Celebrity watching on the French Riviera

The French Riviera – Celebrity watching

Where are the best celebrity watching spots on the French Riviera? The most obvious spot is Cannes during the film festival. But, everybody and his grandmother is there in the hope of getting up close and personal with a celebrity or two. So the first tip is: avoid the Cannes film festival unless you have some kind of “In” with someone in the business. You are going to be fighting your way through crowds the size of which you won’t see outside a super bowl game.

So where is the best place to do some celebrity watching?

There are several other film and television festivals along the Cote D’Azur.

The Monte Carlo Television festival runs during the month of June, and the official website is here. If you can lower your sights a little to cover television stars rather than movie stars, this is a great place to do it. Anyone who is anyone in the television business is here for the festival, holding their breath to see whether or not they have won an award. The 2007 festival saw Jon CASSAR and Mary Lynn RAJSKUB (24), Leslie SHARP and Stephen VOLK (Afterlife), Eric DANE (Greys Anatomy), Adrian PASDAR and Masi OKA(Heroes), Miranda RAISON and Peter FIRTH (MI5) and dozens of other hopefuls wandering the streets of Monte Carlo for the length of the festival. There were also a few A listers like Robert DUVALL. The exact date changes every year, so it is a good idea to check the website to see when it’s on. You can also sign up for their newsletter at the website. This is a far better opportunity than Cannes Film Festival.

Another great spot is the Nikki Beach near St Tropez. A long time favorite for many celebrities including Paris HILTON, although I am hard pushed to see how she manages to qualify as a celebrity, yet the photos of her swanning in and out of London luxury hotels are all over the 'net. The video attached here is from a typical Nikki beach party and even if you don’t manage a genuine celebrity, there are dozens of good looking people around. It is necessary to book a spot at this beach during the season and their website/booking office is here.

Nightclubs in St Tropez are also good places to try, but on a busy night, you will have to talk your way past the bouncers on the door. The best opportunities are Le Caves du Roi, the VIP and the Papagayo club. But, once again, difficult to get into on a busy night, even when compared to italian hotels that cater to the same crowd. As always, it helps to be young, female and attractive. I will continue this hub with some more suggestions in part two.