Top News

Cannes, known for its A-list film premieres and picture-perfect coastline, is taking a serious stand against overtourism. Starting next year, the French Riviera hotspot will impose tight new rules on cruise ship traffic, capping daily disembarkations at 6,000 passengers and slashing access for oversized vessels.

Cannes says non to cruise crowds over 6,000 a day

In an official statement, Cannes City Hall confirmed that by 2030, all cruise ships carrying more than 1,300 passengers will be banned from docking in its port. And the transition begins sooner than that—by 2026, ships with a capacity over 5,000 will see their numbers halved. The city’s approach? Fewer ships, fewer emissions, and a much-needed break for the local infrastructure.

The mayor, David Lisnard, insists this isn’t a war on tourism but a call for balance. “Cannes has become a prime cruise destination with real economic benefits. But we need to regulate and set clear boundaries,” he said. Rather than anchoring giant vessels in the harbour, operators will need to use smaller boats to ferry tourists ashore. France welcomed around 100 million visitors last year—more than its population—and now faces the complex challenge of protecting local life and the environment without undermining the tourism economy.

The move aligns Cannes with a wave of Mediterranean cities enforcing similar policies. Venice famously banned large cruise ships back in 2021, while Amsterdam and Barcelona followed suit in 2023. Nice, just along the coast, will begin limiting cruise ships from July this year. Cruise industry giants have yet to respond to the new rules, but two mega-ships, each well above the 1,300-passenger threshold, were still scheduled to dock in Cannes this weekend.