The story of La Croisette
La Croisette takes its name from a small cross that once stood at the tip of the cape. In the 19th century, after the British Lord Brougham settled in Cannes in 1834, wealthy visitors built villas along the bay, and the seafront became a promenade of grand hotels like the Carlton (1911) and the Martinez (1929).
The Cannes Film Festival was first planned for 1939 and finally launched in 1946. Since 1982 it has been held in the Palais des Festivals at the western end of La Croisette, where stars climb the famous red-carpeted steps each May.
