The bridge was commissioned by Napoleon to equip the capital with a new technology: cast iron the name given to the Louvre when it was converted into a museum during the Revolution The Pont des Arts was listed as a historic monument in 1975 Did you know that an expert report on the fragility of the edifice led to a ban on access in 1977 a collision with a barge caused the bridge to collapse over a length of 60 meters after the necessary reconstruction following the 1979 collapse it has become not only a place of passage but also a cultural space hosting open-air art exhibitions and serving as a backdrop for numerous artists with environmentally-friendly alternatives such as ribbons and messages The Pont des Arts remains a landmark for lovers in search of romance in Paris An often overlooked anecdote concerns the bridge's use during the Second World War The Pont des Arts was one of the few Parisian bridges not to be dynamited by the retreating German army in 1944 its unique architecture was preserved and it continued to provide uninterrupted passage between the two banks of the Seine The performance byAya Nakamura and the Republican Guard adds to its rich history The Pont des Arts aka Aya's Bridge continues to fascinate and attract visitors from all over the world which has survived centuries and significant events Refer your establishment, click here Promote your event, click here Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Explore the just-revealed full list of 654 MICHELIN-Star restaurants in France 2025 The 68 new Stars for the 2025 edition appear in red no one would dispute that these are hard times we're living in But if there is one place on this troubled Earth where people's joie de vivre will not be dampened You could even go so far as to say it's a treasured space where harmony and civilization are alive and well in the spirit of celebrating all that is wonderful about eating great food with people you love here is a full run-down of every MICHELIN-Star restaurant in France This year, there are two new Three-Star restaurants for France: Hugo Roellinger's Le Coquillage in Cancale and Christopher Coutanceau in La Rochelle These two exceptional chefs—Hugo Roellinger a "chef-fisherman"—both have strong ties to the sea and it shows throughout their cuisine Advocates of sustainable fishing and fierce opponents of waste they share one key trait: each of their dishes is a spellbinding ode to the ocean true happiness is to be found in the fresh air of the countryside In a testament to the dizzying heights reached by chefs in France over 20 establishments have been awarded a Star soon after opening many of whom trained in top kitchens in France and around the world already have that first professional experience in a MICHELIN-Starred restaurant under their belts Autonomy and a spirit of adventure are the hallmarks of 2025's crop of new Two-Star restaurants, too. In addition to those already mentioned, Guillaume Roget's Ekaitza and Diego Delbecq & Camille Pailleau's Rozó are taking things to the next level on account of the strength of their talent and passion Vailly (74): Frédéric Molina au Moulin de LéréMargencel (74): Sechex-Nous - New Hero Image: L'Inattendu - Domaine de Locguenole The Mexican capital takes center stage alongside the culinary world's top talents The Golden State's capital welcomes the culinary world's top talents Six states join the illustrious selection with the region's signature flair and flavors 13 new restaurants receive their first MICHELIN Star Three new establishments are awarded the MICHELIN Green Star Marseille is a crossroads of culture and cuisine shaped by 2,600 years of migration and maritime trade From its Greek founders to waves of immigrants from Italy each community has left an indelible mark on the city’s dynamic food culture based on what's freshest at his local farm Her fully Italian wine list is farmer first and blends perfectly with rustic Italian cooking The general manager of the nearly 20-course tasting menu can make time stand still The Sunshine State just got hauter with these bright new MICHELIN Stars The beverage director of the Tampa fine dining favorite is reimagining the classics to expert effect Four restaurants from the Florida MICHELIN Guide selection call Mills Market home A hub of cultures that look to the sea and the land Croatia is a place where tradition (including the culinary tradition) is still very much alive Discover The MICHELIN Guide Buenos Aires & Mendoza 2025 showcasing newly Starred restaurants and exciting Bib Gourmand additions Non-members can add the privileges at checkout through our 30 day free trial By continuing I accept the Terms & Condition and Privacy Policy. I would like to receive Newsletter from MICHELIN Guide Save lists of your favorite restaurants & hotels This year, there are two new Three-Star restaurants for France: Hugo Roellinger's Le Coquillage in Cancale and Christopher Coutanceau in La Rochelle These two exceptional chefs\u2014Hugo Roellinger a \"chef-fisherman\"\u2014both have strong ties to the sea and it shows throughout their cuisine Autonomy and a spirit of adventure are the hallmarks of 2025's crop of new Two-Star restaurants, too. In addition to those already mentioned, Guillaume Roget's Ekaitza and Diego Delbecq & Camille Pailleau's Roz\u00f3 are taking things to the next level Vailly (74): Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Molina au Moulin de L\u00e9r\u00e9Margencel (74): Sechex-Nous - New France has one of the most important architectural structures dating back to antiquity – the Pont du Gard as well as being the highest aqueduct to be built in the Roman Empire Situated 20km from Avignon and 23km from Nîmes it has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1985 and it is the most-visited Roman site in the country The bridge was built by the Romans in around 50AD and was the centrepiece of an astonishing aqueduct which took running water to what is now Nîmes for around three centuries It fed the fountains installed in every street was one of the major Roman cities in France It had all the characteristics of a modern town but although water was available from wells and rainwater it needed flowing fountains in its gardens and the ability to change the water frequently in its public baths There are no records of who came up with the idea of an aqueduct and no one knows who the architects and engineers of this extraordinary structure were but Pont du Gard guide Laurent Charrière says it is likely the experts came from Rome where they already knew how to build aqueducts “The nearest suitable spring was the source of the Eure River The direct route between the towns is 23km so the aqueduct had to be 50km long to get around it “The difference in height between the source and its destination is just 12m “This meant that the only way to cross the valley of the river Gardon was by building a very tall bridge He says these constraints are why the bridge is unique: it is made up of three bridges “This was the design they came up with to make such a tall bridge solid it also had to resist the waters from the river which can rise suddenly with enormous force in autumn and winter rains Each level of bridge is narrower than the one below The arches on the first and second levels are roughly the same size though the arch spanning the river on the bottom layer is the largest at 24.5m and one of the widest to be built by the Romans It is a stone that is still used today for balustrades It is estimated the bridge took five years to build and the whole aqueduct Around 500 workers were taken on to build the Pont du Gard and the same number again for the rest of the aqueduct not just for the manual labour but for skilled work such as shaping the stone the pillars on the bottom bridge were built and this process continued up each of the levels powered by slaves walking within a treadwheel which drove the hoisting and lowering device It is thought the aqueduct worked until 500AD it is likely it took water to Nemausus for only around 300 years after which the city’s importance dwindled and Keeping the water flowing freely required a lot of maintenance work to clear the limestone deposits which built up no doubt carried out by teams employed by the city and which would have come to an end with the decline of Nemausus The water which still ran through the aqueduct for the next 200 years was probably used by farmers for irrigation the structure was no longer in use and people pilfered stone from it for their own building projects Though the aqueduct was never designed as a road people began using it to cross the river in about the 11th century They hacked away stone from the pillars on the first level to make it wide enough to take a horse and cart saved the Pont du Gard,” says Mr Charrière “A toll was charged for crossing the bridge it might have been entirely dismantled over time for its stone.” It was only in the 19th century that the intrinsic value of ancient monuments began to be appreciated listed the Pont du Gard as one of the most important structures in France meaning its future was assured and the pillars were restored the bridge started attracting thousands of tourists The parallel bridge was closed to traffic and the site was revamped to better accommodate tourism while preserving the bridge and the local environment There is now a museum showing how it was built and it is also possible to book a guided tour along the canal at the top of the bridge The first small section is open to the sky but most is in a tunnel as the waterway was covered along its whole length to protect it Mr Charrière says that while the Pont du Gard is inarguably beautiful we must remember that it was not built simply to look good “The aim was to find the simplest and best way to make something that was to be useful The modern-day analogy is a motorway bridge which engineers and architects design to serve a purpose using the most economic and practical methods.” ‘Village of cats’ in south of France inspired by an old legend One tower per family in this noble medieval site in France Château de la Mercerie: Folly of brothers who could not stop building Many remained in France during the occupation With more than one million visitors last year the cemetery is one of the region’s most-visited D-Day sites The fifth Chateaux en Fête festival offers a chance to look around many impressive properties that are usually private Discover how Paris 2024 became the most media-covered Olympic Games in history See how the Olympic Games’ communications team supported by Wiztrust’s tailored PR platform overcame complex challenges-from synchronizing teams and managing thousands of journalists to ensuring top-level security Learn how innovative digital tools and expert support enabled Paris 2024 to achieve record-breaking visibility and flawless brand protection Download the full Paris 2024 Success Case now and get inspired by the strategies behind this record-breaking achievement For further information and other cases please visit Wiztrust.com protect your company and its directors from disinformation and adopt the “trust mark” of the market leaders plan campaigns targeting your audiences through all channels (e-mail social media) and organise your activities and events improve results by exploiting your data's true depth Discover the best way to manage your PR & Marketing efficiently: Wiztrust is THE integrated communication platform for corporate professionals Prioritise your activities thanks to a clearer view on your assets Manage your communication thanks to a collaborative platform for you and your team Certify your corporate communication thanks to our blockchain-backed technology Save your team and yourself some precious time Learn more about Wiztrust in our case study Longwood Gardens is buying Granogue, the stunning 505-acre private estate near Centreville, Delaware, owned by the late Irénée du Pont Jr. Delaware Online/The News Journal has learned In exclusive interviews, Longwood officials said they would announce Wednesday that it has entered into a binding agreement with Granogue Reserve Ltd LLC to buy and operate du Pont's estate in northern New Castle County GRLLC is the limited liability company that owns the 100-year-old Granogue property He was the great-great-grandson of DuPont Co founder Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours The acquisition continues a long history between Longwood Gardens and the du Pont family The Conservation Fund a national nonprofit that's worked in all 50 states to protect 8.5 million acres of land Details of the agreement were not disclosed Longwood officials