Why go
In 1388 Nice and its surrounding territory passed from Provence to Savoy, while Provence later became part of France. Grimaldi branches also held power in Monaco, Antibes and Nice. These changes give context to the coast’s different civic identities and make its fortified towns more intelligible than a single Riviera label does.
The full story
The medieval coast did not develop under one lasting ruler. Provence passed through several dynastic houses, while branches of the Grimaldi family gained influence in Monaco, Antibes and Nice during the thirteenth century. The Grimaldis also built castles at places including Cagnes-sur-Mer and Antibes. A major divide came in 1388, when Nice and nearby territory separated from Provence and entered the protection of the House of Savoy. Its language and political history then followed a different path from Provence for centuries. Provence became part of France in the late fifteenth century; Nice rejoined France only in 1860. Monaco retained its own principality. This sequence is worth keeping in mind when travelling west or east from Nice. Towns that appear to belong to one continuous coastline carry different layers of allegiance, and their old centres and fortifications belong to that more varied history.