Getting to the amfAR Gala
Nice Côte d'Azur, Cannes-Mandelieu, helicopter, chauffeur or boat: arriving on the Riviera, then reaching Cap d'Antibes on gala night, without enduring the May roads.
Last updated 5 October 2026 · 4 min read
In recent years the amfAR Gala has been held on Cap d'Antibes, between Cannes and Nice. Nice Côte d'Azur airport, around twenty kilometres away, handles all types of aircraft; Cannes-Mandelieu, west of Cannes, receives jets of a compatible size, but neither at night nor heavy aircraft. The helicopter links Nice to Cannes in around ten minutes. During the Festival, the coast road between Cannes and Antibes is very busy in the late afternoon and evening: on gala night, you leave early with a dedicated chauffeur, or arrive by sea.
Where the evening is held, and why the journey matters
In recent years the gala has been held at the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, on Cap d'Antibes: a peninsula between Juan-les-Pins and Antibes, around fifteen kilometres from Cannes along the coast road, via Golfe-Juan. The foundation confirms the venue of each edition; we follow its announcement for 2027.
The journey matters because the evening falls in the middle of the Cannes Film Festival: for twelve days, the coast welcomes visitors from all over the world, and the road between Cannes and Antibes is saturated in the late afternoon and evening. On gala night, arriving at the Cap comes down to the hour.
By air: Nice Côte d'Azur or Cannes-Mandelieu?
Nice Côte d'Azur is the gateway to the Riviera: the airport handles all types of aircraft, from scheduled flights to long-range jets, and its business aviation terminals are well versed in Festival weeks. Cap d'Antibes is around twenty kilometres away by road.
Cannes-Mandelieu, west of Cannes, is the bay's business aviation airfield. It does not accept jets above thirty-five tonnes maximum take-off weight, and night flights are prohibited there: in season, the terminal closes shortly after sunset. For a light or midsize jet arriving by day, it is a direct option into Cannes; for Cap d'Antibes, Nice is often just as convenient.
By helicopter
The helicopter link between Nice airport and Cannes takes around ten minutes: a smooth connection with a long-haul flight during the Festival, when the road is busy. It is quoted individually, according to the number of passengers and the time.
Landing points closer to Cap d'Antibes depend on authorisations and on the conditions of the day: we check them for your date, and otherwise plan a car to take over on landing.
By road, on gala night
A dedicated chauffeur remains the basis of a smooth stay. On gala night, the rule is simple: leave early, with a route plan that knows the peak hours and the fallback routes. The chauffeur drops you off, waits, and brings you back at the hour that suits you — including very late.
From Cannes, the drive is short at ordinary times, but noticeably longer in the late afternoon and evening during the Festival. From an address on the Cap or in Juan-les-Pins, the journey shrinks to a few minutes: one of the reasons to stay there. Our guide Where to Stay for the amfAR Gala compares the addresses.
By sea
The coast can also be travelled by water. A crewed boat makes it possible to reach Cap d'Antibes from Cannes without taking the road, depending on the weather and mooring authorisations, and extends the next day into a day out to the Lérins Islands.
We arrange it for the day or for a single crossing, with a car waiting on arrival when disembarking requires it. The sea remains subject to the conditions of the day: we always plan a solution by road.
| Mode | For whom | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Private jet via Nice Côte d'Azur | All types of aircraft, evening arrival possible | Around twenty kilometres to the Cap |
| Private jet via Cannes-Mandelieu | Light and midsize jets, daytime arrival | No night flights; nothing above thirty-five tonnes |
| Helicopter from Nice | Connection with a long-haul flight | Around ten minutes to Cannes; landing points to be checked |
| Dedicated chauffeur | Every journey of the stay | Leave early on gala night |
| Crewed boat | From Cannes, or for the day | Depending on the weather and mooring authorisations |
| Train to Cannes or Antibes | From Paris, with no time constraint | A car waiting at the station |
What we arrange
A single route plan, from the flight to the return at night: the airport chosen according to the aircraft and the time, the helicopter when it saves time, a dedicated chauffeur for the stay, the boat for the day at sea, and a margin on gala night. Everything is quoted individually, with timings set to your plans. Our amfAR Gala VIP page composes the whole stay.
Frequently asked questions
Nice Côte d'Azur for almost everything: it handles all types of aircraft, including in the evening, around twenty kilometres from Cap d'Antibes. Cannes-Mandelieu suits light and midsize jets arriving by day.
No: night flights are prohibited there, and the business aviation terminal closes shortly after sunset in season. For a late arrival or a departure just after the evening, Nice is the natural choice.
Around fifteen kilometres along the coast road. The drive is short at ordinary times, but noticeably longer in the late afternoon and evening during the Festival: we allow a margin on gala night.
Yes: the Nice–Cannes link takes around ten minutes. Landing points closer to the Cap depend on authorisations; we check them for your date, otherwise a car takes over.
Yes, depending on the weather and mooring authorisations: a crewed boat links Cannes to Cap d'Antibes without taking the road. We always plan a fallback solution by road.
That is what we advise during the Festival: a dedicated chauffeur knows the peak hours, waits during the evening and brings you back at any hour. It is quoted individually, by the day.
Take it further
Your route plan, from the flight to the return at night
Tell us where you are travelling from, with which aircraft and how many guests: we compose the journeys of the stay — plane, helicopter, chauffeur, sea — quoted individually and subject to availability.