Cannes, France — History and Culture
Cannes 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. It was Lord Brougham, former British Chancellor of the Excheckr, 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.