declined to say how much they agreed to pay for the estate which is 8 miles from the gardens near Kennett Square Longwood Gardens is the most visited paid public garden in America It saw record attendance last year with 1.61 million visitors Real estate experts have estimated Granogue widely considered the symbol of Delaware’s Chateau Country The estate will not be open to the public anytime soon though it will play a crucial role in continuing the du Pont family's legacy of horticulture and land conservation “Longwood Gardens is honored to play a part in the preservation of Granogue,” Paul Redman “We understand the important role this iconic landscape plays in our region’s ecology and we look forward to working with our partners to ensure this treasure is stewarded for future generations to enjoy,” Redman added Irénée du Pont: Patriarch of Delaware's du Pont family, dead at 103 which sits on a hillside near Centreville off Smith Bridge Road and offers spectacular is one of the largest privately owned open spaces left in northern New Castle County was built in 1923 and is a vestige of a bygone era It has 11 bedrooms for family members and six for live-in employees An oak-paneled music room is home to an Aeolian pipe organ that's similar to one at Longwood Gardens were known for opening the grounds of their estate to local organizations for fundraisers as well as summer camps hosted by the Delaware Nature Society "I want people to enjoy this beauty," he said in a 2009 News Journal interview as he drove his 1918 Cadillac around the estate Giving the public a peek at Granogue was a tradition started by his father and Lammot du Pont served as president of the Wilmington-based DuPont Co hosted spectacular fireworks displays held on the grounds of Granogue Spectators lined fences and fields along Smith Bridge and Thompson's Bridge roads to watch the display Autos often were parked for more than 2 miles around the property began to worry about maintaining the sprawling site "We're hanging on by our fingernails," he told The News Journal we're trying to keep this pile of rocks standing." some of the grand du Pont mansions and properties turned into museums such as Nemours in Rockland and Eleutherian Mills in Wilmington taxes and family fortunes spread among several generations have made maintenance difficult While area developers would have liked to get their hands on the prime real estate representatives for du Pont began talks with Longwood in 2016 about preserving Granogue's rich natural heritage Strong family tiesThe du Pont family has long had a connection to Longwood Irénée du Pont Jr.'s uncle was Longwood Gardens founder Pierre S who in 1906 purchased Longwood's original 202 acres to save a public arboretum the community adored The Longwood Foundation was established in 1937 to ensure the property Longwood Gardens Tucks visitors into a warm flowerbed of Winter Wonder the 200th anniversary of the du Pont's arrival on American soil in 1800 was celebrated at Longwood Gardens More than 1,900 family members were expected to attend The CEO and president of Longwood Gardens said the nonprofit's goal of acquiring Granogue is in keeping with the spirit of why Longwood was founded we're invoking that same legacy and spirit of conservation to save this important piece of land that is connected to so many other parts of the Brandywine Valley that are already conserved," Redman said This agreement is "a natural marriage" that brings two properties with a familial connection even closer together While detailed plans for how Longwood will use the property are not yet available officials said their primary goal is to conserve the land Redman said one of the best ways to preserve the mansion and land is to ensure a level of visitation that maintains the character of the historic landscape Longwood Gardens travel guide 2023: What you need to know if you go Longwood's vision for Granogue is to preserve the property and conserve it in a manner so that the "beautiful bucolic" green space can be shared with visitors There are no details yet for how the mansion will be used Redman said Longwood and Granogue share a legacy of being gracious and welcoming to others and they're committed to continuing that spirit of hospitality How they'll achieve that is still to be determined "We have a way to go" before Longwood is ready to host the public at Granogue Longwood first needs to complete the process of getting more familiar with the mansion and grounds to understand Granogue better This includes assessing the plant communities and ecosystems on the estate Granogue also hasn't officially transferred to Longwood's ownership Chateau Country:Delaware's Gilded Age: Here's a guide to 15 du Pont family estates Blaine Phillips, senior vice president of the Conservation Fund said their organization's aim is for that transaction to go through before the end of this year The fund led negotiations between Longwood and GRLLC and helped facilitate the deal This agreement is a huge deal for the fund and for conservation in general unprotected big piece of property left in the Brandywine Valley." People have been talking about this property for decades "What we have in the Brandywine Valley compares to or exceeds anything else around the country .. the historic elements and really the cultural landscape that defines this area," Phillips said New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer is calling Longwood's plan to own Granogue a major win for Delaware “As a staunch supporter of green and open spaces I join New Castle County residents as we celebrate the protection of such a vital piece of land that will now stand for generations as a part of Delaware’s history and heritage," Meyer said in a statement "I want to extend our gratitude to the du Pont family who in spite of increasing commercial pressure chose to preserve this land for future generations.” Engbring said her family never considered selling her parents' home to a developer While she's still grieving the recent loss of her father Grace said she's pleased his lavish estate will be in good hands with Longwood He wasn't involved in the actual meetings or anything Although Longwood Gardens will own and operate Granogue, the Mt. Cuba Center and the Longwood Foundation provided generous support to help fund the acquisition du Pont family members contributed funds to establish a permanent endowment for future operations and advancement of the vision for Granogue GRLLC began discussions in 2016 with Longwood Gardens and the Conservation Fund about the 1923 estate’s future A preliminary study assessing current site conditions and encompassing site master planning was developed in 2018-2019 "with a commitment for Granogue to remain a pastoral cultural landscape,'' Longwood said in a statement Look for updates on new developments regarding this agreement between Longwood and GRLLC and for future coverage of Longwood events To learn more about Longwood Gardens (1001 Longwood Road, near Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.), visit longwoodgardens.org or (610) 388-1000 Contact Patricia Talorico at ptalorico@delawareonline.com and follow her on Twitter @pattytalorico Andre Lamar is a features/lifestyle reporter. If you have an interesting story idea, email Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com More arts & culture newsRethinking history: Discovering, sharing Delaware history, from the celebratory to the complicated and difficult More:The couple who bought the 107-year-old Padua Academy convent reveal their grand plans Learn as you go: Walk this way: 6 places to hike, soak up history, see autumn leaves and maybe a few ghosts Camp Fright no more?:Spooky 100-year-old Mill Creek-area site will get a new look 'Sister Act' takes Delaware to church: 7 theater shows worth a ticket this season With talk of lottery jackpots reaching over a billion dollars these days I’ve been having more frequent daydreams about what sort of French chateau I’d like to retire in I took it upon myself to see what’s currently on the market From ready-to-live in palaces to crumbling DIY projects today I’ve made you a shortlist of the most fascinating French properties up for sale… Situated in a small town in western France this “bourgoisie” 17th century house once belonged to the advisor to King Louis XIV Complete with a romantic interior courtyard it’s a 415m² fixer-upper going for €432,000 Find the listing here Chateau d’Aubiry is located on the mountain chain of Les Aspres at the entrance to Ceret in the Pyrenees Orientals close to the historic town of Perpignan and the Spanish Border Industrial Frenchman Pierre Bardou-Job became wealthy selling rolling paper and decided to have a château built for each of his three children All designed by the Danish architect Viggo Dorph-Petersen the Château d’Aubiry was for his son Justin and built from 1893 to 1904 as he died suddenly in 1892 just before the start of the construction The Château d’Aubiry is protected as an official French historical monument since 2006 All this beauty comes at a price of over €20,000,000 the 1782 property known as “Terre des Boullets” evokes Versailles’ Grand-Trianon to such an extent that the property could easily be taken for a royal residence it was owned by the Ségur family under Louis XIV and belonged to Dame-Angélique-Labouré widow of a gentleman of the royal hunting grounds and captain of the cavalry in Santo-Domingo colonel of the Guard and highly ranking member of the King’s household was named as her heir provided that he rebuilt the old residence which was starting to fall down was a brilliant adventurer as existed at this time said to be the most attractive of his regiment More photographs on the listing here A true medieval castle just 45m from Paris the Chateau de Farcheville was built by Hugues II and Hugues III It possesses rare northern French example of architecture The castle was previously owned by the founders of Rocky Mountain ski resort Following their 2009 divorce and bankruptcy the castle was put up for sale by creditors for $57 million U.S Update: This castle has now been sold, but is available upon request for rent. You can enquire via stay@chateaudefarcheville.com is not far from one of the region’s oldest Bastide towns It was rebuilt in a so-called “troubadour” style around 1860 courtesy of the immense fortune of its new owner who was able to satisfy his touch of madness by designing a vigorous combination of neo-Gothic mixed with Renaissance Baroque and even Tudor styles using the model of an English castle 1,800 m² of living space and includes some twenty rooms One section is in need of attention whilst the other requires full restoration works This fixer-upper of a lifetime is asking €901,000 The listing is with Patrice Besse but it’s got an endless supply of wine which more than makes up for the fact… in the region known as “Côtes de Castillon” vines have been planted locally here since the Roman period This vast estate which stretches over 60 ha is situated away from the main roads just a few miles from a small peaceful village The property comprises a 20 hectare productive vineyard and planting rights could be obtained for a further 5 hectares Built in 1782 on an estate dating from the 13ème century there is 400 m² of living space over two floors as well as a section of the wing that awaits renovation The entire property includes wine storehouses Listed with Patrice Besse This rare listing includes two historic castles the 15th century manor on the right and the more modern mansion built in 1751 by the grandson of the architect of Versailles It includes 47 hectares of park and forest and the two chateaux have kept their original fireplaces the French ceilings have been preserved and much of the original period decor even remains Asking price is €1,622,00. Find the listing here Escape the world to this 15th-17th century chateay and historic monument in the rural region of Auvergne The 10-room chateau comes with a 3 bedrooms as well as an old mill converted into a guesthouse a chapel and a river running through the property’s 82 hectares of lush woodland It’s asking €1,113,000 listed here In the shadow of the arches of Europe’s most famous Roman aqueduct the Chateau Saint Privat was once a Gallic Roman villa then a 9th century abbey possessed by the Knights of Templar Catherine de Médicis and King Louis XIII were both entertained here and in the 19th century it was owned by the Director of the Paris opera Listed with Patrice Besse the Château de l’Herm was built in 1520 in a Renaissance and Gothic style It hasn’t been inhabited since 1605 but was made a historic monument