DESCRIPTION

The town of Cagnes-sur-Mer is comprised of three main districts. The village’s origins can be traced to the vicinity of the hill and Grimaldi Castle. So, it is there that you will find the old medieval town which is well preserved despite the many wars and invasions it has suffered over the centuries, as with other coastal towns. Its high-up position and distinguished tenants have earned it the nickname of the "Montmartre of the Côte d’Azur."

Down below, Cros-de-Cagnes was a fishing village which provided affluence for the district. To begin with, fishermen from Menton came to exploit the swampy waters for their miraculous fishing expeditions around twice a year. The abundance of fish in these waters led them to settle here and found the village of Cros-de-Cagnes. Today, tied with Cagnes-sur-Mer, the village has become a renowned seaside resort.

As for the third main district, this is the so-called "modern" centre, where there are shops at the foot of the Grimaldi Castle hill.

ENTERTAINMENT

Cagnes-sur-Mer puts on several shows and activities throughout the year. There is a festival of country music (The French Riviera Country Music Festival), the Championnat du Monde de Boules Carrées (World Square Bowling Championship), a Motorbike Show and the "Cap Déco" Show (decoration), etc.

There are also plenty of activities, as Cagnes has its own seaside resort where you can take part in all sorts of water sports. There is also an angling school, a perfume workshop, the casino, climbing, and for horseracing enthusiasts, there is the Hippodrome de la Côte d’Azur which is one of the largest in France. There is also the fish market and market fair which are characteristic of the village.

WALKS

The cultural heritage of the town is mainly concentrated in the historic centre of Le Haut de Cagne. Visits start at the Grimaldi Castle. Converted into a museum in 1946, the castle combines a museum of the olive tree, a modern Mediterranean art museum, and portraits of the singer Suzy Solidor by many great artists such as Renoir and Tamara de Lempicka... Every summer, the international painting festival puts on a temporary exhibition. Visitors can thus enjoy the works exhibited whilst admiring the castle, its architecture and frescoes, etc.

Another unmissable place to visit is the Renoir Museum. Located in the Collettes district, the painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s property still has all its charm. Inquisitive visitors can explore his studio with a few paintings, sculptures and lithographs. Don’t forget to go round the gardens of Domaine des Collettes; these were the inspiration for a great deal of the artist’s paintings.

Other places to see are the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Protection (chapel) and Eglise Saint-Pierre (church). Cagnes-sur-Mer also has a Maison des Artistes (Centre for Artists – exhibitions, etc.).

LOCATION AND DIRECTIONS

Located between Saint-Laurent-du-Var and Villeneuve-Loubet, Cagnes-sur-Mer is the fifth largest town in the department of the Alpes-Maritimes. From Cagnes-sur-Mer, you can go up-country and discover the villages of Vence, Saint-Paul, Biot, Valbonne, La Gaude... and the large cities of Cannes, Antibes Juan-les-Pins, Nice, Monaco, Menton...

By air :
Nice Côte d’Azur International Airport is only a few kilometres away.

By road :
Take the A8 motorway.

By train :
Cagnes-sur-Mer is served by the TGV Paris-Ventimiglia and the TER.

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