The Riviera Set: Glitz, Glamour, and the Hidden World of High Society

by Mary S. Lovell Narrated by Jill Rolls

Overview

The Riviera Set reveals the story of the group of people who lived, partied, bed-hopped, and politicked at the Château de l'Horizon near Cannes, over the course of forty years from the time when Coco Chanel made southern French tans fashionable in the twenties to the death of the playboy Prince Aly Khan in 1960.

At the heart of dynamic group was the amazing Maxine Elliott, the daughter of a fisherman from Connecticut, who built the beautiful art deco Château and brought together the likes of Noel Coward, the Aga Khan, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and two very saucy courtesans, Doris Castlerosse and Daisy Fellowes, who set out to be dangerous distractions to Winston Churchill as he worked on his journalism and biographies during his "wilderness years" in the thirties. After the War the story continued as the Château changed hands and Prince Aly Khan used it to entertain the Hollywood set, as well as launch his seduction of and eventual marriage to Rita Hayworth.

Bringing a bygone era back to life, Mary Lovell cements her spot as one of our top social historians in this captivating and evocative new book.

Editorial Reviews

The New York Times Book Review - Sadie Stein

Ostensibly the biography of one mansion—the opulent Château de l'Horizon, near Cannes—in Lovell's hands it becomes a history not just of this playground of the rich but of the changing currency of money, beauty and fame…Lovell…knows how to render sly appraisals of her often complicated subjects. For long stretches, neither the book nor the mansion plays host to anyone who isn't horrible, or at least very silly, so it's a testament to Lovell's charm and skill that, much like the Château de l'Horizon's chatelaine, she's able to show even the most judgmental reader a good time. She's especially adept at conjuring the fizzy, rootless quality of life on the Riviera, where aristocrats, parvenus, courtesans and world leaders could freely mingle—"a sunny place for shady people," as Somerset Maugham put it.

The New York Times Book Review

Ostensibly the biography of one mansion—the opulent Chateau de l’Horizon, near Cannes—in Lovell’s hands it becomes a history not just of this playground of the rich but of the changing currency of money, beauty, and fame.

The Wall Street Journal

Perhaps there was something in what Ms. Lovell calls the ‘balmy air.’ Certainly, apart from Churchill, most of the guests at Château de l’Horizon seem to have been oblivious to what was taking place in other parts of Europe and that Hitler, named Chancellor in 1933, was gradually building up his forces. Ms. Lovell does hand out nuggets of fun gossip. Daisy Fellowes once attempted to seduce Churchill by getting him to come to her room. He found her ‘lying stark naked on a tiger skin.’ And declined. But the Riviera remains just as Somerset Maugham once famously called it, ‘a sunny place for shady people.’

Library Journal

08/01/2017
This work embodies a place with personality and panache—the French Riviera, particularly the Château de L'Horizon. Lovell (The Churchills: In Love and War; The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family) does a fine job in providing the gossip without salaciousness in this well-researched volume that takes readers from the villa's original builder, constructed in 1932 by architect Barry Dierks for actress and businesswoman Maxine Elliott, to the glamour of its final resident, Italian Prince Aly Khan. Elliott's most famous friend was British prime minister Winston Churchill, who came to the estate to paint and relax during the interwar years. Later occupied during World War II by the Germans, its magic was revived under Khan's ownership and instrumental in his wooing of his second wife, Rita Hayworth. Although an enjoyable read, this book does suffer from some uneven treatment. The sections describing Elliott and Churchill's relationship and the biographical information about Khan are particularly strong; however, some details seem unimportant in the context of the history. VERDICT Entertaining and well cited, this work best suits audiences interested in the unknown stories of the jet-setters of the 1930s and 1950s and fans of the Countess of Carnarvon's Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey.—Maria Bagshaw, Elgin Community Coll. Lib., IL

Kirkus Reviews

2017-06-05
Lovell (The Churchills: In Love and War, 2011, etc.) turns her attention to the French Riviera between the wars and into the 1960s.Like the author's tale of the Mitford family, this is a gossipy book with courtesans and famous politicians hopping from château to château and bed to bed. Though British wealth ruled the 1920s and '30s, after World War II, the Americans and Europeans took over. Within this glamorous milieu, one always needed money, but breeding, talent, beauty, sociability, and a good sense of humor were also very important. The author anchors the story with a biography of American actress and businesswoman Maxine Elliott (1868-1940), a grande dame of the scene. Though she is relatively unknown today, Elliott amassed a fortune—with helpful advice from J.P. Morgan—and built the much-visited villa the Château de l'Horizon in 1932. Invitations to her events were always highly sought-after, and she gave parties from morning to night. Winston Churchill, in his wilderness years, found sanctuary with her in his own suite of rooms to accommodate his staff. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, at loose ends after WWII, depended on Elliott for privacy and a safe haven. The list of guests is endless and includes Daisy Fellowes, Doris Castlerosse, and Lady Diana Cooper, ladies well-versed in enjoying the moment. The postwar years without Elliott made it a sunny place for shady people, until it was sold to Aly Khan, whose fascinating best friends were Elsie de Wolfe and the incomparable Elsa Maxwell. It was Maxwell who introduced Khan to Rita Hayworth, which led to the wedding of the century. As the rich and famous built larger and flashier homes along the Riviera, the days of Somerset Maugham and Noel Coward gave way to visits by the Kennedy family, Onassis family, and other high-profile guests. Lovell packs in as many celebrities as possible, which makes for an entertaining book but not one likely to end up on a reference shelf.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170444151
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	01/09/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged

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