Film production in Cannes
Between June and December, usable daylight in Cannes moves by 6h 26min — from 15h 24min down to 8h 58min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months, the climate profile.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Cannes rises at 05:51 and sets at 21:15; the evening golden hour starts at 20:32 and runs for 44 minutes. By December that shifts to 07:59–16:57, with a 47-minute golden-hour window from 16:10.
In practice, a spread of 6h 26min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:03 | 17:21 | 9h 18min | 16:36 |
| February | 07:32 | 18:02 | 10h 30min | 17:22 |
| March | 06:46 | 18:38 | 11h 52min | 18:00 |
| April | 06:50 | 20:15 | 13h 24min | 19:36 |
| May | 06:08 | 20:50 | 14h 42min | 20:09 |
| June | 05:51 | 21:15 | 15h 24min | 20:32 |
| July | 06:05 | 21:12 | 15h 07min | 20:29 |
| August | 06:37 | 20:38 | 14h 00min | 19:58 |
| September | 07:12 | 19:45 | 12h 33min | 19:07 |
| October | 07:46 | 18:51 | 11h 04min | 18:12 |
| November | 07:26 | 17:09 | 9h 42min | 16:26 |
| December | 07:59 | 16:57 | 8h 58min | 16:10 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Cannes starts at 21:37 in June and ends at 21:51 — a window of 14 minutes. In December it is 12 minutes from 17:17. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:38) and September (19:45) there are 67 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Weather and washout risk
Cannes averages 9 rain days in May and 2 in July. A three-day exterior shoot in May statistically loses 0.9 days — not a forecast, but the basis for deciding whether a cover set belongs in the budget.
| Month | Mean temperature | Rain days | Sunshine hours/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8.9 °C | 5 | 7.4 |
| February | 9.9 °C | 7 | 8.2 |
| March | 11.7 °C | 6 | 9.7 |
| April | 14.3 °C | 7 | 11.0 |
| May | 17.9 °C | 9 | 12.1 |
| June | 22.6 °C | 6 | 13.8 |
| July | 25.7 °C | 2 | 14.3 |
| August | 25.7 °C | 4 | 12.7 |
| September | 21.7 °C | 5 | 10.9 |
| October | 17.7 °C | 9 | 8.6 |
| November | 12.9 °C | 9 | 7.6 |
| December | 10.0 °C | 6 | 7.3 |
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Cannes?
In June it starts at 20:32 and lasts 44 minutes; in December it starts at 16:10 and lasts 47 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Cannes get?
Between 8h 58min in December and 15h 24min in June. The 6h 26min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Cannes?
Combining daylight and rain days, July comes out ahead: plenty of usable light with comparatively few rain days. June has the longest days but not necessarily the steadiest weather.