COTE D AZUR //// FRENCH RIVIERA 1

The Azure coast is a poet ’s phrase to describe in the 19th century, the beauty of an area

located between the Mediterranean sea and the Alps. Stephen Liegeard was the first to give a name to that coast, with that blue sea, that blue sky. Located between the italian border, and the last French city of MENTON, to THEOULE, Including the bay of CANNES, second most important town after NICE, of the French Riviera.

Photographied,painted,storied, visited,the Côte d Azur is an enchantment for people from China to the States.

Foreigners and French visitors come once, and wish to come back as soon as possible! Yes, there is a special aura, an incredible light from MONTE CARLO, passing through NICE, CANNES, and climbing to the medieval villages of EZE and ST PAUL DE VENCE. 

Millionnaires come to gamble, in the principality of MONACO, at the roulette, at with the

slot machines, They have the choice for the different palaces all along the coast..

Kings and Queens, Presidents, artists from all over the world are attracted by this small paradise.

Who came the first?

In the 4TH century BC, the Greeks from MARSEILLE BC founded most of the cities:

Monaco (Mono Ikos : one temple was raised up), Nice (Nikaia: victory against the Ligurians), Antibes (Antipolis: town in front….of Nice across the bay of Angels), Cannes (Cannoiis: cannes water).

But it is necessary to wait for the British colony to develop very quickly the Côte d Azur. Lord BROUGHAM, an English chancelor living in Cannes,in 1806, made his friends coming, attracted by the sweet climate of the winter season. Even Queen Victoria used to come. She enjoyed so much Nice. She was living in a great palace of NICE, Regina Palace, on the small hill of Cimiez at 3 miles to the seashore. A big crown is still decorating one of the coupolas of that ancient hotel. She used to leave her palace to have tea,with donkeys to bring the tea set and she stopped where she enjoyed the view over the Bay of Nice!!

She loved making promenades on the hills of Nice, to discover flowers, mimosas, lavandas and plantations of carnations. The carnation : typical flower of NICE!!

In the 19th century, Russians came to. Tsar Alexander the 3rd and the Russian colony. To receive those persons of quality, beautiful hotels were built, Each colony, stayed on a hill! The white Russians after the bolchevic revolution were also attracted by Nice. An orthodox Russian cathedral was also erected from 1903 to 1912, result of the munificence of Csar Nicolas the 2nd and his mother. This impressive monument is still visited nowadays and considered to be one the most beautiful monument built outside of Russia.

All admire the Mediterranean sea, the shade,cobalt blue, coming from the clarity of the water and changing depending of the clearness of the sky.

The two most famous avenues of the Riviera are the PROMENADE DES ANGLAIS in NICE And the CROISETTE in CANNES.

The name of the English promenade was given by Rev. LEWIS WAY. He encouraged the British to pay for the widening of a small way along the sea… The CROISETTE has a different story. Facing CANNES, are the Islands of LERINS. The monks living in aconvent and owners of territories in one of the two islands had installed a small cross to delimit their properties. In French “croix” is “cross”. The word croix became small cross translated in French into Croisette! The famous “ Boulevard de la Croisette” was born. 

The Côte d ‘ Azur is the place to be, the place to dream, where you can have drinks

in front on an incredible landscape, hearing good music, so to sum up, the place to enjoy life!

But stop dreaming, culture is also available with some fine arts museums.

Matisse, Picasso, Chagall, Fernand Léger, Cocteau were all inspired. Renoir stayed in a small house in CAGNES SUR MER, transformed later into museum. For those who like walking under the pine trees and cypresses, discovering masterpieces of modern art, the MAEGHT FOUNDATION is the place to go.. Braque, Giacometti, Calder and many others artist have a special space for them.  That foundation takes place on the road to St Paul de Vence, and if you continue further on,it is possible to reach easily GRASSE, French capital of the perfumes, and so well known, even for its jasmine production.

Thanks to Catherine of MEDICI, wife of Henry the second, King of France in the 16thC, Grasse has known an important development. Floral essences are produced which serve of base material of the perfume industry.

From GRASSE, those essences are sent to Paris, directly to the great perfumes houses so famous throughout the world. Formerly,Grasse had specialised in leather work and glove. 

In the 16thC, perfume glove came into fashion, and become the beginning of the perfume

industry. Talking about Grasse, ang forget FRAGONARD painter, child of Grasse (1732-1806), would be a mistake… His father was a tanner and a glove maker.

But the Côte d’ Azur is not only a place dedicated to artists! Entertainment with different events take place everywhere. Festivals attract thousands of tourists from all nationalities.

The most famous are : 

CARNIVAL in Nice, in February, to make the tourist season starting. 

Menton, at the same time, with its LEMON FESTIVAL

Then in May,THE GRAND PRIX MOTOR RACE/ MONACO And THE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL/ CANNES

And many others small festivals in the cities and different small villages.

The Riviera climate makes it ideal for outdoor sports: tennis, golf, horse riding. In winter, skiing is about two hours of drive. Snow facing the sea, is one of the pictures, the most sold as postcard! The ski resorts are ISOLA 2000, AURON, VALBERG. In summer, beaches welcome the tourists from May to the end of October.. The Mediterranean sea remains very warm… It is so easy to reach them, the Airport of Nice is the 3rd airport of France.

So, come to visit that southern part of France, nearby the Italian border, and you will discover by yourself, more and more everyday, than those few words describe…..

SEE YOU SOON!