Frequently Asked Questions

Please click on a question to see its answer

Q1: I’d like to book an apartment. What do I do next?

A: Click on the reservation button at the top of the page and check the availability of the apartment by clicking on the name of the apartment you are interested in. Then contact us by phone or email to confirm availability, price and to arrange payment of booking deposit by credit card or bank transfer.
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Q2: Can I book online?

A: Not quite. You can check the availability by clicking the reservation at the top of the page and selecting the relevant apartment. You can see the weekly rate by clicking the rates button at the top of the page. In order to book the apartment you need to contact us by phone or email to arrange payment of the non-refundable booking deposit in order to confirm your booking.
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Q3: How much does an apartment cost to rent?

A: All our weekly rates, including Festivals/Conferences, can be found on the rates page. These prices are per week and in Euros. For stays longer or shorter than a week please contact us for details or pricing.
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Q4: Are there any other charges on top of the rental rates?

A: Other than damages and breakages, there are no other additional charges. Unlimited Wi-Fi and use of printer are complimentary.
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Q5: I’ve paid my deposit. What happens next?

A: In order to secure your booking you pay 50% of the rate as a non-refundable booking deposit. A month before your stay starts, you will be required to pay the remainder of the cost plus a fully-refundable €500 security deposit to cover damage or breakages.
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Q6: It’s within one month of my stay, I’ve paid the full fee and the security deposit, but I can’t go to Cannes as
scheduled. What do I do and can I get my money back?

A: The 50% booking deposit paid at the time of booking is non-refundable. The remaining 50% paid one month prior to booking is refundable but only as long as we can find another booking for this period. For this reason, please let us know as early as you can so we can endeavour to find a replacement booking as quickly as possible and refund you 50% of what you have paid. The security deposit would of course be fully refunded.
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Q7: When do I get my security deposit back?

A: We aim to return all security deposits (minus the cost of breakages/damage) within a week of the end of your stay. If you have paid by credit card, this will be refunded to the card you used to pay for your stay. If you transferred money directly, it will be returned to the same account. Under no circumstances can the deposit be returned to a different card/account.
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Q8: What is the minimum period I can rent for?

A: There is no minimum period per se, but given the costs of renting are mainly fixed (changing linen, towels and cleaning) irrespective of length of stay, a period of less than 3 nights will probably be relatively expensive on a daily basis in comparison with other accommodation alternatives.
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Q9: Do I have to rent for exactly a week?

A: No. The prices on the rates page are quoted per week but you can stay for more or less time as you wish – please contact us for the exact rate for the period you wish to stay.
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Q10: Is it safe to pay by Credit Card?

A: We use market-leader PayPal to process all credit card payments on their secure network. If you choose to pay by credit card, we will email you a link to PayPal’s secure server where you can fill in your details to make your payment. Chic Gîtes will never ask for, see or store your credit card details.
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Q11: When is the best time to visit Cannes?

A: Cannes is a year-round holiday destination with daily highs ranging from around 15C in winter to 35C in summer. Even better than the pleasant temperature though is the classic clear blue-sky and sunshine of which there is on average far more than 300 days a year. Ask most locals though and they’ll always tell you June and September are the best months to visit with the peak-season crowds gone and the daily highs a very pleasant 25-28C. With rates from just €600 per week for 2 people, it’s around 30% cheaper than peak-season rental rates of July and August.
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Q12: What’s the closest airport to Cannes?

A: Nice International Airport is the closest, about 30mins by car from Cannes. You can also reach Cannes from Toulon and Marseille Airports at about 1hr15mins and 1hr45mins drives respectively.
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Q13: What do I need to bring?

A: Around a month before your stay starts we’ll email you pre-arrival information regarding your stay which will include details of what you need to bring. In general, we supply all towels and linen except beach towels which you’ll need to supply yourselves. We supply shampoo, shower gel and soap but not toothpaste. We supply basic provisions such as tea, coffee, sugar, margarine, olive oil, milk and toilet paper. For all other provisions we provide details of local supermarkets etc. All apartments are equipped with CD players and many with USB compatible speakers and DVDs (specific details will be provided in the pre-arrival information email) so you may wish to bring some of your own CDs/DVDs. All apartments are equipped with complimentary high-speed internet and printing facilities so you may wish to bring your own laptop computer.
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Q14: How do I find the apartment?

