Cote d'Azur, as we know it today-frequented by yachts and filmstars-is primarily a product of the last 150 years, but the historicalimpact of its central location dates back more than 2,500 years. Itsgeographic position and many natural harbors on the north side ofthe Mediterranean made it a stopover for early seafaring people likethe Greeks; a natural extension of the Roman Empire; a target andbase for Saracen raiders; and a place where the ambitions of French,Spanish and Italian kings and princes came into conflict. Morerecently it has been a destination for tourists, retirees and seekers ofimproved health, and a landing place for the invasion of France bythe Allied armies in the Second World War. This book begins with Cote d'Azur's early days and moves through to the present in a comprehensive, but concise, easily readable form. It should help travelers relate what they are seeing today to what it was before.