Skip to main content

No red carpet, but 5 free things to do in Cannes

By WTOP Staff

MICHELLE LOCKE
Associated Press

CANNES, France (AP) — This jewel of the French Riviera was a sleepy fishing village when 19th-century English aristocrat Henry Brougham began encouraging his friends to visit.

These days the place is packed with millionaires year-round, though the famous Cannes Film Festival held each May is the designer-gowned cherry on top of that pricey sundae. But you don’t have to be a movie star to enjoy this beautiful resort. Here are five ways to live like a blueblood on the Cote d’Azur without spending any green.

GET SET ON THE CROISSETTE

The Boulevard de la Croisette, pronounced kwah-SETT, is the curving street that stretches for just over a mile (1.6 kilometers) along the sea front. It is THE place to see and be seen. Joggers, mamans with strollers, young ladies with no apparent day job dressed to the nines – you’ll see a wide variety of humanity strolling or puffing along the wide pathway. Beach cafes beckon with their million-dollar view (and millionaire-friendly pricing) while handsome hotels line the other side of the street. Look for the InterContinental Carlton’s distinctive domes, said to be modeled on the bosom of a World War I-era courtesan. You may also recognize the place as a locale in the Alfred Hitchcock Riviera caper “To Catch a Thief.” This is where heiress Frances Stephens (Grace Kelly) and her mother stayed.

(WINDOW) SHOP TILL YOU DROP

High-end boutiques like Gucci and Ferragamo line the Croisette. Running parallel to the Croisette is Rue d’Antibes, a pretty street decorated with hanging flower baskets and packed with high- and low-end boutiques. Heading west, Rue d’Antibes turns into Felix Faure, which takes you to the Cannes covered market, Marche Forville (head north on Rue Louis Blanc). The market, http://publicmarkets.com/marche-forville-cannes-france/ , features mountains of produce, flowers, cheese, olives and more and is a fun place to take photographs. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Mondays it turns into a flea market.

REACH THE BEACH

Some beaches along the Riviera are private and you will pay a pretty penny for the privilege of sitting under a parasol. But there are sections of free beach in Cannes, including Plage du Midi on Boulevard du Midi Jean Hibert west of the old port. Along the Croisette, Mace is a municipally managed beach, which means you can rent chairs and umbrellas for less than at the private beaches. It also has an open section where you can lounge for free on the sand. Here’s a link to Cannes beaches from the local tourism office: http://www.cannes-destination.com/going-out-in-cannes-cannes/beaches-cannes .

STEP INTO THE PAST

Head west, past the port, and you find yourself in charming old Cannes, where there are still some vestiges of the town’s medieval past. Take one of the narrow, sloping alley ways or flights of stone steps, to work your way up to the top of the hill of Le Suquet, where you’ll find benches and sweeping views of Cannes and the waterfront. The Castre Museum, Musee de la Castre, is at the top of the hill, featuring weapons, ethnic artifacts and ceramics from the collection of a 19th-century baron. It costs 6 euros to enter, but is free the first Sunday of the month from November-March. Once in, be sure to climb the 109 steps of the property’s 11th century watchtower, which offers fabulous views.

TAKE A TRANQUILITY BREAK

If you need a break from the bling and hustle of Cannes you’ll find it at the church of Notre-Dame d’Esperance, which is around the corner from the Castre Museum and easily identified by its distinctive clock tower. This Gothic church has fine wood paneling and chapels along the side, decorated with statues and paintings. For 1 euro you can activate the lighting for a better view, although if you wait a moment most likely you can enjoy someone else’s 1 euro worth of illumination for free. Hanging from the ceiling are carved wooden models of boats, a reminder of the days when Cannes was more fishy than flashy. Open 9 a.m.-noon and 2 p.m.-5:30 p.m. daily in summer.

___

Michelle Locke tweets at https://twitter.com/Locke_Michelle

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote