Cannes means film to most of the world, but the working town is a different thing.
The riding is stop-start, with traffic lights, one-way streets and heavy summer crowds. Still, there is something to enjoy in the last hour: the descent from the hills gives views over the Lérins islands and the bay, and the coast road in early morning or late evening is pleasant. In July and August, avoid the afternoon altogether, because the roads around the Croisette are jammed and parking is difficult.
Le Cannet has its own story. The painter Pierre Bonnard moved here in the 1920s, and died here in 1947, and his house and the local museum in a nearby villa preserve his memory. The old town of Cannes, Le Suquet, sits on a hill above the harbour, and its narrow streets, church and medieval tower give a view across the bay. The film festival began in 1946, and its red carpet and palace are on the Croisette. The Lérins islands, a short boat ride away, hold a monastery founded in the fifth century and a fort where the Man in the Iron Mask is said to have been held.
Fuel and food are easy but not cheap. Large stations lie on the inland roads, and prices are usually lower at supermarket stations than on the seafront. For a meal, the market of Forville in Cannes has good fish and local produce, and the back streets offer cheaper pizza and socca, the chickpea pancake typical of the Riviera.
Park, take off your gloves, and walk down to the water. After a day in the mountains, the warm Mediterranean air is an easy reward.