French Côte d'Azur. a resort area along the Mediterranean coast, extending from Saint Tropez, in SE France, to La Spezia, in NW Italy.
(often lowercase) any similar coastal resort area.
the Florida riviera.
Its scenic beauty and mild climate make it a popular vacation area.
The French Riviera is also called the Côte d'Azur (the azure coast).
C18: from Italian literally: shore, ultimately from Latin rīpa bank, shore
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When Hollywood deities Grace Kelly and Cary Grant were shown cruising along the French Riviera in a beautiful, sleek Sunbeam Alpine in To Catch a Thief, for example, they epitomised silver-screen elegance and savoir-faire.
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026
Others opted out of staying on the French Riviera entirely, telling Basroon they were tired of “the scene,” she added.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
In an exhilarating US Women's Open at Riviera Country Club, Hull posted a record-equalling weekend charge while finishing a shot shy of Nelly Korda's winning total.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
They have traded places like London, the French Riviera and the Swiss Alps for new destinations such as the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Azerbaijan.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
“Well, yes. Does it look like we’re sunbathing on the Riviera here?”
From "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliett
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
