Notre Dame de Bon Voyage (Our Lady of Good Voyage), Cannes

The Church of Our Lady of Good Voyage (Notre-Dame de Bon Voyage) is an historical edifice situated on the Mérimée Square, directly in front of the Palace of Festivals and Congresses (Palais des Festivals et des Congrès) in Cannes. This church, designed by architect Laurent Vianay, stands as a replacement for the original chapel known as Notre-Dame de Bon Port (Our Lady of Good Port). Its historical significance is heightened by the fact that it was the first point of stop for Emperor Napoleon upon his return from the island of Elba on March 1, 1815.

Tracing its roots back to the 15th century, the site initially hosted a small chapel and fishermen's shelter named Notre Dame des Sables (Our Lady of the Sands). Over the centuries, this sanctuary underwent several transformations, known successively as Notre Dame du Bord de Mer (Our Lady of the Seaside), Notre Dame de Bon Port (Our Lady of Good Port), and eventually culminating in the establishment of the Our Lady of Good Voyage (Notre Dame de Bon Voyage) church towards the end of the 19th century.

Notably, the church's main door is a work of art, designed and crafted by the renowned ceramist and artist Roger Capron. Despite the church's construction spanning over a century, it has only recently been completed, marking a significant milestone in Cannes' architectural landscape. Positioned at the heart of Cannes, near the sand dunes, the church is an accessible landmark for both locals and visitors.

Constructed in the Romanesque style during the 16th century, Our Lady of Good Voyage has the capacity to accommodate up to 1,100 individuals. The interior of the church is adorned with ornate statues and stained glass windows, each narrating different facets of Cannes’ rich history, making it not just a place of worship but also a repository of the city's cultural and historical heritage.