The history of Cannes

It all began more than 200 years before Christ, when the people of Liguria who occupied Nikaia, now Nice and that of Antipolis, Antibes won the battle against the Oxybiens with the help of the Roman troops. The Romans ravaged Aegitna, which would be the original city of Cannes. Thus the region was given to the guard of the Phocaeans.

These Phocaeans, occupants of the present town of Marseilles, then built a castle called Castrum Marsellium (Chateau des Marseillais) at Suquet. As the hill was covered with reeds, the local population gave another name to the castle "Castrum Canoïs" from canna (reed in Latin). A name that was changed in Cannes in the 15th century.

But the invasions continued with the barbarians and later the Saracens. This is why other hypotheses suggested that this name of Cannes would come from "Kan", an Indo-European word designating "summit" by supposition at Mount Chevalier Hill.

In the year 1000, Cannes was part of the abbey of Lérins and then the Counts of Provence appropriated it. Towards the end of the fifteenth century it passed to France. At the same time as the attachment of Nice to the country, Cannes will now belong to the Alpes-Maritime department in 1860.

A metamorphosis took place when Lord Brougham, a great English Chancellor was subjugated by the city and decided to create villas in 1834. Thus the development of a coastal path was transformed into a promenade of the Croisette later. The city has become a holiday resort of the high society of London and the Russian aristocracy.

When the Carlton Hotel was built in 1910, the city was born on September 1, 1939, and the first International Film Festival, renowned throughout the world, took place. It subsequently became one of the most touristic destinations which is tripled in number of population in mid-July to mid-August. It records with its islands of Lérins 2 million visitors per year.