Posing for a selfie on the 22 steps leading up to the main entrance of this concrete bunker – unlikely host to the world’s most glamorous film festival – at the western end of La Croisette is an essential Cannes experience. Afterwards, wander along the Allée des Étoiles du Cinéma, a footpath of 46 celebrity hand imprints in the pavement; it begins with the hands of Meryl Streep in front of the tourist office.

　　The only way to enter the festival building and walk into the auditorium, tread the stage and learn about cinema’s most glamorous event is with a Palais des Festivals guided tour organised by the Cannes tourist office. Check dates and get booking instructions on the tourist office website.