View over the Bay of

View over the Bay of Cannes from Le Cannet © Le Cannet Tourism Le Cannet began as a humble hillside settlement in the Middle Ages, its terraces carved into the landscape above Cannes like a crown. For centuries, it was shaped by agriculture - olive groves, figs, and vines, the city’s park - Tivoli Gardens, is where the former fields once were. In the 15th century, a new chapter unfolded. 140 Italian families crossed the nearby border seeking work and a better life. They brought with them building skills, culinary traditions, and a vibrant sense of community that still echoes in the town’s rhythms today. Bonnard Museum, Vue du Cannet, Pierre Bonnard, 1938-1942 LE CANNET The ‘crown’ of Cannes Janine Marsh visits Le Cannet and discovers a beguiling hub of art, history and gastronomy where la dolce vita meets art de vivre. Cannes is renowned for its French Riviera glitz and glamour, the famous red carpet rolled out for the swanky film festival, expensive shops, polished promenades, and beaches where people go to see and be seen. But, a short way away, up a winding hill just two kilometres from the beaches, sits Le Cannet, which until 1774 was part of Cannes. Here life has a quite different feel. Arriving early one morning, when the shutters were just creaking open and the scent of fresh bread drifted through the narrow lanes, luring me to join a queue at the boulangerie, a local told me, “Ici, on vit doucement,” here, we live gently. And that, I soon discovered, is the essence of Le Cannet. Then came the artists. Chief among them was Pierre Bonnard, who lived here for 27 years. Captivated by the golden light and Mediterranean hues, he painted prolifically until his death in 1947. From his home, Le Bosquet, nestled on a hillside looking over the Bay of Cannes, Bonnard would climb the seven hills of Le Cannet to be inspired by the beauty of the scenery, his paintings full of colour and light, prompting Henri Matisse to call him “one of the greatest painters among us.” At the heart of Le Cannet’s cultural life is the Musée Bonnard, which partners with the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and hosts regular temporary exhibitions. It’s the only museum in the world dedicated entirely to Bonnard. Pop to the tourist office to pick up a map to follow in the footsteps of Bonnard and discover his most beautiful landscapes. Lose yourself in the old quarter, where 24 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 25