Your request has been blocked by our security system due to potential security concerns Please contact us for assistance scheduled for Saturday December 14 and Sunday December 15 For its thirteenth edition, the Marché Médiéval de Noël de Provins invites us to travel back in time to an era when craftsmen revived almost-forgotten skills Visitors can admire demonstrations of pottery carried out by enthusiasts who carefully perpetuate these traditions These demonstrations give visitors a better understanding of the painstaking work behind objects of yesteryear and perhaps even the chance to take home a unique handmade piece What sets this market apart from others is its authentic Winter in Provins takes on a different face thanks to medieval entertainment that transports us back in time knight fights and strolling musicians playing medieval tunes creating a warm and magical atmosphere that is sure to delight young and old alike In the lower town, the craft market awaits you with gastronomic specialities, mulled wine, jewelry and decorative items, not forgetting the presence of Santa Claus his letter-box where you can tell him what you'd like to buy a big tombola with the shopkeepers and an advent calendar for all the children Traditional dances and gourmet banquets will keep you warm the taverns set up on site will offer typical dishes of the period perfect for transporting us back to another era And don't miss the period costumes worn by the artisans and entertainers adding an extra touch of magic to this already extraordinary event The market is an opportunity to browse and discover local products and handcrafted creations, ideal for original Christmas gifts ceramics and many other handmade items in a friendly It's also an opportunity to chat with the artisans The Place du Châtel and the Place Saint-Quiriace will host some 60 demonstrators of traditional crafts jugglers and fire-eaters will enliven the market in a convivial atmosphere The market is open free of charge on Saturday The Living Crib by Saint Francis of Assisi will be performed in the Collegiate Church of Saint-Quiriace accompanied by real animals such as a wolf In Rue Bourg Neuf and at the foot of the Tour César discover civilian and military encampments that plunge you into everyday life in the Middle Ages archery and leather purses are all on the program Most of these activities are free of charge and will be open non-stop on Saturday December 14 and Sunday December 15 located in Place du Maréchal Leclerc and Rue du Val gourmet specialties and a new feature: an 8-metre ice wall for climbing enthusiasts all open to the public on December 14 and 15 will introduce you to medieval traditions on Saturday the "Legends and Beliefs" theatrical tour explores medieval myths in Provins' underground passages These 45-minute sessions take place on December 14 at 2pm Meet Santa Claus in the lower room of the Tour César where children can hand him their letters and take souvenir photos This magical event takes place on December 14 Admission is €5 for adults and €3 for children aged 4 to 12 On the forecourt of the Saint-Ayoul Cultural Center a 420 m² skating rink on natural ice will be open every day from December 6 with late-night openings until 9pm on Saturdays Philippe Candeloro will present a free show combining magic and performance on ice Admission to the rink is €7 for adults and €6 for children under 12 climb aboard an authentic steam train dating from the early XXᵉ century for a unique escapade Departure from Longueville SNCF station at 1:30pm Return fares are €40 for adults and €20 for children aged 6 to 11 (free for children under 6) We recommend that you plan a weekend to visit Provins and take full advantage of this unique event. The Provins Medieval Christmas Market, with its varied crafts and entertainment ideal for immersing yourself in the Christmas spirit while rediscovering ancient traditions So don't miss the not-to-be-missed Christmas stroll on December 14 and 15 Refer your establishment, click herePromote your event, click here Best in Travel is here! Discover 2025’s destinations The 30 best countries, cities and regions to visit in 2025 Plan your trip with Elsewhere, by Lonely Planet See where a Lonely Planet Membership takes you Subscribe to our weekly newsletters to get the latest travel news, expert advice, and insider recommendations Explore the world with our detailed, insightful guidebooks Stay ahead of the curve with our guidebooks Uncover exciting new ways to explore iconic destinations Every month, we release new books into the wild Search Search Close search menu Explore Best in Travel 2024 Africa Close menu Countries Antarctica Antarctica Close menu Regions Asia Asia Close menu Countries Australia & the Pacific Australia & the Pacific Close menu Countries The Caribbean The Caribbean Close menu Countries Central America Central America Close menu Countries Europe Europe Close menu Countries Middle East Middle East Close menu Countries North America North America Close menu Countries South America South America Close menu Countries Wander the medieval ramparts of Provins an unmissable stop for history lovers © Lev Levin / Shutterstock The fortified medieval town of Provins, just 92 km (57 mi) south-east of Paris a million tourists visit every year to admire the town which was the third most important in the kingdom of France after Paris and Rouen Still partially surrounded by its 25 m (82ft)-high ramparts and moat it was developed by the powerful Counts of Champagne as a major trading post between northern Europe and the Mediterranean It became so important it had its own currency and it was thronged with merchants from all corners of the globe during their annual trade fairs Provins is also the proud home of the Rosa gallica (or rose of Provins) Other festivals include the one-day Harvest Festival (“Fête de la Moisson”) which is always held on the last weekend of August; note that this year it’s been canceled as it clashes with the Olympic Games Provins also holds a medieval Christmas market on December 14th and 15th If you want to see the Rosa gallica flowering, visit from mid-May to June – you’ll see the blooms in the Provins Rose Garden and foaming over private walls and fences If you’re traveling with children (or even not!) and want to soak in the medieval atmosphere at one of the historical shows plan your trip between the end of March and the end of October These shows take place in most weather conditions; if there's wind or heavy rain the falconry show might be canceled but even in inclement weather the knights will joust Provins' historical sites are open all year (afternoons only during winter weekdays, all day at the weekends), as is