The best beach clubs in Cannes
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You have a day in Cannes and a dozen beach names that mean nothing to you. The Croisette lines them up one after another, the boulevard du Midi hides a few more, and nothing tells you which one matches what you are looking for. This guide answers three questions: which beach clubs Cannes has, which one to choose for your day, and how much to budget. By the end, you can book a beach club in Cannes knowing exactly what you are getting.
How to choose your beach club in Cannes
The Croisette or the boulevard du Midi: two seafronts, two atmospheres
Cannes has two seafronts, and they are nothing alike.
The Croisette is where the beach clubs of the big hotels sit. This is where you find the most visible venues, the pontoons, the well-known restaurants and the highest prices. You come here for the view over the bay, the buzz and the table service.
The boulevard du Midi, west of the Palais des Festivals, is quieter and more affordable. Fewer venues, fewer people, prices starting around €20, and the same sea. It is the side to pick if you are coming with family or want a quiet day.
Between the two, the old port and the Suquet hill split the coastline. Choosing your side is already half the decision.
What a sunbed includes
Booking a sunbed is not just renting a mattress. Depending on the venue, your booking includes all or part of the following:
- The sunbed and parasol, with a spot in the first or second row
- A beach towel
- Access to showers and changing rooms
- Service on your sunbed, with drinks and food brought to you
- Access to the pontoon, when the venue has one
Two venues at the same listed price can offer very different things. That is why it is worth comparing before you book, rather than going by the name alone.
Should you book in advance?
Yes, as soon as you are aiming for a weekend, a public holiday or July and August. The Croisette beach clubs are fully booked several days ahead in high season, and first-row spots go first.
Outside those periods, booking the day before is usually enough.
The beach clubs of Cannes, venue by venue
Twelve beach clubs in Cannes can be booked online. Here they are, grouped by atmosphere, with the details taken from their venue pages.
The lively venues
Copal Beach is the liveliest address on the Croisette. Food by chef Juan Arbelaez, valet parking, champagne brunch on Sundays. It is also the most expensive venue in Cannes. Come for a day that runs late, not for a nap.
Hyde Beach is the beach of the Mondrian hotel. Private pontoon, double beds, Italian food and a cocktail list. The atmosphere builds through the afternoon. A good middle ground between the comfort of a hotel beach and a livelier crowd.
La Plage du Festival focuses on the table facing the open sea, with its Oysteria and cocktails. A central address on the Croisette, in the mid price range.
If you are after the beach club scene, with music and service all day, look at the selection of lively beach clubs in Cannes. And if your day carries on into the evening, summer in Cannes has its dates: see our guide to fireworks nights at a beach club.
The affordable, family-friendly venues
Le Bénitier sits on the boulevard du Midi, with a pontoon, a Mediterranean restaurant and a view of the Lérins Islands. It is the most reviewed venue in Cannes, and one of the two lowest prices on the Cannes seafront. A very good starting point if Cannes is new to you.
La Petite Cannoise offers day access in a simple setting, right by the sea, with no staging. The best value of the lot.
Rado Plage is a safe choice on the Croisette, with one of the best ratings in Cannes and a reasonable price for the area. Straightforward organisation, clear landmarks.
L'Alba Plage sits on the boulevard du Midi, west of the old port. Sunbeds and double or triple beds facing the sea, service on your sunbed, a wooden terrace and a bar open all day. Beach towels for rent on site.
If a family setting is what decides it for you, we have gathered our kid-friendly venues in a separate guide.
Beach restaurants and venues with a view
La Mandala has one of the best views over the bay, Mediterranean food and service directly on your sunbed. A high rating for a price that stays in the seafront average: one of the best balances on the Croisette.
Palais Stéphanie Beach combines a pontoon, a view of the Lérins Islands and a restaurant with Japanese touches. A venue for those who come as much for the table as for the beach.
Vilebrequin La Plage Cannes has the highest rating in Cannes. Seaside atmosphere, the brand's own style, nothing showy.
Waikiki Plage serves food all day, which changes everything if you have a late lunch or want a snack at four in the afternoon. Sunbeds, beds and a sea view.
Miramar Plage is a Croisette institution, with Mediterranean food and an extensive wine cellar. The top of the range, with the price to match.
Ready to choose? Compare today's availability and prices on the beach clubs in Cannes page.
What budget to plan for a day
The price of a sunbed in Cannes
In Cannes, the range is wide. The first prices start around €20 for the day. The hotel beach clubs on the Croisette, with a pontoon and full service, go well above €100, and up to €200 at the most sought-after venues.
In between, most venues sit in a range of €35 to €70. That is where you find the best balance between comfort, food and view.
These amounts are guidelines. The actual price depends on the day and the period: check it on the venue page when you book.
