Cannes Film Festival Private Jet Catering: VIP Arrivals on the Riviera
Cannes Film Festival private jet catering is part of one of the most glamorous fortnights on the aviation calendar. Every May, the festival turns the Croisette into the centre of the film world, and the airports of the Côte d'Azur welcome a steady stream of producers, actors, directors, distributors and their guests. For flight departments and charter operators, it is a time when every arrival and every departure deserves the same polish as the red carpet.
Global Diners prepares VVIP inflight catering from its own production kitchen in Nice, alongside its kitchens in Paris (Le Bourget) and Madrid and a network of more than 2,500 airports. This guide covers the Riviera airports used during the festival, how to time catering around busy festival schedules and which menus suit the mood of the fortnight, all with complete discretion.
The festival fortnight on the Riviera
The Festival de Cannes takes place each year in May, over about twelve days, at the Palais des Festivals. Screenings, premieres, the film market and the evening galas create a rhythm of arrivals at the start of the festival, short visits during the fortnight and departures after the closing ceremony. Many guests also combine the festival with a stay in Monaco, Saint-Tropez or the hills of Provence.
Opening days: a wave of arrivals as delegations, juries and talent reach the coast.
Mid-festival: day trips and quick turnarounds for premieres, meetings and market screenings.
Closing weekend: departures to Paris, London, the United States and the Middle East.
The festival often sits close to the Monaco Grand Prix on the calendar, which makes May and early June one of the liveliest periods for business aviation on the Côte d'Azur. Planning catering a day ahead is the simplest way to enjoy it.
Which airports serve the Cannes Film Festival?
Festival guests use several airports, each with its own profile. The table below summarises them from a catering point of view.
Airport | Distance to Cannes | Catering with Global Diners |
Nice (LFMN / NCE) | About 30 km | Own kitchen in Nice, planeside delivery |
Cannes (LFMD / CEQ) | A few minutes from the Croisette | Our kitchens, delivery per airport arrangements |
Toulon-Hyères (LFTH / TLN) | About 1 h 30 by road | Our kitchens, delivery per airport arrangements |
Saint-Tropez La Môle (LFTZ / LTT) | Ideal for Saint-Tropez stays | Our kitchens, delivery per airport arrangements |
Marseille (LFML / MRS) | About 2 h by road | Our kitchens, delivery per airport arrangements |
Nice: the main festival gateway
Nice (LFMN / NCE) welcomes the largest share of festival traffic, with full business aviation infrastructure and a General Aviation Terminal. Our own kitchen is in Nice, so catering is prepared locally and delivered planeside, directly to the aircraft.
Cannes Mandelieu: closest to the Croisette
Cannes (LFMD / CEQ) is the closest airport to the Palais des Festivals and suits light and midsize jets. Catering for Cannes is coordinated through our kitchens, with delivery according to the airport's arrangements. Many itineraries also combine Cannes with Saint-Tropez La Môle (LFTZ / LTT) or Toulon-Hyères (LFTH / TLN).
During festival week, the finest service is the one guests barely notice: the table is set, the champagne is chilled and the next leg is already taken care of.
Discretion comes first
Festival travel is personal, and discretion is part of every Global Diners order. Orders are handled by our specialised team using the aircraft registration and the details the operator chooses to share. Passenger names are never needed to prepare a menu, and nothing about a flight is ever shared or published.
The same care applies to presentation. Catering arrives in elegant, discreet packaging, labelled for the cabin crew rather than for the guests, so the aircraft feels like a private residence from the moment the doors open.
For guests who prefer privacy on arrival, the onboard menu can be designed so that everything is ready before the doors open, allowing the cabin crew to focus entirely on hospitality.
Festival-season menus
The Riviera in May calls for light, bright, Mediterranean flavours. From the Global Diners menu card, popular festival choices include:
Arrivals: champagne, canapés, seasonal crudités and a light seafood selection.
Day trips: breakfast boxes with viennoiseries, fresh fruit and yoghurt, or a light lunch between screenings.
Gala evenings: elegant small plates before guests leave the aircraft, so they arrive at the Palais relaxed.
Departures: a full dinner service with a cheese course and dessert for the flight home.
Allergen labelling is applied to every item, and dietary requirements such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal or kosher-style preferences can be noted on the order. Restaurant pick-ups can also be coordinated, for example from Beefbar Monaco. Wine and champagne selections follow local rules on alcohol.
