Cannes is situated midway along the French Riviera (also known around the world as the Cote d’Azur) between Monaco and St Tropez, and only 30 minutes from the Nice International Airport. Since Victorian times, Cannes has attracted the most discerning of international visitors who come here to enjoy the sandy beaches, world class shopping, 5 star restaurants and everything that goes under the banner of “quality of living”.
With a population of just over 70 000 residents, this French Riviera hotspot has become a second home to many internationals who use it as an escape to enjoy the fine weather, convenient location and easy going lifestyle. From luxury villas in Super Cannes and La Californie, to beachfront apartments in Cannes’ aptly named Palm Beach or along the length of the famous La Croisette, as well as charming townhouses in the older quartiers of “Le Suquet” and Marche Forville, there is something for everyone in Cannes, to suit all tastes and budgets.
There is a huge variation in the price one pays for a villa or an apartment in Cannes dependant on its size, state and position – however, being a small town most property locations are convenient, often being less than a 20 minute walk from the centre of Cannes, the beaches of La Croisette, the Rue d’Antibes for shopping, the Old Port and the Port Canto, and the charming restaurants on Rue St Antoine. This small-town feel and convenience adds to the “joie de vivre” enjoyed by all those who live in Cannes, or have chosen it as a destination for their second home.
For more than 2 centuries, Cannes has been attracting international buyers and homeowners, encouraged by the completion of the railways towards the end of the 19th century, as well as the arrival of streetcars. The British, Russian and American super-rich and aristocracy from the Rothschild’s and Queen Victoria down began to frequent the town. The luxury hotels such as the Miramar, the Cartlon and the Martinez on La Croisette were constructed and in the early 20th century people began to use Cannes as a summer vacation destination, slowly taking over from the winter tourism which had been most popular up until then. (Winter in Cannes is the best kept secret – so please don’t tell anyone!)
During the 19th century, many of the grand villas of Cannes started to be built, reflecting the wealth and luxury for which the French Riviera has become so well known. The oldest residential area of Cannes, known as the Quartier des Anglais, is home to many of these villas, most of which remain family homes today.
After World War II, Cannes started to develop from a French Riviera seaside town playing host to many second homes and holidays properties. With the first Cannes Film Festival in 1946 (which took place in the present position of the JW Marriott Hotel on La Croisette), Cannes began to attract business people from around the world, who saw the benefit of using the town as a destination for international congresses. With the building of the current Palais des Festivals in 1979, Cannes positioned itself as a destination for exhibitors worldwide. These annual congresses meant an increase in visitors (and businessmen) to Cannes in the winter months as well as summer, creating property investment opportunities in the centre of Cannes for short term rental apartments. Real Estate investors began to purchase apartments in La Banane (Cannes Centre) and the surrounding areas of Palm Beach, Petit Juas, La Croix des Gardes and La Californie in order to provide short term rental accommodation to the visiting business people, as an alternative to the hotels. Over the decades, rental and investment properties have become a strong market and very sought after for property investors worldwide.
As a result the property market, for both luxury villas and apartments, has remained strong and active throughout the decades due to the fact that the summer months see tourists coming into Cannes for their vacations, and the winter months play host to thousands of international congress visitors, often making use of the rental properties available within easy walking distance of the Palais des Festivals and La Croisette.
Cannes is a busy, vibrant and much loved town on the French Riviera and as such maintains a reputation that is difficult to match for most other towns along the Cote d’Azur.
Click below to see what properties we at Fine & Country have for sale in Cannes and along the French Riviera – http://www.fineandcountry.fr/search
Or contact us to discuss a tailor made property search option on 00 33 (4 ) 92 59 25 93
cannes@fineandcountry.com
www.fineandcountry.fr