Last Updated on 6th March 2024 by Sophie Nadeau
If you’ve ever been to LA, then no doubt you’ll have seen the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Well, the sunny city of Cannes has its very own version, which you can visit for free. Here’s how to visit the Cannes Walk of Fame, as well as what to know before you go.
In French, the walkway is known as L’Allée des Stars or Chemin des Étoiles.
For a little glitz and glamour, you need to look no further than the city of Cannes, a stunning resort town along the glittering French Riviera which is known for its expansive harbour and Le Suquet, a hilltop old town with candy hued homes and a château turned museum.
Even if you’re ‘not really a beach person,’ then you may well have heard of this Southern French destination thanks to its annual film festival, ‘Festival de Cannes.’ And so, if you’re a movie buff, then you simply must head to this French destination!
Situated right in front of Palais des Festivals, i.e. the iconic venue where so many star-studded events are held throughout the year, there are over 300 hand printed hand prints (close to 400 in actuality), inspired by the Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, USA.
These also bear the printer’s signature and have been done by a smattering of the various celebrities who have visited Cannes during the film festival.
Some of the most famous handprints include Penélope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Catherine Deneuve, Nicole Kidman, Cameron Diaz, Nathalie Portman, Leonardo Dicaprio, Sylvester Stallone, Quentin Tarantino, Nicolas Cage, Pierre Richard, and Anthony Quinn.
Things to know before visiting the Walk of Fame in Cannes
I probably wouldn’t go out of your way to see the Cannes Walk of Fame, but it’s interesting enough to have a look at the different handprints and signatures if you happen to be passing by.
In fact, the walk of fame is situated pretty much outside the tourist office, and so if you’re headed into the tourist office to pick up a walking route of the town, then you’ll already be within a stone’s throw of this free to visit attraction.
The one thing I would say is that, if there’s an event going on during your visit to Cannes (during my visit it was just days before the Festival International des Jeux), then you probably won’t be able to see all of the Walk of Fame plaques easily as they’ll likely be covered by red tape, barricades, and security guards!
The area also gets incredibly busy, especially during peak season (i.e. the school summer holidays) and so if there’s one name you want to see in particular in the handprints, you should set aside enough time to queue up! For more Cannes inspiration, check out our suggestions for how to spend one day in Cannes.
Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, travel, pizza, and history. A Francophile at heart, she runs solosophie.com when she’s not chasing after the next sunset shot or consuming something sweet. She splits her time between Paris and London and travels as much as she can! Subscribe to Sophie’s YouTube Channel.