an day return from, for example, Le Bosquet to Ventimiglia for just €12 per person. Again you can get weekly discount passes, but you will have to go into Gare SNCF in Cannes to get the passes - all the buses from La Bocca go to the station. In the apartment are timetables for trains to Fréjus, Grasse and all the stops along the route to Ventimiglia
Taxis
Taxis in France tend to be quite expensive. If you do need a taxi you will find telephone points where there is a sign with your location number and the telephone number to call and a taxi will come to pick you up. You will maybe have to pay a surcharge for a taxi to come out from Cannes, which can cost you the same amount again as the fare. If you are in Cannes there is a taxi rank beside the bus station, beside the Gare SNCF and a telephone point beside the Café Roma opposite the Palais Des Festivals.
Ferries
There is a regular ferry service from Cannes to the Iles des Lerins. At Ile de Saint Marguerite there is a fortress which is interesting to walk around, a few café’s and the fort is where the man in the iron mask was imprisoned . There is a monastery on the other main island. The ferry usually finishes at around 6:00pm so make sure you are back by then since there is no other way off the island, apart from persuading a local to sail you back to Cannes.
There is also a regular ferry service to St Tropez from Cannes – check times at the ferry office in the port.
I do hope you decide to take the apartment.
Sitting on the balcony looking at the panoramic view and listening to the waves gently breaking on the beach is unbelievably peaceful.
Best wishes
Melanie
