Synopsis
Michael Nelson’s The French Riviera: A History provides a sweeping yet concise chronological account of the Côte d'Azur, transforming it from a mere playground for the wealthy into a complex historical landscape. The narrative begins nearly 400,000 years ago at the prehistoric site of Terra Amata in Nice and moves through the successive arrivals of Greeks, Romans, and various "barbarian" tribes like the Visigoths and Franks. Nelson highlights the region's surprisingly cosmopolitan nature even in the Middle Ages, noting instances such as a 7th-century finishing school that attracted nobility from as far away as Northumbria in England.
The book transitions into the more turbulent periods of Provençal history, depicting the Riviera as a microcosm of France’s broader struggles. Nelson populates his history with dark and quirky anecdotes, such as the city of Nice lending a guillotine to the town of Grasse during the French Revolution because Nice had no victims to execute while Grasse had thirty. The text also covers the region’s strategic importance during World War II, sharing stories of the French Resistance, including Jean Moulin’s daring use of an art gallery as a front to deceive occupying German forces.
In its final sections, the focus shifts to the cultural and economic transformation of the coast into a global destination. Nelson details how the British, led by figures like Queen Victoria, "discovered" the Riviera as a winter refuge, followed by the Americans who rebranded it as a glamorous summer retreat in the 20th century. Summarizing the region’s dual identity of beauty and scandal, Nelson evokes Somerset Maugham’s famous description of the place as a "sunny place for shady people." The history concludes with the modern era, tracking the region's evolution into a technological hub with the establishment of Sophia-Antipolis, the "Silicon Valley of France."