French Riviera

Get to Know the French Riviera

The glittering French Riviera, or Cote d’Azur, is a Mediterranean paradise. The Riviera marries glamour with old-world charm. Bask in the bright sun and soak yourself with superb turquoise waters. Indulge in Rivera’s flair for luxury. Michelin-star restaurants, yacht rides, legendary nightlife, and Monaco’s Monte Carlo Casino await. This sparkling coastline from Cassis to Menton has long drawn celebrities and the jet-set crowd.

Every year in May, Hollywood elites descend for the famed Cannes Film Festival. Beautiful yachts line the white sandy shore of St.Tropez. Nice is a beguiling destination blessed with natural beauty and heavy with Italian influences. By car or boat, it is easy to take a quick international detour to follow Grace Kelly’s footsteps to the opulent Principality of Monaco. With their dramatic geography and medieval charm, the perched villages like Éze and Saint-Paul-de-Vence are favorite stops for visitors. 

History

Stéphen Liégeard first came up with the phrase Côte d’Azur (French Riviera) in 1887. He defined it as “the strip of coast between Marseille and Italy.” In the 18th century, the English aristocracy began spending winters in the French Riviera. It was regarded as a Garden of Eden with a mild climate and beautiful countryside. Soon, other European elites started following suit, spending the winter months here. During the beginning of the 19th century, health became a focus and people would travel to the French Riviera during the winter as a medical treatment.

Cuisine

The border of the Mediterranean means a lot of sun and fantastic stone fruits, vegetables, and fresh fish. Nice is the only city in France that is famed for its street food, a result of the strong Italian influence. Many of the snacks sold at the Cours Saleya market and in the Old Town’s street food stands would have been eaten by workers to calm mid-morning hunger pangs: a tradition known as la merenda. Try local delicacies like pissaladière, a caramelized onion tart, socca, a chickpea pancake, fougasse, Provençal flatbread, and tourte de blettes, a sweet pie with a surprise ingredient.