Viewing French Riviera
Features
Essence
Time Line
Peace & Quiet
* The Coast
* The Hinterland
* The Mountains
Famous People
Perhaps the most startling contrasts are along the coast, which encompasses the jagged rocky inlets of the blood-red Massif de l'Esterel, the majestic bays that have made Nice and Cannes famous, and the dramatic shoreline further east, where seabirds and birds of prey soar above cliffs that drop precipitously into the sea. The exotic palm trees, mimosas, eucalpytus and succulents, so intrinsic to the coastal landscape today, were imported by wintering holidaymakers only a century or two ago.
The coast supports a colourful bird life, in particular the bright yellow serins and Sardinian warblers of the rocky Esterel and there is an abundance of marine creatures, many of which feature in the cuisine of Provence. A total of 638 species of fish have been registered here, with scorpionfish, gilthead and hog-fish (the basis of bouillabaisse) particularly prized by fishermen.
Off the Îles de Lérins, it is possible to swim in the sea alongside vividly coloured fish (sea peacocks, black-faced blennies), while octopuses, jellyfish, starfish and shimmering pastel-coloured sea slugs lurk amongst beds of Neptune grass, sponges, sea anemones and abundant corals.
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