Local news from the French Riviera

GP bomb scare - There’s been a dramatic start to the Monaco Grand Prix weekend with a bomb scare outside the Formula One Paddock. A bomb disposal expert undertook a controlled explosion of a suspect package. A small white plastic box was found outside the entrance to the media centre, the Salle d'Exposition, near the Rascasse yesterday evening. The area was then sealed off, before the bomb disposal expert decided the package was suspect. The controlled explosion left shards of white plastic strewn across the floor. Monaco track action - Although there is no Formula One action today, other cars will be on the track, which was closed to traffic at 6am. GP3 qualifying is from 7.40 to 8.15; and Porsche Supercup qualifying is between 9.00 and 9.45. The first races of the weekend are from 10.30 to 11.35, for GP2. The GP3 race is on 12.30 and 1.05.The track reopens to traffic at 2.30.

Rally car tests - The results of a technical examination of a rally car involved in last weekend’s fatal crash in the Var are expected next week. The vehicle which was taking part in the Rally des Maures has been taken to Paris to be tested. The driver claims the brakes on the vehicle failed, before he ploughed into the crowd at Plan de la Toure. A 20-year-old spectator and a 65-year-old race marshall were killed and 19 other people injured. This week the parents of one of those killed launched a civil case accusing the driver of “involuntary homicide”.

Mayor’s wedding crackdown - The Nice Mayor is planning to ban noisy or rowdy weddings at the Town Hall. Christian Estrosi has banned the exhibition of foreign flags, unauthorized folk music performances, and any other demonstrative acts. He says wedding parties will also be prevented from disrupting traffic around the Town Hall and along the Promenade des Anglais. The new laws come into force from 1 June. During the summer months there can be between 25 and 30 marriages every Saturday at the Nice Town Hall.

AMFAR gala night - Nearly 10-million euros was raised at last night’s AMFAR Aids gala held at the Hotel Eden Roc on the Cap d’Antibes. Among the A-list stars in attendance were Alec Baldwin, Antonio Banderas, co-host Kylie Minogue, and Karl Largerfeld. At the celebrity auction 320-thousand euros was paid for a collection of 25 little black dresses; 65-thousand for an Andy Warhol print; and 350-thousand for a photo session with Karl Lagerfeld.

Weather 
Sunny spells, with the chance of showers in Monaco and the Alpes-Maritimes. Mostly fine for the Var. Light easterly winds. Temperatures: 21 – 27°. Overnight: cloudy, 14 – 16°.

Luxurous Provencal Bastide near Terre Blanche

Great opportunity! Discretely located entirely renovated flavorful Provencal Bastide. 45 minutes from Nice airport and 5 minutes from the golf course Terre Blanche. Living area 287 m2, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, heated infinity pool, grounds of 6750 m2 with many trees, open views around in nature. The domain is discrete and has a few dozen olive trees that produce about 250 kilos of olives, good for 40 liters of olive oil per year. A central place in the garden for the heated swimming pool (4.5 x 10.5 meters) with overflow. The garden is lit and the lawns are watered automatically. There are several tiled terraces and on the mountain side of the house is a large pergola. The house is tastefully with sense of style, both inside and outside with a large outdoor dining table under a ceiling of grape vines. And of course, there is a local style jeu de boules track and a wooden chalet in the garden for guests or use as atelier. Asking Price 1,575,000 euros More pictures and information on request. Call Jojo Marinus +33 6 59 91 04 25 or visit http://tinyurl.com/luxurybastide

Cannes Film Festival 2012 News

Local News at the French Riviera

Beach clean up -  In Antibes, municipal employees spent several hours cleaning jellyfish from the towns beaches. Hundreds of small blue jellyfish were washed up on beaches at Salis and La Ponteuil last weekend giving off a pungent smell. The beaches are now clean again and ready for sun lovers.


May Day Parade - Trade unions say 7,000 people have taken part in the traditional 1st of May parade in Nice. Activists gathered opposite the Theatre de Verdure on Tuesday morning. The march moved along the Promenade des Anglais to the Negresco Hotel before a gathering on the Place Garibaldi.
Unions are calling for an end to government austerity, respect of workers right and a pay increase for public sector workers. In Toulon organisers say around 3,000 people took part in the May Day march. Police put the figure nearer to 1,500.

Var accident - 6 people have been injured, one seriously in an accident near the Pinede campsite in Grimaud in the Var.
It’s not yet clear what caused the accident which happened on Tuesday afternoon. A helicopter was called to the scene to airlift the badly injured person to hospital.

Stabbing - A 20 year old man is recovering in Toulon hospital this morning after being stabbed in the early hours of the May Day bank holiday. Gendarmes say the incident occurred at an open air party in Pierrefeu. The man was stabbed twice in the abdomen. Officers are still searching for the perpetrator. Enquires continue.

Flooding - Heavy rain early on Tuesday has left some rivers in the Var dangerously high.
Authorities in Montaroux were forced to close the RD37 after a stream burst its banks and flooded part of the road.
Water evels are now falling along the River Siagne in the area between Callian and Montaroux but authorities remain on alert.

