Boulevard de la Croisette
On Gingerguide's self-guided Cannes audio tour, Boulevard de la Croisette is a stop worth about ~40 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type landmark
- Suggested visit ~40 min
- Cannes Cannes guide
About Boulevard de la Croisette
The grand seafront promenade of Cannes, a little over two kilometres of palms, beaches and Belle Époque hotels curving along the bay from the Palais to the Pointe Croisette.
La Croisette is the seafront boulevard and promenade of Cannes, running a little over two kilometres along the Bay of Cannes from the Palais des Festivals east to the Pointe Croisette. Lined with grand hotels, luxury shops, palms and beaches, it is the stage on which Cannes shows itself off. Its name comes from the Provençal crouseto, little cross, after a small cross that once stood on the cape and was venerated by locals and pilgrims bound for the Lérins islands.
The promenade grew from a modest shoreline track agreed by the seafront owners in the 1850s; the carriage road was finished in 1863 and was first named for the Empress Eugénie before taking the name Croisette in 1871. Grand hotels soon rose along it, among them the Carlton, the Majestic and the Martinez. In the 1960s the boulevard was widened on cantilevered sections over the beach, and the sand itself has since been enlarged. Public beaches alternate with the private beaches of the hotels, and during the festival an open-air cinema plays on the sand.
Did you know? The name Croisette comes from the Provençal crouseto, meaning little cross, after a small cross that once stood on the cape and was venerated by locals and by pilgrims bound for the Lérins islands.
How much time do you need at Boulevard de la Croisette?
Around ~40 min works well for Boulevard de la Croisette — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Boulevard de la Croisette?
Yes — Boulevard de la Croisette made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Cannes. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Cannes
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Boulevard de la Croisette and read more:
Day 1 of the Cannes in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Boulevard de la Croisette
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