by the French Ministry of Culture the castle’s surrounding moats are still visible Asking price is 752 000 €, full listing here Last Updated on January 9, 2017 by MessyNessy Paris 2024 revealed the routes of the road race and time trial cycling events for the Olympic Games women and men will share the same course for the time trial Distinctive in length – 273km for the men and 158km for the women – the road race courses will be challenging for their rolling profile a final climb up Montmartre and their technical nature with cobbled streets and tightly winding sections to negotiate on the last part of the course before returning to the Trocadéro The courses are also special for bringing the Games to the more undiscovered areas of Ile-de-France with the Val-de-Marne département hosting the time trials and the Essonne département “Road cycling races in cities are exceptional and they are free access events for the fans," commented Paris 2024 President Tony Estanguet "We’ll have a combination of a great show and great sporting event It’s also the longest race in the history of the Olympic Games It will be a difficult race with a very exciting final.” READ ALSO - How to qualify for road cycling at Paris 2024 Picture by Paris 2024Paris 2024 road Cycling route for Men the men's and women's pelotons will go on a 5km procession to take in the Eiffel Tower Les Invalides and the Latin Quarter before the official start of the race on Rue Gay-Lussac in the 5th arrondissement For the first time in the history of the Games there will be an equal number of men and women participants with 90 men and 90 women racers going through the Hauts-de-Seine département via the Côte des Gardes hill (1.9km at 6%) in Meudon they will catch a glimpse of the Château de Versailles shining a global spotlight on this exceptional architectural icon that also serves as an Olympic and Paralympic competition venue the Chevreuse Valley presents some challenging terrain for the men's and women's pelotons Côte de Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse (1.3km at 6.3%) and Côte de Châteaufort (900m at 5.7%) with its memorial stone in honour of Jacques Anquetil the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times A succession of tough inclines follow topped off by Côte de Cernay-la-Ville (1.1km at 3.9%) for the women and Côte de Bièvres (1.2km at 6.5%) for the men These all present great opportunities for spectators to watch the racers pass by at a slower pace These first loops in the western part of the wider Parisian region covering 225km for the men and 110km for the women will also give spectators a glimpse of the other Olympic and Paralympic venues: the Golf National and the Vélodrome National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines No strangers to the Champs-Elysées in July at Le Tour this time the men's and women's pelotons will head to the north-east of Paris where they will find a final segment of 18.4km with technical bends and a tough cobbled climb on the Butte Montmartre (1km at 6.5%) the leading contenders will wage their final battle on the third ascent of the Butte Montmartre up towards the Sacré Coeur basilica the last ramp before their downhill finale The final 9.5km will take them onto Pont d’Iéna bridge the setting for a 230m sprint finish towards the Trocadéro At the end of Pont d’Iéna and after 158km for the women and 273km for the men iconic scenes will unfold as Olympic champions will be crowned and medals distributed with athletes raising their arms aloft to the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower "Spectators and television viewers will be amazed by magnificent sites such as the Palace of Versailles We are also proud that road cycling brings the Games to new territories such as Val-de-Marne and Essonne," said Tony Estanguet READ ALSO - Paris 2024 marathon route revealed Picture by Paris 2024Paris 2024 road Cycling route for Women The road cycling time trials will be held one week before the first road race and also offer a host of new features For the first time in the history of the Games the 35 men and 35 women riders will be presented with the same course and the same distance the athletes will set off one by one from the Esplanade des Invalides for 32.4km of virtually incline-free terrain they will cross the Seine on Pont de Sully to reach Place de la Bastille The Vélodrome Jacques Anquetil will be the first to be saluted for its monumental past: the venue hosted the Paris 1924 Games and was the finish line of the Tour de France from 1968 to 1974 The time trial course will then proceed to the Polygone de Vincennes an extremely popular spot for Parisian cycling enthusiasts de l'Expertise et de la Performance (INSEP) will signal the turnaround point The racers will reach the halfway point after a brief foray into the Val-de-Marne municipalities that border the capital Leaving the Bois de Vincennes through its château riders will return to Place de la Bastille and rejoin the roads they took earlier in the opposite direction The day after the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony the Pont Alexandre III bridge will once again take centre stage as the finish line for this race against the clock “I really like this individual time trial route," said Vittoria Guazzini Italian cyclist and two-time U23 time trial world champion in 2021 and 2022 because lately we’ve been seeing a lot of time trials that are a bit hilly I think this one reflects the main objective of the time trial I believe that this is the right course for an Olympic Games There are long straights where you can push hard and a few corners where you can perhaps recover a little It’s a good balance between some technical sections and straight lines!” Picture by Paris 2024Paris 2024 road cycling time trial route 14h30 – 16h00 : Women's individual time trial 16h30 – 18h00 : Men's individual time trial Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Here's how to see the Games – with or without a ticket – near some of Paris' world-famous monuments Remarkable sporting achievements and heroism aside, this summer's Olympics in Paris will shine light on a plethora of historical landmarks Over the course of four weeks (Olympics 26 July-11 August; Paralympics 28 August-8 September) millions of spectators will gravitate to Europe's most densely populated city to watch world-class sport unfurl in open-air arenas and along road routes soaked in history There'll be athletes running in the footsteps of women revolutionaries who marched to Versailles in 1789 demanding bread and arms; swimmers in the River Seine reviving an old-school urban tradition banned since 1923; and world-class cyclists powering up the steep cobbled street in Montmartre where Louis Renault supposedly road-tested his first car in 1898 here are a few tips and tricks to get in on the action at Paris' most iconic venues melted down and reforged as a hexagon (symbolic of hexagon-shaped France) Eiffel Tower Stadium events are ticketed, but a bird's-eye view of the Olympic action can be enjoyed from the three floors of the Eiffel Tower itself. Find out the date and time of the event you want to see, and get bragging rights by buying tower tickets online 60 days in advance of the event you're keen to see With the exception of the opening ceremony (26 July) and the preceding day the blockbuster monument is open as usual throughout the Olympics and Paralympics Few half-mile sweeps of grassy lawn are as majestic as the Champ de Mars bookended with the Eiffel Tower and chateau-like classical facade of École Militaire Beyond official ticketed Olympic venues (all accessible by public transport and cycling lanes) spectators can soak up the sporting action for free on big screens in fan zones across the city the square in front of Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) will be a key cultural stage while pop-up cafe terraces all over Paris can stay open until midnight to boost the celebratory party vibe Paralympic tickets are still available; for Olympic events watch for surprise ticket releases and ticket resales from mid-May When the Grand Palais was unveiled for the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1900 its glittering barrel-vaulted glass roof was the largest Europe had ever seen taekwondo or Paralympic wheelchair fencing is also a ticket to admire the underbelly of the Big Palace's Herculean nave – propped up by 6,000 tonnes of steel painted mignonette green – in its full glory Shut since 2021 for intensive restoration work Grand Palais will only open again as a cultural venue in 2025 rendering adoration of its dazzling Art Nouveau interior during the Games all the more prized The men's (273km) and women's (154km) road cycling races will start and finish on 3 and 4 August, respectively, at Trocadéro – the landmark gardens across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower with ornamental fountains palatial museums and unparalleled sunrise and sunset Eiffel views from its river-facing esplanade Outside of the opening ceremony (which will wind up on the Seine in front of Trocadéro) and its cycling events, Trocadéro will host Champions Park (16:00 to 23:30 daily Victorious athletes will parade this fan zone each afternoon and the day's finals will be streamed on a big screen every evening from 19:00 the final epic leg in Montmartre – including three brutal half-mile climbs up iconic Rue Lépic with bone-rattling pavés (Parisian cobblestones) and an average 6.5% gradient – promises to be spectacular Arrive early to secure your roadside spot along the route – and don't forget a flag banner and hooter to cheer on your favourite rider Beneath the glittering dome of the Hôtel National des Invalides built under Louis XIV in 1670 to accommodate invalides (wounded war veterans) His ashes were moved from the remote island of St Helena to the circular crypt here in 1840 elaborately interred in a red porphyry sarcophagus containing a Russian doll nest of five more caskets crafted in mahogany and the women's marathon that notably closes the Paris 2024 Games on 11 August This emblematic bridge – an artwork in itself with its allegorical gold-winged statues representing industry science and the arts – will raise the curtain on some thrilling Olympic action the bridge was built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition at Grand Palais so visitors could easily walk across the river from the Invalides area on the left bank Athletes competing in Olympic marathon swimming will start and end the gruelling 10km open-water race upstream from a pontoon beneath Pont Alexandre III The road bridge will also host the Olympic individual time trails (road cycling) and triathlon – all free to attend were guillotined in 1793 during the Reign of Terror Place de la Concorde (Concord Square) gained its current harmonious name When the Place de la Concorde crowds begin to overwhelm escape into neighbouring Jardins des Tuileries – beautifully landscaped 17th-Century gardens where the Olympic torch will enjoy pride of place during the Games Also, watch for same-day tickets to pop up for Parc Urbain La Concorde an entertainment space alongside Place de la Concorde's competition arenas urban-sport demonstrations and a skate park for kids As fans leave the urban park (maximum capacity 25,000) new tickets (€24) will be released in real time No French chateau is as well known as the humble hunting lodge at Versailles that Louis XIV transformed into a 17th-Century palace fit for a king and his 10,000 courtiers. Olympic and Paralympic equestrian events – cross-country, dressage and show jumping – will notably unfurl in temporary outdoor arenas in its vast park The king threw lavish parties alongside the Grand Canal here famously illuminating its one-mile length with candles in terracotta pots and sailing a pair of Venetian gondolas on its serene waters • Why Olympic visitors should stay in the Paris suburbs this summer • A style icon’s expert guide to shopping in Paris • The new croissant taking Paris by storm Between the park and palace, formal French gardens embrace mirror pools, fountains and ornamental basins strewn with soul-rousing sculptures: Neptune's and Apollo's Fountains are both unforgettable. 