If there's one city in France that can rival Paris in terms of fame, glamour, and notoriety, it's Cannes! For many years now, Cannes has been one of, if not the crown jewel of the French Riviera. There's just something so paradisical about it, even beyond its famous
Film Festival. And as much as it's a perfect holiday destination, what's stopping you from actually relocating here? If you want to live the high life in a coastal city that screams paradise from one end to the other, why not move to this city? Let this guide tell you what you need to know!
Overview
As of 2021, Cannes has a population of around 943,000 residents. It only falls short of 100,000 more to have a population as large as that of a major city. And since Cannes is a provincial town along the French Riviera, this alone proves just how central of a metropolis it is in France as a whole. In terms of weather, it most sees warm climates. The city's hottest month is August, with an average temperature of 23.3 °C (74.0 °F). While its coldest month is January, with an average temperature of 6.7 °C (44.1 °F).
Visa
You probably already know that you need a
Schengen Visa in order to gain entry to France and the rest of the EU. Especially if you're coming from a non-EU country. There's also the option of getting into the country via the
ETIAS Visa Waiver Program. If you're eligible, you can travel to France even when you don't have a Schengen Visa. But to stay here for more than 90 days (approximately three months), you'll need to get a temporary VLS-TS visa. This will allow you to stay for at least a year and from there, you can start the legal process of actually moving here.
Getting Around
Cannes' public transport isn't exactly the best, but it's not that bad either. Despite how urban the city is, its public transport is still lacking compared to other major cities. Nevertheless, there are a ton of options to get around here. There's the
Palm Bus Network, for instance, which offers 30 different bus routes, six on-demand bus lines, and four nighttime buses. The taxis in Cannes have also proven their efficiency, whether you use a
transportation app to hail them or not. And if you have the budget, you can always rent your own vehicle instead.
Where to Live
If you want to move to Cannes, you ought to choose where you want to settle down here first! It's easy to think that Cannes is the type of city where practically every corner looks the same. Or that its coastal areas are the only worthwhile parts of the city. But the truth of the matter is the
neighborhoods in Cannes are pretty diverse. The bustling environment of the City center, for instance, isn't as peaceful as the more suburban neighborhood of Petit Juas. And while La Croisette boasts the sunny Mediterranean energy that has people flocking to Cannes, the nostalgic charms of Le Suquet, the city 'Old Quarter,' are a different kind of enchanting.
Real Estate
Perhaps the truest thing about Cannes is that it is, in fact, an expensive city. It wouldn't have built up quite the glamorous reputation if it wasn't! And that's not just because of the luxuries, shopping, and more here! Take a look at Cannes' most common rental fees. They range from a minimum of €500.00 to a maximum of €4,000.00 a month. Such
living costs can almost rival those in
Paris! And if you want to own a
luxury home here, prepare to pay around €3,000.00 to €10,465.00 per square meter. Can you handle all of that?
Employment
Now, let's talk about employment in Cannes. Since this city is known for its luxurious reputation, and
France’s job market is stable enough, many businesses have operated here for a long time. They, in turn, provide more opportunities for residents to
find work. Most of them are under either the tourism or luxury retail sectors. And since Cannes also offers a ton of
great places to eat, the service sector is also thriving here. With all that said, it'll be up to you to find employment that can help you earn enough to live out your chosen lifestyle. Do you think you'll find the right job in these sectors?
Education
How about if you brought your kids along with you to Cannes? Will they be able to continue their schooling here? The answer is yes but it's not as easy as you might expect. As far as
international schools in Cannes are concerned, the
College International de Cannes is the only one that's actually in the city. And that's already for higher education. What about those in secondary or primary school? Well, not to worry! Since Cannes is near a ton of other cities in Côte d'Azur, your little ones can go to the international schools there. The most popular of which include the
International School of Nice and Mougins School.
Healthcare
At the very least, when it comes to healthcare in Cannes, you have very little to worry about! Cannes has its own fair share of
excellent healthcare institutions, ranging from
Hôpital Center Cannes to
Institut Polyclinique de Cannes and more! They will ensure that you will get treated and well taken care of while you're in the city. However, that will also depend on whether you got access to
France's healthcare system in the first place. Only legal residents of the country are allowed to register in the system. For visitors and tourists, they'll have to opt for private medical insurance instead.
Safety
In cities like Cannes, sometimes you just gotta ask yourself, 'am I safe here?' Sure, the city is known for its luxury, glamour, and Mediterranean appeal, but don't they make it even more enticing for criminals to do all sorts of deviant acts? Although this is a sound argument,
the city's crime rates beg to differ. Currently, Cannes' general crime rate is 25.00%, pretty low on the scale. Although its rate of increasing crimes is at a pretty high 66.667%, this still doesn't cause major alarm for the most part. All you have to do is to stay alert and aware as best you can while you're here!
Taxes
There's also
France's tax system you have to worry about when you move to Cannes. As a new legal resident here, you're required to contribute your share to help the country keep going. When it comes to income tax, it operates on a Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system, wherein your tax contributions are automatically deducted from your salary when you get paid every month. Your social security payments also help you get a ton of benefits, ranging from healthcare to pension after retirement. And, of course, there's also France's Value-Added Tax (VAT), which has a flat rate of 20% for most goods and services.
Relocation Tips
A great tip to follow is to learn French before you get to Cannes. Although the city has a couple of
language schools you can enroll in, it might be better to brush up on your
Francais even before you start settling down here. At the very least, knowing the basics can help you get used to life in Cannes a little bit quicker. Furthermore, don't forget to
open a local bank account and join a
local mobile network as well. Both will also prove extremely helpful in the long run!
Relocating to Cannes must be the ultimate dream for a lot of people around the world. But be that as it may, doing so won't be easy! This guide alone covers a ton of info that will prove useful to you if you want to move here!
