Cannes film festival. “This year, it’s really gone again!” Traders take stock

35,000 festival-goers came to walk the Cannes red carpet from far and near. They made the traders around the Palace happy. Even if, some note a drop in attendance.

As the Festival draws to a close, we went to meet the traders. Florists, restaurateurs, hairdressers, boutique managers, opinions are mixed for this 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.

An observation comes back: if the festival-goers were there, the onlookers were less present than in previous years.

Some opened this year and are discovering the Cannes madness, this is the case at Laurence, at the By Colette boutique. “We had a great fortnight, quite a lot of attendance“Same observation in a breakfast and brunch restaurant located 100 meters from the Palais.”It went very well, it was our first festival, we were pleasantly surprised, we had a lot of people!“, explains Didier, restaurant manager.

A few meters away, at the Vilfeu ice cream parlor, Alexenna, manager for three years, and employee for eight, has seen editions pass by. For her, the activity was very calm:“it was over from the first week, I didn’t recognize the Festival, I never saw that.”

Across the street, at Manolan’s, we also see this drop in activity, Mattew is still satisfied with the fortnight:”The first year I did the festival, it was really packed, this year, I find there are fewer people. We still worked very well, but it’s not the same as in previous years, other events are attracting this year, perhaps because of the Olympic Games.”.

Since covid, it hasn’t really started again…

Mattew, manager at Manolan’s Cannes.

France 3 Côte d’Azur.

Rue Jean de Riouffe, between the Palace and the station, the flower shops are still in full swing. “We’ve been doing the festival for 30 years and every year, it’s crazy” explains Barbara Smids.

The florist Sander Smids supplies the Palace with fresh flowers and decorations for prestigious events, but this year, as is often the case, the calendar plays tricks. Florists continue with Mother’s Day.

We have orders from everywhere, we are very happy!

Barbara Smids, florist

at France 3 Côte d’Azur.

For the latter, it is the edition of the return to a prosperous period. “This year, it’s really gone again!“, she replies between preparing orders.