the town's medieval-themed escape game Read more: 7 easy day trips from Paris we love There are 16 trains a day from Paris Gare de l’Est to Provins; the journey takes about an hour and a half and costs €5 one way The town of 12,000 residents has two distinct areas: the “Châtel” on the promontory in the northwest corner (where the ramparts and many of the medieval monuments are) and the “Val” that dribbles southeast down the hill It’s a pleasant 2km walk from the train station in Val to the tourist office in the Châtel along the rue des Marais by the Voulzie river through the bustling town center - the last bit is uphill but it leaves 20 minutes after the train has arrived so it’s just as quick to walk park it for free by the tourist office: you’ll not be needing it for the rest of your stay Pick up a map from the tourist office and follow one of three suggested sightseeing walks; they largely follow the same itinerary. If you follow the orange Count Thibaud or blue Rose Road tour, pause at 12 rue de Jouy at the Tabliers Gourmands for a refreshment or some biscuits made from authentic medieval recipes – this is also where you can take that medieval cooking class we mentioned while the purple Rampart Tour takes you around the ramparts instead The orange itinerary is the shortest (1.5 hours) and the purple one is the longest (up to 3.5 hours) Some of the streets – notably the rue Saint Thibault – are steep and cobbled If you intend to visit the underground galleries bring a warm jacket as the temperature hovers at about 12°C (53°F) all year around Read more: How to get around France: from cycling to traversing by train Your first port of call should be the thirteenth-century Grange aux Dîmes or Tithe Barn on the rue Saint Jean where you’ll learn about the famous Provins trade fairs that took place here throughout the twelfth and thirteenth centuries Be sure to use the lively and informative audio-guide or you’ll just be looking at pretty scenes dominated by life-sized wax figures a plaza lined with some remarkable stone and timber-framed buildings and a number of restaurants note the well with its wrought iron cage and large Exchange Cross: this is where the Counts of Champagne posted their public notices At the eastern end take the street furthest right, the rue de l’Ormerie, towards the emblem of Provins: the 12th-century Tour César the only known octagonal castle built on a square base Download a free audio-guide on your smartphone (in French only for the moment but the English one should be available soon) for the full experience you'll still have fun clambering to the top for a marvelous view of the town and surrounding countryside the grass banks at the base of the keep are fantastic to roll down where the very first Provins fairs were held The intriguing black sections on the St Ayoul church portal were made by sculptor Georges Jeanclos in 1985 If you want some peace and quiet, slip into the neighboring Saint Ayoul priory which was sold to the state at the end of the 18th century for various police and army functions (including housing the cavalry!) The defense ministry handed it back to the culture ministry in 1938 The modern stained glass windows are by German-French artist Udo Zembok If you’ve come by train then do this itinerary backwards starting with the priory and walking slowly uphill Read more: 8 best things to do in France I have taken elderly parents, friends and children to Provins countless times and a firm favorite has always been the “Eagles of the Ramparts” (or Aigles de Provins) show which explores the history of falconry and leaves even the smallest child wide-eyed in wonder at both the horses and the majestic vultures and other birds of prey; they can go and see these animals close-up at the aviary after the show Older kids will also love the Legend of the Knights but head's up: the thundering horses shouting and sounds of clashing weapons frightened my children when they were little If you want to attend the two shows above and see at least four of the five major sites The Provins Pass (€17 per adult, €10.50 for children from 4-12 ) allows you to visit five attractions: the Tour César, the Tithe Barn, the underground galleries, the Saint-Ayoul Priory and the Museum If your family consists of two adults with two to five children If you only have time to visit three of the five attractions They clock in at €5 per adult and €3 per child (€2.50 for the museum) except the tickets to the Underground Galleries My favorite shows mentioned above each cost €13 per adult and €9 per child (4-12 years old) Surprisingly, given the number of visitors, the choice of accommodation in Provins is a bit limited. There are four hotels ranging in price from €80-€204 and they don’t all include breakfast; you'll also find half a dozen guest houses including the extraordinary Stella Cadente where each room is dedicated to a children’s tale The bus (3207 or 3209 or Express50) from the train station to Le Châtel costs €2.15 per person the Médiévales de Provins are back in June Every year, history buffs await the Médiévales de Provins like the Messiah. This year, the 40th edition will take place on June 14 and 15 in Provins, a veritable medieval gem just an hour from Paris prepare to be catapulted back to the Middle Ages the town of Provins celebrates its 40th Médiévales this June acrobats and crowd entertainers will take the public on a timeless experience On the program for these two days of medieval folklore: an introduction to the “Arts of War” with fights and games medieval music and the discovery of period trades craftsmen will reveal their skills to the public street shows… all these activities will be a feast for the eyes of young and old alike Other festival classics include the traditional Bal Médiéval in the Place du Châtel and the legendary Sunday parade featuring 700 people in period costume A new feature of the 40th edition of the festival will be a spectacular light show featuring drones hundreds of drones will illuminate the Provins skyline in a medieval celestial ballet Let the festivities (re)begin at the legendary Médiévales de Provins 11:30am Inauguration of Médiévales de Provins Prices: 13 euros (1 day) / 18 euros (2 days) – Children: free for under-12s People in medieval costume: 9 euros (1 day) / 12 euros (2 days) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices The 40th edition of the Médiévales de Provins is back with a bang young and old alike will be able to enjoy a true historical reconstruction of the famous Champagne Fairs that made the city famous in the 12th and 13th centuries a medieval ball and a chance to discover the trades of the time storytellers will evoke the beliefs and superstitions