CANNES, a winter resort of south-east France, in the de partment of Alpes Maritimes, on the Mediterranean, 19m. S.W. of Nice. Pop. (1931) 38,72o. It enjoys a southern aspect on the Golfe de la Napoule, with the Esterels to the west. Previous to 1834 when its beauty and healthy climate first attracted the at tention of Lord Brougham, it was an ancient little hill-town built on Mont Chevalier, which projects seawards and is crowned by the church (mainly 17th century, with a Romanesque chapel) and château (107o-1385). Of its early history little is known, save that it was twice destroyed by the Saracens in the 8th and loth centuries, and was recolonized from Genoa. It is now one of the most fashionable resorts of the Riviera, the. new town (La Bocca) having grown on either side of the old. A beautiful promenade runs along the beach.
Near the harbour, from which the Iles des Lerins are reached, lies the huge Casino Municipal. On the north, the modern town climbs up to Le Cannet (pop. 4,428), while on the east it practi cally extends along the coast to Golfe Jouan (32m.), where Napoleon landed on March 1, 1815, on his return from Elba. From Cannes a railway i tins north (12-1m.) to Grasse. The country around is very beautiful and highly fertile; orange and lemon trees are cultivated, while olives, almonds, figs, peaches, grapes and other fruits are grown in abundance, and form, with fish, the chief exports of the town. Essences of various kinds are manu factured, and flowers extensively cultivated. Opposite the town is the island of Ste. Marguerite (one of the Lerins), in the citadel of which the Man with the Iron Mask was confined from 1687 to 1698, and which acquired notoriety as the prison whence Mar shal Bazaine escaped in August 1874. On the other chief island (St. Honorat) of the Lerins is the famous monastery (5th century to 1788) which rose to great fame in the 6th century. The mon astery is now occupied by Cistercians. On the island is an old castle (1o88) while the shores have several ruined chapels.