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Invented to satiate pregnancy cravings, Dubai chocolate is a rare combination of creativity, flavours and social media success that has broken all industry records. may seem reminiscent of something you’d see at dive bars in Key West until you take a sip of the local rosé while admiring a salt pond that’s the very same shade of pink as the wine you’re drinking A fishing boat outside of La Cambuse du SaunierPhoto: Courtesy of of Lane NiesetThe South of France is laden with Michelin-starred chefs but it’s this laid-back gastronomy and low-key lifestyle that’s defining Occitanie Occitanie is a combination of the neighboring Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées regions This is considered to be the true South of France—and one of the country’s best-kept secrets Less stuffy than Bordeaux and trodden with far fewer tourists than Provence Occitanie offers the best of both of its wine-producing neighbors—and just so happens to be the birthplace of sparkling wine that the first case of sparkling wine was documented Even visitors like Thomas Jefferson loved Limoux’s bubbles it was the only sparkling wine Jefferson stored in his personal cellar The Canal du MidiPhoto: Courtesy of of Paul PalauHome to the largest wine region on the globe—and one of the oldest (Greeks first planted vineyards here in the fifth century B.C.)—Occitanie is among the few areas in the world where you can craft almost any type of wine from Bordeaux-style reds to Provence-inspired rosés “It’s hard to compare with other regions,” explains Narbonne native Marianne Fabre-Lanvin a communications agency specializing in wine and travel but you and I could easily buy a bottle at dinner “The region’s wines sold for centimes per liter and very little time and effort was spent on quality grape growing since the vines were taxed for maximum output.” Carcassonne CastlePhoto: Courtesy of of Paul PalauOver the past 20 years restaurateurs and winemakers have been working hard to reshape this reputation by sacrificing quantity for the sake of quality producing world-class wine (with prices to match) and oysters so flavorful they’re prized by top chefs from Paris to Dubai From eight UNESCO World Heritage sites to secluded beach bistros that are so chic you’d think you were in St.-Tropez here’s just a small taste of what the real South of France has to offer Wander through the 70 stalls sampling everything from local olives and tapenades to tapas as authentic as you’d find across the border in nearby Spain helmed by husband-and-wife duo René and Liz The Canal du Midi is one of the must-see UNESCO World Heritage sites but you shouldn’t leave without strolling the cobblestoned streets of Carcassonne The medieval fortified city’s watchtowers and 12th-century château are so scenic they’ve served as a backdrop for films like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (and are said to have inspired Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty) Gerard Bertrand's Clos d'Ora WineryPhoto: Courtesy of of Gerard BertrandWith options from biking through the Pyrénées to canoeing under the Pont du Gard it’s hard to decide how to spend your time between wine tastings One light hike worth making is up Black Mountain where you’ll find the remains of the four Lastours stone castles a local Christian sect massacred during the 13th-century Crusades Gerard Bertrand's Tautavel WineryPhoto: Courtesy of of Gerard BertrandWhere to Sleep and EatPost up at La Tour du Château a 17th-century château with four bedrooms looking out at the Canal du Midi The former Château Ventenac sits on land once owned by Julius Caesar that the current owners discovered while passing through on a barge cruise French country–chic feel with exposed beam ceilings and furniture sourced from Sunday vide-greniers young chef Laurent Chabert not only tends to his own organic vegetable garden he’s also on a mission to earn his first Michelin star with locally inspired dishes like mackerel cooked in L’Hospitalet’s white wine Le St Barth'Photo: Courtesy of of Mario SinistajChabert’s wife, meanwhile, is behind the menu at Gruissan’s newly opened bohemian beach bar, Mamamouchi just a 10-minute drive away along the Mediterranean Sea This spot serves as a great place to start (or end) the night with magnums of rosé and meze on the wooden terrace overlooking the water MamamouchiPhoto: Courtesy of MamamouchiFor a scene that wouldn’t be out of place in the other South of France, spend the day lingering over lunch and cocktails seaside at La Voile Rouge a beach club sitting along Narbonne-Plage’s sandy white shores a spa and series of suites sitting steps from their oyster farm Not only will the shellfish serve as inspiration for a new cosmetics line they’ll also be woven into a series of anti-aging and detoxifying treatments at the oyster-themed spa It's THE perfect opportunity to discover not only historic sites but also temporary exhibitions full of new discoveries If, like us, your passion is heritage, discover the 4 châteaux that are opening their doors to you for free this Sunday, May 4, 2025 From the best-known châteaux to hidden monuments in small towns across theParis region sites steeped in history are at your fingertips come and (re)discover these witnesses to French history taking you back in time from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance For your pleasure, your culture and that of your children, we're off to enjoy these sublime châteaux in the Île-de-France region. Accessible by public transport for some and by car for others they're the perfect way to get away from it all and enjoy the region's treasures How about a free castle this Sunday Olympic Membership - Free Live Stream Sports & Original Series - join now! 🥇 the Olympic Torch Relay returns to the Parisian region this Friday During these few days of celebration around the capital One thing's for sure: there'll be something for everyone View this post on Instagram A post shared by Paris2024 (@paris2024) The Relay will pass through 12 towns across the department where the festivities will be in full swing Throughout the 15 towns and cities it will pass through the Relay will travel through an atmosphere that promises to be one to remember with a departure from Orly airport at 8am and a finale in Créteil as the highlight of the day If you've ever seen a film set in Paris, which you probably have, then chances are you've seen shots of the Pont de Bir-Hakeim lends itself well to photos and film shoots This summer, the Bir-Hakeim bridge is getting a facelift, with new masonry and a good coat of paint to restore it to its former glory. Like other bridges in Paris, such as the Pont de l'Alma and the Pont Alexandre III the Pont de Bir-Hakeim was built for the Universal Exhibition of 1878 the bridge was rebuilt after an architectural competition was organized and won by engineer Louis Biette and architect Jean-Camille Formigé The idea was to enable not only pedestrians but also cars and the metro to pass over the new bridge and a viaduct was built over the new bridge to accommodate metro line 6 The architect and engineer designed one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris The Pont de Bir-Hakeim is a two-storey structure: one for pedestrians Cast-iron statues by Gustave Michel (the Nauts and the Blacksmiths) adorn the stone piers Electricity and Commerce) adorn the central masonry arch The curved columns supporting the metro tracks are inspired byArt Nouveau the bridge then known as the Viaduc de Passy was renamed the Pont de Bir-Hakeim in memory of the Free French Forces' victory in Libya in 1942 A stroll along the Seine to theÎle aux Cygnes is possible from the middle of the bridge thanks to the staircases leading down to it And don't forget that the Pont de Bir-Hakeim offers an unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower: the perfect spot from which to admire Paris's most popular events The whole world knows the Pont des Arts for the many"love padlocks" that lovers come to hang from its gates (despite a ban from the town hall) The history of this legendary Parisian bridge spans more than two centuries the Pont des Arts (named after the Palais du Louvre which became the Palais des Arts under the Second Empire!) was a pedestrian footbridge built between 1801 and 1804 it was the capital's first metal footbridge Designed by engineers Louis-Alexandre de Cessart and Jacques Vincent de Lacroix Dillon the nine-arched cast-iron footbridge resembled a hanging garden After bombardments during the First and Second World Wars the Pont des Arts was weakened and finally collapsed in 1979 when a barge collided with a pillar the bridge had been closed to traffic two years earlier The Pont des Arts was finally dismantled in 1980 before being rebuilt between 1981 and 1984 according to the original plans (with the exception of the number of arches it was on this footbridge that the writer Vercors entrusted the leader of the Ceux de la Résistance movement with copies of Editions de Minuit which the latter then delivered to General de Gaulle The mythical Pont des Arts was the inspiration for many painters Its aura still radiates to the four corners of the globe families and groups of friends gather here for picnics this 3.5-metre gilded copper flame had nothing to do with England You may not have known it, but this is a life-size replica of the flame of the Statue of Liberty a gift from the International Herald Tribune newspaper in 1987 was designed to thank France for restoring the Statue of Liberty on its centenary as a sign of the continuing affection between the two countries A small monument that had almost been forgotten by Parisians but was given a new lease of life following Diana's death it was the flame that was chosen by onlookers to lay wreaths of flowers and many continue to honor her there to this day the square where the flame is located has been renamed in honor of the princess a new Flame of Liberty was inaugurated in the gardens of theUS Embassy in France in the presence of Nicolas Sarkozy and George W again to symbolize the relationship between the two countries FranceChevron BordeauxChevron Vieux BordeauxGetty ImagesExplore the fairytale towers of Vieux BordeauxA visit to Vieux Bordeaux is best approached as it would have been centuries ago through the defensive site of Rue du Palais the Porte Chailou was built as a testament to King Charles VIII’s conquest of the Kingdom of Naples it is a Gothic-Renaissance-style building with tall turrets and castle windows looking out to sweeping sea views Stop by the city’s Grosse Cloche belfry; its bell was cast in 1775 and still rings at noon on the first Sunday of each month and for special occasions While the Grosse Cloche is a charming sight on rue Saint-James (a street filled with boutiques Visitors can still view the site’s dungeons today offer a glass of wine and a cannelé along the way Most sailings end near the Pont d’Aquitaine Those who venture further will see where the Garonne meets the Gironde glide past the Vauban fortifications from the reign of King Louis XIV and eventually reach the vineyards of the famed Blaye and Médoc regions it’s a cultural destination with workshops permanent and recently updated collections Visitors can also book in for Via Sensoria a sensory tasting experience where a sommelier walks you through four separate presentations of the seasons and the wines produced by each guests are invited to enjoy a drink at the Belvedere observation deck and bar under a chandelier made of thousands of wine bottles Marché des CapucinsVincent BengoldVisit the markets and check out the local produceThe soul of many towns or villages in France is the local market its markets bring together the best of the region Pouyanne Market offers the freshest and sweetest fruit and flowers in the chic neighborhood of St the more central Pey Berland Market allows a spot of sightseeing as well as shopping; it’s just in front of the renowned Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux and at the foot of the Bell Tower which you can climb for glorious city views The most popular produce market is Marché Capuçins known affectionately as the Belly of Bordeaux The indoor market is open every day except Monday and spills out onto the surrounding streets with traders selling fresh herbs and artisan cheeses Monument aux GirondinsGetty ImagesAmble through the Golden Triangle of BordeauxBordeaux’s Triangle d’Or (or Golden Triangle) refers to a trinity of convents surrounding the baroque Notre-Dame church where the Grand Théâtre features a neoclassical architectural style and a cast of statues playing muses and goddesses Past the stately mansions lies Place Tourny where a statue of the Marquis presides over a pleasant shopping street and a short stroll away is the Monument aux Girondins a fountain that flows freely over bronze seahorses where the historic Porte Dijeaux gate can be enjoyed from all angles including the marvelous Bistrot Marcel on rue des Remparts which has created a