of the Middle Ages And if you really want to feel the atmosphere of the era, you'll have to take part in the dances, jousts and street shows, and attend the festival's great classics: the traditional medieval ball on the Place du Châtel a grand medieval concert and the not-to-be-missed Sunday parade with 700 people in medieval costume an exceptional drone show will invade the skies with two sessions on June 14 the first at 10.30pm and the second at 11.30pm peasant or even dragon costume must be complete what would the Middle Ages be without their legends Provins hosts its Medieval Christmas Market to its ramparts or its many shows featuring eagles knights and troubadours… Provins literally catapults you back to the Middle Ages the Provins Medieval Christmas Market is back for its 13th edition the town of Provins invites you to its Medieval Christmas Market over 60 demonstrators will take you on a journey through time jugglers… A fun and authentic market awaits you in the upper town forge demonstrations and workshops are also planned for a total immersion in the Middle Ages pony rides… the Provins Christmas Market has something for the whole family But the festivities don’t stop there fire shows and a live crib performance by Saint-François await you exciting workshops are also on the program The Medieval City of Provins and its Tourist Office invite all families to a free, historic Easteregg hunt We look forward to seeing you on April 20 and 21 Every year, the Provins Tourist Office organizes a clever treasure hunt to entertain young and old alike to pick up the map and the riddles for the treasure hunt which will punctuate your stroll through the medieval city Children (aged 12 and under) accompanied by their parents will follow in the footsteps of knights and princesses (people dressed up as in medieval times) The best part is that this egg hunt is completely free of charge and requires no reservation! Children can then take part in a chocolate-making workshop at the Biscuiterie Médiévale de Provins ( reservation required) (€11 per child) And that's not all: families can also head to the Ferme du Châtel to discover springtime activities such as a plant fair the "Les Gourmandiz de Claire" store offers free riddles and rebus knights and the forces of evil clash before your very eyes dressage and juggling invite you to join in the fun and cheer on the Lord of Provins perfect for entertaining and dazzling children and knight Thibaud will have to fight the terrible Torvark the actors perform a series of impressive stunts on magnificent Iberian horses all of whom take part in the show to the delight of the little ones Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit so the place and experience may have changed This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation The Musée de Provins et du Provinois is a unique cultural venue housed in one of Provins' oldest civil buildings located in the heart of the famous medieval town you'll discover a rich collection of works of art and archaeological objects dating from prehistory to the 19th century This museum retraces the history of Provins and the surrounding area including the remains of the Saint-Quiriace treasure (goldsmith's pieces a 15th-century Trinitarian icon and a 13th-century silk lampas chasuble of Saint Edme) and rare objects such as an abandonment tower used to abandon orphans rescued from church doors Highlights include the wolf worn by Napoleon at a masked ball a chasuble that once belonged to Saint-Edme 16th and 17th century confraternity batons medieval pavements and an original series of Freemasonry objects: aprons saltires and instruction books from the lodge in Provence All these treasures can be discovered free of charge this Saturday, May 17, 2025, during Nuit des Musées Self-guided tour of the permanent collections of the Musée de Provins et du ProvinoisSaturday 2025 - 17:30 ⤏ 23:30The Musée de Provins et du Provinois is housed in the Maison romane (listed as a historic monument) Its facade and lower hall date back to the 12th century Spread over four levels and some ten rooms the collections of the town and the Provins district historical and archaeological society retrace the history of Provins and its region from prehistory to the eve of the First World War A great family outing for an unusual cultural evening discovering the heritage and history of your region The magic of Christmas takes hold in Provins (77) with this open-air ice rink Young and old are invited to try their hand at skating in a friendly atmosphere But the highlight will undoubtedly be the evening of December 12: double Olympic medallist Philippe Candeloro will present his Candeloro Show combining aerial acrobatics and choreography imagined under the artistic direction of Olivia Candeloro In addition to the ice rink, the festivities continue with the famous medieval Christmas market, to be held on December 14 and 15, 2024 in the upper town This not-to-be-missed event offers an immersion in the past troubadours and a living nativity scene featuring 50 actors and animals Visitors can also take part in gourmet workshops admire demonstrations of ancient skills and climb an impressive ice tower The rink is open every day from December 6 and costs €7 per adult and €6 for children under 12 with skate rental included in the price of the entry ticket head for Provins and its large skating rink with the whole family The medieval city of Provins, a UNESCO heritage site, welcomes you to discover the world of falconry. Come and see Les aigles des remparts an equestrian falconry show unique in Europe This grand fresco on the art of falconry on horseback can be seen until November 2 which invites you to plunge into the heart of the Middle Ages a time when falconry was a veritable art of living successive scenes transport you into the world of falconry from the steppes of Central Asia through the Near East to the feudal lords Discover the fascinating flying skills of birds of prey This amazing aerial ballet of free-flying birds of prey leaves unforgettable memories for young and old alike visit one of France's most beautiful aviaries home to some 80 birds of 20 different species has been practiced the world over for 4,000 years This art of hunting in flight reached its apogee in the Middle Ages and has been handed down from generation to generation has been handed down from generation to generation and is listed as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage site Visit the Longueville station, three stops before Provins (Transilien line P, from Paris Gare de l'Est), to discover the town's living railway museum and its historic locomotives A veritable goldmine for train enthusiasts, the