On the face of it, it was an inventive idea. But the face has soured. According to a report from Reality Check, property company Drivers Jonas has been fined €100,000 for setting up shop in the Pavillon Croisette in Cannes rather than taking a stand in the Palais des Festivals at a cost of €7000. MIPIM sued them for “parasitical” [...]

The first Open de France Poker, February 20-28, could be one of the year’s main events. Total prize money of €570,000 is up for grabs, with up to 300 players per event. 50 croupiers across 8 floors will hande the players that will reportedly include professionals such as Rémy Biechel, Thomas Fougeron, François Tardieu and the Winamax and 770 teams. [...]

According to an article in Travel Daily News, the Palais Stéphanie is now the owner of a fifth star. Built on the location of the original Palais des Festivals, the 261-room hotel is the most modern of the so-called “palaces” on the Croisette, previously known as the Noga Hilton. The process for earning the fifth star involved extensive appraisals and [...]

Belgian singer Milow, in the charts across Europe with his version of “Ayo Technology”, was invited by Nice Airport, Kiss FM and Baboo airline to play a short set on a flight between Nice and Geneva on December 8 last. The passengers included winners of a competition on French radio Kiss FM. Baboo connects Nice to Geneva, Athens and Venice. [...]

Sixties icon Brigitte Bardot is the subject of an exhibition until January 2010. “Les années insouciance/The Carefree Years” traces her rise and disappearance, from the coquette teenager to a somewhat reluctant sex symbol. In her prime, she was perhaps the best known European actress in the US. Some aspects of her life are now all too familiar to celebrities: notably [...]

Some 1300 poker players are expected to arrive in Cannes for the VIP Poker Boat Tour, December 8-12 2009. The Fashion TV liner will be home to some serious playing, with guests staying on the liner or in hotels and a range of activities such as opening and closing parties, wine-tasting, barbecues, dancing and of course everything Cannes has to [...]

Pool Beach, the private beach that opened recently near the Palm Beach in Cannes, is proving a very big draw. The idea is quite simple: instead of hanging around on a sandy beach, you can hang around a trendy beach club with a pool, bar and restaurant – and of course you soak in the glamour of skimpy swimsuits for [...]

I was glad to see the article in today’s Times, entitled “Make a hit festival? Yes, we Cannes”. I’ll sum it up with one quote: “It’s not about hanging out on the beach with a glass of champagne,” [says] Clare Binns, programming director of City Screen, the UK’s largest independent film exhibitor. “It’s like a military operation. You have a [...]

The apartment block built behind the Carlton Hotel, aptly called Carlton Riviera, has sold out within a month according to a report by Country Life. Prices for the one and two-bedroom apartments started at €450,000 per 10,000m². Not bad going, I’d say. It will be interesting to see, however, how this affects the rental prices during the fairs, as it [...]

If ever there was an initiative that itself deserves the title “Cannes or Bust”, it must be this. Five property professionals from Liverpool in the UK are to cycle to Cannes for Mipim instead of flying. The goal is to raise £500,000 for charity. Covering the 1,500 kms will take them six days. The five are James Tottle (Savills), Barry [...]