Carlton Beach Club

The Carlton Beach Club is the private beach belonging to the Carlton hotel, directly across the Croisette at number 58. It is one of the most exposed positions in Cannes, looking straight out over the bay towards the red rock of the Esterel massif, and the club makes the most of it with a pontoon running out over the water for swimming and sunbathing away from the crowd on the sand. Loungers are priced by row, with the pontoon costing most and the back rows least, and half-day rates from three in the afternoon if you only want the tail end of the day. Beach hours are shorter than at some Riviera clubs, closing at six, but the restaurant carries straight on into the evening with a simple sun-driven Mediterranean menu. Themed nights run through the season, including an Italo-disco evening most days of the week and dinners timed to the Cannes fireworks festival in summer. Water sports are handled by an on-site operator offering parasailing, waterskiing and wakeboarding. Practical details are well covered: changing cabins, showers, wifi and step-free access for guests with reduced mobility. Given the location, expect a smart, hotel-run atmosphere rather than anything rowdy.