October 2, 2015

1931 FRANCE (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) - Promenade de la Croisette in Cannes


Located on the French Riviera, Cannes is very well known as the host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, but also for its association with the rich and famous, its luxury hotels and restaurants, and for several conferences. An important landmark of the city is the Promenade de la Croisette, which stretches along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and is about 2 km long, in short, is a waterfront avenue with palm trees and pines, a natural link and sophistication between the beach and the city.

At the origin, its name was a Provencal word "crouseto" which means "small cross". Initially, it was a simple dirt track borrowed by the donkeys and the pilgrims and swept away by the waves and storms, and invaded by reeds and swamps. La Croisette was born at the same time with the growth seaside resort of Cannes. Marked in 1834 by Lord Brougham, the humble township is transformed to please a rich clientele of winter visitors, and the Croisette was inaugurated in 1866, under the name of Boulevard of the Empress.

In 1874 the boulevard was opened to traffic up to the level of the street Zamenhof. It was only in 1890 that the boulevard was extended to the bottom of the cape. In 1960, the Croisette has more or less kept the same configuration that it had during its construction under the Second Empire. Here where simple huts used to stand, nowadays palaces and sumptuous residences are constructed. It is known for the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, where the Cannes Film Festival is held. Many expensive shops, restaurants, and hotels (such as the Carlton, Majestic, JW Marriott Cannes, and Martinez) line the road.

About the stamp
The first stamp is part of the definitive series Marianne et l'Europe, about which I wrote here.

References
La Croissetee - Cannes Tourist Office

Sender: Ana
Sent from Cannes (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur / France), on 15.08.2012

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