Chanel's Riviera

Glamour, Decadence, and Survival in Peace and War, 1930-1944

By: Anne de Courcy

Narrated by: Sophie Roberts

Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's Summary

"Narrator Sophie Roberts' strong, polished, highly sophisticated voice effectively conveys the aura of fashionable society but maintains a firm narrative objectivity. Droll, fascinating, full of memorable characters and anecdotes, here is a perspective on a world and time that moved from drawing-room comedy to the private dramas of war and occupation." (AudioFile magazine, Earphones Award winner)

In this captivating narrative, Chanel's Riviera explores the fascinating world of the Cote d'Azur during a period that saw the deepest extremes of luxury and terror in the twentieth century.

The Cote d'Azur in 1938 was a world of wealth, luxury, and extravagance, inhabited by a sparkling cast of characters including the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Joseph P. Kennedy, Gloria Swanson, Colette, the Mitfords, Picasso, Cecil Beaton, and Somerset Maugham. The elite flocked to the Riviera each year to swim, gamble, and escape from the turbulence plaguing the rest of Europe. At the glittering center of it all was Coco Chanel, whose very presence at her magnificently appointed villa, La Pausa, made it the ultimate place to be. Born an orphan, her beauty and formidable intelligence allured many men, but it was her incredible talent, relentless work ethic, and exquisite taste that made her an icon.

But this wildly seductive world was poised on the edge of destruction. In a matter of months, the Nazis swooped down and the glamour of the pre-war parties and casinos gave way to the horrors of evacuation and the displacement of thousands of families during World War II. From the bitter struggle to survive emerged powerful stories of tragedy, sacrifice, and heroism.

Enriched by original research and de Courcy’s signature skill, Chanel's Riviera brings the experiences of both rich and poor, protected and persecuted, to vivid life.A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 Anne de Courcy (P)2019 Orion Publishing Group

A Bit Misleading...

I was super excited to “read” this one as I really enjoyed de Courcy’s “The Husband Hunters”. The description of this book sounded fascinating. It was interesting but not what I expected. A good 75% of the novel was about World War II. While the Riviera was discussed in this context, it was more about France during the war with occasional check-ins with Chanel and her circle. The book details a host of characters, all interesting but it was hard to keep everyone straight, particularly as the years progressed. DeCourcy’s commitment to first hand accounts is impressive but in the end, I feel like I didn’t get what I thought I was getting, and was left wanting to know more about the Riviera.

Excellent

Kept me interested,could not stop listening. I will recommend,and play again one of my favorites!!!

Famous people, juicy gossip, great history!

This book is such fun! Though the narrative describes only a period of Coco Chanel's life, there is so much happening around her during that time, and so many people involved, that it becomes a complete and thorough story in itself. There is background about Chanel and references to her career in fashion as that relates to the time and place of the narrative, which takes place at a time before the Riviera became a playground exclusively for the rich and famous. There are plenty of rich and famous in this story, but this is when the Riviera had little fishing villages, modest homes, and a population of British who'd been there for years. A totally enjoyable read with many fun facts, and wild characters.