A: Around a month before your stay starts, we’ll email you some pre-arrival information regarding finding the apartment, what you’ll need to bring and your choices of transfers from Nice Airport.
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Q15: How do I get the keys to the apartment?

A: In most cases, a representative of Chic Gîtes will be at the apartment to greet you with the keys. Occasionally when this is not possible we will make alternative arrangements for the keys to be left nearby. In such cases, details and directions will be provided at the time of booking.
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Q16: I’m having such a great time in Cannes – can I extend my stay?

A: You can as long as the apartment is available at the prevailing rate for that period. Please contact us as soon as you have decided to extend to discuss availability and the rate at which you will be charged.
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Q17: I want to end my stay earlier than expected – can I get any money refunded?

A: No, I'm afraid not. Once the rental period is started, it will be charged in full for the period reserved.
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Q18: I’m going to hire a car – can I park it outside the apartment?

A: Public street parking in Cannes is extremely rare, however all our apartments are located just a short walk from one of Cannes’ public car parks. We strongly recommend buying a ticket in advance if you plan to use one of these car parks as the rates are substantially lower than simply turning up and using it. You need to allow around 3 weeks to order and have a ticket delivered. You will find details in the pre-arrival information, or click here. The cost is roughly €65 per week.
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Q19: Are the distances/walking times you give accurate?

A: Yes! And to prove it, we have included a Map page so you can see the exact location of apartments and the Palais des Festivals.
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Q20: I’m staying for 2 weeks. Will my towels/linen be changed during this period?

A: Yes – at the end of the first week, you’ll get a full change of linen and towels. If at any point you’d like another change of linen, this can be provided at a cost of €50 per double room.
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Q21: Can I get more than 1 change of linen per week?

A: Yes. At a cost of €50 per double room you can have an additional change of towels and linen.
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Q22: How often is my room cleaned?

A: The cost of rental includes normal cleaning costs of the apartment upon departure. No cleaning of the apartment during the stay is included.
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Q23: Do you provide breakfast?

A: No. However within 1-2mins walk of each apartment you’ll find either bakeries selling bread and pastries or cafes selling breakfast, coffee etc.
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Q24: I’ve broken something in the apartment – what do I do now?

A: If the accident involves something significant eg. a window, water heater, fridge etc please contact us immediately to inform us so we can set about repairing it as quickly as possible during your stay. For smaller breakages eg a glass/plate, please let us know at the end of your stay. In either case you will be liable for the replacement/repair costs which will be deducted from, but not limited to, the security deposit you have paid at booking.
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Q25: Are any of your apartments wheelchair accessible?

A: Unfortunately not at present. The nature of the turn of the century buildings we look for means lift-access is very rare. We are hoping to change this in the future but at present we have no suitable apartments.
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Q26: What does Chic Gîtes mean anyway?

A: “Chic” (pronounced sheek) is the French for stylish, while “Gîtes” (pronounced jeets) is the traditional French name for a furnished rental property. The properties we look for are turn of the century apartments with as many of the original features as possible maintained and restored. To compliment this, the interior design is of a modern, stylish feel with the added convenience of all modern facilities such as plasma TVs, high-speed internet, air-conditioning etc
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Q27: What is Le Suquet and where is it in relation to central Cannes?

A: Le Suquet is the old town of Cannes, located at the end of the Croisette on a hill. Anyone who has ever visited Cannes will know the famous Fort and Church on the hill by the old port of Cannes. In terms of location, Le Suquet is a 5-7mins walk from Le Palais des Festivals which puts it significantly closer than famous hotels such as the Carlton and the Martinez. It is also a 2-4mins walk from the public beaches of Plages de Midi and is also home to the famous Rue Le Suquet - a pedestrianised street climbing Le Suquet filled with restaurants and bars which spill into the street from April to October. One point to note is that given Le Suquet is located on a hill, it may be an unsuitable rental location for those with walking difficulties.
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Q28: What and where are La Croisette and Le Palais des Festivals?

A: La Croisette is the bay of Cannes, stretching about 1000m from Californie to the east to Le Palais des Festivals in the west. Le Palais des Festivals is the exhibition centre of Cannes and host to the many large conferences that take place each year in Cannes. It is also home to Cannes' famous red carpet. It is located by the sea front, about 400m east of Le Suquet and about 650m west of the Carlton Hotel.
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