Côte DAzur

(the French Riviera), a stretch of mountainous seacoast in France on the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the border with Italy in the east to the Fréjus gulf in the west, protected in the north by the Maritime Alps. The shoreline is dotted with bays, framed by picturesque and often rocky shores. A hot dry summer (the average temperature in July is 22°-23°C), a mild sunny winter (the average temperature in January is 7°C), and a rich and varied vegetation have helped turn Côte d’Azur into an important resort region, with numerous parks, and an area where horticulture, viticulture, and flower growing have been developed. The seacoast is crowded with hotels, boarding houses, and private villas.

The Côte d’Azur spas were treatment centers for persons with pulmonary tuberculosis before World War I and have been used for patients with functional disorders of the nervous system, obesity, diabetes, and so on since the 1940’s. The area is a popular vacation and recreation area. It offers year-round climate therapy and sea bathing (from the end of May until mid-November). The main spas are Nice, Cannes, and Menton. The independent principality of Monaco is within the Côte d’Azur.