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Florida Panhandle / Emerald Coast might be a good contender for "American Riviera"
I do like Santa Barbara through to San Diego and Tijuana a lot, but if I had to relocate to one or the other for work or some such, I'd like to give the French Riviera a shot since I've never been to it and it seems interesting.
That area along with the coast of MS and AL have been mockingly called the "Redneck Riviera". Not my name but if you've been there...
I still can't see coastal socal as a riviera. I live here and it's just Americana by the ocean, especially San Diego. Santa Barbara I think is the only one that can compare.
Only Santa Barbara is considered the American riviera not LA and SD.
I think it is because of the wine country, steep mountains, beautiful beaches/coast, and attracts boaters/yachts, upper class types, artists during the summer months. For people in the LA area, Santa Barbara is a weekend getaway and considered a romantic getaway versus Las Vegas which is a party getaway.
Not sure one could say train infrastructure is a forte of the French Riviera. It takes almost as long to go from Nice to Marseille than all the way from Marseille to Paris. Car is actually quite a bit faster on this portion. Most people doing the Nice-Paris trip do it by plane. Barcelona isn't really considered a weekend trip destination either, or at least not more than in places like London or Berlin. After all it's 400+ miles away and people are more likely to fly there than go by car if not for an extended vacation.
Italy, otoh, is right next door, even though the more high-profile cities aren't that close either.
Not sure one could say train infrastructure is a forte of the French Riviera. It takes almost as long to go from Nice to Marseille than all the way from Marseille to Paris. Car is actually quite a bit faster on this portion. Most people doing the Nice-Paris trip do it by plane. Barcelona isn't really considered a weekend trip destination either, or at least not more than in places like London or Berlin. After all it's 400+ miles away, people are more likely to fly there than go by car if not for an extended vacation.
Along no. To get to, it can be. There are some very slow trains going to Italy, but when I am headed that way I book an overnight berth.
I'v arrived in the south of France by plane. By car and by train. Overall I prefer the train. It can be a longish day by European standards, but I have taken the Thaly's from Amsterdam, changed in Paris to the TGV to Avignon. If I remember I leave Amsterdam at 7am and arrive in Avignon by 3ish?? Then again, I love trains so it's a pleasure for me.
Not sure one could say train infrastructure is a forte of the French Riviera. It takes almost as long to go from Nice to Marseille than all the way from Marseille to Paris. Car is actually quite a bit faster on this portion. Most people doing the Nice-Paris trip do it by plane. Barcelona isn't really considered a weekend trip destination either, or at least not more than in places like London or Berlin. After all it's 400+ miles away and people are more likely to fly there than go by car if not for an extended vacation.
Italy, otoh, is right next door, even though the more high-profile cities aren't that close either.
I’m curious as to whether the French Riviera has better overall service than the OP’s American Riviera definition.
I don’t know, man, the mix of Mexican, East Asian, and Southeast Asian cuisines and the combinations they have in southern California makes for pretty spectacular eating.
Along no. To get to, it can be. There are some very slow trains going to Italy, but when I am headed that way I book an overnight berth.
I'v arrived in the south of France by plane. By car and by train. Overall I prefer the train. It can be a longish day by European standards, but I have taken the Thaly's from Amsterdam, changed in Paris to the TGV to Avignon. If I remember I leave Amsterdam at 7am and arrive in Avignon by 3ish?? Then again, I love trains so it's a pleasure for me.
This thread is making miss Europe.
Yup Marseille is very well connected by train, that's for sure! But the Riviera begins east of it, somewhere between Cassis and St Tropez depending on the definitions (the most conservative ones only taking in Nice county, so even excluding the likes of Cannes and Antibes!). Essentially I see it as the coast around Nice. Nice-Marseille is around 2h40 by train.
Only Santa Barbara is considered the American riviera not LA and SD.
I think it is because of the wine country, steep mountains, beautiful beaches/coast, and attracts boaters/yachts, upper class types, artists during the summer months. For people in the LA area, Santa Barbara is a weekend getaway and considered a romantic getaway versus Las Vegas which is a party getaway.
^^^This
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