If the Coronavirus never spread across the planet, today would be opening day of the Festival de Cannes. Originally scheduled to take place from 12 - 23 May, the Cannes Film Festival is one of the most anticipated international events of the year. The entire Croisette gets lined in red carpet, posters of stars cover whole sides of buildings, and crowds gather outside the fancy hotels, hoping to catch a glimpse of an A-list star. Read more
What to watch: Alexa is back with some reviews of the hottest new series available to stream in France. There is one more week of confinement, so there is still time to binge before we go back to some kind of schedule... 
Riviera Insider's art writer, Sarah Hyde, met with author Anne de Courcy to discuss her latest book, “Chanel’s Riviera,” one of the latest historical accounts of high society in the French Riviera. Although bittersweet, this vibrant book allows a curious reader to peer through various keyholes of the pre-war decadence of the upper classes and the ravages of the war.
From 29 November 2019 to February 23, 2020, Parc Phoenix will be lighting up the French Riviera with a special Chinese lantern festival. Baie des Lumières, or ‘Nice, Bay of Lights,’ is a massive production of 550 hand-built lanterns depicting Chinese folklore and ancient tradition. Designed as a journey through Chinese traditions and know-how, the park will be illustrated by scenes of daily life and magical landscapes.
Sting is coming to Nice this weekend to perform his top hits and crowd favourites from his long and prolific career. Sting: My Songs will be a lively concert featuring the most beautiful songs written by Sting both solo and with The Police, earning him numerous Grammy Awards.
The renowned Biot glass artist, Antoine Perini will exhibit at the Monte Carlo Bay Hôtel & Resort in Monaco the until 30th of September. 
Our Art writer, Sarah Hyde, has scoured the PACA region for the most interesting art exhibitions. From Batman flying high above Marseille to Charlotte Gainsbourg guided full-moon hike on the Isles des Porquerolles, there are some great things to do and see. 
Olga Kozlova is a young abstract artist based in Nice, but unlike many other budding creatives following the ‘starving artist’ path, she works full-time at a tech company in Sophia- Antipolis. In fact, she has a PhD in Computer Science, with a focus on artificial intelligence.
Thomas Lemaire is one of the region's youngest artists, but his photography of the Côte d’Azur has already been featured on websites for the tourism board, professional corporate campaigns and in several exhibitions. His popularity only continues to grow. Riviera Insider speaks with this rising star before he blasts off to stardom.
2018 marks the 90th anniversary of the birth of Nice-born artist Yves Klein, one of the region’s favourite and most famous sons. In an interview with Alexandre Devals, the Venet Foundation’s director and curator of its current Klein exhibition Pigment Pur, Riviera Insider learns more about the venerated colour visionary and creator of a timeless deep blue hue.