Boulevard de la Croisette

The Boulevard de la Croisette is the famous seafront promenade of Cannes, curving for about two kilometres along the bay from the Palais des Festivals to the Pointe Croisette. Lined with palm trees, it has palace hotels, designer boutiques and restaurants on one side and sandy beaches and the blue Mediterranean on the other, and it is the place where the glamour of the French Riviera is most on display.

Historically, the Croisette evolved from a simple coastal path into a grand boulevard that attracted aristocrats and winter visitors, symbolising Riviera high society. Its identity was sealed in the 20th century by luxury hotels and by the international spotlight of the Cannes Film Festival, held each May at the Palais des Festivals at its western end. The Carlton, with its distinctive domes, the Majestic and the Art Deco Martinez are the best known of the great hotels that face the sea.

The beach side is divided between private beach clubs, with sunloungers, parasols and restaurants, and free public sections where anyone can swim and sunbathe. Walking the promenade is free and open at all times, and the benches along the sea wall are perfect for people-watching, especially at sunset or during the festival, when crowds gather to glimpse celebrities. At the eastern end, the Port Pierre Canto marina and the gardens of the Pointe Croisette are quieter. In winter the boulevard is lit up with Christmas illuminations, making it a pleasant stroll even out of season.