LOCAL INFORMATION 47th IMIA Conference Cannes, France Saturday 20th September until Wednesday 24 September 2014 Conference & Accommodation Venue Pullman Cannes Mandelieu Royal Casino 605 Avenue Du General De Gaulle BP 50049, 06211-Mandelieu Cedex – France T: +33 (0) 4 92 97 70 07 F: +33 (0) 4 92 97 70 08 WELCOME TO MANDELIEU, CANNES Mandelieu-la Napoule is situated in the Alpes-Maritimes department in South Eastern France, located on the French Riviera, approximately 5km from Cannes. It is known for the Château de la Napoule, a fortified castle of the 14th century. In the 20th century, Henry Clews Jr (son of the wealthy New York banker Henry Clews) and his wife Marie Clews, entirely renovated the chateau which they then inhabited. The chateau was once an ancient foundation, then a medieval fortress of the Counts of Villeneuve. Today the Roman Tower (4th century) and the Saracen Tower (11th century) are all that remain of the chateau that was destroyed during the French Revolution. Cannes (French pronunciation: [kan]), is a city located in the French Riviera. It is a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival and Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. It is a commune of France located in the Alpes-Maritimes department. The Promenade de la Croisette is the waterfront avenue with palm trees. La Croisette is known for picturesque beaches and for restaurants, cafés and boutiques. Le Suquet, the old town, provides a good view of La Croisette. The fortified tower and Chapel of St Anne house the Musée de la Castre. The Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned on the Île Sainte-Marguerite. Places of interest include: The Musée d'Art et d'Histoire de Provence, the Musée de la Castre, Île Sainte-Marguerite (St Marguerite Island), Île Saint-Honorat (St Honorat Island). SOME FACTS AND FIGURES Region: Provence-Alpes-CÔte d’Azur Area: 19.62 sq KM Altitude: 0-260m above sea level Population: 73,000 approx Average Temperature: 23-27˚C (max) usually between June and September. 3-11˚C (min) usually between October and May Highest Rainfall: October – November: 121.2 – 117.3 mm Best time to visit: June – September Languages: French, English VISA INFORMATION A visa is waived for: • Citizens of the following countries: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bermuda, Bolivia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Holy See, Honduras, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela & Member States of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA); • Holders of passports from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China; • Holders of a valid residence document in France. HOW TO GET TO THE HOTEL? By car From the A8 motorway, take exit 40 and turn right after the traffic light. Continue down Boulevard des Ecureuils and turn left onto Avenue de la Mer. At the roundabout, turn right towards “Les Plages”, then follow signs for “La Napoule”. From there, you should already be able to see the hotel, beside the sea. After exit 40, signs clearly indicating the Pullman Cannes Mandelieu Royal Casino will direct you to the hotel. By plane Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport, 25 minutes by car/taxi via the A8 motorway. Cannes-Mandelieu executive airport, 9 minutes from the Pullman Cannes Mandelieu Royal Casino. By train The closest SNCF train station to the hotel is Gare SNCF de Mandelieu-La-Napoule, which is 10 minutes’ walk from the hotel (using station underpass, turning left onto Bd Henri Clews/Av du General de Gaulle along the water’s edge). Accessible from Cannes, via Gare SNCF Cannes, only 5 minutes. Cannes train station has many TGV trains (High Speed) arriving from all over France making it very easy to sit back and relax. It is easiest to book your ticket in advance via websites, for example www.voyages-sncf.com. A train from Paris city centre, Gare Lyon to Cannes will take around 5 hours, you can either take a taxi from there at approximately €25 (15 minutes) or get SNCF train as above. From Nice Airport By Train The best cheaper alternative and frequently used by locals is the train (SNCF), between Nice's St. Augustine station and Mandelieu-La-Napoule. It takes just over 30 minutes, there are not many per hour but costs € 8 to € 9. The view is amazing in comparison to going by taxi, as the train runs adjacent to the beach. The tricky bit is between the airport (terminal 1) and the train station, which is half a mile away. From airport (terminal 1) take the local bus #23, from