What changes the price
Four factors explain most of the differences:
- The row. A first-row sunbed with your feet in the sand costs more than the same mattress three rows back.
- The day. Weekends and public holidays cost more than weekdays.
- The season. July and August are the most expensive months. June and September offer the same sea with fewer people, and lower prices.
- What is included. A package with lunch, towel and sunbed service cannot be compared with access alone.
Public beaches and sandy beaches in Cannes
Where to swim for free
The Cannes seafront alternates between beach clubs and public access. It has several public beaches, free and lifeguarded in season, spread along both sides of the town.
The boulevard du Midi area has a good share of them, with long stretches open to everyone. On the Croisette side, public beaches sit between the beach clubs, and they are busier because they are more central.
These beaches have showers and first aid posts in high season. They offer no sunbeds and no service: bring your own towel. For exact locations and lifeguarded areas, check the beach map published by the town of Cannes, updated every season.
Sand or pebbles: what to expect
The Cannes seafront is almost entirely sandy. That is one of the differences with Nice, whose beaches are pebbly. You can walk barefoot and settle in without a mat.
The sand is finer on the Croisette, and slightly coarser on some stretches to the west.
Book your beach club in Cannes
How to book your sunbed
It works simply. You choose the beach club, the date and the number of sunbeds. You see the price for the day before confirming. You receive your confirmation, and you go straight to the venue on the day.
No phone call, no queue at the entrance, no surprise on the price. In high season, it is also the only way to be sure of a spot.
Every venue in this guide can be booked on the beach clubs in Cannes page.
Around Cannes
Beyond Cannes: Antibes, Juan-les-Pins and Nice
If Cannes is fully booked or you want a change, two neighbours are worth the trip.
Antibes Juan-les-Pins is about fifteen minutes away. The pine grove, the sandy beaches of Juan and an atmosphere more summery than glamorous.
The beach clubs of Nice are thirty minutes away by train. The setting changes, the Promenade des Anglais replaces the Croisette, and the beaches are pebbly.
For an overview of the coast, see our selection of the most beautiful beach clubs on the French Riviera.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a beach club cost in Cannes?
A sunbed in Cannes costs from around €20 for the day to more than €150 at the hotel beach clubs on the Croisette. Most venues sit between €35 and €70. The price depends on the row, the day of the week and the season. It is shown on each venue page before you book.
How much does it cost to privatise a beach club?
Fully privatising a beach club in Cannes is quoted by the venue itself, based on the date, the duration, the number of guests and the services requested. There is no standard public price: amounts vary a lot from one venue to another and from one season to the next. For an event, contact the venue directly.
What is the best beach club on the French Riviera?
There is no best beach club in absolute terms, only the best one for your day. The right criterion is how you want to spend it: a lively venue with food and cocktails, an affordable family beach, or a beach restaurant with a view. Cannes, Antibes Juan-les-Pins and Nice cover all three, each with a very different character.
How much is a sunbed at the Martinez beach in Cannes?
La Plage du Martinez is the beach of the Martinez hotel, on the Croisette. It charges high-end hotel beach prices, generally above €100 for the day in high season, depending on the row and the period. This venue is not among the beach clubs bookable on MySunbed: ask the hotel directly.
Should you book your beach club in advance in Cannes?
Yes, in high season. From June to September, and especially at weekends, the Croisette beach clubs are fully booked several days ahead, and first-row spots go first. Outside those periods, booking the day before is usually enough. Booking online shows you real availability and the price for the day before you confirm.
Are there free beaches in Cannes?
Yes. Cannes has several free public beaches, spread between the boulevard du Midi to the west and the public stretches between the beach clubs of the Croisette. They are lifeguarded in high season and have showers and first aid posts. They offer no sunbeds and no service: bring your towel and your parasol.
Which beach club should you choose with children in Cannes?
Go for the boulevard du Midi, quieter and less crowded than the Croisette, with day access at lower prices. Venues with a pontoon and a sheltered swimming area are the most comfortable with young children. Check the venue page for showers, food service and service hours.
Further reading
- Beach clubs in Cannes: every bookable venue, with today's availability and prices.
- Lively beach clubs in Cannes: the selection of the liveliest venues on the Cannes seafront.
- Beach clubs in Antibes Juan-les-Pins: the alternative fifteen minutes from Cannes.
- Beach clubs in Nice: the other great seafront of the Riviera, thirty minutes by train.
- The most beautiful beach clubs on the French Riviera: an overview of the coast, from Saint-Tropez to Menton.
Sources
Ratings, price guidelines and services described in this article: venue pages published on MySunbed, checked on 23 September 2026. The prices shown are guidelines and change during the season: the price that applies is the one shown on the venue page at the time of booking.
Public beaches, lifeguarded swimming areas and facilities: beach map of the town of Cannes, updated every season.