A fishing village turned resort
The change took decades, and the harbour still holds both layers.
Xomex — CC BY 3.0 · Spike — CC BY-SA 4.0 · leineart — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Edgar El — CC BY 3.0
By ferry from the old port, about fifteen minutes to Sainte-Marguerite and slightly longer to Saint-Honorat. Timetables are seasonal and thin out in winter. Book or buy early in summer, and allow at least half a day for the island.
During the film festival in May and the yachting show in September: the town fills, accommodation prices multiply, and large areas around the Palais des Festivals close off. If the town itself is your aim, choose April, early June or October.
Sign in to write your review of this place.
No reviews yet — be the first.
The historic harbour of Cannes, between the Palais des Festivals and the Suquet hill, the point where the town began and the place that reveals its social layers most plainly. What makes it interesting is the juxtaposition: enormous yachts moored along some quays while small wooden fishing boats work from others. Cannes was a fishing village into the nineteenth century, then British aristocrats found it as a winter destination and within decades it became a luxury resort. The harbour still carries both layers. Walking the quay takes you from the Palais des Festivals — with its red carpet and famous steps — to the foot of Le Suquet, the old quarter with its climbing streets. The distance is short and the contrast between the two ends is plain. Ferries to the Lérins islands leave from the harbour, the best half-day trip from Cannes. Practical points: walking is free and always open. Ferries to the islands are ticketed with seasonal timetables. The harbour fills in May during the film festival and in September during the yachting show.
The change took decades, and the harbour still holds both layers.
A short walk crossing the whole contrast between the town's two ends.
The festival and the yacht show fill the town and raise prices.
Between the Palais des Festivals and Le Suquet, Cannes