Before and after pictures of the French and Italian Riviera show it was just as posh 100 years ago as it is today
Julie Zeveloff
- Your Instagram might be flooded with snapshots of people carousing on European beaches.
- These images from the Library of Congress show that the vacation hotspot has changed in the last 100 years.
It's that time of year — "'How did this person afford this trip to Europe' month on Instagram," according to comedian Jared Freid.
But crowds flocking to the South of France and Italian Riviera in June are nothing new, as these stunning images from the Library of Congress show.
Called photochroms, the colored images are ink-based photolithographs. They were often sold as souvenirs for travelers, and show landscapes, everyday scenes, and architecture, according to the Library of Congress.
Keep scrolling for postcard-style images that show the Cannes Promenade de la Croisette, Monaco's Casino de Monte-Carlo, and other idyllic scenes from around the period between 1890 and 1900.
Let's start our tour in Monaco, the tiny country carved out of the French Riviera.
Monaco's opulent casino, the Casino de Monte-Carlo, is the centerpiece of the waterside principality.
The Monte Carlo casino opened its doors in 1865.
It is surrounded by gardens and the Mediterranean Sea.
The casino still functions today, and retains its old-world opulence.
Monaco's own citizens are not allowed to gamble in the casino, a policy that dates back to its opening.
This image, from between 1890 and 1900, shows the "new" gambling room at the casino.
The interiors are still decadent.
A view of Monaco's seasides, hills, and famous port, from around 1900.
And the same view today, with a few more high rises and superyachts.
The seaside town of Menton is just north of Monaco, in France.
This photochrom shows a view from Menton's harbor around 1900.
Today, Menton is known for its annual Lemon Festival.
Menton's promenade and beach.
La Croisette in Cannes is one of the most iconic promenades in the south of France.
While it's more built up today, the 2-kilometer walkway between beach and town hasn't changed much.
Neither has the clocktower on Cannes' Mont Chevalier.
Here it is today.
100+ years ago, the Cannes harbor was filled with sailing ships.
It's no different today, although the ships have changed.
The old town, Cannes.
This photochrom shows tree-lined Avenue de la Gare in Nice.
Now the second-largest city in southern France, Nice has long been a vacation destination. Pictured here is the long-gone Hotel des Anglais.
Today, its waterfront is packed with hotels and beach clubs.
Another bygone building in Nice; the winter garden.
This image shows washerwomen ("blanchisseusses") working in Nice.
Here is the bustling Cours Saleya market at the turn of the century.
And today, where it's a popular destination for antiquing.
Let's hop over to the Italian side of the Riviera. Sanremo has long been a tourist hotspot.
Today's aerial view shows a built-out beach but the same geographic features.
Sanremo's Royal Hotel, which opened in 1872, still welcomes visitors today.
The Sanremo harbor then...
... and now.
Women walk along the waterfront promenade in Sanremo.
One final view of Sanremo from the turn of the century.
Popular Right Now
Advertisement