Palais des Festivals et des Congrès
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes is a convention and cultural venue on La Croisette in Cannes, France, hosting 150+ events per year — including 70+ professional B2B events (Cannes Film Festival, Cannes Lions, MIPIM) and 81 cultural events — for international organizers and the general public.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersSaint-bonnet-de-montauroux, France
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Palais des Festivals et des Congrès does
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes is a major convention, exhibition and cultural venue located on La Croisette in Cannes, France. The venue was established in 1946 in connection with the Cannes Film Festival and is operated by SEMEC (Société d'économie mixte pour les événements cannois), a mixed public-private company (S.A.) with €2.4M share capital. It hosts over 150 events per year across 340 operating days, comprising more than 70 professional B2B events (MIPIM, MIPCOM, Cannes Lions, Canneseries, IPEM, ILTM, MIDEM, Cannes Yachting Festival, Tax Free World Exhibition) and 81 cultural events (Festival d'Art Pyrotechnique, Festival de Danse, Les Plages Electroniques, NRJ Music Awards, classical cycles and dance performances), generating more than 300,000 professional accreditations annually.
The Palais operates a portfolio of iconic configurable spaces — Grand Auditorium Louis Lumière, Théâtre Debussy, Salon des Ambassadeurs, Hall des Expositions and Espace Riviera — alongside the famous Croisette steps ('Les Marches') that anchor the Cannes Film Festival red carpet. Revenue is generated through two principal streams: professional event hosting (space rental, technical services, catering and ancillaries sold to B2B organizers via a direct sales motion) and cultural ticketing (sold through its own ThemisWeb platform and Cannes Ticket). Pricing for cultural shows is tiered (Plein, Réduit, Carte Liberté, Abonné, Jeune -26 ans), ranging from €10 to €60 depending on category and performance. The Palais is also a formally constituted société à mission with a stated purpose of 'Accueillir durablement le monde' (sustainably welcoming the world), supported by an eco-design digital strategy hosted on OVH infrastructure with a local carbon-offset program via Coopérative Carbone's 'La Forêt Bleue' project.
The Palais's digital presence is built on Woody CMS (Raccourci Agency), MongoDB/Memcached/Varnish caching, OVH French servers and CloudFlare CDN, and it markets through LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, BeReal, a monthly newsletter, 360° immersive venue videos, and referral partnerships with the Cannes Convention Bureau and global MICE industry bodies (ICCA, AIPC, UFI, UNIMEV). Governance is anchored by Cannes municipal leadership — Mayor David Lisnard chairs the Palais and 1st Deputy Mayor Nicolas Gorjux was elected Chairman of SEMEC in April 2026.
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Palais des Festivals et des Congrès
- Legal name
- Société d'économie mixte pour les événements cannois (SEMEC)
- Website
- https://palaisdesfestivals.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes is a convention and cultural venue on La Croisette in Cannes, France, hosting 150+ events per year — including 70+ professional B2B events (Cannes Film Festival, Cannes Lions, MIPIM) and 81 cultural events — for international organizers and the general public.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Convention and Exhibition Center Venue Services
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Fairgrounds & Expo Parks (THAHAAAH)
Keywords
Where Palais des Festivals et des Congrès is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint-bonnet-de-montauroux
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Professional Event Hosting: Le Palais rents out its spaces and infrastructure to professional event organizers for B2B trade shows, congresses, and conferences (e.g., MIPIM, MIPCOM, Cannes Lions, Cannes Yachting Festival, IPEM). Revenue is generated through space rental, technical services, catering, and ancillary services. Over 70 professional B2B events are hosted per year.
- Cultural Ticket Sales: Le Palais sells tickets to the general public for cultural events, shows, concerts, dance performances, and festivals (e.g., Festival d'Art Pyrotechnique, Festival de Danse, Les Plages Electroniques, NRJ Music Awards). Over 81 cultural events are programmed per year.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Category 1 - Premium seating for dance performance (Stephanie Lake Company) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Salon des Ambassadeurs - Dance performance (Compagnie Dernière Minute) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Théâtre Debussy - Classical concert (Beethoven Cycle) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Auditorium les Arlucs - Dance platform (Plateforme Studiotrade) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels11 records
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes is a physical convention, exhibition and cultural venue in Cannes that rents out configurable spaces (Grand Auditorium Louis Lumière, Théâtre Debussy, Salon des Ambassadeurs, Hall des Expositions, Espace Riviera) along with technical production, catering and ancillary services to professional event organizers for B2B trade shows, congresses and conferences. It also sells tickets to the general public for cultural programming including concerts, dance, pyrotechnics, comedy and festivals, hosting 70+ professional events and 81 cultural events per year across 340 days of activity.
