born-and-bredChinesecresteddog.
“Peoplestop tophotographGouffyall the
time,”hesays. “She’sanatural-bornstar.”
If life inCannes isprettygood foradog,
thedeparture toabetterplace (if that’s
possible) isalsowell catered for.Animal
Respect, in thehillsaboveCannes, isone
ofFrance’svery fewpetcrematoriums,
andacceptseverything fromdogs to
goldfish.Pre-ceremony,petsarebrushed
andprepared (deep freezing isderigeur if
thecremationoccursmore than48hours
afterdeath), andawidechoiceofexclusive
designerurnsareavailable.Onecustomer
fromMonacohad theirchauffeurdrive
thebodyofarecentlydeceased terrier ina
stretch limousine to thecrematorium,with
strict instructions toburnhimwith the
LouisVuittonbagshehadrushedout tobuy
thatmorningasacontainer forhiscorpse.
For thosewhocan’tbear the ideaof their
poochdisappearing intoanovenheated to
650
o
C,orsimplypreferarestingplace in the
ground, thenearbyseaside townofCagnes-
sur-Mer ishome tooneofFrance’s largest
dedicatedpetcemeteries,whereonaverage
onepet funeral isheldeveryweek.
OnaquietThursdayafternoon,one
mourner, awomen inher forties, is
arrangingflowersand lightingcandlesover
thegravewhereherWestie,Cara,wasburied
(alongwithherblanketand favourite toys)
lastwinter. “Shewasadaughter tome,we
wereneverapart,”shesays. “Ievenused
toeatmymealsata low tableon thefloor
sowecouldeat together. It isgood tohave
somewhere Icanstill come tobewithher.”
for-vip-dogs.fr
Cannes is30minutes’drive fromNice;
Norwegianflies toNice from10destinations.
Bookflights,ahotelandarental carat
norwegian.com
Clockwise from
left
⁄
Chinesecrested
puppy Iloha in theport; a
tomb stone in theAlpes
Maritimespet cemetery,
Cagnes-sur-Mer; an Irish
wolfhound inCannes;
collar at ForVIPDogs
Catching
theCannes
Festival
Established in 1946, the
67thCannes FilmFestival
(it’s skippedacouple
for budgetary reasons)
runs from 14-25May.
Followingcriticism about
the representationof
women at the festival in
thepast, this year’s jury
is ledbyNewZealander
JaneCampion, theonly
womandirector tohave
won thePalmed’or - for
ThePiano
back in 1993.
Early tips to lookout
for at press timecould
includePaul Thomas
Anderson’s adaptationof
writer ThomasPynchon’s
noir-ish
Inherent
Vice
, starring Joaquin
Phoenix alongsideReese
Witherspoon, and the
latest fromFrench
prodigyMiaHansen-
Løve,
Eden
.Winners are
announcedon24May.
festival-cannes.com
“
Iusedtoeatmymeals
ata lowtabletobe
togetherwithmydog
”
CORBIS, KOBAL COLLECTION
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