For twelve days each May, a modest stretch of Mediterranean coastline becomes the most coveted address on earth. The Cannes Film Festival is nominally about cinema. In practice, it is the world's most concentrated gathering of global wealth, celebrity, film industry power, and haute hospitality — all staged against the backdrop of the Alpes-Maritimes and the sea.
The 79th Cannes Film Festival runs May 12–23, 2026, at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès on the legendary Croisette. The Palme d'Or — the festival's highest honor — will be awarded on the final Saturday evening. Between opening night and closing ceremony, the social calendar is as demanding as any in the world.
LXV coordinates private access to the layer of Cannes that is invisible to the general public: superyacht access, villa rental, gala tickets, and table reservations at the grand hotels on the Croisette. Register your interest below.
The Festival and the Croisette
The Palais des Festivals et des Congrès anchors the eastern end of the Croisette — the iconic beachfront promenade that runs along the Bay of Cannes. The Palais is where the competition screenings take place, where the red carpet unfolds each evening, and where the Palme d'Or is awarded. Access to the main competition is accreditation-only — film industry professionals, jury members, and the international press.
What matters for LXV members is what surrounds the Palais. The grand hotels — Hotel Martinez, InterContinental Carlton, Majestic Barrière — line the Croisette and serve as the social infrastructure of the festival. Deals are struck in their lobbies. Parties spill onto their private beach enclosures. Dinners run past midnight on terraces overlooking the water.
The beach is lined with private club enclosures each May — temporary structures erected by the grand hotels and luxury brands that become the social centers of the festival. Invitations to the right private dinners and parties are far more coveted than competition tickets.
The Social Layer
The distinction that matters for LXV members: Cannes operates on two parallel tracks. The first is the official film festival — screenings, awards, press conferences, the Marché du Film. The second is the private hospitality and social infrastructure that runs simultaneously, largely invisible to outsiders. The second track is where the meaningful access happens.
Superyacht Access
The Cannes harbor fills with superyachts each May. Charter rates during festival week run €5,000–€9,750 per person per day for organized events. Private charters and day trips to Monaco, Cap d'Antibes, and the Îles de Lérins are accessible for those with the right relationships. The yacht circuit is where the private parties that don't appear on any schedule take place.
The amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Gala
The amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Gala is held annually at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d'Antibes during the festival — one of the world's most star-attended and philanthropically significant charity galas. Since its founding in 1993, it has raised over $300 million for AIDS research. Tickets range from €8,000–€15,000+ per person. The event includes a live auction, performances, and dinner. Attendance signals a specific level of access — not because the tickets are expensive, but because the room is curated.
Private Dinners and Hotel Access
Table reservations at the Martinez and Majestic during festival week are among the most contested in the world of hospitality. LXV coordinates confirmed reservations, private dining rooms, and access to the hotel events that are not publicly listed.
"The Cannes Film Festival is not simply a film festival. For two weeks each May, the Croisette becomes the most concentrated gathering of global wealth, celebrity, film industry power, and Mediterranean luxury in the world. The real action happens off the red carpet."
Festival Schedule
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Tue, May 12 | Opening Night — Red Carpet & First Screening |
| May 12–22 | Competition screenings, parallel events, Marché du Film |
| Thu (mid-festival) | amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Gala — Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc |
| Sat, May 23 | Closing Ceremony — Palme d'Or Awarded |
The Riviera Beyond Cannes
Cannes is a natural anchor for a broader French Riviera itinerary. Nice is 20 minutes east by car — a city of genuine sophistication with the Promenade des Anglais, the old town, and the Nice Jazz Festival. Monaco is 40 minutes — the Grand Prix circuit, the Casino de Monte-Carlo, and the Hôtel de Paris. Antibes and its old town are 15 minutes. Saint-Tropez, depending on traffic, is 1.5 to 2 hours.
Cap d'Antibes — home of the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc — is perhaps the most storied address on the Riviera, and the preferred base for those who want proximity to Cannes without the intensity of the Croisette. The Hôtel du Cap has hosted every meaningful figure in 20th-century culture and remains the standard for Riviera hospitality.
LXV can build a full Riviera experience around the festival window — or extend it into Provence, the Italian Riviera, or as far as Tuscany.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can members of the public attend the Cannes Film Festival?
Accreditation is required for competition screenings and industry events. However, the social infrastructure of Cannes — the beach clubs, restaurants, hotel parties, yacht events, and galas — is accessible through the right hospitality providers. LXV navigates this for members.
What is the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS Gala?
One of the world's most exclusive and star-attended charity galas, held annually during Cannes at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. Tickets range from €8,000–€15,000+ per person. It has raised over $300 million for AIDS research since 1993.
Where do people actually stay during Cannes?
The grand hotels on the Croisette — Hotel Martinez, Carlton, Majestic — are the social epicentre. Cap d'Antibes (Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, 30 min away) is the preferred base for those who prefer discretion. Private villa rental is the ultimate option and what LXV recommends for members who want the full experience.
Is Cannes part of a broader Riviera itinerary?
Naturally. Nice, Monaco, Antibes, Èze, and Saint-Tropez are all within 1.5 hours. LXV can build a full Riviera experience around the festival — or extend the trip into Provence or Italy.
