[ad_1]
Cannes is located on the Cote d’Azur, and this city is rightly called the pearl of the Riviera. Here you can visit various museums and churches, walk along the bustling streets or visit secluded islands.
Who and why goes to Cannes
First of all, Cannes is associated with the annual film festival, but apart from that, there are many interesting things. Fans of cultural pastime will like city museums, where you can learn a lot about the city. There are also several churches and the famous Lerins Abbey, which will not leave anyone indifferent.
If you like a relaxing holiday, then parks and embankments of the city are at your service. A leisurely walk along the picturesque alleys is an excellent end to an eventful day. For a break from the bustle of Cannes, head to the Lérins Islands and enjoy peace and quiet. You can also visit the Avenue of Stars to feel the atmosphere of cinema.
There is a lot of luxury and gloss in Cannes. If you want to feel like a movie star, go to the Palace of Festivals and Congresses, take a walk to the Carlton Hotel, where famous people stay. You can go on a tour of Villa Rothschild or Domergue. And the cultural center «Miramar» invites guests to have an interesting time.
Cultural attractions and museums
Palace of Festivals and Congresses
This is a visiting card of Cannes, because it is here that the annual film festival takes place. Near the entrance to the Palace, you can see the Avenue of Stars and the famous red carpet, where not only film actors, but also tourists love to take pictures. The Palace hosts the Cannes Film Festival, as well as many other events: conferences, symposiums, etc. Inside the building, excellent acoustics and light, a lot of modern equipment.
Castres Castle Museum
De la Castre is a medieval castle on the top of the Suquet hill. Back in 1877, the city authorities of Cannes founded an ethnographic museum in it, where private collections were exhibited. Today, you can see art objects of Oceania, the East and the peoples of Alaska, paintings by Provencal «small masters» of the 19th century, antiques, as well as musical instruments from different peoples of the world.
Avenue of Stars
Alley with handprints of famous personalities is one of the main attractions of Cannes, which is a must see. It is located near the Palais des Festivals and is a path with imbedded slabs, on which there are handprints of famous actors and actresses, directors, screenwriters and other cinematographers.
Moulin Forville Museum
This is a small private museum where you can learn a lot about the cultural and historical aspects of Provence. The museum building used to house an oil mill, and then it was acquired by Viktor Tyubi. For many years he collected household items that are somehow connected with Provence. Today, all this is stored in the Moulin Forville Museum, and at Christmas you can see a collection of nativity scenes there.
Villa Domergue
The famous artist Jean-Gabriel Domergue and his wife lived in the most beautiful villa in the city. He is considered the creator of the pin-up style of painting. The artist himself took part in the construction of the villa: he made sketches, selected materials, painted interior details, and his wife was engaged in garden planning.
The couple bequeathed the villa to the city, and in 1973 it was transferred to Gangnam. Today, the building hosts exhibitions, concerts and other musical events. In August, the jazz festival «Jazz in Domergue» takes place on the terrace of the house-museum.
Sea Museum
The museum is located on Sainte-Marguerite Island. Outwardly, it does not look like an old castle at all, but this building was erected in the 17th century, and ancient Roman cisterns serve as its foundation. The expositions of the museum are connected with the sea: there are models of ships, pictures from space overlooking the Bay of Cannes and La Napoule Bay. You can also see fragments of Roman wall paintings that were discovered during excavations on the island.
Cultural Center «Miramar»
The cultural center is located in the building of the former Miramar Palace Hotel, where high-ranking guests stayed. Now it is a residential complex with luxury apartments. On the western side of the condominium is the Miramar shopping center. Film screenings are held in the assembly hall, and exhibitions are held in the spacious hall, where visitors can get acquainted with the works of local and foreign photographers.
Notable buildings
Church of Our Lady of Hope
The church is dedicated to the patroness of fishermen, as Cannes used to be a simple fishing village. This is the oldest church in the city, built in the 17th century. The facade of the building is built in the Gothic Provencal style, the bell tower is in the Romanesque style, and the gates belong to the Renaissance. The interior of the church is luxurious, with 19th-century frescoes and exquisite wooden and gilded decor.
Archangel Michael Church
The Orthodox Archangel Michael’s Church is located on Alexander III Boulevard. It is widely known for its unique design. The building is decorated with elegant carvings on light stone, sky-blue domes and an «openwork» bell tower. The relics of John of Kronstadt, Seraphim of Sarov and Simeon of Verkhoturye are kept in the church.
Lérins Abbey
The monastery is one of the oldest in Europe and is located on a small island near Cannes. In 410, Saint Honoratus landed on it with his followers. A community formed around the saint, which laid the foundation for the emergence of the abbey. Today, wine is aged in its cellars — on the territory of the monastery, 8 hectares of land are occupied by vineyards.
Mercy Chapel
The Catholic chapel is located at the foot of the Suquet hill. It was built in the late 16th — early 17th centuries. and looks quite simple: the rounded wall is connected to the bell tower, which is crowned with a sharp spire. This is a functioning chapel where masses are regularly held in Latin.
Interesting places
Croisette
This is a long promenade along the coast of Cannes. The embankment was laid back in the 19th century on the site of an old road from the time of the Roman Empire. You can stroll along it slowly, admiring the luxurious hotels where the guests of the Cannes Film Festival live, looking into the shops of famous designers, restaurants or casinos.
Forest Park Croix-de-Garde
This is a huge forest park array, the area of which is 80 hectares. The pride of the park is the Australian mimosa, which blooms from January to March. There are many other exotic plants here: strawberry tree, holm oak, eucalyptus, lavender, etc. Orioles, owls, owls, hoopoes are found in the park. Not far from the center is a monument to the pilots of the American bomber that crashed on these hills during World War II.
Square named after May 8, 1945
The square is named after the date of the end of World War II and is located on the Croisette. In the center of it is the Lorraine cross, which during the war was the symbol of the Fighting France movement. There is an approach to the sea, from where you can admire the yachts in the port and the Estrel Mountains. It’s great to go to the park with the children: there are swings, slides and ropes on the playground for them.
Lerins Islands
The archipelago off the Côte d’Azur includes two inhabited islands — St. Honorat and St. Marguerite, as well as several uninhabited ones. It is here that Lerins Abbey is located. And the island of St. Mragherit is closely connected with the legend of the Iron Mask. Here was the Royal Fort, which later became a prison, and in 1687 a mysterious prisoner appeared in it. He spent 11 years in prison, he was treated well, but his identity remained undiscovered. You can get to the islands by pleasure boat — it will take about 20 minutes.
Square Merimee
The square is located in the western part of the Croisette. Prosper Mérimée, a famous French writer, lived here. He was a friend of Napoleon III and, having learned about the captivity of the emperor, became seriously ill. The writer died a few weeks after the proclamation of the republic.
Notable buildings
Villa Rothschild
The neoclassical building with baroque elements was built by the architect Charles Baron for Betty Rothschild, the widow of James Rothschild, who was the founder of the French branch of this family. Nowadays, the villa is open to the public, there is a media library and a municipal library. Together with the tour group, you can see the living room of the house and other rooms, as well as take a walk in the garden.
Carlton Hotel
This five-star luxury hotel is located on the Croisette, near the Palais des Festivals. Carlton has been hosting rich and famous guests from all over the world for 100 years. The hotel began to be associated with the Cannes Film Festival in the post-war years. And now famous people stop there, but not only movie stars. For example, Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, lived in Carlton.
[ad_2]