space to temporarily showcase some of the museum’s objet d’art with fascinating installations between its grand warehouse archways Château Les Carmes Haut BrionTeddy VerneuilVisit the Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion for a wine tastingThe Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion was once an idyllic vineyard outside of town it became the only authentic winery in the heart of Bordeaux The Château dates to the 16th century and is as picturesque as any of the great estates and a vat house designed by Philippe Starck and Luc Arsène-Henry has been added to the impressive grounds The abstract form appears as a metal blade plunged into the terroir said to represent the balance of finesse and elegance found in Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion’s cabernet franc and round off the visit with a toast on the panoramic terrace Saint EmilionVincent BengoldPop over to nearby Saint-ÉmilionIf your appreciation for Bordeaux’s vineyards has been piqued you will be pleased to know that one of the region’s most beautiful wine destinations is only half an hour away by train Saint-Émilion is known for its award-winning merlot cabernet sauvignon and malbec—the perfect destination for wine lovers The vineyards all lead to the central medieval village; high on the hill with charming boutiques and a church complete with a tall bell tower and underground galleries The church is still used today for induction ceremonies for the Jurade a winemaking brotherhood established in the 10th century Want to be the first to know? Sign up to our newsletters for travel inspiration and tips Stop Counting the Countries You Visit How Safe Is Flying Today The Best Places to See the Northern Lights Worldwide The Best Flights I've Booked With Points and Miles—And How You Can Too up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world snails and coquilles Saint-Jacques – track down wonderful meals in the heart of the French countryside This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media Paris counts no fewer than 37 bridges within the city Crossing these bridges allows to discover viewpoints of the French capital invisible from the bank but also to know more about the History of Paris Discover now the 22 Parisian bridges of our selection surprising… There’s something for everyone The Pont Alexandre III is one of the most beautiful and legendary bridges in Paris Inaugurated on the occasion of the World Fair in 1900 the Pont Alexandre III has been designed as a symbol of the French-Russian alliance Engineers Jean Résal and Amédée Alby and architects Cassien-Bernard and Gaston Cousin have been entrusted with the building of the Pont Alexandre III They built a remarkable bridge with cast steel, covering 160-m (524.93 ft) long the Pont Alexandre III is richly decorated If you’ve already seen movies which action takes places in Paris, which is highly likely, it’s very likely that you didn’t escape shots on the Pont de Bir-Hakeim. Inception for example the footbridge is rebuilt after an architecture contest has been organized and won by engineer Louis Biette and architect Jean-Camille Formigé they come up with one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris The Pont de Bir-Hakeim is a two-story work: one for pedestrians You surely know that: despite its name, the Pont-Neuf is Paris oldest standing bridge who gives this name to Pont-Neuf by opposition to Paris old bridges In addition to be the first stone bridge to overlap the Seine entirely the Pont-Neuf is also the first bridge featuring sidewalks to protect Parisians from the mud and the carriages The Pont-Neuf is remarkable with its 12 arches and its many contorted masks engraved in stone You can’t walk the Pont de l’Alma without thinking about the tragic car crash that cost Princess Diana’s life in the tunnel of the Pont de l’Alma back in 1997 But let’s return on the story of this infamous road bridge The inauguration of the Pont de l’Alma should have been held on the 1855 World Fair but since the bridge wasn’t done on due date in 1856 by Napoleon III. The latter had four big statues of warriors set on its peers Now remains the Zouave only to measure the level of the water during the floods It’s the contemporary President of the Republic, Sadi Carnot, who makes the call to build the Pont Mirabeau in 1893. Engineers Jean Résal Paul Rabel and Amédée Alby are entrusted with the task of thinking about this new Parisian bridge They create a beautiful work covering 173 meters (567.58 ft), entirely made of metal The Pont Mirabeau is the first metal bridge made of two symmetrical frameworks that buttressing gives the structure its balance Listed a historical monument in 1975 is lovingly adorned at the foot of each pillars with four allegories riding vessels The whole world knows the Pont des Arts for its countless “love locks” that lovers come (despite the prohibition from Paris authorities) to lock on the railings The story of this legendary Parisian bridge spans two centuries the Pont des Arts was a pedestrian bridge built between 1801 and 1804: the first metal pedestrian bridge in Paris After the bombings of the First and Second World War the Pont des Arts is weakened and ends up by collapsing in 1979 the bridge was closed to traffic for already two years It has been entirely rebuilt between 1981 and 1984 according to the original blueprints The Pont d’Iéna joining the Eiffel Tower to the Trocadéro has been built at the instigation of Napoleon Bonaparte between 1808 and 1814 The Emperor – who’s just won two years earlier the Battle of Jena over Prussia – wishes to mark the event in stone and Parisian memories Engineer Corneille Lamandé comes up with this five-arch bridge covering 140 meters (459.31 feet) and decorated with imperial eagles it’s adorned with four statues still visible today: a Gallic warrior The origination of this bridge dates back to the Antiquity since it’s in this very spot we used to find one of the first Parisian bridges in history: the Grand Pont Charles VI inaugurates a new and solid wooden bridge: the Pont Notre-Dame but the latter collapses a new work sees the light of the day and thanks to stores put there the houses of the Pont Notre-Dame were the first ones in Paris to be numbered Renamed Pont de la Raison during the French Revolution the Pont Notre-Dame is renamed again the Devil’s Bridge at the end of the 19th century because of the too many river accidents between the five arches the bridge is partially destroyed and rebuilt in 1919 Its construction goes way back to the 17th century enables to cross from the Right bank to the Left Called Pont Rouge [Red Bridge] because of its color this bridge doesn’t last a long time since it will caught fire in 1654 and destroyed by a flood two years later A new wooden bridge is built in 1660 In 1685, Louis XIV chooses to build a third bridge but in stone: the Pont Royal that will see the light of the day in 1689 Built by famous architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart the Pont Royal quickly becomes a popular bridge where Parisians hold parties and large popular gatherings. The project of a bridge at this place has stayed for 50 years in the pipes before coming to life in 1775 The reason being the lack of means to finance its construction But a happy event will be game-changer and allow the bridge to be built quickly: the French Revolution you may not know it but the Pont de la Concorde has been built with dimension stones from the ruins of the famous Bastille after its storming in 1789 This beautiful neo-classic five-arch bridge supported by 3-m wide columns is inaugurated in 1791 The Pont d’Arcole – the first bridge made of iron built without any support in the Seine The Pont de Bercy and its masonry viaduct built for the metro line 6 The Pont Charles de Gaulle – the most futuristic bridges in Paris built like a plane wing its beautiful arch made of cast iron and its copper-covered cast iron railings The Pont Marie – one of the oldest bridges in Paris which first stone has been laid by Louis XIII and Marie de Medici The Pont Sully – a wonderful double bridge made of cast iron crossing the Seine by relying on the end of the Île Saint-Louis The Pont de la Tournelle and its impressive statue of Sainte Geneviève entirely made of reinforced concrete The Pont Levant de la rue de Crimée and its impressive mechanism allowing boats to go by Bridges and walkways of the Canal Saint-Martin – legendary Also note the presence of two turning bridges allowing barges and boats to come and go The Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir and its iron structure made of two curves crossing one another The Passerelle de Debilly – a beautiful metal work that should have disappeared The Passerelle Leopold Sedar-Senghor and its unique 106-m (347.76 ft) long arch On Sunday August 31, 1997, after a chase with paparazzi, Lady Diana, Princess of Wales, lost her life in a terrible car accident in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in the heart of Paris A tragedy for the British monarchy and a shock for the whole world Lady Di spent the summer of 1997 vacationing around the Mediterranean with her new partner On August 30, the young couple landed in Paris by private jet from Olbia, Sardinia, where they had spent the end of their vacation, and headed to the Ritz to relax and dine at the L'Espadon restaurant; the owner of the Parisian palace was none other than Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed But the paparazzi were already watching for their every move outside the hotel the"Princess of Hearts" and her lover decided to leave the Ritz discreetly by a back door the couple left their own car parked in front of the palace and boarded a Mercedes-Benz W140 owned by Étoile Limousines and hired by the hotel while Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed sat in the back was called back to the scene and settled behind the wheel of this Mercedes was a wreck that had previously been involved in an accident and should never have returned to the road The journey to Dodi Al-Fayed'sParis apartment at 1 rue Arsène-Houssaye in the 8th arrondissement But the horde of paparazzi lurked nearby and soon realized the subterfuge But just as the quartet thought they'd lost their pursuers, the latter resurfaced. The Mercedes entered the tunnel under the Pont de l'Alma at an estimated speed of between 118 and 155 km/h and nearly crashed into a Fiat Uno travelling at 50 km/h in the right-hand lane Lady Di's car grazed the third pillar separating the two lanes of the tunnel before colliding head-on with the thirteenth reinforced concrete pillar who was later found to have been driving with 1.82 g/l of alcohol in his blood and under the influence of drugs pressed down by the inert body of the driver The paramedics arrived six minutes after the accident to find Lady Diana still alive While the police try to keep the paparazzi at bay the paramedics try to resuscitate the princess on the spot as her right foot was trapped under a seat Her companion was pronounced dead at the scene of the tragedy at 1:30 a.m. after cardiac massage failed to revive him Transported in a very serious condition to theSalpêtrière hospital Internal bleeding caused by a large wound in the left pulmonary vein was detected and despite prolonged internal and external cardiac massage the princess was pronounced dead at 4 a.m. head of the resuscitation team at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital announced Princess Diana's death to the press the whole world heard the news; thousands of people came to lay wreaths of flowers and candles outside the gates of Kensington Palace in London Pointing the finger at the role of the paparazzi and the tabloid press in the affair editors and newspaper owners of having "blood on their hands" Criticized for her silence and for underestimating the grief of the British people Queen Elizabeth II finally spoke out on English television on the eve ofLady Di's funeral Her state funeral in London on September 6 1997 was attended by over three million people the Flame of Liberty above the tunnel was quickly covered with flowers photographs and anonymous words in tribute to the princess the wildest rumors and worst-case scenarios were circulating about the causes of the accident But neither these rumors nor the photographers arrested at the scene of the tragedy were prosecuted The investigation concluded that the homicide had been caused by the negligent driving of Princess Diana's Mercedes and the vehicles in pursuit Even today, the Flamme de la Liberté, overlooking thewestern entrance to the Pont de l'Almatunnel