Product overview
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès is a convention and exhibition center in Cannes, France, providing venue spaces and event hosting services. It is not a software technology platform and does not offer digital products, modules, or a product portfolio. Its core offerings consist of physical event spaces (auditoriums, exhibition halls, conference rooms), event organization services, and ticketing for cultural and professional events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Canneseries: International series festival with pink carpet, competition, and professional events held at the Palais des Festivals
- Cannes Lions
- IPEM (International Private Equity Market)
- Festival de Danse Cannes - Côte d'Azur
- Festival d'Art Pyrotechnique
Products and services
- B2B venue hosting for professional events Rental of multiple configurable event spaces (Grand Auditorium Louis Lumière, Théâtre Debussy, Salon des Ambassadeurs, Hall des Expositions, Espace Riviera) plus technical, catering and ancillary services to professional event organizers and associations hosting B2B events.
- Cultural event programming and ticketing Ticketed cultural programming including concerts, theatre, dance shows, pyrotechnic displays, comedy events and festivals delivered to the general public across 81 cultural events per year, with tiered pricing by audience category.
- Guided venue tours Guided visits of the Palais des Festivals delivered in multiple languages (French and English are confirmed), letting visitors experience the iconic spaces including the famous red-carpet steps.
- 360° immersive virtual venue tours Immersive 360° previews of all major venue spaces published as videos on YouTube, enabling prospective clients and the public to experience the Palais virtually.
Quantifiable outcome
- 300,000+ professional accreditations per year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Palais des Festivals et des Congrès
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Unimev (Union Française des Métiers de l'Evènement)coreUNIMEV is the only professional organization representing all stakeholders in the professional meetings industry: trade fair and exhibition organizers, congresses, sporting events, venue managers, and service providers. Le Palais operates as a member and active participant in this industry body.
- France Congrès et EvénementscoreFrance Congrès et Evénements is the association of French convention and event cities, chaired by David Lisnard, Mayor of Cannes. It brings together elected officials, venue managers, service providers, and organizers. Le Palais benefits from this association as Cannes's flagship venue.
- UFI (Global Association of the Exhibition Industry)coreUFI brings together trade show organizers, venue owners and operators, service providers, and national and international industry associations worldwide. Le Palais participates as a venue operator member.
- Atout FranceminorAtout France is France's official tourism development agency, aiming to boost the competitiveness and appeal of France as a destination. Le Palais benefits from national tourism promotion activities.
- LinkeusminorLinkeus federates more than 240 event industry professionals in the Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur region (including Monaco and Ajaccio) since 2008. It advises professional event organizers and supports member growth.
- ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association)coreICCA is the global community and knowledge center for the international association meetings industry. Le Palais participates as a congress center member to access international meeting data and industry best practices.
- AIPC (International Association of Congress Centres)coreAIPC is the professional association of congress and exhibition center managers worldwide, committed to encouraging and recognizing excellence in convention center management through research, training, and networking programs.
- CoésiominorCoésio brings together some 75 French-speaking convention destinations whose representatives share values of solidarity, quality, and progress. Founded over 45 years ago by convention center directors in Paris.
- Mice Club GermanyminorAs a registered member of Mice Club, Le Palais benefits from advantages and offers from product suppliers and service providers in the Mice and events sectors in Germany.
- Raccourci AgencycoreRaccourci Agency (La Rochelle) is responsible for the creation and hosting of the Palais des Festivals website. They have been committed to eco-design and sustainability since 2018, providing Woody CMS development, ongoing technical updates (delivered twice monthly), and eco-design consulting. They partner with Coopérative Carbone for local carbon offset via the 'La Forêt Bleue' project.
- ThinkMyWeb AgencyminorThinkMyWeb Agency (Lyon) is responsible for website design and content strategy of the Palais des Festivals website.
