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Cannes

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Cannes
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Cannes Travel Guide

  • About Cannes
Cannes might be synonymous with A-list glamour but scratch the surface and you’ll discover a city rich in culture as well as one of the loveliest marinas in France. A true Riviera town, life in Cannes revolves around the harbour which still boasts fishing boats as well as the super-yachts of the super-rich. Celebrity is the other fuel that fires Cannes, with big names descending each summer for the town’s iconic film festival. Many will sun themselves on one of its beautiful beaches or aboard the seemingly endless yachts. As a result, the night scene tends towards the glitzy, while the boutiques off the main marina are eye-wateringly expensive. Nevertheless, step back from the seafront and into Le Suquet, the picturesque old town, and you’ll be rewarded with a completely different side to the city – as well as stunning views over the Côte d’Azur. Sprawling its way up a precipitous hill, those who make it to the top will find the remains of a fortified tower and the 12th-century Chapel of St Anne. And Cannes has plenty to recommend it offshore too, not least the islands of Ile St Marguerite and Ile St Honorat. The former is most famous for being the spot where the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask was incarcerated and although his identity has never been revealed, his cell at the in the Fort of St Marguerite remains. Neighbouring St Honorat has been home to monks since AD410 and the ruins of the 11th century monastery can still be seen. The current group of ecclesiasts divide their time between prayer and wine production. Wine is also to be found in Vieux Port, which sits just beyond the Allées des Stars, a street decorated with handprints left in the pavement by visiting actors. Rather more enchanting is the old port itself, with its odd medley of luxury boats and tiny fishing vessels, rows of palm trees and fragrant flower market. Yes, Cannes can be all champagne and super cars, but the best things in the city are free – sun, sea, sand and celebrity spotting all included.
  • Cannes History
Life in Cannes hasn’t always been glamorous. A tiny fishing village once existed where Cannes stands today, but it was the neighbouring islands of Lerina (now St Honorat) and Lero (now St Marguerite) that emerged as key trading ports in the fourth century AD. In AD410 two monks (Honorat and Caprais) arrived on Lerina. By the sixth century there were 500 monks living in Lerina’s monastery. Fearing a Saracen invasion, in the 11th century the monks procured the hill of Le Suquet on the mainland and built a watchtower, which still stands in Cannes’ Old Town. Le Suquet witnessed a period of expansion and the name Cannes was born. Saracen pirates ransacked the monastery in the 12th century. While this failed to stymie the expansion of Cannes, it did lead to a period of great insecurity. Piracy was a constant threat, and the King of Aragon, at war with the Count of Provence, had established a permanent naval blockade along the coast. Cannes managed to prosper, but in 1520, war broke out between French King Francis I and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Cannes became a corridor for marching armies. Worse still, the great plague of 1579 decimated most of the population. Spanish troops arrived in 1635, occupied the town for nearly two years, and then returned in 1707 during the War of Spanish Succession. Cannes enjoyed a period of calm in the 18th century, and in the 19th century it flourished. Lord Brougham, former British Chancellor, visited the city in 1834 and became so enamoured with it he stayed. He introduced the British aristocracy to Cannes and it soon became one of the trendiest spots on the Côte d’Azur. Today, Cannes remains one of the Côte d’Azur’s premier destinations and the glamorous location for the iconic International Film Festival.
  • Did you know?
The Man in the Iron Mask was incarcerated on the island of St Marguerite in the late 17th century. The Cannes Film Festival has been held annually since 1946, with the exception of 1948 and 1950. Cannes has been twinned with Kensington and Chelsea since 1970.
  • Weather in Cannes
Cannes can be suffocating in July and August, when throngs of well-heeled holidaymakers descend on the Côte d’Azur. If that doesn’t sound like much fun, then visit in spring or autumn. The weather is still great but it’s much quieter, except of course, during May’s International Film Festival, when the town turns into a media circus. For cheaper room rates, and a real taste of Cannes away from the flashbulbs, explore the city in winter. You won’t be swimming, but it’s still delightful.

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