RIVIERA

see also: Etymology of RIVIERA

The Riviera France (in Occitan Of Provence and in Occitan Niçois: Còsta d' Azur according to the traditional standard or Costo d' Azur/Couosta d' Azur according to the Norme mistralienne) is the part of the Mediterranean littoral French delimited in the west by the town of Hyères (or of Cassis according to some), and in the east by Menton (at the Italian border ). It covers part of the department of the Var, the department of the the Alpes-Maritimes in its entirety, and the territory of the Principality of Monaco. It is framed in north by the solid masses of the Moors and the Estérel, and by the the Alps of the South, whose certain tops dominate the sea of almost 3 000 meters.

Reached long time by the marbellisation, the area is strongly urbanized in edge of the littoral to answer the tourist attraction , the back-country being more often preserved, in particular in the Var along the Massif of the Moors. The adjective corresponding beside Azur is azuréen and its inhabitants is the Azuréens . It profits from a Climat soft and sunny. With its 347.900 inhabitants, Nice is largest Ville azuréenne. It has a Aéroport International, the town of Nice is the center of the Communauté of agglomeration of Nice-Coast of Azure.

The Riviera is a literary name become a tourist name and forever really delimited in the west, and the subject is the subject of interested controversies taking into account the tourist repercussions. The creation of the area Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure did not bring any new precision, on the contrary. Some would like to see the Riviera limited to the only coastal fringe of the department of the the Alpes-Maritimes of the Italian border in the west of Mandelieu (commune of Mandelieu-la-Napoule), the seaside of the department of the Var being the of the department of Var Côte.

Birth of the Riviera

The expression is due to the writer Stéphen Liégeard and his book the Riviera published in 1887 (but which one celebrated the centenary in 1988). Of azure is a term of Héraldique and means “blue color”.

Stéphen Liégeard was aware of the importance of its lucky find since he writes (in 1893 or 1894, two dates appearing in the republication!) in the Foreword of the 2nd edition of its book (4e of cover in the republication of the centenaire):
“ the exact or out of date denominations of Mediterranean coastline, Cornice, River, Plages Liguriennes… were melted like snows with the sun! And, on the place remained empty was installed, by right of conquest, this term picturesque and fast, truer still that poetic: The RIVIERA.
the Riviera! Thus, of the Castle of Yew [[Marseilles]] to the palates of Genoa, is entitled from now on the country of the blue sea, the sun and the flowers… The dictionary was increased by a mot. ”

In the passing one notices that the Riviera goes from Marseilles to Genoa for its “inventor”.

The English speak about '' Riviera '' or French Riviera . The Communauté of agglomeration whose natural pole is the town of Menton bears the name of Communauté of French agglomeration of Riviera (Carf), the term of Riviera which has been able to appear too associated with Nice.

Riviera is the Italian term. The term Occitan (Niçois and Of Provence) is Ribiera . In French, one spoke a long time about Rivière of Genoa and Rivière of Nice , Nice itself being sometimes avoided soft name of Nice de Rivière .

Data 2006

Some essential data related to Tourism on the Riviera:
- Nearly 10 million Touristes
- 52% of foreign customers,
- 222 million nuitées
- Expenditure of the tourists: 5 billion Euros
- 75.000 tourism employment is 18% of the total of employment in Alpes-Maritimes.
- 500.000 tourists in High Pays
- 500.000 congressistes
- 3 million entries in the museums and monuments
- More than 30% of the tourists come by avion

See also: urban Space Nice-Coast-in Azur

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