Longueville railroad museum opens on Sundays and public holidays to let you discover its rich railway heritage made up of historic locomotives and diesel locomotives on which you can occasionally climb aboard to take part in a journey that's out of the ordinary For a family outing that stands out from the crowd whether or not you're an enthusiast of railroads and locomotives take part in this extraordinary journey in Longueville on the weekend of March 31st and April 1st An original way to rediscover our cultural heritage in a different way The event is sure to attract art and history enthusiasts as well as the curious thirsty for discovery Paris and the whole of the Île-de-France region are the playground for explorers eager for new experiences Why not take advantage of the opportunity to step back in time and immerse yourself in the treasures of the Paris region's heritage The town of Provins, in the Seine-et-Marne region of France, is well worth a visit. Here, you'll be immersed in the Middle Ages as you stroll through the medieval city you'll experience a real leap back in time as you stroll through the cobbled streets shops and gourmet addresses follow one another Provins is offering a rich program of exciting tours for young and old alike this amazing medieval city is sure to make your weekend.. le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles Heritage Days 2024 at the Caveau du Saint-Esprit in Provins Heritage Days 2024 at the Saint-Quiriace collegiate church in Provins Heritage Days 2024 at the Provins archaeological dig site Heritage Days 2024 at Saint-Ayoul church in Provins Heritage Days 2024 at the Gange aux Dimes in Provins Heritage Days 2024 at the Lycée Thibaut de Champagne former palace of the Counts of Champagne and Brie in Provins Heritage Days 2024 at the Musée de Provins et du Provinois Heritage Days 2024 at the Priory of the Benedictines of Saint-Ayoul in Provins the town where it's said that Santa's steam train makes a stop every Christmas Get ready to climb aboard a historic period train that's sure to thrill young and old alike served by the Transilien line P (from Gare de l'Est) It's off on an unusual journey aboard a historic train (dating from 1910 to 1930) Departure from Longueville station on Saturday December 7 and Sunday December 8 for a three-and-a-half-hour trip in the footsteps of Santa Claus Locomotive enthusiasts - young and old alike - will learn all about the vintage locomotives and carriages preserved and maintained at Longueville station by the Musée du Train The train makes a round trip from Longueville to Romilly-sur-Seine and back, costing €40 per adult and €20 per child aged 6 to 11. Children under 6 pay nothing. Please note: reservations are required to board Santa's steam train Retail technology news and views for omnichannel retailers As part of a collaboration with Shopic and Capgemini Intermarché has become the first European retailer to trial a smart cart solution at its store in Provins A clip on device, which can be attached to any standard cart, is powered by computer vision technology Customers can track their budget in real-time and see offers and promotions directly applied to their cart total A long-term goal is to integrate and personalise retail media features (such as advertisements and supplier offers throughout the shopping journey) “Our collaboration with Intermarché demonstrates their visionary approach; it represents a significant step in bringing the benefits of online shopping to physical stores Intermarché offers customers an innovative autonomous checkout solution,” says Raz Golan “We are delighted with our collaboration with Shopic for this pilot project which is an excellent opportunity to concretely test the benefits of AI Customers of the Provins supermarket will benefit from a simplified and efficient shopping journey thanks to the smart carts,” says Perrine Vigno In-store technology is a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which are now closed for entries celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world Check out our finalists here Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London Sign up with your email address to receive the daily RTIH newsletter straight to your inbox We respect your privacy and will not pass your email address on to third parties we will occasionally send you promotional messages on behalf of our advertisers or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Paxton Media Ltd since the Latin injunction "Ne flete!" means "Don't cry Provins' many pastry chefs have been offering these gourmet cakes to their customers every All Saints' Day the town has thought big and is paying tribute to this famous and delicious pastry with a new edition of its Fête de la Niflette a medieval town listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site the Fête de la Niflette attracts locals and tourists alike every year comes in a variety of flavors for the occasion The gourmet market held in the cobbled streets of the old town allows visitors to discover a variety of artisanal and regional products charcuterie and other regional specialties As soon as you set foot in Provins for the Fête de la Niflette The sweet smells of freshly baked niflettes greet you and it's hard to resist this golden puff pastry both light and generously topped with a creamy custard Local pastry chefs vie with each other in creativity to offer modern variations the gourmet market offers a journey through local flavours Local producers proudly display their wares: mature cheeses from Seine-et-Marne not to mention local honey and crusty breads You can stroll between the stalls while enjoying a niflette while chatting with the artisans who share their know-how and anecdotes The Fête de la Niflette is more than just a culinary event It's also an opportunity to discover Provins from another angle guided tours of the medieval town are offered such as pastry-making workshops where they can learn to make their own niflettes with cookery demonstrations and lectures on local traditions creating a convivial and festive atmosphere bringing together all generations around a shared passion for delicacies and traditions The Fête de la Niflette 2024 takes place during the first weekend in November, just after All Saints' Day. Don't forget to bring warm clothes, as temperatures can be chilly, but the warm atmosphere will more than make up for it. Don't forget to discover all the wonders of Provins ' old town during your visit The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve World Heritage partnerships for conservation Ensuring that World Heritage sites sustain their outstanding universal value is an increasingly challenging