Discount Hotels Cannes
Historical interest: Cannes
    
Invasions, conquests and uprisings punctuate the history of Cannes, which before
the 19th century was a simple fishing village, lying on the quiet and peaceful
Mediterranean coast. The arrival of Lord Brougham in 1834, prompting an influx
of British and Russian aristocrats all attracted to the congenial warm winter
climate, brought the town the fame and fortune it is so famous for today. Cannes
has played host to the renowned International Film Festival since 1946, and
is now the centre of many prestigious events.
The first apparent civilisation to inhabit Cannes dates right back to the 2nd
century BC, when today's movie-star playground was settled by the Oxybian tribe
from Liguria. From then on it has had a somewhat turbulent time, with occupations
by Saracens, Romans and an attempted one by the Spanish.
In 1035, the name 'Cannes' appeared for the first time in official documentation.
Various theories about the origins of Cannes' name havebeen put forward, but
it seems the most credibleis the connection to the copious amounts of abundant
reeds ('cannae') which surrounded the early settlement.
The town's evolutionary metamorphosis was linked to the 19th century Lord Brougham's
arrival. In December 1834, the English peer and Deputy Whig, famous for championing
rights to freedom (especially the abolition of slavery in the colonies), decided
to winter in Nice, around 30 kms away.
Contrary to his plans, his trip ended a few kilometres short of his destination
at Saint-Laurent-du-Var, where the river Var had been closed to prevent the
spread of cholera. And so the Lord Chancellor of England, despite his valiant
attempts to continue, had no choice but to turn back. Legend has it that his
decision to stay on was clinched by a hearty bouillabaisse (a regional fish
soup speciality -).
Lord Brougham was so taken with the quaint town of Cannes that he returned
to England and, after much lauding and propagating, managed to convince many
of his aristocratic friends to follow him to Cannes. An increase from4,000 inhabitants
in 1834 to some 20,000 in 1896 shows that the lord must have had some sway with
his contemporaries. At the end of the 19th century, tourism was already the
main economic activity.
Selection of hotels in this region:
Amarante Cannes | | Eden Hotel | | Sofitel Cannes Le Mediterranee | | Sofitel Mandelieu Royal Casino | | Cannes Palace Hotel | | Mercure Grand Hotel Croissette | | De Paris Hotel | | Comfort Hotel Atlas | | Esperanto | | Hotel Beau Sejour | | Carlton Inter-Continental | | Quality Hotel Cannes Riviera | | Hotel Univers | | Radisson SAS Montfleury Hotel | | Quality Hotel Embassy | | Canberra Hotel | | Holiday Inn Garden Court Le Cannet | | Noga Hilton Cannes | |
Click below for a
full list of hotels and online booking
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