Timing catering around festival schedules
Festival plans can change quickly as screenings move and invitations arrive. The best way to keep things smooth is a simple routine:
Order 24 hours before delivery, by email to order@globaldiners.com.
Share the aircraft registration, airport, date, delivery time and passenger count.
Confirm dietary requirements and any special occasion, such as a premiere celebration.
Let our specialised team know as soon as a departure time moves, so delivery follows the new schedule.
For multi-leg trips, order every leg at once, including the return from Paris or London.
For short-notice requests, our guide to ordering last-minute private jet catering explains what to include in your email. Arrivals from outside the Schengen area can also read our VIP immigration guide for French Riviera airports.
Before and after the festival
Many festival guests arrive from Paris (LFPB / LBG), London (EGLF / FAB) or Geneva (LSGG / GVA), and continue to Monaco, Saint-Tropez or the islands after the closing ceremony. Our guide to private jet catering in Paris and the French Riviera covers both ends of the journey, and our Nice private jet catering guide gives more detail about the Nice station.
After two weeks of screenings and late evenings, the flight home is a moment to unwind. A generous dinner service, a fine cheese course and a selection of desserts, served at the guests' own pace, make the final leg of the festival a relaxed and memorable one, whether the aircraft is heading to Paris, London or further afield.
In Paris, catering is prepared in our own kitchen at Le Bourget and delivered planeside. In Madrid, it is delivered at the FBO. At other airports, our kitchens prepare the order and delivery follows each airport's arrangements.
Events That Shape Private Jet Catering at Cannes (LFMD / CEQ)
Cannes-Mandelieu is the closest airfield to the Croisette, and its year is shaped by the Palais des Festivals: property, television, advertising and film all hold flagship events here, followed by the boat show in September. Add the summer holiday months and the small apron fills quickly, with handling teams and local restaurant kitchens stretched at the same moments. The airfield suits light and mid-size jets, so schedules are planned carefully. Our kitchens, selected specifically for private aviation, are at their busiest in May and July. Send orders two to three days before peak weeks, confirm the guest list early and arrange the delivery time with your handler. Provençal crudités, tapenades, grilled vegetables and fresh fruit make light, travel-ready choices for short sectors.
Event | When | Where |
Cannes Film Festival | May | Palais des Festivals, Cannes |
Cannes Lions | June | Palais des Festivals, Cannes |
MIPIM | March | Palais des Festivals, Cannes |
MIPCOM | October | Palais des Festivals, Cannes |
Cannes Yachting Festival | September | Vieux Port and Port Pierre Canto, Cannes |
Summer season | July to August | Cannes, Mandelieu-la-Napoule and the Esterel coast |
Cannes Film Festival at Cannes (LFMD / CEQ): May
For twelve days the Croisette becomes the centre of world cinema, with premieres, juries, sales markets and red-carpet evenings. Cannes-Mandelieu, a short drive from the Palais, is the first choice for guests flying in smaller jets who want to avoid a long transfer. Orders placed three days ahead give the widest choice during festival fortnight. Plated cold dishes, caviar service and Champagne suit post-premiere departures, and late-night delivery can be agreed with your handler.
Palais des Festivals events and holiday peaks move from one year to the next, so confirm dates with our team when you book catering.
Things to do around Cannes (LFMD / CEQ)
From the airfield it is a short drive to the Croisette, its private beach clubs and the old port. Ferries cross to the Lérins Islands, where Sainte-Marguerite has pine walks and clear water and Saint-Honorat is home to a working monastery with its own vineyard. West of Mandelieu, the red rock of the Esterel massif is ideal for hiking and coastal drives. Mandelieu has two golf courses, including the historic Old Course, and hilltop villages such as Mougins and Grasse are within easy reach inland. In summer, sea kayaking and boat trips along the Esterel coves are popular half-day outings.
Culture and heritage near Cannes (LFMD / CEQ)
Le Suquet, the hill of old Cannes, holds the Musée de la Castre in a medieval castle. On Sainte-Marguerite, the Fort Royal is linked with the legend of the Man in the Iron Mask. In Mandelieu-la-Napoule, the Château de la Napoule was restored by an American artist couple in the early 20th century. Grasse is the historic centre of French perfumery, and Picasso spent his last years in Mougins.
