The first associations that the coat of arms of Cannes evoke are naturally associated with the Cote d'Azur. It is here that this fashionable resort is located, the city where one of the most famous film festivals is held. And the azure color of the heraldic symbol is a vivid reminder of this.
Although it is unlikely that the idea of the authors of the coat of arms sketch worked so straightforwardly, on the contrary, one can see a very serious approach to the choice of the color palette and elements, as well as their compositional placement.
Description of the coat of arms of Cannes and its palette
The modern heraldic symbol of Cannes is a traditional heraldic shield with the following elements: a palm branch diagonally crossing the shield; golden lilies, located on either side of the branch.
The palette, as we can see, is quite laconic, on the one hand, there are only three colors, so the Cannes coat of arms might look boring. On the other hand, the most famous heraldic colors have been chosen - azure, silver and gold.
The last two refer to the colors of precious metals, symbolizing luxury, wealth, success and prosperity. In any photo, the coat of arms looks very dignified, while being remembered at first sight.
Excursion into the history of the coat of arms
The heraldic symbol of Cannes has a very long history, its appearance is associated with the existence of the Lerins Abbey in these territories. This religious-state formation used a coat of arms, the color of which coincided with the color of the modern symbol of the city. One more similarity with today's official symbol of the resort can be noted - the presence of a palm branch.
In 1030, the territory on which Cannes is now located was transferred to the Lérins Abbey. This entailed the modernization of the coat of arms. To the right and to the left of the palm branch, the Latin letters "C" and "A" appeared, the first meant "Cannes", the second, respectively, "Abbey".
At the end of the 17th century, the political situation changed to please the king's henchman, the Marquis of Saint-Chamond, the letters on the coat of arms were replaced with royal lilies. Therefore, in the atlas of the coats of arms of France, published in 1696, you can see an image identical to the modern heraldic sign of Cannes.
The meaning of the palm branch on the coat of arms is also explained quite simply. It is connected with the local legend about Saint Honorat, who, with the help of the branch of this tree, was able to drive a huge snake out of these places.