bus bay 6 for 2 stops (at €1.4 cash on the bus, change for small notes only). The bus stop is clearly marked as "Gare SNCF Saint-Augustine". Then walk (100m) from the bus stop to the train station, which is around the corner of the intersection. Walk under the train rail overpass and then to the right, up "Av. Edouard Grinda". The train station is on the right side. About 5 minutes to walk. By Taxi Depending on traffic, a taxi will take about 30 minutes from the airport to the hotel and will cost some € 70 to € 80. TRANSPORT AND GENERAL HINTS FOR USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT Taxis in Cannes There are taxi ranks, among other places, at the bus and the railway stations – it is recommended you ask the price before getting in, opening charge of € 2.35 and subsequent charges of about € 3.00 per mile. The people carriers are always more expensive. Taxis are regulated by the local Mairie but they are considered expensive, even for the Cote d'Azur. Call 0890 712 227 or +33 (0)4 929 9272 for a taxi although they can be hailed in the street. BEWARE when ordering a taxi from your hotel. Some order you a chauffeur driven limousine at two to three times the cost of a taxi. Always check the price before getting in. Buses in Cannes Getting around in Cannes is not a problem at all. The city is well equipped with an efficient bus system (the only public transportation available in town) that provides service not only in the city but also to neighbouring places (La Bocca, Le Cannet and Mandelieu-La Napoule). The bus companies include STU de Cannes Bus Azur, Bus Azur, CTM Cannes La Bocca and Beltrame. They all have scheduled services every 15 minutes. Tickets can be purchased on the bus or at the bus stations and cost €1 per ride or you can purchase a Carte 10 which gives you 10 reduced-rate tickets. But be careful which fare you buy as buses in Cannes can be very expensive. WEATHER AND WHAT TO WEAR In September the weather is beginning to cool down. While still warm and sunny most days, the temperatures do not reach the sweltering heights seen in July and August. This makes September a lovely time to visit Cannes, as the good weather can be enjoyed without having to suffer from too intense heat. The average daily temperature in Cannes during this month is 20°C (68°F), which can reach 23°C (73°F) and cool down to 16°C (61°F). The average temperature of the sea is 21°C. Cannes sees, on average, 8 hours of sunshine each day throughout this month. Walking quite often can be the fastest way of moving around in Cannes. It also gives you the chance viewing hidden sights that you may miss whilst sitting on a bus or car. Comfortable shoes and light layers of clothing would work well as the evening temperatures can drop slightly with a breeze CURRENCY In Cannes they use Euro (€). All major credit cards are accepted throughout and cash machines are readily accessible. Current exchange rates (as of March 2014): GBP £1.00 = €1.19 or USD$1.00 = €0.72 WORKING HOURS AND SHOPPING When visiting Cannes with its renowned luxury boutiques and designer fashion, forgetting your credit card would be a big mistake. The shops in Cannes are concentrated between La Croisette and rue d'Antibes - a distance easily covered on foot. Here you'll find all the luxury boutiques you could possibly desire as well as other shops selling products at a more affordable price range. The old town has any number of shops selling souvenirs as well. Stroll, or stop by the wide range of international designer shops that line La Croisette, which include Chanel, Dior, and Gucci, and Jean Paul Gaultier in the Gray d'Albion arcade at number 17. A great street to grab yourself a bargain is on the Rue Meynadier, with a vibrant market atmosphere. Taste some delicious cheeses at Ceneri, on 22 rue Meynadier, while quality wines are found at La Cave Forville, at 3 Forville Market. Standard shopping hours are Monday to Saturday 10AM-12PM and 2:30PM-7:30PM. In high season, many shops do not close for lunch. Sales tax varies between 5.5% (food) to 19.6% (luxury goods). RESTAURANTS AND BARS In Cannes the most popular restaurants are all along the riverfront. The best areas for dining are the rue Meynadier, in the beautiful old district of Le Suquet, where you can dine outdoors with a stunning view of the town below, and in the back streets of the Rue de Antibes, you can find some reasonable dining options. In Mandelieu the hustle and bustle of bars and restaurants is only a 5 minutes’ walk away from the hotel.