a strip of Mediterranean seacoast stretching from the city of Cannes in France to the city of La Spezia in Italy. It is divided into the French Riviera, the Côte d’Azur, and the Italian Riviera; the last is subdivided into the western part—the Riviera di Ponente—and the eastern part—the Riviera di Levante, which are west and east of Genoa, respectively. Winters are mild (average temperature, 9.3°–12°C), and summers are hot (average temperature, 24°C). Annual precipitation totals 500–700 mm.

Before World War I, people often traveled to the Riviera for rest or treatment for tuberculosis. In the period between the two world wars, the sanatoriums were moved to the coastal mountains, and the former health resorts became mainly recreation and sports areas. Since the 1950’s, people convalescing from or afflicted with nervous disorders, anemia, and other ailments have come to the Riviera for rest. There are hotels, boarding houses, and camping sites. The resorts on the Riviera include Cannes, Antibes, Nice, and Menton in France, Monaco and Monte Carlo in Monaco, and San Remo, Imperia, and Rapallo in Italy.