Classic Cannes

Rejoice if you're a fan of all things celebrity. Next week sees the return of the Cannes Film Festival, the annual celebrity shindig that brings the world's top movie stars flocking to the Côte d'Azur in an all-out media frenzy.

From Grace Kelly and Sharon Stone to Bruce Willis and Gérard Depardieu, the great and the good of the entertainment industry have all hit the festival over the years. The 2012 event, which also marks its 65th birthday, looks set to be bigger, glitzier and even more star-studded than ever.

But although Cannes owes a lot to the celebrity spotlight for putting it on the map, the festival is the worst time to visit. True, there are stars aplenty doing their red carpet photo calls outside the Palais des Festivals or on the beachfront boulevard of La Croisette but the crowds and tight security mean there's little chance of getting up close and personal. Add in sky-high prices, sold-out hotels and restaurants crammed with movie executives bellowing into mobiles and you'll soon thank yourself for staying home and catching the coverage on TV.

Outside the festival, however, it's a different story, and Cannes' considerable charm can be enjoyed on many different levels. I took full advantage of British Airways' new service from Gatwick to Nice. From there, it's a 30-minute transfer by express bus to the centre of Cannes. I'm sure Brad and Angelina might choose a more glamorous way to arrive but even a movie mogul would have to admit that the bus is incredibly convenient.

Things got considerably more A-list when I checked into the very fabulous Hôtel Martinez. Located about halfway along La Croisette, it's one of six fivestar properties in town and a member of Leading Hotels of the World (for a small town with a population of only 70,000, Cannes seriously punches above its weight in the accommodation stakes). With more than 400 rooms, the Martinez is also one of the largest hotels on the Riviera, though even top stars have to plan ahead if they want to stay here as it sells out for the festival more than a year in advance.

Everything about the hotel — from its Art Deco portico out front to the eyewateringly expensive spa on the top floor — screams good taste but you don't have to be famous to feel at home here. Fortunately for me, the hotel can be surprisingly affordable outside peak season and I was able to soak up its movie-star grandeur on a considerably more pedestrian budget.

As for the extras, sun loungers on the private beach can be rented from just €15 per day and even the in-house restaurant, La Palme d'Or (named after the film festival's top prize), offers a prix fixé lunch menu for less than €70 a head, which really isn't bad for two-Michelin-star cuisine.

But don't dismiss Cannes as nothing more than a playground for the rich and famous. There's a whole other side to the town that's a world away from its Film Festival image and you don't have to look very hard to find it.

A 15-minute stroll along the seafront took me past hotels and high-end boutiques (Prada, Versace and Dior) to the charmingly traditional old town, where a wander around Forville Market set a very different tone for my day. It's a typically French farmers' market featuring stalls piled high with fresh Provençal produce such as honey, olives and all kinds of vegetables.

Nearby Rue Meynadier is another treasure trove of local goodies. From printed tablecloths and lavenderscented soaps to pungent cheeses and slices of pissaladière (a delicious onion tart), this is the place to come in search of regional specialities.