Palace of festivals and Congress in Cannes – the same one that millions of people around the world see in news stories about the famous Cannes film festival. For this reason the Palace is worth seeing, though, perhaps, on weekdays it will not produce a great impression.

Its history is inextricably linked with the history of the festival. At the end of the thirties of the XX century artists France protested the blatant intervention of Mussolini and Goebbels in the organization of the Venice film festival. Film critic Emil Explained and writer and actor rené Jeanne invited the Minister of education in the government of the Popular front Jean Zayu to organize the world film festival in France. The idea was supported by the Americans and the Brits are boycotting the screening in Venice.

President of the first festival agreed to become the great Louis Lumiere. Americans have just released the tape "Quasimodo", promised to erect at the Cannes beach exact copy of Notre Dame de Paris. But on 1 September 1939, the opening day, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, the war began, the festival was canceled.

The first Cannes film festival was held soon after the war, in 1946. In 1949, the municipality has built for chiropractice special Palace on the Croisette, but it gradually became too small (on the site of the "Palace hall" now stands the hotel "MARRIOTT-Cannes"). And in 1982, the festival received a new home – where before it was a municipal casino, at the beginning of the Croisette, close to the old port. This Palace is known now to all the viewers as a venue for the world's largest film festival.

Here gained worldwide recognition in the films of Fellini, Bergman, Antonioni, Wajda, Bunuel, Kurosawa. But not only the prestigious "Palme d'or" glorified festival: in 1955 Monaco's Prince Rainier met the American actress grace Kelly. A year later they were married, and the current ruler of the Principality albert II was their son.

The building is enormous: 35 thousand square meters. However, its aesthetic value is questionable, it looks much like the Palace of congresses of the socialist times: lots of concrete and glass (the townspeople from time to time, even offering to rebuild "the bunker"). To the front is a wide "ladder of success". During the festival, in front of her lined the red carpet on which photographed the stars. On ordinary days, on the stairs taking pictures of each other tourists. Along the front runs the Avenue of Stars, in its mounted the sidewalk tiles with handprints of famous actors and Directors.

Inside the building is impressive: it is filled with modern equipment and excellent light and acoustics. From the upper floors and terraces have stunning views over the old town, the port, the Croisette, the lérins Islands. The Palace hosts exhibitions, conferences and congresses, international festivals: advertising (Cannes lions), jazz, flamenco, games, fireworks. In 2011, it is here held a summit under the French presidency.