Summer holiday rental: Old Mill in St. Jeannet

 The Mill (Saint-Jeannet close to Vence) Treat yourself to a stay in an old mill in a very characteristic green haven. On terraces and in the garden you only hear the singing of the creek running down of the whole property. Just beside it is the impressive old railway viaduct which is no longer in service. Location of the house in general. Very spacious (280 m2), this former olive oil mill that dates from the 18th century, transformed into habitable house, 35 years ago. The mill was the subject of work (renovation in 2005). On the ground floor; Spacious living room with fireplace and large screen TV. In the lounge there are always the original wheel. Large kitchen (45 m2) with fireplace, opening onto the terrace and garden. Independent studio furnished one bedroom (beds 2 places), a shower room and kitchenette. The first floor; The master bedroom has private access to a lovely bathroom and overlooks the St. Tropez. A charming room with double bed. A long corridor leads to two bedrooms with a shower. Toilet between two rooms. The garden is located in the quiet wilderness, it covers 2800 m2, in terraces. (Many playgrounds for children, as shack etc..)

Many beautiful trees and small terraces surround the house (in sun and shade) with garden furniture and barbeque. A garden of discovery for you and your children. Nice pool, style pool (salt electrolysis) secured by a fence, exposed to sunlight. Summary of bedrooms / bathrooms: 2 bedrooms with double bed for 2 persons 2 bedrooms with twin beds (and Extra bed) 1 bedroom 1 bed aves 1 bathroom 3 shower rooms Environment The villa is located in a small way, almost no traffic on a small hill of Saint Jeannet, a typical village, 4 km from Vence and 15 minutes drive from Nice Airport. The center of Saint Jeannet is 2 km. the house but the supermarket, pharmacy, tobacco bar, superb restaurant and bakery / patisserie at only 800 meters. The sea is 10 minutes. drive, just like the famous art galleries of Saint Paul de Vence. The A8 motorway serves the main towns of the Riviera, like St. Tropez, Frejus, Antibes, Nice, Monaco, etc.. The villa is 15 min. the airport of Nice by the A8. The villa offers a quiet and peaceful, ideal for rest and relaxation. Activities The sea is 10 minutes. by car. Hiking trails begin at the village (Baou trail, path from the source of Riou.). Near the Gorges du Loup. Several famous golf courses, horse riding and mountain biking. Many cultural and historical sites, museums, art galleries and antiques (Mougins, Valbonne, Colle sur Loup, St Paul de Vence, Cannes). Marineland (paradise of aquatic life), the adventure and the castle of Cagnes ups are 10 minutes. by car.

For shoppers there are many choices; small shops to rue d'Antibes in Cannes famous for haute couture. Activities at 30 min. the house: swimming, golf, hiking, biking, horseback riding, water sports Culinary and wine Many nearby restaurants and renowned for a good meal for a family where food lovers. Rate Rental price: € 3550 per week (minimum two weeks in July and August) and € 3,420 (package for 3 weeks). Prices are set for 8 people maximum and minimum stay 2 weeks. The chores are the responsibility of the tenant (70, - per week and 120 € departure cleaning). Deposit € 900 required. Contact Jo at 0033 6 59 91 04 25.

Have a lovely long weekend!

What's On Round-up - Qui va faire le pont ce week-end? Welcome back, dear and loyal reader, to another FR2DAY weekly round-up, bringing you a selection of some of the very best things to do on the beautiful Cote d'Azur. We have another great line up of activities to keep you busy over the following ... READ MORE

Marseille's Calanques Become France's Latest National Park France now officially counts a new national park, the first one in six years, and it is located right in the heart of Provence. On Wednesday 18th of April, after years of debate, French Prime Minister, Francois Fillon, signed the decree authorizing ... READ MORE

Introducing The Low Budget Men and their life saving music The Low Budget Men are a local band, but no ordinary local band - their mission, saving lives, no less! Claude Mariottini, the singer/songwriter/rhythm guitarist with the group, who is also a heart surgeon, created a charitable organization a number ... READ MORE

Bordighera welcomes the American Club to the Italian Riviera Renowned for its hospitality and the ability to inspire great works and romances, Bordighera is a city for memorable moments. The unusual combination of harmony and culture is the perfect place for celebrations of all kinds. In June this year we are ... READ MORE

Win your very own copy of Pete and Folks new CD! Pete and Folks, dubbed the hardest working band on the whole of the French Riviera (it must be true, they even told us that themselves!), continue their conquest of the coast with the launch of their new, eponymously entitled album this coming ... READ MORE

A Trip Around the World in the Exotic Pallanca Garden in Liguria A wind announces the arrival of spring and summer on the Riviera dei Fiori, bringing with it a longing to go out, the need to move and to be out in the open air. Sun, sun, sun. In the summer it gives you a fantastic tan. In autumn and winter it makes ... READ MORE

Emigration to France. Or not?

