The best places to go in Cannes, according to Lisa Vanderpump: ‘It’s like Beverly Hills on the sea’
It’s time to get Vanderpumped for the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival.
Lisa Vanderpump — a former resident of the South of France — is sharing her favorite spots in the scenic oceanside city exclusively with Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” podcast co-hosts Danny Murphy and Evan Real, who will be on the ground reporting when the weeklong event kicks off June 17.
“I know Cannes very, very well. You should go to a cute little beach restaurant called L’ecrin [Plage],” the reality star, 63, says of the waterfront eatery known for its decadent seafood options and fine wines.
Vanderpump says it’s the “perfect” place for lunch, but also has you covered for a dinner idea in Cannes’ historic Le Suquet district, aka the Old Town.
“You should go to a beautiful restaurant in the Old Town called Le Maschou,” she says, emphasizing its “one-of-a-kind” menu that features savory steaks with hefty price tags — including a Japanese Wagyu beef tenderloin that will set visitors back about $527 — and delectable desserts.
For cocktails, Vanderpump tells us that the famed Carlton Hotel is her favorite spot.
“You should go and have drinks on the … Carlton terrace,” she says of the space where celebrities are known to spend their downtime during the festival for creatives, marketing professionals and advertising execs.
“You really, really should go,” the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum adds.
What Vanderpump loves most about Cannes is its unrequited glamour that reminds the British expat of her current home base of Los Angeles — but with a French twist.
“It’s like Beverly Hills on the sea,” she raves. “You have the sophistication of great shopping, great restaurants but you’re right on the ocean. It’s beautiful. But you also have the quality of life, it doesn’t feel [like a] beach town. It feels like a city, which I love about it.”
Vanderpump elaborates, “There’s also a very kind of relaxed attitude in France. You should have a glass rosé at lunchtime, you can sleep in the afternoon, you can have a mistress! That’s just the French way of life and I know it very well.”
The restaurateur — who at one point lived just a 15-minute drive from Cannes at the late Jack Warner’s former home, Villa Aujourd’hui, in Antibes — recently launched a new business venture in the South of France, becoming the centerpiece of her new Hulu show, “Vanderpump Villa.”
The unscripted series follows staffers at Chateau Rosabelle, where patrons are treated to bespoke hospitality experiences at the luxe estate.
For more Page Six reality TV updates…
Two star employees include chefs Anthony Bar and Caroline Byl, both French, whom Vanderpump hired for their talent to curate premium dishes that celebrate the heritage of their native country.
Bar and Byl urge Cannes Lions goers to indulge in the city’s unique culinary offerings — and to skip any American fare they may be tempted to order.
“I hate when people go to a French restaurant and order a burger. In America, you can have an amazing burger anywhere you go. If you go to France, try something new. There is no particular restaurant in Cannes I would recommend,” Bar tells us.
“You just have to go over there with an open mind and really commit to trying everything you can. In Cannes, you want to indulge in French things like escargot and all the amazing fresh seafood because, obviously, you’re right on the water.”
Byl agrees, adding that spontaneity is the secret ingredient to a satisfying meal in France.
“Having the opportunity to spend time in Cannes, people really should make it a culinary adventure. I love the idea of walking into what looks like a hole in the wall and finding something absolutely magical,” she says.
“It has happened to me so many times in France, where it doesn’t necessarily look good from the outside but you walk in and the chef just amazes you.”
“Vanderpump Villa” is available to stream on Hulu.
