All about Cannes Old Town

If you ask the mayor, Cannes is a brand! And you have to agree with him.

Who does not know Cannes, the Croisette and the Film Festival, which has been held since 1939?

But Cannes is so much more than that, even though there are not quite the big museums or monuments like in Nice, Antibes and Monaco.

The city’s vibrating life, all year round, is living proof that it’s a city that lives with its people.

The areas of Cannes

Cannes consists of 9 areas in total. Here we will concentrate on 5 of the most popular places / areas with relatively small distances between them, so it gives courage to use your good walking shoes to explore the city.

La Croisette – Center Ville

This is one of the city’s most popular areas, which stretches along the Gulf of Cannes. It is a 3 km long seafront promenade surrounded by palm trees and fashionable hotels and luxury shops. This is where, among other things, you will find Dior, Channel and Yves-Saint Laurent, as well as the hotels Carlton, Le Grand Hotel and Grand Hyatt Martinez.

Boulevard de la Croisette is without a doubt synonymous with elegance, luxury and glamor – here it is allowed to dream BIG!

Here is also a nice view of La Napoule bay and the Esterel mountains to the west.

On the opposite side of La Croisette, you will find the pedestrian streets filled with shops for all tastes.

The old port

At the foot of the Le Suquet area (Cannes Old Town), and just across the Palais des Festivals, lies Cannes’ cozy old port. It is a great experience to just stroll around the harbor and look at the many impressive boats.

It is also from this port that the big annual sailing event – the Royal Regatta – starts in September.

Le Suquet – the old town

This is one of the great experiences in Cannes. Here you will find the authentic Cannes Old Town, here the charm, art and history unfold and impress in a way that few can.

There are several roads up to the old town, but be sure not to miss rue Meynadier on the way up or down. Here you will find a myriad of small charming shops with everything from food to applied art.

Standing on top of Le Suquet, the rewards are great with breathtaking views of Cannes, the old port, La Croisette and the Lérins islands.

At the top of the Place de la Castre are two fine sights: the Notre Dame de l’Espérance and the La Castre Museum, housed in the ancient medieval castle. And finally, one must not miss Le Suquet des Artistes, where the creative artists exhibit their works.

Pointe Croisette – Port Canto & Palm Beach

At the end of the Boulevard de la Croisette, you will find Port Canto, one of Europe’s largest marinas, and the Palm Beach Hotel.

During the film festival, this area is filled to the brim with impressive boats and world-famous and lesser-known stars.

Here you can discover all kinds of water activities and enjoy the beaches along the Pointe Croisette

California

A quiet residential area where you will find large beautiful villas and admirable views of the Mediterranean.

The area has also attracted artists. Pablo Picasso lived in this area for part of his life in the 50’s and the place is named after its landscape, similar to the US state of California.

Here you will also find the special chapel Bellini, which totally surprises when you step inside.

By Tommy Sverre – 2022