is constantly covered with messages and flowers The square where it stands has been renamed Place Diana in 2019 Initially offered to France by the United States in gratitude for the restoration work carried out on the Statue of Liberty in 1986 the monument is now presented as a commemorative stele to Princess Diana The magnificent Domaine du Pont d'Oye has risen from the ashes this jewel of the local heritage was in great danger Paperjam invites you to discover the most beautiful castles of Luxembourg and the Greater Region which have resisted the ravages of time and are experiencing a new life the future of the Domaine du Pont d'Oye in Habay looked bleak You must have been a bit crazy to embark on such a project But what would life be without a bit of madness Originally from Neufchâteau and having lived in Arlon this well-known figure in the town square had known the Pont d'Oye in Habay --a little less than 45 kilometres from Luxembourg City--for 40 years and tasting hot chocolate when the castle still hosted a famous restaurant with Thierry Neyens in the kitchen "it was a bit of a Proust's madeleine" he was looking to buy a family home in the Ardennes via friends but it came to Vincent Gouverneur's attention that the Pont d'Oye was for sale He hesitated very briefly before completely reorienting his initial project "My first objective was to save this local heritage it is a way of giving back to this region what it has given me" But he also knows that restoring is not enough I saw in this estate an ideal spot for weddings with a major advantage: Pont d'Oye is a name that speaks for itself The work in the main wing will be completed in a year The major heritage elements of the building have been preserved and cleaned The library is decorated with some nice busts seen from the first floor of the main wing A priority was to make it beautiful and pleasant again The work is being carried out by local contractors He visited the premises for the first time in December 2018 He was not discouraged by the general state of the buildings and the work to be done Negotiations could begin with the Nothomb family for the acquisition of the limited company that owns the two wings of the building under the supervision of a couple of friends who had become his delegated project managers although he himself carefully monitored the progress of the work Then I wanted to work on the surroundings," explains Gouverneur The premises had to be given a certain lustre and cachet fairly quickly even if major work was to be carried out on the two buildings An enchanting setting for a wedding or prestigious ceremony it offers very beautiful and spacious meeting and function rooms obviously equipped with all the necessary technology "We were on schedule with our business plan But then the lockdown happened," explains Gouverneur "except for one that took place in July" And that will remain forever the first of the "new" Pont d'Oye "And commitments are being made for 2023 and 2024.” The first of the two wings has already been fully restored Under the beautiful roof structure: a large with all the modern technology at your disposal where the work of light has been the object of particular care These couples will be able to discover the other wing of the château which will be completely finished in a year but preserving the most beautiful elements such as a cob wall while the ground floor lounges will have been little modified to preserve their soul highlighted by beautiful historic fireplaces.. "Everything else has been refurbished: electricity but exemplary in terms of respect for the site and the attention to detail by "companies which come from no more than 25km away" A fine example of a well thought-out renovation of the old heritage 60 people will be able to stay at the Domaine Vincent Gouverneur had the opportunity to buy the large modern and remarkably well-equipped gîte next door It provides an ideal solution for parking via large terraces cleaned and whose banks have been reinforced contributes the enchanting character of the Domaine du Pont d'Oye complemented by the renowned neighbouring restaurant with which synergies will "naturally take place" The "new" Pont d'Oye already looks good since Vincent Gouverneur has other projects to embellish or complete his current offer Enough to write a few more chapters in this new story Proust's madeleine has become the crush of a lifetime Did you know? The Domaine National de Saint-Cloud lost its château during the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 the 460-hectare site has been preserved as a fine example of classical garden design from the Pont de Saint-Cloud to the Pont de Sèvres the upper section of which is almost 90 meters long a skilful 17th-century composition by Antoine Le Pautre They are precious testimonies to the traditional techniques used by fountain-makers The grand-parc was partly cut through by the railway line under Louis-Philippe It has essentially retained the layout of the avenues and wooded squares designedby Le Nôtre in the 17th century the wooded areas of La Brosse and the Plaine des Quatre Cèdres have a wilder contrasts with the well-tended garden surrounding the Escadrille La Fayette memorial Since 1823, the Trocadéro garden has occupied the former Montretout hill. A private garden designed for the entertainment and education of Charles X's grandchildren, it was conceived as a veritable"living herbarium". The Rendez-vous aux Jardins is a golden opportunity to discover it from top to bottom le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles Great discoveries at the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Paris Whether you’re a diehard ‘Emily in Paris’ fan or not, there’s no denying that the hit series’ filming locations are freaking beautiful. From tucked-away cafés and glamorous restaurants to well-known landmarks, it’s a great ode to a fabulous city – sort of one, long tourist campaign for Paris (and, after the first season, other bits of France too) So: where was ‘Emily in Paris’ filmed But where exactly?) And can you actually visit any of these places and plan your own Emily-inspired locations tour Photograph: NetflixThe trailer for the new series revealed many of the same landmarks that featured previously (such as the Eiffel Tower Canal Saint-Martin and Palais Garnier – more on those below) On top of that, landmarks such as the Tuileries Gardens, Place de la Concorde and Place Juliette Gréco all make an appearance. As does the gorgeous Piscine Molitor where Emily is seen sipping cocktails by the pool Early episodes of the series see Emily have a style showdown at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and make a grand romantic gesture to boyfriend Lucien at the Quai des Célestins on the Seine the third season of ‘Emily in Paris’ sees the main character head out of the French capital Later in the season she heads to the lavender fields and vineyards of Provence The hilltop town of Gordes and the Château de Montpoupon a castle in central France’s Loire Valley Back in Paris, revue theatre La Nouvelle Eve, railway station Gare du Nord, church Basilique du Sacré-Coeur de Montmartre and romance hotspot ‘le mur des je t’aime’ (the wall of love) all feature in season three Given that Alfie, Emily’s love interest at the end of season two, is British, we’d sort of hoped that part of the new series might take Emily to London or the UK. (Here’s how we imagine that panning out.) But it looks like we might need to wait till season four Photograph: Carole Bethuel / Netflix 2020As you can probably guess pretty much all of the first season of ‘Emily in Paris’ stuck to Paris itself American emigrée Emily spent a lot of her time in the city’s fifth arrondissement She lived in an apartment near Place de l’Estrapade and first found fame in the Boulangerie Moderne (a real place) Emily’s neighbour Gabriel worked in a restaurant called Les Deux Compères (renamed Chez Lavaux for season two), which is a real restaurant actually called Terra Nera. Near to this is also the Panthéon a monument to French heroes which also featured in the series Outside of the fifth arrondissement, Emily regularly went to offices at the Place de Valois and met her friend Mindy Chen at Jardin du Palais Royal both of which are in the first arrondissement went to the beach at Glaye and partied somewhere called ‘Ragazzi House’ – which is a real-life rentable palace named the Château Diter Season two’s series finale takes place in one of the most glamorous locations in all of ‘Emily in Paris’. The Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles plays host to Emily’s fashion show Versailles is just outside Paris and is easy to visit by train – be sure to check out its vast Here’s even more about the season two filming locations for ‘Emily in Paris’ The series will return on December 21 2022 and will be available to stream on Netflix The first two seasons are also available on the platform Yes! When season three was announced back last January the studio also announced the show would be renewed for a fourth season Further information and details about the fourth instalment of ‘Emily in Paris’ haven’t yet been confirmed But you can bet it’ll provide a heap more travel inspo for Paris and beyond Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for the latest travel news and the best stuff happening across the world Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitter pinterest instagram About us Contact us This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page is an impressive département in the Île-de-France region Whether you're looking for a new restaurant or a well-established one a stroll through the forests and footpaths To help you make your way through this jungle of possibilities we've selected 10 fun outings specifically for the weekend of May 1 to 4 Where to eat in Yvelines? Our best restaurant addresses in 78There's no shortage of good places to eat in the Yvelines. If you'd like to discover the best restaurants in the 78 department, here we go! [Read more] Glorious Escape Game [Read more] A chance to get away from it all for a few hours, not far from Paris, and discover places that are easily accessible by metro, RER, bus or Transilien. Walking tours, exhibitions, festivals, shows and cinema.. original exhibitions and new attractions.. discover the program of outings in the Paris region this weekend Cocorico, the free educational farm in Herblay-sur-Seine (95)In Herblay-sur-Seine, don't miss Cocorico, the town's educational farm: free and open to all, it's a great opportunity for a family outing to the farm. [Read more] plus gorgeous places to sleep and eat nearby on a quiet square about 50 metres from the beach one of the best-preserved examples outside Italy A day trip from Nîmes by bus or taxi could take in the awe-inspiring three-tier Roman aqueduct The visitor centre explains how it was built in 1AD as part of an incredible engineering scheme to transport water to the city The tour then goes to Avignon with its impressive Palais des Papes and the coastal fortress of Aïgues-Mortes before finishing up in Arles which has its own amphitheatre and Roman architecture Trip details The Provincia Nostra train tour (until 31 October) costs £630pp based on two sharing including rail travel between cities in France and six nights’ B&B run by former restaurant owners who offer doubles from €72 B&B La Belle Folie France.In the south of Brittany, near the Quiberon peninsula and Carnac with its megalithic stones, the accommodation on offer at La Belle Folie (hut for two from €60 a night B&B) is indeed “beautifully mad” There’s a caravan set atop an artificial menhir that houses the shower and loo; a stylish glass-and-wood cabin with Nordic hot-tub; and several quirky tents and cabins Also on site is a restaurant in an airy atrium adorned with banana trees which serves locavore (local food) and market-inspired dishes Meanwhile those interested in learning new agroecology practices and permaculture techniques can sign up for the workshops on offer simply join in with tending the sustainable garden La Grande Réderie. Photograph: Clémence MilletKeen treasure hunters should head to Amiens on 3 October for La Grande Réderie – France’s third-biggest flea market Experienced buyers get there as early as 5am to start working their way through the 2,000 exhibitors selling furniture ornaments and glassware spread across 15km of streets It is run by chef Baptiste Denieul – who in 2017 became the youngest chef from France to be awarded a first Michelin star – and his wife Marion They have transformed this inn on the edge of Brocéliande forest