The Palais des Festivals

Festivals in the plural, because Cannes is no longer the destination of a single festival. The Palais des Festivals et des Congrès has been created to accommodate the largest festival of cinema in the world. The destiny of Cannes is then drawn naturally. The flagship destination of business tourism, Cannes, lives throughout the year at the rhythm of many international and professional events. The level of excellence is confirmed year after year.

The Cannes Festival

No need to attach to it the words "film" or "cinema", the Festival of Cannes for 60 years is the Festival of the 7th Art, the world's largest event of this art which became an industry. The history took life in 1946 after the painful interlude of the Second World War which had suspended the projects of the French State to have an international competition of films. Cannes takes the priority to Vichy, Biarritz or even Lucerne. Cannes sunshine and also the facilities that it offers made it win the project. And especially since Cannes promised the construction of a palace specially dedicated to the festival.

The first edition was held at the end of September 1946 in the previous casino. A year later the Palais Croisette was inaugurated which was the first Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. So that the two festivals were not held at the same time, it was decided in 1951 that the Cannes Festival will take place now in May and the Venice Mostra will definitely take place in September.



The Cannes Film Festival is today the cultural event with the most media coverage in the world. Only two sports events, the Football World Cup and the Summer Olympic Games run ahead with the media.

The Palais des Festivals

 Built in haste to host the second edition of the Festival of the cinema, the first building was replaced in 1982 by a new building, located at the place of the municipal Casino, at the western end of the Croisette, near the Old Port. The growing success of the Festival and the emergence of business tourism of the 60’s, especially with the first editions of the MIPTV in 1965, the city of Cannes decided to consider new facilities. Assigned to the architects Bruet and Bennet, the construction started in 1979 and was completed in December 1982 with the inauguration of the new Palais des Festivals. Thanks to the recent renovations of 2013 and 2014, the imposing building is today an architectural and harmonious achievement.

Cannes and Business Tourism

With its 88 000sq.m building, its 35,000 sq.m of exhibition space, and its 15 auditoriums, the Cannes Palais des Festivals et des Congrès rank Cannes as the second destination for business tourism in France only behind Paris. The Palais hosts each year approximately 300,000 congress delegates and around 40 to 50 international professional events.

In parallel to the Cannes Film Festival, takes place the International Film Market (MIF), the largest business meeting of the film professionals. In March, the MIPIM, the largest international market for professionals of real estate, is held at the Palais. Early June it is the Midem, the International Market of the Records and Music, which invests the scene. These annual events are supplemented by others, and by many other cultural and business events.

A Level of Excellence unmatched

After becoming the first European Center of Congress to be triple certified in Quality, Health and Safety and Environment, the Cannes Palais des Festivals et des Congrès since 2012 follows its commitment through the ISO 26000 standard, relating to corporate responsibility, thus confirming the level of excellence that it aims for in the field of sustainable development.

Palais des Festivals official website