- OVHcoreOVH is the eco-responsible French hosting provider for the Palais des Festivals website. OVH has an average PUE of 1.28 (better than global average), participates in Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact and VMware's zero carbon commitment, and hosts data centers in France for RGPD compliance.
- Coopérative Carbone / La Forêt BleueminorRaccourci Agency partners with Coopérative Carbone (La Rochelle) on a local carbon offset scheme. Emissions (servers and car travel) estimated at 30 tonnes of CO2 per year are offset via the 'La Forêt Bleue' project, with a symbolic contribution of €1 ex VAT/month offered to all clients.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Paris Expo Porte de Versailles: France's largest convention and exhibition campus, also operated via a mixed-economy company (VIPARIS). Direct competitor for French B2B trade shows and conferences, including events that might otherwise consider Cannes.
- Palais des Congrès de Paris: Major Paris-based convention venue operated by VIPARIS, hosting large corporate congresses and entertainment events. Comparable in function (convention + cultural programming) and competes for French and international event organizers.
- Fira de Barcelona: One of Europe's largest convention and exhibition complexes, hosting flagship B2B events (Mobile World Congress, Alimentaria, ISE). Direct competitor for large international trade shows and congresses.
- ExCeL London: Major London convention and exhibition center hosting large international events. Comparable in scale and B2B focus; competes for European events that could alternatively choose Cannes.
- RAI Amsterdam: Amsterdam convention center hosting major European B2B exhibitions (ISE co-host, AI Summit). Comparable venue operator model competing for international congresses and trade fairs.
- GL events: Major French-based event services and venue management group (LYON EUREXPO, Paris events). Comparable as a publicly-listed French venue operator and event services provider with similar B2B and cultural event mix.
Broad incumbents
- Messe Frankfurt: Global exhibition organizer and venue operator with multiple German and international venues (Ambiente, Light + Building). Comparable in hosting flagship B2B trade shows, often with proprietary event ownership rather than pure venue rental.
- Dubai World Trade Centre: Major Middle East convention and exhibition complex, part of Dubai's broader events strategy. Competes for flagship international events and offers newer infrastructure and tax-free positioning.
- Marina Bay Sands / Sands Expo: Integrated Singapore convention-hotel complex with Sands Expo & Convention Centre. Comparable integrated venue + hospitality model, competing for Asia-Pacific and global flagship events.
Others
- RX France (Reed Exhibitions France): Organizer of MIPIM, MIPCOM, MAPIC and other flagship Cannes events. A key customer and ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor, but deeply comparable as an exhibition-industry operator using Le Palais as its primary French venue.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès social profiles
Digital presencePalais des Festivals et des Congrès financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Palais des Festivals et des Congrès
What does Palais des Festivals et des Congrès do?
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes is a physical convention, exhibition and cultural venue in Cannes that rents out configurable spaces (Grand Auditorium Louis Lumière, Théâtre Debussy, Salon des Ambassadeurs, Hall des Expositions, Espace Riviera) along with technical production, catering and ancillary services to professional event organizers for B2B trade shows, congresses and conferences. It also sells tickets to the general public for cultural programming including concerts, dance, pyrotechnics, comedy and festivals, hosting 70+ professional events and 81 cultural events per year across 340 days of activity.
Is Palais des Festivals et des Congrès a public or private company?
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Palais des Festivals et des Congrès founded?
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès was founded in 1946. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Palais des Festivals et des Congrès based?
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès is headquartered in Saint-bonnet-de-montauroux, France, in the Europe region.
How does Palais des Festivals et des Congrès make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Professional Event Hosting is the primary driver. The others are cultural Ticket Sales.
Who are Palais des Festivals et des Congrès's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Palais des Congrès de Paris, Fira de Barcelona, ExCeL London, RAI Amsterdam and GL events. Broad incumbents are Messe Frankfurt, Dubai World Trade Centre and Marina Bay Sands / Sands Expo. RX France (Reed Exhibitions France) is listed as an others.
Does Palais des Festivals et des Congrès have an API?
No public API is recorded for Palais des Festivals et des Congrès.
What industry is Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in?
Palais des Festivals et des Congrès's product category is Convention and Exhibition Center Venue Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHAAAA, Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers), with a secondary code of THAHAAAH, Fairgrounds & Expo Parks. Its NAICS code is 71131 and its SIC code is 7990.