The French Riviera in the 1930's.

Travelogue from the 1930s along the French Riviera in resort towns, such as Cannes and Monte Carlo and historic villages along the Mediterranean coast. Transferred from original 35mm nitrate print.

No oil drilling in the South of France.

From the Riviera Times:

Thousands of people have been demonstrating against controversial American-English plans to search for potential oil reserves off the coast of Mediterranean city Marseille. President Nicolas Sarkozy has also denounced the scheme, calling for the oil-hungry foreign drillers to “look elsewhere”.

 

Could Marseille's Calanques hold millions of years worth of oil? Sarkozy says it is "doubtful"

Texan oil firm Noble Energy – once a leader in the oil industry – has teamed up with Melrose Resources, a British oil and gas exploration company. The two fuel giants, who already maintain core assets in Eastern Europe as well as West Africa and North Africa respectively, have applied for their license to drill in the Mediterranean to be extended until 2015.
Residents along the Côte d’Azur have expressed their disgust by protesting on the beaches of the Riviera last weekend. During his tour in the south of France earlier this month, Sarkozy also criticised Noble Energy and Melrose Resources’s offshore drilling application, calling it “crazy and completely unnecessary”.
President of the EUROMED network Christian Estrosi – also Mayor of Nice and President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis – has called on the alliance’s 99 towns and cities to support the region in its fight against the pressure of the two huge oil firms. “It is imperative that we protect our landscape, whether it is in the water or on land,” said Estrosi, adding, “we must change our energy consumption and usage, using more environmentally friendly materials and methods."
The Calanques are a series of fragile limestone cliffs, scarred by deep valleys, that run for some 20 kilometres along the coastline of Marseille. Exploration teams from Melrose Resources believe there could be oil fields at the foot of these natural formations. If plans do go ahead and the oil companies are granted their much sought-after drilling permit, the eco-systems surrounding Marseille could be severely disrupted and damaged.
With no concrete proof that there is actually any oil in the seabed, demonstrators argue the operation poses too much of a danger to marine life. They fear a catastrophe like the BP Gulf of Mexico spillage in 2010, which caused detrimental damage to the entire gulf – a process that will take generations to repair.

Elsa Carpenter

ATP Monte Carlo, Riviera Rock Festival, Antibes Yacht Show and Ballet Mediterranee. This is the French Riviera Today!

Finally it is weekend! Time to listen to the Mattheus Passion, colour some eggs with the kids, seach for the chocolate eggs and make sure they do not melt in the sun! 

I wish you all a long and sunny weekend,

greetings from the French Riviera

Ab

ps Looking for a sunny place to stay this summer? Go to www.livelikealocalinfrance.com

What's On Round-up - Happy Easter! Welcome back to another FR2DAY weekly round-up, bringing you a selection of some of the very best things to do on the beautiful Cote d'Azur. We have a great line up of activities to keep you busy over the following action-packed seven days ... READ MORE The ATP Monte Carlo Rolex Masters Rolls Into Town Organised by the SMETT (Societe Monegasque pour l'Exploitation du Tournoi de Tennis), the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, which will take place from 14th to 22nd April 2012 in the legendary setting of the Monte-Carlo Country Club, is the first major ... READ MORE Watch out Antibes! It's the Amp It Up Riviera Rock Festival 2012 The Amp it Up organizers are offering young local rock bands from the Cote d'Azur, the chance to be Rock Stars, with the winner supporting award winning Jean-Louis Aubert on the big stage on 26th July, as part of the Amp it Up Festival ... READ MORE The Ballet Nice Mediterranee Celebrates Two Russians in Paris this April George Balanchine (pictured above) and Serge Lifar are without doubt two of the greatest choreographers of the twentieth century. If the former be mostly remembered as the co-founder and ballet master of New York City Ballet, and the latter ... READ MORE Proud to be Nicois? There's a slogan for that! The name Nice, as we all know, comes from the Greek work Nikaia, meaning Victory. The City Fathers have decided that they would like the local Nicois(es) to come up with a slogan that defines Nice for you. Something that signifies what the city means ... READ MORE Top Marques 2012 is back in Monaco Top Marques Monaco is regarded as the world's most exclusive supercar show where you can experience the latest state-of-the-art machines with test drives on the Formula 1 circuit - mere weeks before the famous race takes place. The 2012 show... READ MORE Don't Believe The Hype is back in Valbonne DBTH5 or Don't Believe The Hype Electronic Music Festival is back in Valbonne for the fifth year on 13th and 14th April 2012. This edition, billed as The Filth Anniversary, promises to keep the town awake and on edge again for 2 days and nights of ... READ MORE The Antibes Yacht Show and Crew Lounge 2012 - Double the Bang for your Buck! It's that time of year again, when we start dreaming of big boats and blue seas! The first major yacht show of the season takes place in Port Vauban in Antibes, from Thursday 12th to Sunday 15th April 2012. The show is dedicated to the brokerage and ... READ MORE