Fitzgerald's Legacy on the Riviera: Jazz, Cinema and Fashion

Between the pages of Francis Scott Fitzgerald and the shores of the Riviera, the 1920s era continues to live on in the collective imagination. The images created by the writer still feed cinema, fashion and the region’s tourist appeal. Today, a century on, the Côte d’Azur preserves the spirit of those years, adapting it to the needs of the modern world.

From novel to legend: how Fitzgerald created the myth of the Riviera

Walking along the promenades of Antibes or Cannes, it is hard not to recall Fitzgerald’s descriptions, when in Tender Is the Night he turned the coast into the stage for his characters’ dramas. The prototype for the Divers’ villa was “Villa America” — the home of Gerald and Sara Murphy on the Cap d’Antibes, where the couple hosted Hemingway, Picasso and the Fitzgeralds themselves; today other legendary Cap d’Antibes villas stand nearby. It was here, surrounded by pines and the sea, that the American author watched the life of the international bohemia that flocked to the Riviera in search of sun and freedom.

Today tourist routes offer travellers the chance to follow in Fitzgerald’s footsteps: from the Hôtel du Cap to the Plage de la Garoupe — the very beach the Murphys cleared of seaweed and fishing nets in the 1920s to entertain friends. These locations have retained the atmosphere of those years, when American expatriates, artists and aristocrats mixed with locals to create a unique cultural cocktail. For those wishing to immerse themselves in the novel’s ambience, there are even specialised tours recounting the writer’s life on the Riviera.

Cinema: how Hollywood reimagined the Jazz Age

The Great Gatsby became not only a literary phenomenon but also a source of inspiration for filmmakers. The first adaptation appeared as early as 1926, just a year after the novel’s publication. However, it was the 1974 version with Robert Redford and the 2013 version with Leonardo DiCaprio that cemented the Jazz Age’s image of luxury and glamour, which popular culture continues to reproduce.

Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation, presented in Cannes in 2013, was a genuine event. The film not only drew attention to the work but also sparked a wave of fashion inspired by the 1920s: bob cuts, pearl necklaces, beaded dresses. Internet memes featuring the frame where DiCaprio raises a glass of champagne quickly spread across social networks, turning Gatsby into a pop-culture element.

Musical heritage: jazz that never falls silent

The Côte d’Azur remains a place where jazz is heard today. The Jazz à Juan festival, founded in 1960 in Juan-les-Pins, continues the tradition that began in the 1920s, when American musicians brought new rhythms to the Riviera. The Nice Jazz Festival has been held in Nice since 1948, attracting thousands of spectators. In memory of Sidney Bechet, who spent his final years on the Côte d’Azur, a bronze bust was erected in Juan-les-Pins in 1960 (more — Cairn.info), and in 2012 a local college was named in his honour. Contemporary summer jazz evenings on the Riviera continue this tradition.

• Jazz à Juan — the oldest jazz festival in Europe, held in a pine grove
• Nice Jazz Festival — one of the main musical events of the summer in France
• The bust of Sidney Bechet — a symbol of African-American influence on French culture

Fashion and style: the return of 1920s aesthetics

Not only cinema, but the world of fashion also turns to the legacy of those years. As early as 1974 designers inspired by the Robert Redford film presented collections with long strings of pearls and loose silhouettes. In 2013, after Luhrmann’s film, fashion houses once again reinterpreted the ‘garçon’ look (la garçonne), offering a modern take on the style of that era.

Today on the Côte d’Azur you can find vintage boutiques selling authentic 1920s pieces, as well as ateliers creating reproductions of outfits for photo shoots. For many tourists, the chance to try on a Daisy Buchanan–style dress becomes a way of touching the world described by Fitzgerald.

Tourism: how the legacy turns into an economic resource

Fitzgerald’s era not only left a cultural mark but also shaped the region’s tourist image. It was in the 1920s that the Riviera became an international resort, attracting celebrities, politicians and businessmen. Today this image is sustained by festivals, regattas and society events held annually in Nice, Cannes and Antibes. Hotels opened in those years continue to welcome guests, offering luxury services, and some villas of the era, such as Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, have undergone extensive restoration and are now open to visitors.

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Photo: AXP Photography / Pexels