Last updated on May 6th, 2024 at 02:27 pm

Last weekend, we got to slip away from our parenting duties, house duties, work duties, and took an adult weekend getaway to Cannes, France. We were invited to our friend’s 40th birthday beach party on the Saturday so we decided to go Friday night to Sunday night. It’s something we have never done before leaving our kids over night with my mother-in-law for two nights. Doesn’t sound like a lot but when it’s your first time and you have a bubble boy it can be discouraging to do it. 

We packed our bags and dropped the kids off at school together. From school we headed straight for Liverpool Airport. Cannes, France here we come, or so we thought. Upon arrival we were told that they have oversold our flight and since I only checked my husband in at home (it wouldn’t let me check in with my America passport for some reason) he was the only one that would be able to go on the flight. I would be bumped off for others that they had oversold the flight to already checked in at home and paid for a specific seat. To say I was crushed was not even close. I had planned out meals, medicines, babysitters, sports activities, everything for the weekend so I could have a stress free vacation. We were told to go through security and wait at the gate and hope that someone couldn’t make it last minute so I could get on. It was a joke. I sat at the Easyjet gate waiting nervously to see if I could go on my holiday. I felt sick to my stomach and my vertigo was flaring up due to the stress of it. Two and half hours we waited to see if we were even having a holiday in France or not. My husband was so mad because it wasn’t my fault it wouldn’t let me check in at home. They shouldn’t be allow to resale your ticket if you haven’t paid the extra seat price because we didn’t care where we sat, we just wanted on the flight that we booked. Lucky me, someone missed a connecting flight and I got their seat. Phew! Let’s try this again, Cannes, France; here we come! 

FRIDAY:

Flying without kids is a whole different experience. I had forgotten how chilled out it can be. Not that the flight is long at all to Nice Airport. I read my book, pulled out a bag of M&M, and got comfortable. We were lucky after all that stress at the start of our journey we got the first row together both ways. It was nice to sit and chat with Mr P without interruptions. Don’t get me wrong I absolutely love flying with my kids, they are brilliant on planes. It’s just a different kind of holiday. I only had to worry about my handbag not the carryon and their backpacks and their snacks. I felt like I was truly travelling light.

The sun was blazing when we landed. It stayed out the entire weekend we were there. We have been there numerous times in October and it is nice but never that warm. We took full advantage.

Our first stop was to park the rental car (which we realized we didn’t need it, taxi or bus from Nice to Cannes is easier and cheaper). Our luck really changed after landing with the downtown car park one minute walk to our beautiful Airbnb. We met the landlord to get the keys and were SO impressed with the apartment. It was right next to the beach, restaurants, shopping, parking and the market. We really picked the right location only by chance. The actual apartment itself was modern and sleek. We will definitely stay there again. We have never stayed in an Airbnb and I think I am converted now. We could grab fresh food from the market and the shop next door and cook what we wanted to for breakfast and lunch. We also were next to a street of fine dining restaurants to choose from and we were absolutely spoiled with choice. 

After getting settled into our apartment, we met our friends and another couple for cocktails in this secret garden that was just off to the side you would never know it was there called Le Jardin Secret. We were looking forward to our late night dinner out too. Normally, if the kids are with us we eat dinner than put them to bed in the stroller or we hide in the bathroom until they fall asleep in the hotel room. Another reason we will probably go Airbnb moving forward rather than hotels. We wouldn’t have to do that and they are getting too old for stroller sleeping while we eat out. The first night we ate at Restaurant Mantel aka Table 22. It was the best soup, steak and panna cotta I have ever had!!! That or I was so hungry it made me salivate. The couple that our friends introduced us to for drinks earlier in the evening decided to accompany us. It was fab. We laughed, drank, ate and talked long into the evening hours. It was nice to just enjoy it and not worry about bed and bath times. I am still dreaming of my food is was mouthwatering. 

 

SATURDAY:

After a nice lie in and being lazy, we decided to hit the market next to us for some hot, fresh croissants and head to the beach for a coffee along the water. It was my favorite morning in Cannes. The sun was already high in the sky. We settled into a beautiful cafe on the beach front with our toes in the sand while we ordered latte after latte. Hubby may have eventually ordered a beer too (shocking english behavior at 10 am). Afterwards we took a walk along the water with our shoes off. What a peaceful feeling with no time to be anywhere specific until later on it was amazing. I normally have every minute planned out of our holidays. This time, I was just going along for the ride. I did a little shopping before lunch. Since we had the apartment and were out again for dinner that night, we bought fresh fruit and baguettes from the market and went and made a lovely lunch in our apartment and even took a cat nap! Oh my gosh, it was amazing just lounging about. 

Refreshed from our little snooze, we grabbed our swimsuits and hit the beach for the beach party at Maema Beach. We got there two hours before everyone else so we could lounge about just us on the lounge beds that were cornered off for the party.  It felt good soaking up the sun with my bikini on in October. I read my book, sipped delicious fruity cocktails until party guests started to arrive. There was champagne flowing, delicious food nibbles on stands, and the music was booming. I told Mr P that’s what I want my next birthday party to be like it was amazing. It was fab meeting new friends and catching up with so many others we hadn’t seen since the last birthday party bash ten years ago that we all came to. 

As the night approached I was starving again. I think that’s all I do is eat on holiday. We went back to our apartment go showered and dressed up for the birthday party evening do and ate dinner at Le Manoir near where we were staying just the two of us. We wanted a romantic evening together before we met the rest of the party attendees for dancing and drinks later on. I wasn’t as impressed with my dinner but I think I got the heavy, creamy ravioli that just didn’t settle right but the spring roll starters and Mr P’s steak dinner was delicious. I clearly have a thing for steak! 

We met up with the rest of the party that had showered and dressed up as well and met at an Irish Pub called Ma Nolan’s. It was a private room with live music and we got to meet some more interesting people that hadn’t made the beach party during the day. 

SUNDAY:

Another lie in as we didn’t have to be at the airport until evening time. It gave us another whole sunny day for beach lying and fresh croissants and coffee. We met our friends and her family for brunch to say goodbye and happy birthday one more time. We made our way to a lovely restaurant called Au Mal Assis for lunch over the water as we wouldn’t really be eating a proper dinner while travelling home. Our friends that had dinner with us the first night accompanied us again before saying their goodbyes to us too. We walked down to the beach for one last walk along the water and sat on the rocks jetting out to soak it all up as much as possible before we got the rental car and headed back to Nice, Airport. 

Phew, we packed a lot in for only being there two days but it was just the break we needed. It’s good to have the kids learn to be independent without us and for us to spend some adult time together. We got to see friends, meet new ones, have romantic dinners out, be beach bumps and eat delicious food. I call that a weekend getaway success. 

We returned home just in time to put the kids to bed ourselves. They were over the moon to hear us walk back through the door with gifts for them. Gosh, I missed them so much. It’s the best feeling in the world when you turn that door handle and you hear them running and screaming your name before they even see you in the doorway! 

Have you ever been to Cannes, France? It’s the perfect location to get to for a short weekend of sunshine and everything is super easy to get to on foot. We loved our airbnb and our friends all raved about theirs too.