Cannes Film Festival 2007 - A Different Perspective   by Adrien Balasko

Cannes 60th Film Festival has drawn to a close, and people are going back home. The list of people as usual includes big movie stars, directors, producers, journalists, photographers and paparazzi, movie enthusiasts and thousands and thousands of tourists who planned their vacation around this BIG Occasion. "How was the festival" I asked a fellow passenger who was managing some mementos from Cannes in his bag with a lot of care and he was all out. The first thing he uttered was "Experience" and then added "experience of a life time - I saw Tom Hanks".

All of a sudden, he went dull - "actually I couldn't recognize him, by the time Sara (his girl friend) told me about Tom, he was gone. The place where we were standing was so crowded and people were shouting so much in so many different languages that I was almost deaf and dumb." John and Sydney are getting married in August 2007 but they are done with the honeymoon trip. Yes, it was a pre-marriage honeymoon trip. "Actually we were planning a honeymoon trip and France was an unconditional choice" said Sydney another tourist from UK "and when John proposed me to reschedule our honeymoon during the festival, I was thrilled".

However, you will not find the same reaction in every travelling mouth. For example, Andrey and her wife Diana are not so happy. "We wanted to spend some time together, but the places are so crowded that we could hardly find a beautiful place to sit and sip", said Andrey from Australia. It was their first France vacation trip and they scheduled it around this time to grab the most at one go. "We thought that we would go to Cannes sometimes but Cannes was everywhere", added Diana, "we are lucky that we booked our holiday cottage months back, otherwise we couldn't even have a decent place to stay".

Nevertheless, almost everyone is just overwhelmed with French hospitality and scenic beauty. They would love to come back to France for yet another vacation sometimes in near future.

If you plan to spend a vacation in France during festivals, you must consider a few things beforehand.

1) French holiday villas, cottages or houses are usually full. You must book your place months before stepping in here. Even if you plan to come during off-season, it is better to follow the same practice to get the best possible deal and living space.

2) Make a detailed plan of your trip including the places you would love to visit.

3) When your travel plans are ready, book tickets and hotels accordingly; your travelling agent can help you a lot in this aspect.

4) Do not leave anything on chance; otherwise, the trip may end up in a weird way.

5) There are always so many other things to look out - be flexible and enjoy every step in France.

France is waiting - where are you!

About the Author - Adrien Balasko is a freelance reporter. For more information on French holiday houses, cottages, villas and other accommodations, Adrien recommends http://www.frenchentree.com/

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