Cannes, According to … The Local, Lawyer Susan Abramovitch

Entertainment lawyer Susan Abramovitch, partner at law firm Gowling WLG, splits her time between Toronto and Cannes.

With the Cannes Film Festival taking over much of the famed Croisette, just like every year, she shared tips with THR some and discussed the biggest Cannes faux-pas to avoid for visitors.

Check out Abramovitch’s insights below.

Best place to grab a drink after 3 a.m.?
Palm Club. OK, you caught me. I had to consult my 24-year-old stepdaughter on this one. She says Palm Club trumps Baoli, hands down. Newly opened in 2023, it replaced Gotha. Designer clothes and bottle service only.

One thing you won’t travel without, besides your phone?
My Goyard Saint Louis tote. My best insider tip for you is this: Skip the painful lineups at the Paris and NYC shops and go to the Monaco store instead. It’s worth it for the selection and immediate entry. But don’t forget your passport! For VAT refund, they don’t accept a photo.

Biggest Cannes faux pas?
Calling it “Kahn.” Everyone — please! — it’s “Cannes” (as in “can of foie gras”). Pronouncing it “Kahn” is a dead giveaway that you’re new to this place.

Best bargain in Cannes?
Lunch at the numbered beach huts along the Croisette. My favorite day off is setting up my Tommy Bahama beach chair (carried myself from Toronto Costco to Cannes) on Bijou Plage — where the locals tan — and not leaving until “cinq a sept” time. 

Biggest Cannes pet peeve?
Pedestrians cutting in front of you on narrow sidewalks and then blocking your path. While the French are not well known for their respect for others’ personal space, sidewalk blocking is a particular specialty of the Cannois. This is no place for New York sidewalk hustlers.

How has the past year changed your attitude to theatrical?
I’m so happy to be back with the crowds at the cinema. Like some of us, it took me a while to get off the couch, but once there, you can’t get me out.