Use this metasearch site for booking air tickets and hotels: http://www.mobissimo.com/search_airfare.php

As for travel, you could also look at getting a France-rail pass before you go. It's like the famed Eurorail pass but only for France, thus cheaper. Depends on how many days of rail travel you will need. Once you get your pass, all you have to do is reserve a seat for TGV trains.
If you want to rent a car (which is a great way to enjoy the French countryside), be sure you're all practiced up with your stick-shift driving because automatics are much more expensive.

Don't miss Cannes:
1. Palais des Festivals et des Congres
Even when the Cannes Film Festival has long since rolled up the red carpet, you can imagine the glitz and glamour at the site of the annual event. Be sure to stop at the convention center, which hosts many events throughout the year. Be sure to examine the handprints of celebrities embedded in the flagstones outside the building.
2. Musée de la Castre
The Cannes chateau has been converted into a wonderful museum housing an amazingly diverse mix of artwork. Be sure to scale the castle's tower for a rewarding view below of Cannes.
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3. La Croissette
Few spots better symbolize the glamour of Cannes than La Croissette, the stretch of sidewalk that lines the shore. There are vendors selling souvenirs, billboards promoting the film festival and upscale shops across the street. Best of all, there are wonderful cafés along the beach and, for a fee, you can rent a chaise lounge and umbrella, sipping drinks a few feet from the water. Divine!
4. Musée de la Mer
This unique museum off the shore of Cannes features exhibits devoted to the prison system and to underwater archeology collections. The museum's highlight is the exhibit devoted to the mysterious man in the iron mask.
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5. Shopping Zones
One of the best reasons to visit Cannes is to spend money. Besides the shops on La Croisette, there are numerous streets heading north from the street and paralleling La Croissette. There is a shopping mall nearby, and several upscale chain stores (think Gucci, Christian Lacroix and Ferrari) and local boutiques. The rues d'Antibes and Meynadier feature great shopping districts as well.

And Nice:
The fifth-largest city in France, Nice is the Riviera's unofficial capital and a good base for exploring the Cote d'Azur because the accommodation is cheaper and the atmosphere more relaxed than at some of the other hotspots along the coast. Nice has train and bus connections to Cannes, Monaco et al, and a handful of good museums that match, if not outclass, those elsewhere in the south of France. It has profited from the recent price battle between budget airline companies and now several of the biggest discount airlines fly into Nice airport, making the Riviera accessible to anyone and Nice a popular stop-off point for backpackers on long hauls and weekenders alike.

And Monaco:
Monaco forms an enclave into the French Département of the Alpes Maritimes. The narrow ribbon of coastline is backed by the mountains, which form a protective barrier. This area creates a natural amphitheater. From the heights of the Tête de Chien or Mont Agel, or from lower down from the Moyenne-Corniche at the level of the entrance to the Jardin Exotique, there are a number of panoramic viewpoints looking out over exceptional scenery. The ancestral Rocher and the promontory of Spélugues border the harbor where pleasure boats are moored. The Rock of Monaco has a medieval air. It is a city of bright, clean streets which converge on the Prince’s Palace Square, where there are museums, boutiques and restaurants.
Monaco is well located for exploring Provence and the French Riviera

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