The council of Cannes (France) has decreed a new maritime ordinance, effective January 1st, 2026, forbidding cruise ships carrying more than 1,000 passengers from docking directly in its harbor.
Only vessels under that threshold will be permitted, and the total number of disembarking passengers will be limited to 6,000 per day. Calls from larger ships will require offshore anchorage, with travellers ferried ashore by tender boats.
This action, described by municipal leaders as “drastic regulation,” emerges amid widening international pushback against overtourism. Cannes joins a growing list of European ports imposing limits—among them Nice, Venice, Amsterdam, and Barcelona—and echoes recent public unrest seen at Venice weddings, protests in Spain, and museum strikes.
Council members outlined that the regulation aims to bring about fewer visitors, smaller ships, reduced pollution, and enhanced visual harmony. The intention is regulatory and not prohibitive, seeking to guide cruise operations rather than eliminate them. Mayor David Lisnard characterised the policy as a method for organising ship movements and defining navigation standards rather than a ban on cruise tourism.
Cruise operators have voiced concerns, arguing the regulations would hinder both port visits and passenger experiences. In late June, two larger vessels (carrying 1000+ passengers each) were scheduled to dock in Cannes; these itineraries now exceed the forthcoming limits, and the companies have yet to comment publicly.
France attracted approximately 100 million foreign visitors last year, and officials emphasise the challenge of balancing economic gain with environmental protection and infrastructure stress.
This policy aligns with earlier measures implemented in Nice—where restrictions entered force in July this year—and mirrors bans in Venice (2021), Amsterdam, and Barcelona (2023).
Cannes’ approach will reshape the pattern of cruise traffic along the Côte d’Azur, favouring smaller, less polluting vessels, and signalling a strategic shift toward more managed and sustainable tourism.