What's the Cannes Film Festival Really Like? Our Instagram Diary From the French Riviera

Ever wondered what it's really like to attend the Cannes Film Festival? This year, our POPSUGAR team was on the ground once again to cover premiere red carpets, review the films in competition, and interview the stars in attendance — and we were sure to capture all the once-in-a-lifetime moments and memories in pictures. Click through for all of our Instagram candids, and catch all of our Cannes Film Festival coverage as we count down the final days of this world-class cinematic celebration.

We captured this snap of Robert Pattinson at the premiere for his film The Rover, which was his first of two movies to debut at the festival this year; he also costars in Maps to the Stars.

Ryan Gosling announced his directorial debut, Lost River, at its Cannes premiere, telling the audience he was honored to present his film at such a prestigious event.

Channing Tatum flashed a smile toward our cameras as he debuted Foxcatcher at the festival. The film is already garnering the actor some early Oscar buzz.

Our crew filmed segments for POPSUGAR Now just across the street from the festival's famous red carpet steps. Our most unforgettable shooting location ever?

An oceanside view from Nikki Beach's beachfront lounge, where magnums of Champagne were the order of the day for VIP guests.

We caught this snap of the beach on one of our first mornings in Cannes. The shades of blue are seemingly endless on the French Riviera.

Hilary Swank struck a pose for photographers as she left the premiere of her latest film, The Homesman. We caught this snap of the actress as people clamored for a shot of her in her stunning one-shouldered dress.

This orange tart from a boulangerie down the street from our apartment was almost too pretty to eat. That didn't stop us, however.

The Hotel du Cap, just outside Cannes, is the place where all the biggest stars stay during the festival. The picturesque views are one of the storied location's biggest draws; this diving board proved nearly impossible for us to resist!

We took a midday gelato break before a screening. Our scoop of cherry vanilla was artfully arranged to look like the petals of a rose.

We caught this sunset snap of the waves crashing against a rocky beach. Heavenly!

A little piece of movie history: at Cannes's oldest restaurant, L'Auberge Provencale, we were seated at legendary film actor Errol Flynn's favorite table.

The scene at Chopard's big Cannes bash, which drew supermodels like Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima, was over-the-top in the best way possible. Held inside an airport hangar, the party was also host to a jumbo jet as the centerpiece of the decor. The DJ actually spun from inside its cockpit!

We caught a snap of Ryan Reynolds and Mireille Enos at the press conference for The Captive, where Ryan joked about the worst advice he ever got from a director: to avoid blinking!

We are only slightly ashamed to admit that we ate this Magnum bar coated in Belgian chocolate, popcorn, gold flake, and coconut for breakfast one day before shooting an episode of POPSUGAR Now at the ice cream giant's beachside location.

Producer Carla Hawkes and POPSUGAR Now's Becca Frucht sported masks at the Dancing Spies party, where we interviewed Rosario Dawson on the red carpet.

We snagged a seat at the premiere of Ryan Gosling's Lost River, which is in competition at this year's festival. Ryan was swarmed by fans following the screening after he and his cast, including Christina Hendricks, tried to make their way out of the theater.

Rita Ora asked us not to tell her which famous faces would be in the crowd during her performance at Belvedere's Cannes party, because she was worried it would make her too nervous!

We walked by this charming carousel, just across the street from the Palais des Festivals, each morning on our way to the center of town.

Our team stopped by a party for Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy's movie The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby and took a Cannes class photo. From left: production assistant Matt Dickinson, POPSUGAR Now LA anchor Becca Frucht, supervising producer Carla Hawkes, entertainment editor Lindsay Miller, and director of photography Thomas Beckner.

Coco the Chow Chow, a fixture in her Cannes neighborhood, made herself comfortable outside a restaurant.

The scenery at Magnum's beachside lounge.

After catching a screening of Maps to the Stars, we capped off the evening with a French treat: crème caramel.

The view of the film festival's storied red carpet steps, taken from the balcony where we shot much of our content for POPSUGAR Now.

POPSUGAR Now's Becca Frucht caught up with Rosario Dawson, who was in town for the premiere of her film The Captive, on the red carpet.

One night, as we made our way to a red carpet, we were stopped in our tracks by a gorgeous fireworks display along the Boulevard de la Croisette. Breathtaking!

Boats and yachts circled Cannes the morning we took this photo of the impossibly blue ocean and sky above.

We couldn't resist another tart photo: this time, a raspberry version from France's answer to Target, Monoprix.

Photographers, all dressed in black-tie attire, lined the steps of the theater just minutes before the cast of The Rover arrived for their premiere.

Entertainment editor Lindsay Miller chatted with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley following the debut of her short film, Celebrate Pleasure.