La promenade de la Croisette

La Croisette is inseparable from Canne’s identity — a chic French boulevard that perfectly embodies glitz and glamour. Its elegant and luxurious image is famous the world over… But what many people don’t know is that this iconic 2-kilometre promenade took a long time to earn its fame. Before becoming the legend it is today, the Croisette was nothing more than a muddy, windswept path, used by pilgrims and donkeys. Not exactly the dream setting that springs to mind today. Everything changed in 1853, when the mayor in office at the time requested permission from the state to turn the path into a public promenade. Initially, local residents strongly opposed the idea — but over time, they changed their minds and even ended up covering most of the construction costs themselves. Well… only fools never change their minds! In the 19th century, as seaside resorts became fashionable, Cannes started attracting aristocrats from around the world with the Croisette quickly making a name for itself. Over the years, and especially around the 1960s, it underwent several expansions and redesigns to become the stunning seafront boulevard we’re walking along today. The old wooden huts of the past have given way to luxury hotels, and religious pilgrims have been replaced by a glittering crowd of celebrities. Not bad for a humble dirt track. And according to tradition, the name Croisette comes from the small cross — croix in French — that once stood at the tip of the cape.