cooking produce from their garden and specialities such as lobster and buckwheat Carolyn Boyd’s France Traveller newsletter is at francetraveller.co.uk Paris is the host for 2024 Olympics – but there are 16 other areas of Metropolitan France as well as an overseas territory of French Polynesia which will the home to 329 events over 32 different sports This year’s event will start on July 26th 2024 Paris is the host city for the 2024 summer Olympic Games there will be events spread out across the country In this guide we look at where they are based and what travellers from the UK can expect The summer Olympics host city will have 13 venues that will be the home for 28 different sports public transport is the best way to travel to venues so leave your car in a suitable place and head to your nearest bus or train station Here are the locations for visitors to look out for: Head to the Gare de Lyon stop using the RER A Visitors will then need to walk 1.1 km walk to reach the venue It will be signposted for visitors in multiple languages There is also a Bercy stop for tourists using the Metro 6 / 14 lines and the site entrance right next to the metro exit Use Metro 6 line to La Motte-Picquet-Grenelle then use the Pont de l'Alma stop on RER C and then walk 950 m to reach the venue – or you can visit the Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel stop on RER C Metro stops 6 or 9 and have a walk of les than a kilometre to get the stadium and then a short 450 m walk to reach the venue There is also the Invalides stop on RER C or the Invalides stop on the Metro 8 or 13 Olympic organisers have stated that travellers should check if the Alexandrew III bridge is open on the day they travel Head for the Metro and get off at Chatelet They are all a very short walk away to the hotel and they are all less than 50m from the venue head to Auber or Musee d’Orsay – however the second one will mean a 1km walk Metro users should head to Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre or Madeleine stops – all of which will leave a short walk to La Concorde organisers suggest using the RER C line to Pont du Garigliano – however head to Port d’Auteil; and for Metro 9 head to Porte de Saint Cloud or Marcel Sembat Organisers suggest that travellers should use the RER E line to Rosa Parks stop – and then walk just over a kilometre to get to the venue There is also a Metro 12 stop at Porte de la Chapelle that will leave you a 300m walk You can either use the RER C line to Avenue Foch or the Metro 2 or T3B line to Porte Dauphine Both locations then offer a free shuttle to the stadium Metro T3A to Georges Brassens and Metro 12 to Porte de Versailles all head to the area where the venue is located organisers recommend that visitors head to the first two Use the RER C line to Pont de L’Alma or the Metro 9 to Lena Driving from the UK to Paris for the 2024 Olympic Games can be the best way to enjoy the greatest sporting event in the world Here is a comprehensive guide to help you plan your journey: Drivers will also need to carry out maintenance checks so that your car is in good enough condition to travel into Europe you’ll need to decide if you will take the ferry or Eurotunnel: The ferry from Dover to Calais takes about 90 minutes and the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais takes about 35 minutes the drive to Paris is approximately 300 km (186 miles) and typically takes about 3 hours via the A26 and A1 motorways All drivers should be aware of the toll roads and common French road signs before setting off on their journey the French capital is going to be very busy this summer hotels and travel will be more expensive than they usually are This includes parking – which will be at a premium and something that you should organise before leaving for France Check if the venues you are visiting have dedicated parking facilities It may be easier to park outside the city centre and use public transport – or the shuttle services on offer throughout the city Consider getting a Navigo travel pass for unlimited travel on the metro transport apps like Citymapper or the official RATP app are helpful to navigate public transport efficiently in Paris make sure you have your Olympic tickets well in advance Check the official Olympics website for updates and ticket availability If you are looking to see more than one event keep an eye on the official Olympic schedule and see how easy it is to get from one venue to another • Help to get home if your vehicle can't be fixed is the most populous region of France and includes the capital city Located in the north-central part of France The area stretches for around 5,000 square miles and is home to more than 12 million people historic landmarks can be found in the region There are 12 locations for the Paris 2024 Olympics at the Île-de-France area The two best options are to use the RER D line to Stade de France Saint-Denis and walk just over a kilometre – or Metro 14 to Saint-Denis-Pleyel and walk 1.5km Each one has a free shuttle to the chateau Head for the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines stop on the Line N from Paris towards Rambouillet or the Line U from Paris towards La Verrière Visitors could also use the RER C from Paris towards Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Each location has a free Paris 2024 shuttle bus Use the RER line to Massy Palaiseau from Paris and ten use the free shuttle bus Use the RER B line to Parc des Expositions and then walk 400m to the venue Visitors will need to use the RER A line to La Defense or Nanterre-Prefecture – both leave a short walk to the arena Use the RER C line from Paris to Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and then it is just a short walk to either venue As it is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations Front Populaire or Saint Denis Porte de Paris; or RER lines to Stade de France Saint Denis or Stade de France La Plaine Organisers suggest using the RER A line to Marne La Vallee Chessy to Busy Saint Georges station and then use the free shuttle service You can also use the RER E line to Gelles Gournay and use the free buses available You’ll need to cat the Transillien Paris Saint Lazare train service – known as Ligne J – from Paris to Le Stade There are 10 venues outside of Paris and the Île-de-France area at this year’s summer Olympics – where six sports will be played over the event Head south on the A10 and A11 for around 580km – and the journey will take around six hours and N151 to northern Chateauroux for 280km for around three hours The journey is around 550km and will take around five and a half hours It is around 390km by car and will take just over four hours Head south on the A6 and A46 to western Lyon The journey takes over five hours and is just under 500km To reach the southern tip of France from Paris you’ll need to drive along the A6 through Lyon then carry on the A7 to Capitainerie du Vieux port to the east of Marseille The journey will take around eight hours and is around 800km Head south on the A6 and A7 to Marseille and then head east on the A8 to Nice The drive will take almost 10 hours and will be around 950km The journey is 230km and will take around three hours The flight from Paris to Tahiti last more than 22 hours Then there is a 75km drive from the airport The Olympic Torch Relay is a ceremonial event that signifies the countdown to the start of the Olympic Games The flame is ignited by the sun's rays at the Temple of Hera in Olympia using a parabolic mirror to focus the sunlight This ceremony marks the official start of the relay It then travels from Olympia to the host city of the Olympic Games – Paris The route typically includes stops in various cities and landmarks allowing as many people as possible to witness the flame the flame will leave Greece and head to France and several overseas territories when it will arrive at the Opening Ceremony it will go to French Guiana on the north coast of South America It will continue its international trip to New Caledonia Nine days later it will return to the mainland for the final few days of its journey and finally across the Île-de-France region Although there isn’t long left to see the torch relay they are usually free and open to the public Check the schedule and plan accordingly to see history take place If you are heading south to France this summer reviews and offers to help keep your motoring costs down By clicking subscribe you are adhering to our terms and conditions. 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Please see our privacy policy for more details As a painter he met with little success and achieved no critical mention Baldus abandoned the easel and took up the camera secured commissions from government ministries and captains of industry and created a body of photographs now considered early masterpieces of the art So impressive were Baldus’ pictures from the standpoint of clarity that he quickly won government support for a project entitled Les Villes de France photographiées an extended series of architectural views in Paris and the provinces designed to feed a resurgent interest in the nation’s Roman and medieval past After focusing on the chief monuments of the French capital in 1852 Baldus traveled again to the south of France in the autumn of 1853 approaching his subjects with a rigor that banished precisely those picturesque elements and anecdotal details traditionally considered necessary to animate topographic prints of the period The following summer, Baldus coursed the dirt roads of the countryside by horse-drawn cart, moving from ruined castle to thatched hut, from pilgrimage church to paper mill through the fertile lowlands and rugged mountains of the Auvergne Perhaps owing to the different physical character of this region Baldus made photographs of the land itself adding a poetic force to the graphic power and documentary value of his earlier photographs a souvenir of her passage on the line during her state visit to Paris The lavishly bound album is still among the treasures of the Royal Library at Windsor Castle and the beautifully composed and richly printed photographs of cathedrals and railroad installations included in it are among the photographer’s finest objectified vision softened by lessons learned in the landscapes of the Auvergne and an equilibrium of documentation and artistry of descriptive directness and picturesqueness of presenting the scene to the viewer and inviting the viewer into the scene Baldus began photographing on the work site of the New Louvre documenting for architect Hector Lefuel every piece of statuary and ornamentation made for the vast complex linking the Louvre and Tuileries palaces these photographs served a practical function on the bustling work site keeping track of the hundreds of plaster models and carved stones sculpted for the project; but as a collected whole they formed a new means of comprehending and communicating a complex subject and rapid—and then only in the hands of an artist both sensitive and rigorous—could produce an archive as a new form of art Baldus’ photographs of the grandest of Napoleon III’s building projects were assembled in albums (four volumes in each set) and presented by the emperor to government ministers that was in many ways its opposite: to photograph the destruction caused by torrential rains and overflowing rivers in Lyon From a world of magnificent man-made construction he set out for territory devastated by natural disaster; from the task of re-creating the whole of a building in a catalogue of its thousand parts he turned to the challenge of evoking a thousand individual stories in a handful of transcendent images Baldus created a moving record of the flood without explicitly depicting the human suffering left in its wake scavenging to find the objects most indispensable to their daily needs,” described by the local Courier de Lyon are all but absent from his photographs of the hard-hit Brotteaux quarter of Lyon as if the destruction had been of biblical proportions leaving behind only remnants of a destroyed civilization Baldus expanded his highly successful series of large-format views of historic monuments and around 1860 he photographed the rough alpine regions of southeastern France But it was in the second of his two railway albums commissioned in 1861 by the Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée that Baldus again pioneered new aesthetic ground and drew from a decade’s work to speak forcefully and eloquently about the relationship of history and progress The album is a masterfully composed sequence of sixty-nine photographs of the landscape and railroad structures along the line from Lyon to Marseille and Toulon By interspersing boldly geometric images of the railroad tracks and viaducts with his classic views of historic architecture—the ramparts of Avignon the Pont du Gard—Baldus presented Second Empire engineers as the natural heirs to a great tradition of building that stretched back to Roman and medieval times The final section of the album presents the natural beauty of the Côte d’Azur including the majestic rock formations at La Ciotat The concluding pair of images restate the album’s central theme of progress: wilderness and civilization—Nature and Man—are juxtaposed The rocky Ollioules Gorge is barren and untamed walled in by cliffs at left and right (an effect emphasized by the dark edges of the photograph) Turn the page and one is in a different world: at the railroad station of Toulon there is a Cartesian order to the arrangement of space and structures; the materials are iron and glass dressed stone and brick; everything is crisp the tracks race straight back through the station as if pointing toward Nice and the Italian frontier (lines already viewed as the logical extension of the rail network)–and toward the future The photographs of Édouard Baldus are inextricably linked to the principal ideas of his age his views of historic monuments presented the vestiges of the past with unromanticized clarity for the architect His photographs of the construction of the New Louvre celebrated the glory of the Second Empire and created an art of the archive And his presentation of a landscape transformed by modern engineering confidently espoused a belief in technological progress Baldus established the model for photographic representation in genres that barely existed before him Daniel, Malcolm. The Photographs of Édouard Baldus. Exhibition catalogue. