Cannes was just a short stop for us before heading back to our accommodation in Nice. We only walked along the coast for a few hours, but that was enough to get a feel for the elegance of the city. We saw some really interesting buildings: of course, we couldn’t miss the film festival venues, but we were also impressed by the iconic Belle Époque-style Hotel Carlton facade, which dominates the coast with its red domes. After the walk, we went to rest, knowing that we would be leaving early the next day for Avignon.
Cannes’ history, similar to that of its neighboring cities, began as a small fishing village. In ancient times, the Ligurians and Romans also settled here, but in the Middle Ages, the monks of the nearby Lérins Islands mostly exercised power over the area. In the 11th century, the castle was built on the Suquet hill, which is still the center of the old town today, and its purpose was to defend against attacks from the sea. For centuries, the town remained a quiet community, living off agriculture and fishing.
The turning point came in 1834, when Lord Henry Brougham, the former British Chancellor, was on his way to Italy but was stopped in Cannes by a cholera quarantine. He fell so in love with the landscape, the climate and the tranquility that he had a villa built for him. The British and European aristocracy soon followed suit, setting Cannes on the path to becoming one of the most exclusive winter resorts on the Riviera.
Another event in the mid-20th century changed the city’s global role forever: in 1946 (although the original plan was for 1939), the first Cannes International Film Festival was held. The original intention was to provide an alternative to the Venice Film Festival free from political influence. Today, this event has become the world’s most important film event, which puts the city at the center of world attention every May and has inextricably linked the concept of the “red carpet” with the name Cannes.
However, its importance today is not only due to its glamour, but also to the fact that Cannes is one of the main European centers of international congress tourism. The modern building of the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès hosts the world’s largest real estate, advertising and technology expos all year round. This duality – the meeting of historical luxury and the modern business world – makes Cannes economically unavoidable.
The city’s reputation is also maintained by the famous Boulevard de la Croisette, which runs along the coast. The world’s most famous fashion houses and the most famous luxury hotels are lined up here, while the world’s largest private yachts rest in the port. Cannes today is a special blend of prosperity, art and international diplomacy, which, although it was a short visit for us, still left a deep impression on us with its elegance.
