Travel Diaries: Five Street Art Spots In Cannes
I have been a longtime enthusiast of street art and graffiti, even curating a Flickr album titled Graffiti where I showcase the photos I have captured of street artworks from around the world. Among my favorite finds are the stunning artistic murals scattered throughout the city of Cannes on the French Riviera.
As some of you may already know, I have had the pleasure of spending considerable time in the South of France. This is largely due to my family's frequent holiday visits to Juan-les-Pins, a charming town just a short twenty-minute drive from Cannes.
I have many fond memories related to Cannes, where I also celebrated my birthday a few years ago. On that occasion, my birthday fell on the very last day of the Cannes Film Festival, which is considered one of the biggest annual events in the city.
For nearly 80 years, the Cannes Film Festival has been held in the city of Cannes, playing a significant role in elevating its global reputation. Today, Cannes stands as one of the most glamorous and iconic vacation destinations worldwide. I have even dedicated a portion of my French Riviera Travel Guide to highlighting the city and its main attractions.
Street art in Cannes is highly esteemed, especially for its connection to the world of cinema. Throughout various parts of the city, you will find an abundance of graffiti paying homage to the film industry. Exploring the streets and small squares of the city allows you to follow a captivating street art itinerary, where you will encounter stunning murals dedicated to the magic of cinema.
In this article, I have chosen to include five of my favorite mural artworks in Cannes; if you are ever in the South of France, I recommend strolling around the city and you will surely have a chance to discover many of these fantastic murals! In addition, at the tourist office, which is located at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, you shall find Murs Peints de Cannes, a free guidebook that will help you locate all the mural artworks dedicated to the history of cinema and its prominent characters.
1) Cinema Cannes: located in the harbor area of Cannes, on the bus station building façade, this huge mural was created to celebrate 100 years of cinema. It includes numerous prominent people of the industry, such as the Lumière Brothers, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Fred Astaire, famous characters such as Batman and Jessica Rabbit… as well as the iconic moon from the sci-fi movie A Trip To The Moon (1902) directed by Georges Méliès.
2) Marilyn Monroe: this amazing mural dedicated to the legendary American actress is located on the side façade of the Cannes Riviera Hotel (which as of today is known as a Best Western Plus Hotel). I have vivid memories of observing this artwork as a child while my father drove along the elevated road linking Cannes with Juan-les-Pins.
This immense artistic masterpiece was in fact created in 2004 and it is meant to celebrate the timeless beauty of Marilyn Monroe, who was also the Cannes Film Festival muse in 2012, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of her passing.
3) Gérard Philipe: I captured a photo of this mural honoring the Cannes-born French actor from the highest point of the Suquet, the old town of Cannes, where you can enjoy a splendid panoramic view of the entire city.
The actor was immensely popular in France, renowned for his roles in numerous movies and plays. In this mural, Gérard Philipe is depicted wearing costumes from the film Fanfan La Tulipe (1952), which earned the Best Director Award at the 5th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
4) Charlie Chaplin in The Kid: located on Boulevard Vallombrosa, the mural painting depicted on the side flank of this residential building is based on a still from the silent movie The Kid (1921), one of the most famous movie of all time starring Charlie Chaplin as the main character and Jackie Coogan as the child. My grandfather was a devoted fan of Charlie Chaplin movies, and whenever I encounter this mural, it brings back fond memories of him.
5) Le 7ème Art: this artwork located on Place du 18 Juin is dedicated to the movie theaters in the city of Cannes. In fact, the mural depicts the hall of a movie theater and it includes film history legends like Alfred Hitchcock, iconic characters such as Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler from Gone With The Wind (1939), and posters from famous movies such as Un Homme et Une Femme (1966). I look forward to photographing this artistic masterpiece up close the next time I am in Cannes!