mission in today’s complex world where sites are vulnerable to the effects of uncontrolled urban development Our Partners Donate Take advantage of the search to browse through the World Heritage Centre information. The fortified medieval town of Provins is situated in the former territory of the powerful Counts of Champagne. It bears witness to early developments in the organization of international trading fairs and the wool industry. The urban structure of Provins, which was built specifically to host the fairs and related activities, has been well preserved. La ville médiévale fortifiée de Provins se situe au cœur de l'ancienne région des puissants comtes de Champagne. Elle témoigne des premiers développements des foires commerciales internationales et de l'industrie de la laine. Provins a su préserver sa structure urbaine, conçue spécialement pour accueillir des foires et des activités connexes. تقع مدينة بروفانس المحصّنة والعائدة للقرون الوسطى في قلب المنطقة القديمة التابعة لكونت دي شمبانيي النافذين. وقد شهدت التطورات الأولى للمعارض التجارية العالمية ولصناعة الصوف. تمكّنت مدينة بروفانس من المحافظة على تركيبتها الحضرية التي صُمّمت بصورة خاصة لاستضافة المعارض والنشاطات ذات الصلة. 普罗万(Provins)这个中世纪防御古城, 位于原先颇有影响的香槟酒会地区，见证了国际贸易组织和羊毛工业的早期发展。普罗万的城市结构保存完好，其设计之初的目的就是用于主办展览会及相关活动。 Укрепленный средневековый город Провен расположен на территории, принадлежавшей ранее могущественным графам Шампани. Он был свидетелем ранних этапов развития международной ярмарочной торговли и промышленного производства шерстяных тканей. Хорошо сохранилась структура города, строившегося специально для проведения ярмарок и связанного с этим видов деятельности. Situada en el centro de los antiguos dominios de los poderosos condes de Champaña, la ciudad medieval fortificada de Provins constituye un testimonio de la primera etapa de auge de las ferias comerciales internacionales y la industria de la lana. Provins ha logrado preservar su estructura urbana, concebida especialmente para dar acogida a las ferias y sus actividades conexas. Located in Île-de-France in the Seine-et-Marne department, the historic walled city of Provins is an outstanding and authentic example of a medieval fair town in Champagne, a region that was an important centre of exchange, and which witnessed, together with the rise of trading fairs in the 11th century, the beginning of significant international trade in Europe. Criterion (ii): At the beginning of the 2nd millennium, Provins was one of several towns in the territory of the Counts of Champagne that became the venues for great annual trading fairs linking northern Europe with the Mediterranean world. Criterion (iv): Provins preserves to a high degree the architecture and urban layout that characterize these great medieval fair towns. Due to its economic decline, but also to the persistence of its urban functions, the medieval fairs town of Provins remains relatively intact to this day. Open spaces, cellars, public and religious buildings and fortifications have preserved the medieval character of the fairgrounds. The city of Provins is subject to a set of protection measures taken under the Heritage Code and the Environmental Code, which ensure effective protection of the property. In addition to the protection of many buildings under the Historic Monuments Act and the protection of sites outside the ramparts for listed sites, it is part of a remarkable heritage site in which development is strictly controlled. The components of the property belong to regional and communal authorities, individuals and institutions. The Ministry of Culture is responsible for the good implementation of the various types of legal protection. The private owners are responsible for the maintenance of the protected properties, all works being placed under the supervision of an architect of the Bâtiments de France. In association with other institutional partners, the city is also implementing a series of programmes focusing on the monuments or particular themes, such as cultural tourism, commercial signage control and the regulation of vehicle access. Volume 1 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fnimg.2022.1073734 This article is part of the Research TopicDemonstrating Quality Control (QC) Procedures in fMRIView all 11 articles The implementation of adequate quality assessment (QA) and quality control (QC) protocols within the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research workflow is resource- and time-consuming and even more so is their execution QA/QC practices highly vary across laboratories and “MRI schools” ranging from highly specialized knowledge spots to environments where QA/QC is considered overly onerous and costly despite evidence showing that below-standard data increase the false positive and false negative rates of the final results we demonstrate a protocol based on the visual assessment of images one-by-one with reports generated by MRIQC and fMRIPrep for the QC of data in functional (blood-oxygen dependent-level; BOLD) MRI analyses open-ended scope of application to whole-brain voxel-wise analyses of BOLD to correspondingly enumerate and define the exclusion criteria applied at the QC checkpoints We apply our protocol on a composite dataset (n = 181 subjects) drawn from open fMRI studies resulting in the exclusion of 97% of the data (176 subjects) This high exclusion rate was expected because subjects were selected to showcase artifacts We describe the artifacts and defects more commonly found in the dataset that justified exclusion We moreover release all the materials we generated in this assessment and document all the QC decisions with the expectation of contributing to the standardization of these procedures and engaging in the discussion of QA/QC by the community reaching a consensus on the definition of QA/QC evaluation criteria and establishing standard protocols to ascertain such criteria are the keystone toward more objective QA/QC in fMRI research The protocol involves an initial QC checkpoint implemented with MRIQC and a second QC checkpoint on the outputs of fMRIPrep Resting-state and task fMRI exclusion criteria based on the MRIQC visual report Listing 1. Execution of MRIQC with a Docker container. MRIQC follows the standards laid out by BIDS-Apps (Gorgolewski et al., 2017) the command line using containers is composed of a preamble configuring Docker the name of the specific Docker image (nipreps/mriqc:22.0.1) Because SynthStrip is a deep-learning-based approach the brain masking step requires at least 8GB of memory (specified by the—memory flag) Visualization of reports was performed on a 27” monitor. The reports corresponding to each BOLD scan were assessed first, following the