FBOs at Cannes (LFMD / CEQ): the business aviation terminals here are run by Sky Valet. Our team coordinates every delivery with the FBO or handler you choose.
Also nearby: Nice (LFMN / NCE)
Nice-Côte d'Azur is the main airport for the French Riviera and Monaco, and one of Europe's busiest airports for business aviation. Traffic is driven by Monaco residents and family offices, yacht owners joining boats in Monaco, Antibes and Cannes, and summer villa guests heading to Cap Ferrat, Èze and Saint-Tropez. Helicopter transfers link the airport to Monaco in minutes. Demand peaks from May to September, with sharp spikes around the Monaco Grand Prix and the Cannes Film Festival, while autumn and winter bring steady corporate and residential flights.
FBOs at Nice (LFMN / NCE): the business aviation terminals here include Signature Aviation, AviaVIP and DC Aviation G-OPS. Our own kitchen delivers planeside, with timings agreed with the FBO or handler you choose.
FBOs at every airport in this guide
Here are the business aviation terminals (FBOs) at each airport mentioned above. Our team coordinates every catering delivery with the FBO or handler you choose, and our own kitchens deliver planeside at Paris (LFPB / LBG) and Nice (LFMN / NCE).
Cannes (LFMD / CEQ): Sky Valet
Nice (LFMN / NCE): Signature Aviation, AviaVIP and DC Aviation G-OPS
Toulon-Hyères (LFTH / TLN): Toulon-Hyères Vinci Airports Executive Handling
Saint-Tropez (LFTZ / LTT): Sky Valet St Tropez
Marseille (LFML / MRS): Jetex Marseille FBO and AviaVIP
Paris (LFPB / LBG): Dassault Falcon Service, Jet Aviation, Signature Aviation, Advanced Air Support International, Jetex Le Bourget, ExecuJet Paris and Universal Aviation France
Farnborough (EGLF / FAB): Farnborough Airport Ltd
Geneva (LSGG / GVA): Geneva Airpark SA, Signature Aviation, Dassault Aviation Business Services SA, Jet Aviation Geneva and Privatport
Frequently asked questions
When is the Cannes Film Festival?
The Festival de Cannes takes place every year in May, over about twelve days, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. Check the official festival website for each year's exact dates.
Which airport is best for the Cannes Film Festival by private jet?
Nice (LFMN / NCE) is the main gateway, about 30 km from Cannes, while Cannes (LFMD / CEQ) is the closest airport to the Croisette for light and midsize jets.
Does Global Diners deliver catering planeside at Nice during the festival?
Yes. Catering for Nice (LFMN / NCE) is prepared in our own Nice kitchen and delivered planeside, directly to the aircraft.
How far in advance should I order festival catering?
We recommend ordering 24 hours before delivery by email to order@globaldiners.com, with the aircraft registration, delivery time and passenger count.
Can I order catering at Cannes-Mandelieu (LFMD / CEQ) during the Cannes Film Festival?
Yes. Cannes-Mandelieu (LFMD / CEQ) is covered throughout the Cannes Film Festival in May, when private arrivals and departures concentrate around the Croisette. Our team works with our kitchens to plan quantities and delivery windows for this period. Ordering early is the best way to secure menus and timings during festival fortnight.
Can you add a tarte tropézienne or Provençal aperitif to my Cannes order?
Yes, for flights from Cannes-Mandelieu (LFMD / CEQ), a tarte tropézienne, tapenade, anchoïade with crudités and fougasse can be added to any order on request. Our team packs the pastry so the cream stays chilled until service, and the aperitif items are boxed ready to plate in the cabin. Let us know the number of guests when ordering.
Explore more destinations and guides
Private jet catering in Nice (LFMN / NCE)
Private jet catering in Cannes (LFMD / CEQ)
Private jet catering in Saint-Tropez La Môle (LFTZ / LTT)
Flying to the Cannes Film Festival?
From the first arrival to the final departure after the closing ceremony, Global Diners prepares Cannes Film Festival private jet catering with care, elegance and complete discretion. Share your itinerary and our specialised team will prepare the right selection from the Global Diners menu card for every leg.
To request a quote, email order@globaldiners.com with your aircraft registration, airport, date, delivery time and passenger count. Our specialised team replies with a dedicated quote for your mission.
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