Cannes decided on Friday to take drastic measures to limit cruises, limiting the arrivals of cruise ships carrying more than 1,000 passengers from January 2026, with the aim of managing overtourism and environmental pollution.
With the new measures, the municipality aims to restore the aesthetics of the destination that has become famous for its film festival, limiting overtourism that recently sparked renewed reactions on the occasion of the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in Venice, caused new demonstrations with water pistols in Spain and the strike of workers at the Louvre museum.
According to the municipality’s decision, only cruise ships with fewer than 1,000 passengers will be allowed to dock at the port, and up to 6,000 passengers will be allowed to disembark per day. Larger cruise ships will transfer their passengers to smaller boats.
Cannes Mayor David Lisnard said in a statement that Cannes has become a major cruise destination, reaping real economic benefits, and that the municipality’s goal is not to ban cruise ships but to regulate, organize, and frame their navigation.
Neighboring Nice announced cruise restrictions earlier this year, which are set to come into effect on July 1. Venice banned large cruise ships in 2021, and Amsterdam and Barcelona followed suit in 2023.
Last year, France attracted 100 million visitors, more than any other European country, and efforts are now underway to balance the economic benefits of tourism with environmental protection.