reports' ordering of visualizations. Once the full report had been visualized, CP would return to specific sections of the report when a second assessment was necessary. Finally, author CP reported her QC assessment on a spreadsheet table (included in the Supplementary material) indicating which criteria led to exclusion The exclusion criteria are described in detail in Section 2.4 A similar protocol was then applied for screening all reports corresponding to T1w images Visualization of reports was performed on a 27” monitor. The reports corresponding to subjects that passed the previous checkpoint were screened one by one by CP. Author CP manually noted down the corresponding assessments on a spreadsheet table (included in the Supplementary material) These tables are also cross-referenced with each criterion's label T1w flagging criteria based on the MRIQC visual report Resting-state and task exclusion criteria based on the fMRIPrep visual report a region where the signal vanishes (criterion BA) Signal drop-outs often appear close to brain-air interfaces as explained below; these include ventromedial prefrontal cortex the anterior part of the prefrontal cortex Susceptibility distortion artifacts can be corrected by the susceptibility distortion correction implemented in fMRIPrep provided that a field map associated with the BOLD image has been acquired and is correctly referenced in the dataset This means that the presence of susceptibility distortions does not necessarily constitute an exclusion criterion since no field maps were shared with the dataset and because we did not identify regions of little interest where these artifacts may be less detrimental any signal drop-out observed resulted in the exclusion of the scan legacy datasets without field maps can still be usable if researchers take adequate mitigation approaches (which also require rigorous QA/QC) Note that increasing the screen's brightness helps when looking for both aliasing ghosts and wrap-around overlapping the brain as low brightness makes the artifacts harder to see the risk of removing signals with neural origins is high such as nodding) will exacerbate spin-history effects as slices will cut through the brain at different locations between consecutive BOLD time points These two considerations combined mean that motion will produce spins with different excitation histories Components showcasing parallel stripes concurring with slices in extreme poles of the brain or even across the whole brain are likely to capture these effects White-pixel noise is generally caused by some small pieces of metal in the scan room or a loose screw on the scanner that accumulates energy and then discharges randomly This creates broad-band RF noise at some point during the signal read-out leading to one spot in the k-space with abnormally high intensity it manifests as an abrupt signal intensity change in one slice at one time point The problem is particularly acute for EPI scans because of all the gradient blipping during the read-out we discarded BOLD scans containing these spikes regardless of their physical origin (motion vs white-pixel noise) because correlation analyses are likely biased by such peaks task data analyses are typically more robust to this particular artifact Therefore the presence of only one or more relatively small spikes led to the scan being flagged for careful inspection after the preprocessing The sagittal view of the standard deviation map might show vertical strike patterns that extend hyperintensities through the whole sagittal plane (see Supplementary Figure 8) We excluded all images showcasing these patterns Although we did not find an explanation of the mechanism behind this artifact email conversations dating from 2017 seemed to point at an interaction between physiology and environmental issues in the scanning room that may affect the receiver coils Large head motion during the acquisition of T1w images often expresses itself with the appearance of concentric ripples throughout the scan (see Supplementary Figure 10E) motion-related ripples look similar to the fine lines generated by Gibbs ringing The latter emerges as a consequence of the truncation of the Fourier series approximation and appears as multiple fine lines immediately adjacent and parallel to high-contrast interfaces While Gibbs ringing is limited to the adjacency of sharp steps in intensity at tissue interfaces the ripples caused by motion generally span the whole brain and are primarily visible in the sagittal view of MRIQC's mosaic views Intensity non-uniformity is characterized by a smooth variation (low spatial frequency) of intensity throughout the brain caused by the stronger signal sensed in the proximity of coils. It is noticeable on the zoomed-in view on the T1w image (see Supplementary Figure 10F) intensity non-uniformity can be a problem for automated processing methods that assume a type of tissue [e.g. white matter (WM)] is represented by voxels of similar intensities across the whole brain An extreme intensity non-uniformity can also be a sign of coil failure Because the conclusions of the hypothetical analysis are based on data normalized to a standard template The fMRIPrep report contains a widget to assess the quality of the normalization to MNI space The widget flickers between the MNI template and the individual's T1w image normalized to that template we assessed the correct alignment of the following structures (in order of importance): (1) ventricles or the corpus callosum led to immediate exclusion we were more lenient with the misalignment of cortical GM because volumetric (image) registration may not resolve substantial inter-individual differences (e.g. a sulcus missing in an individual's brain but typically present in the population of the template) Any extreme stretching or distortion of the T1w image also indicates a failed normalization The brain mask computed from the T1w image is shown in the “brain mask and brain tissue segmentation of the T1w” panel under the anatomical section of the fMRIPrep visual report The latter should closely follow the contour of the brain An inaccurate brain mask presents “bumps” surrounding high-intensity areas of signal outside of the cortex (e.g. a mask including patches of the skull) and/or holes surrounding signal drop-out regions Having an accurate brain mask makes the downstream preprocessing of an fMRI scan faster (excluding voxels of non-interest) and more accurate (less bias from voxels of non-interest) it is important to discard subjects for which the brain mask is not well defined Note that the brain mask plotted in the “brain mask and (anatomical/temporal) CompCor ROIs” panel under the functional section is not