Cannes La Croisette Area Guide

The unique and world-famous Boulevard, la Croisette, follows the ancient seaside road known as the ‘chemin de la petite croix’ or the ‘road of the little cross’, from whence it derives its name.

Cannes and its congresses

It is best known in recent times for the many congresses that take place at the Palais des Festivals and in particular the ‘Festival International du Film’, and the countless stars that crowd the stairs and the red carpets. The frenzied invasion of the Croisette each May at Film Festival time lends notoriety to the hot spots of Cannes and luxury is omnipresent through the high-end boutiques, the star chefs, the five-star hotels, and the luxury apartments and residences so popular with the cognoscenti of Europe and the world.

However, there is much more to it than that. The sandy beaches are meticulously cared for and cleaned both onshore and off, and the beach bars and restaurants are of a quality and gastronomic appeal to rival any in the world, welcoming and elegant. The very extensive gardens and walks along its 3km length from the Old Port and the Palais des Festivals in the west, past some of the most impressive real estate in the world, to the Pointe Croisette at the eastern end, in the suburb of Palm Beach, are beautifully gardened. There is street art on display, there are sections given over to roller skaters, to pavement artists, to exceptional rose gardens and in winter a fabulous kaleidoscope of cyclamen; there are no less than three ports with yachts and boats of all sizes, some of them amongst the most elegant in the world, and amongst which one is free to wander if one wishes. There are fairs, country markets, and world beating fireworks displays set to music, enjoyed by thousands who turn out from far and wide, and many more who are more comfortable watching from their apartment balconies and homes.

For the resident or the holidaymaker there is little to beat a leisurely stroll along the Croisette in the warm evening sun in winter or in summer, to watch the magnificent sunsets across the bay lighting up the sky beyond the bright red Esterel Hills in the west, and to stop for a glass of chilled rosé and a plate of olives while quietly observing the world go by. Hundreds turn out, children on their scooters and parents with their pushchairs, and yes, the occasional face you may recognise from a magazine or a film.

Not quite as popular but every bit as enjoyable are the mornings when the Croisette wakes up to the cadence of early joggers, and the footsteps of those who prefer a brisk walk to get the circulation going, before a busy day.

The Croisette is for all people, for all occasions, and for all seasons.