Cannes’ moment of glory takes place in May, with the
International Film Festival, when images of the stars descending the red-carpeted steps of the Palais des Festivals are flashed across TV screens worldwide. For many, this city on France’s
Côte d’Azur is synonymous with the
glamour of this event. Often overlooked, however, is the fact that Cannes is France’s second most important city (after Paris) for business tourism.
Tourists jostle with conference-goers, outnumbering
business travelers only in the summer months. Their
interests lie in the long, curvaceous,
sandy beaches of La Croisette, the luxury cruise boats of the
Old Port, the palatial hotels, the
designer shops lining the famous promenade and the
gastronomic delights of the Côte d’Azur. This
modern city grew up from a small fishing town on the south coast of France. In the 11th century Cannes was owned by
monks whose budget, fattened by wealthy pilgrims, allowed them to expand beyond their monastery to the nearby
Island of St Honorat. They built a square tower on the top of the hill as a lookout post for
Saracen pirates. It still stands next to the
Castre Museum, in
Le Suquet,
Cannes’ Old Town that was built on the site of a Roman military camp.
Today, tourism has largely replaced spirituality on the Cannes mainland. It was
Lord Brougham, former British Chancellor of the Exchequer, whose visit to Cannes in 1834 established the city’s reputation as a
health resort among the British aristocracy. The trend spread to the French establishment and the arrival of the railway increased Cannes’ accessibility. Soon the
international aristocracy were playing golf and enjoying the hot and dry
Mediterranean climate.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related France Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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