Cannes has a reputation built entirely on 20th century villas from the Belle Époque, sunny sandy beaches and the red carpet of the Palais des Festivals. Like the film festival, the alure of the race was in no doubt partly because of its location and the entertainment provided to the touring elite.

Given the location, you might be forgiven for thinking the race was one for sprinters. Indeed, Sean Kelly and the rouleur Sean Yates both took victories. But Yates only found success after a winter of exile in an apartment which he had decided would be a food-free zone.

With its profil acéré – sharp, like sharks’ teeth - and distances of up to 200kms, it was a one-day classic climb-fest.

Early years saw the race go west on the coast to the Corniche d’Or before returning through the hills and red rock of the Esterel national park. Racers then flashed back through the Croissette for the fans on their way east to Antibes before climbing to Vence, then above to Gourdon, just below the snow line.

Then came the rush back to town, sometimes with the montée de Cabris to provide a final test and give any escapees with a chance to stay away.

It was an important race in the calendar that came at the end of the first week of racing on the Côte d’Azur.

The professionals had been on the coast for maybe two months or more. The training blocks under the winter sun were done, au bord du la mer or in the collines behind. Now came the time to fine-tune form in race conditions before the Spring Classics or early stage races like Paris-Nice.

Whilst the Boucle de Sospel and Col de Braus are more recognized as the building blocks of René Vietto’s professional career, the GP de Cannes was literally his hometown race. The Cannois unsurprisingly holds the record number of victories, having taken back-to-back victories in 1932 and 1933 as he announced himself on the professional circuit.

Post-war, towards the end of his career and after opening his own bike shop in the town, Vietto lined up for one final fling. Having been involved in choosing the parcours for the 1948 edition, the organisers, the locals even the commissaire expected nothing less than glory.

But Italian grimpeur Paul Néri, winner of the race two years previously, had other ideas and attacked on the Col de Gourdon.

It forced Vietto and compatriat Edouard Fachleitner to chase and when the catch was made, a hectic descent from Grasse to Cannes ensued.

As they kicked for the line Néri, the better sprinter, tried to catch Vietto unaware by going up the narrow left side, shouting at him to get out of the way. Vietto was not going to give up his last Grand Prix de Cannes and squeezed Néri out to take the win, but he was outraged at Néri’s tactics.

A brawl ensued before René’s entourage restrained him. This was René's race.

Sometimes the race started before the ‘b’ of the bang.

With the weeks of February and March filled with races, there was a lot of talk amongst the professionals about who was racing where. Combined with the threat to forme and health by riding in unpredictable weather, the gamesmanship began days before a wheel was turned. In 1964 it was a mise-en-scène of the battle between two giants of French cycling.

Both Jacques Anquetil and Raymond Poulidor decided not to race the Prix de Saint-Raphäel the day before GP de Cannes due to icy rain and low temperatures. Poulidor was motivated “Je suis solide et dur au mal” – I am strong and tough. (Needless to say he had finished second in the race the previous year.)

Anquetil stated if the bad weather continued he would not risk his season just for one race, whilst also relaying his soigneur’s reports that he was strong and recovering from training efforts faster than ever. Another second place for Pou-Pou?

Come the day of the race, Anquetil remained quiet, tucked deep in the peloton to shelter from any possible bad weather. Poulidor was active. At the front, he attacked with 35kms to go on the Côte de Cabris, a tactic local racers didn’t recommend – as Raoul Rémy had shouted at Louison Bobet in 1954, “no one has ever won the GP de Cannes by attacking so early in the race”.

Anquetil did not chase. With Jeannine Anquetil waiting with the car in case her husband wanted to abandon, obviously the pre-race talk was not a bluff.

Poulidor soloed to victory, proving his form that season and to himself and the world that in a climbing tête-a-tête, he could beat Maître Jacques. The response? “It's long season, very long. And we'll have time to fight, Raymond and me.” And so it was, for more than one season.

Beneath the town's glitter and bling, away from the steps of the Palais des Festivals, the GP de Cannes proves that the Côte d’Azur was (and still is) where spring classic wins, grand tour glories, professional careers and legends began life.

Vietto, Bobet, Anquetil, Pouildor, Fignon. Pillars of French cycling with foundations laid on the Riviera.

Read more about the races that gone but not forgotten in our Courses Disparues series.

RIDERS' NOTES

We would recommend splitting it into two rides, with one westerly adventure to the beautiful l'Esterel and one east and north to Vence and eventually over the Col de l'Ecre.