HISTORIC CANNES . Thomas Roger Smith 1858 - PROPOSED GRAND HOTEL de la MEDITERRANEE (#01 in series) - Cannes France 20Jun2022 sRGB web

            Love these old images ... another image no longer in copyright ... some TLC.

British Architect Thomas Roger Smith (Hertford and London), and most probably with his son, architect Thomas Taylor Smith, proposed this Grand Hotel.

From my research to date, no family hotels existed in Cannes at the time (per late 1857 Illustrated London News who also commented it was an opportunity for real estate developer types). The only rental choices were villas.

Never built, this may be the first hotel of any kind propsed for Cannes.

The three villas shown still exist in 2022, with modifications, especially to Chateau Saint Ursule (also designed by Thomas Roger Smith).

The top left building is Villa Eleanor Louisa built for Englishman Henri Brougham, titled as Lord Brougham, who made Cannes known as an excellent 'place to resort to' in cold European winters.  He is celebrated as the 'Father of Cannes'.

The bottom left is Villa St. George built for Sir Herbert Taylor. Groundbreaking was in 1838, but Sir Taylor passed away in Rome just months later. it was sold to British Sir Thomas Robinson Woolsfield.

As time passed, this area known as western Cannes, became an upscale residential & garden area for English families (known then as le Quartier Anglais).

All major hotels were built in the coming decades to the east of this area, north of the bay. The Grand Hotel opened along Rue de Croisette in 1864. It was similar in form and massing, but done by another team of architects.

Architect Thomas Roger Smith also designed a Gothic chapel for the Anglican community, named Christ Church, and it was located just to the right of the hotel (off screen) in 1858-1859.

In 1863, the first railroad line was constructued along the shoreline shown above.

To the top left at the highest point, the villa used in the movie, TO CATCH A THEIF, was built in 1911. It still exists and looks fabulous.

In 2022, the roadway along the water is named Boulevard du Midi Louise Moreau.  The stone wall exists also, but setback to allow for the roadway. There is an exisiting tunnel thru the stone wall/concrete today in 2022 in the same location. It serves as beach access under a railroad line.

This image is 166 years old, as of the Jun2022 uploading to my photostream.

Title: Projected Grand Hotel de la Mediterranee ... Cannes
Date: 1858
Author: Thomas R Smith & Son, Architect
Book: Engravings (120 of architectural works
by Smith, T. T. (Thomas Tayler), architect 1867

SOURCE: Internet Archive

Taken on: May 25, 2020

Sets appears in: • French Architecture • French Graphic Design more » • Historic CANNES, FRANCE • Landscapes • Water « less

Groups appears in: • England • London Photographers more » • Architecture-Building & Construction • Graphic Designers Moonlighting as Photographers • London buildings • quiet life • LONDON CALLING - no big ben please. • Water, water, water • Pictures Of England • Architecture Directory • This Is England • London! • Photographs, Landscapes & Monuments of France • Great Buildings • Travel and Escapades • Flickr random cool shots! (no sweepers here!) • Flickr France • I know where you are • The art, beauty and skills of architecture • Architecture Unlimited • PROYECTO 1.000.000 DE FOTOGRAFIAS. • FLICKR INTERNATIONAL - No 30/60 Groups Limit • Buildings are beautiful - no 30/60 limit • BEAUTY PHOTOS AROUND THE WORLD • Pictorial Britsh Isles « less

Camera: Nikon D750, f/16.0, 1/1000 sec, 50mm, ISO 3600 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D750
Lens:	50mm f/1.4
Aperture:	f/16.0
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/1000)
Focal Length:	50mm
ISO:	3600
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	High gain up
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	NIKON D750 Ver.1.12
Show full info

Stats: 844 views