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1994. See on MetPublications “Édouard Baldus (1813–1889).” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/bald/hd_bald.htm (October 2004) More from the Timeline of Art HistoryView all one of the world’s leading business schools are proud to announce their highly anticipated consortium: Leadership Retreat Programme an exclusive event designed to empower senior executives to reach new heights in leadership and innovation The retreat will take place from 19 to 21 April 2024 at the picturesque Château Du Pont D’Oye offering a transformative experience for leaders seeking to sharpen their skills and drive success in a rapidly evolving business landscape With a rich legacy of educating leaders from around the world the | INSEAD’s Leadership Retreat Programme is set to deliver an unparalleled immersive experience Attendees will benefit from the institution’s renowned faculty all against the backdrop of a breathtaking and inspirational setting “This is a very unique program to be offered in Luxembourg” said the Managing Partner of Odgers Berndtson Luxembourg “This joint Leadership Retreat is designed to inspire leaders to become more conscious and become better equipped to face the leadership challenges of tomorrow.” Spaces for the INSEAD Leadership Retreat are limited to ensure an intimate and personalised experience Early registration is encouraged to secure your spot and take advantage of special pricing For more information about the INSEAD Leadership Retreat To make the most of July 14, 2024 in Paris you'll need to get organized by checking which areas are inaccessible and which metro and tramway stations are not closed This July 14, 2024, and as every year due to the military parade parking and traffic restrictions are being put in place by the Préfecture de police So if you're planning to travel by car or bus this Sunday " The organization of this ceremony means that temporary traffic and parking measures must be taken, both to prepare for it and to ensure that it runs smoothly," explains the Préfecture de police in a press release which also announces " measures prohibiting the parking of all vehicles between July 7 (limited to avenue Bugeaud) and 2pm on July 14 in certain streets " located in the 8th We also remind you that this year's Concert de Paris has been moved to the parvis de l'Hôtel de Ville where the Olympic flame is also expected in the evening It will therefore be difficult to circulate in this area on Sunday On public transport, RATP is also announcing some disruptions with metro and tramway stations closed due to the July 14th festivities Reopenings will be authorized by the Préfecture de Police Votre newsletter personnalisée pour faciliter vos déplacements et vos sorties pendant les Jeux But my expectations certainly didn't involve anything as licentiously Gallic as a naturist spa straight after breakfast things went all Benny Hill the moment I walked into the large outdoor pool area hydro-massage fountains and perfectly nonchalant I walked around fully dressed for 10 minutes looking for a (non-existent) locker to put my clothes in as bemused naturists looked at me as if Finally derobed I went looking for the showers … and somehow walked straight out of the back door of the spa and into the campsite to horrified looks from my fully dressed fellow campers retreat before most of the kids had looked up from their Rice Krispies But complete loss of dignity was almost worth it for half an hour in the blissfully quiet swimming pool the only one on the site that wasn't an obstacle course of rubber rings Sérignan Plage with the Mediterranean behindThis was day two of our week's stay at Le Sérignan Plage but the seventh day of our 16-day French holiday Most families heading for the family parcs that line the Med either fly there or floor it down the entire length of France (This southward dash becomes a charge after Paris as half the capital packs the car and hits the autoroute.) and miss out on all that beautiful scenery between Calais and the Med we spent five days driving to the campsite stopping off to pitch the tent where and when we liked It was two holidays in one: a week of frolicking by the pool for our two boys plus a road trip taking in bits of "proper" France for mum and dad Instead of spending 12 hours a day on the autoroute we pottered along plane tree-lined main roads Rather than refuelling in motorway services or had an impromptu barbecue on the banks of the Dordogne We cooled off by paddling in streams and rivers and pulled over by a cornfield to get completely soaked by the sprinklers and collapse in hysterics For the first two nights we hadn't booked anywhere to stay; we'd simply stop in a small town and ask for the nearest campsite. There are over 2,000 campings municipaux (camping-municipal.org) in France Most towns or villages have one on their outskirts with spotless washing facilities and hot showers And the sites are so plentiful that away from the tourist hotspots there's no need to book I'm pretty sure they'd have gone the same way as school playing fields long ago and would now be lying dead under Barratt homes We spent our first night at Camping de Châlons-en-Champagne , the second a few hours south at the municipal site just outside Mâcon where our children made friends with Dutch and French kids and the site was so lovely we stayed an extra night The Dutch family were spending a leisurely three weeks driving between campsites in central France The river below is dotted with pebble beaches and rock shelves Upriver was a traffic jam of brightly coloured plastic kayaks crewed by teenagers of all nationalities I joined them for a two-hour jaunt along its most popular stretch the 30m-high natural arch across the gorge In summer this stretch is pretty much rammed with kayaks Wherever I go in France I'm always struck by how good they are at keeping rampant commercialism away from their most treasured sites After five days in the car and under canvas the beds and four walls of our mobile home felt like a mini palace Holiday parcs are perennially unfashionable but long before camping became Cool or morphed into glamping primarily French institutions were taking the pain out of sleeping under canvas have taken camping out of the equation altogether replacing tents with fully furnished mobile homes that look like postwar prefabs the snob in me hadn't expected it to feel so French where we sent the kids each morning to buy hot croissants and baguettes Old boys whiled away their days playing pétanque indifferent to all the family fun and activities on offer We'd chosen Sérignan because it is by a sandy beach but we had trouble getting the kids further than the pool complex after seeing so much country on the drive here we didn't feel bad about missing local attractions and doing absolutely nothing A breakneck dash back to the Channel at the end of a holiday can be even more stressful than the southbound leg the first day of our return drive was the most spectacular of the trip – so stunning that the kids even stopped watching the iPad for a time After leaving Sérignan we stopped briefly at the 17th-century Canal du Midi and pinched a few grapes from the adjacent vineyards then headed for Les Grands Causses in the Massif Central where the narrow valleys and granite gorges are peppered with small villages clinging to the slopes with giant craggy rocks overhanging the road that leads to the Millau viaduct the marvel of modern engineering that stretches for 2½km over the Tarn valley (Be sure to pull off at the small motorway services immediately north of the viaduct to admire the view back across the valley.) riverside campsite in the Upper DordogneLeaving the motorway after Millau we got rather lost and spent a couple of hours driving on back roads through rolling fields and countryside straight out of Jean de Florette the winding road hugging the river on one side and dwarfed by mountains on the other another impossibly picturesque medieval village Our destination at the end of that long hot day was the Château du Gibanel campsite at the confluence of the Dordogne and Doustre in Argentat We were all a bit fractious by the time we got there on a broad sleepy sweep of river in the grounds of a beautiful chateau "It feels like we've driven round the world in a day," said the missus I'd say it was one of my favourite drives ever We pitched the tent under trees right on the river bank while the kids waded in to feed the ducks, and stayed put for a couple more idyllic days of swimming and kayaking. Then it was time for the last push. For our final stop, we'd booked two nights at La Baumoderie a beautiful refurbished farmhouse in the Loire valley Its rustic elegance was a little lost on our now-dishevelled gang but not the crisp white sheets and huge comfy beds And we squeezed in one last activity before heading for Calais – an easy bike ride along the Loire passing several of the region's famous chateaux after doing so much in two weeks that we felt we'd seen half of France Auriane OKCe nouveau rendez-vous mensuel au Château des Ducs de Bretagne est déjà devenu un incontournable de découvrir le musée de l'histoire de Nantes sous un prisme nouveau : de nuit c'est autour de la danse que se déroulera la nocturne au château avec Musée Danse de 19h à 22h et c'est gratuit (dans la limite des places disponibles) À l'occasion du festival Flash Danse le Château des Ducs de Bretagne se met au diapason et s'animera au rythme des pas de danse étudiants s'emparent des espaces et des collections du musée toute la soirée Musée Danse sera l'occasion de découvrir le travail de la compagnie LUCANE la compagnie universitaire Passage(s) et Le Pont Supérieur Prêt à danser au musée dans la limite des places disponibles. ©Aëla Labbé - Résidence de De sous la futaie au sortir du taillis La Fabrique Chantenay - Nantes / Cie LUCANE De sous la futaie au sortir du taillis : la compagnie LUCANE et les étudiants de l'école des Beaux Arts proposent une performance qui se réinvente en continu à l'issue d'un workshop d'un an. Passage(s) au château : impromptu chorégraphique déambulation et succession de proposition dans la cour et dans les espaces du château Le Pont Supérieur : sous la direction artistique de Dominique Petit les étudiants de danse du Pont Supérieur proposent une suite de propositions chorégraphiques selon des principes d'improvisation et de composition qui feront écho aux éléments architecturaux et aux objets présentés. Musée DanseMercredi 18 janvierDe 19h à 22hEntrée libre dans la limite des places disponiblesChâteau des Ducs de Bretagne4 Le Cirque Pinder débarque à Nantes pour un show magique embarquez pour une aventure extraordinaire à bord du Titanic Un évènement magique de sculptures lumineuses à 1h30 de Nantes