identical to the brain mask mentioned in this paragraph This mask must not leave out any brain area an exclusion criterion can be established when the mask intersects brain-originating signals For cases that were not excluded following criterion B, susceptibility distortions were evaluated with the fMRIPrep report after preprocessing. Any observation of susceptibility distortion artifacts led to the exclusion of the scan (see Supplementary Figure 11) and fMRI studies using vertex-wise (surface) analyses should rigorously assess these surfaces we only excluded data when the reconstructed surfaces were extremely inaccurate which typically only happens in the presence of artifacts easily captured previously by MRIQC (Section 2.4.2) The fMRIPrep report contains a widget to assess the accuracy of the alignment of BOLD runs into the individual's anatomical reference (co-registration) The widget flickers between the reference T1w image and the BOLD average co-registered onto it Extracted brain surfaces' contours are represented as further anatomical cues we checked the alignment of image intensity edges and the anatomical landmarks (e.g. the ventricles and the corpus callosum) between the BOLD and the T1w images fMRIPrep calculates CompCor (Behzadi et al., 2007) nuisance regression time series to remove physiological and head motion artifacts from BOLD scans Two families of CompCor methodologies are provided within the outputs: temporal CompCor (tCompCor) uses voxels presenting the highest temporal variability and anatomical CompCor (aCompCor) extracts signal from regions of no interest (e.g. a conservative mask including core areas of the ventricles and the WM) fMRIPrep provides a panel to assess the adequacy of these regions from which CompCor will extract regressors (“brain mask and anatomical/temporal CompCor ROIs”) In addition to the masks corresponding to CompCor the “crown” mask can also be assessed in this visualization If the study plan prescribes using CompCor or brain-edge regressors it is critical to exclude BOLD runs where any of these masks substantially overlap regions of interest Out of the five subjects that passed the first QC checkpoint two were excluded based on the inspection of the fMRIPrep visual reports for the presence of previously undetected signal drop-out Some of our criteria did not result in the exclusion of data in this dataset: spin-history effects problematic brain masks of either T1w or BOLD images no BOLD signal originates from the background meaning that structures visible in the background come from artifacts This consideration renders the background a convenient resource to assess MRI scans Figure 1. QA/QC of MRI data relies substantially on the background. Several exclusion criteria listed in Tables 1, 2 are based on the background (A) Heavy structure in the background constitutes an exclusion criterion as the artifact likely extends inside the brain thus compromising signals of interest (B) Aliasing ghosts appear as a faint and shifted copy of the brain in the background D) Since the crown comprises voxels outside the brain the structure in the crown region of the carpet plot springs from artifacts two types of motion-related patterns can be distinguished (C) Prolonged dark deflections are often caused by motion outbursts visible as peaks in the framewise displacement (FD) trace (D) Periodic fluctuations of intensity throughout the carpet plot can be attributed to periodic motion due to respiration (E) The presence of sudden intensity change in a single slice can be attributed to white-pixel noise and constitutes an exclusion criterion This specific sagittal BOLD average slice was displayed in the panel “Alignment of functional and anatomical MRI data (surface driven)” of the functional part of the fMRIPrep report a panel for which the original purpose is to assess the quality of co-registration and not to visualize BOLD average This reinforces again the importance of viewing the data from different perspectives Setting QA/QC checkpoints at several steps of the preprocessing is important Overlooking exclusion criteria while inspecting the visual reports can happen having several QA/QC checkpoints set up along the preprocessing pipeline is valuable to catch those missed substandard scans the shape of the tCompCor mask looks suspiciously induced by an artifact which led us to exclude this subject from further analysis (B) This sagittal slice of the BOLD average presented in the fMRIPrep visual report clearly shows susceptibility distortion on the superior frontal cortex This specific slice however did not appear in the MRIQC visual report (C) The signal drop-out was furthermore more subtle on the axial slices leading to an overlook of this artifact on the QA/QC checkpoint of unprocessed data we would have set the application's scope as a vertex-wise (surface) analysis then ringing on the T1w image would have granted exclusion as the reconstructed brain surfaces from T1w images presenting the artifact would have been unreliable The exclusion criteria depend on the particularities of the project (A) fMRIPrep can correct for susceptibility distortions when field maps are available we however consider susceptibility distortion artifacts as exclusion criteria because no field maps were shared with the dataset (B) A wrap-around overlapping the prefrontal cortex would not necessarily yield scan exclusion if the research question would focus on e.g. Our application scope has been defined as voxel-wise whole-brain fMRI analysis (C) Motion-related ringing on the T1w image does not constitute an exclusion criterion in our protocol because the T1w is used solely for guiding the normalization and the co-registration if the application scope would use surface-based analysis this ringing would distort surface reconstruction We presented a QC protocol implemented on top of our previous fMRI analysis protocol (Esteban et al., 2020) We further restricted the scope of the planned analyses within standard whole-brain voxel-wise models for both task and resting-state fMRI on the minimally preprocessed data with fMRIPrep we only preprocessed the data corresponding to subjects for which the T1w image and at least one BOLD run had passed the first QC checkpoint we also described the exclusion criteria that we believe would match the planned application and clearly remark that it is critical that researchers define these exclusion criteria in the most comprehensive way before the data are acquired (or accessed we also restricted our protocol to describe QC decisions (i.e. excluding sub-standard data that risk biasing the final results) We did not describe relevant QA aspects and actions that can be triggered by QC outcomes