The Belle Époque: Tourism's Golden Age (1871-1914)

The period between the Franco-Prussian War and World War I represented tourism's first golden age in France.

The International Exhibition Effect

Paris hosted major international exhibitions in 1878, 1889, and 1900, each drawing millions of visitors and spurring tourism infrastructure development: - The 1889 Exhibition gave Paris the Eiffel Tower, initially temporary but retained due to its tourism value - Grand hotels like the Ritz (1898) opened to accommodate wealthy international visitors - The Paris Métro, begun for the 1900 Exhibition, revolutionized urban tourism

The Riviera's Transformation

The Côte d'Azur evolved from winter health resort to year-round pleasure destination: - The Casino de Monte-Carlo (1863) established gambling tourism - Artists like Renoir and Matisse popularized the region's beauty - The Train Bleu express service connected Paris to the Mediterranean in luxury

Mountain Tourism Expands

- The French Alpine Club (1874) promoted mountaineering - Ski tourism began in Chamonix around 1900 - Mountain railways and cog railways made peaks accessible to non-climbers