because all data in the study were reused the outputs of QC should be leveraged to prevent quality issues from propagating through prospective acquisition One example of how QA is limited in studies reusing data is the availability of field maps to correct susceptibility-derived distortions in BOLD images fMRIPrep will run susceptibility distortion correction by default no field maps were available in the dataset Although we could have used fMRIPrep's “field map-less” approach to address susceptibility distortions we decided such a decision would complicate the QC protocol description with an experimental A second QA aspect derived from the example dataset is the choice of the phase encoding direction The phase encoding direction is generally the most limited in terms of bandwidth most artifacts propagate along that direction eye movements are likely to produce artifacts thus selecting the phase encoding to occur along the anterior-to-posterior direction over left-to-right will produce a larger overlap of artifacts with the brain if a particular task involves eye motion (e.g. the left–right direction could be the better choice if no other consideration conflicts regarding phase encoding One often overseen aspect of QA/QC protocols is establishing strategies to account for raters' reliability intra-rater variability and drifts are strongly driven by the protocol implementation settings (e.g. changing the size of the screen or other screen technical capabilities) Raters' training is particularly relevant and it originates systematic differences in how QA/QC criteria are applied over the time span of the project it is critical to use mitigation strategies like randomly selecting a few earlier reports for re-evaluation or annotating subjects one is uncertain about and returning to it later in the QC process the implementation of QA/QC protocols must also plan for multiple raters and anticipate a plan to counter inter-rater variabilities and drifts idiosyncratic to each of them (e.g. defining a training program with specific examples Learned insights can be transferred in several ways: 1 from other subjects that expressed the artifact more clearly from examining the report of another modality of the same subject from visual inspection of other tools' output if the brain is not perfectly aligned with the imaging axes the space between the cerebellum and the temporal lobe at the basal part of the brain appears bigger on one side of the other on axial slices Inexperienced raters may interpret that some artifact occurred the image is just visualized with some obliquity with respect to the sagittal plane This misinterpretation would be more likely for BOLD images as this might look like a single-sided signal drop-out establishing these criteria will present the researcher with the challenge of striking an appropriate balance between being excessively stringent (and therefore discarding too many images) and too lenient to the point that results are not reliable it is important to establish QC criteria from the perspective of all the QC checkpoints in the pipeline and to ensure the best trade-off we understood that setting the scope to “whole-brain voxel-wise” analyses would allow more flexible QC criteria for the T1w images at the MRIQC step and only mark borderline images for a more rigorous screening after the second QC checkpoint we also discovered some artifacts in the fMRIPrep visual report that could have been spotted in the MRIQC visual report of the same participant we could understand why this detail escaped us at the first iteration and learn from our mistake layering QC checkpoints is critical to ensure the robustness of the whole protocol Establishing appropriate QC protocols adds to the list of practices conducive toward reliable neuroimaging workflows standardizing these protocols is critical to minimize intra- as well as intra- and inter-laboratories variabilities thereby achieving consensus regarding QA/QC across researchers and opening ways to consistently train machine agents to automate the process the research topic in which this work is framed is a timely initiative pursuing such goals We demonstrated the implementation of a QC protocol in a standard functional MRI analysis workflow at two checkpoints: (i) assessing the unprocessed data (with MRIQC) and (ii) assessing minimally preprocessed data (with fMRIPrep) We expect this thorough description of the QC protocol and associated data exclusion criteria built upon this research topic's initiative to promote best practices in QA/QC and help researchers implement their protocols for functional MRI more effectively Ethical review and approval was not required for the study on human participants in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements Written informed consent for participation was not required for this study in accordance with the national legislation and the institutional requirements All authors reviewed and edited the manuscript All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version This work has been supported by the NIMH (RF1MH121867 CP and OE receive support from the Swiss National Science Foundation—SNSF—(#185872 PH receives support from SNSF (#185897 SS receives support from NIMH under award #T32MH122394 The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnimg.2022.1073734/full#supplementary-material 1. ^https://imaging.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/imaging/CommonArtefacts Subtle in-scanner motion biases automated measurement of brain anatomy from in vivo MRI Image processing and quality control for the first 10,000 brain imaging datasets from UK Biobank Identifying and removing widespread signal deflections from FMRI data: rethinking the global signal regression problem Symmetric diffeomorphic image registration with cross-correlation: evaluating automated labeling of elderly and neurodegenerative brain Probabilistic independent component analysis for functional magnetic resonance imaging A component based noise correction method (CompCor) for BOLD and perfusion based FMRI Toward discovery science of human brain function Benchmarking of participant-level confound regression strategies for the control of motion artifact in studies of functional connectivity AFNI: software for analysis and visualization of functional magnetic resonance neuroimages PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google 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important Hagmann P and Esteban O (2023) Quality control in functional MRI studies with MRIQC and fMRIPrep Received: 18 October 2022; Accepted: 19 December 2022; Published: 12 January 2023 Copyright © 2023 Provins, MacNicol, Seeley, Hagmann and Esteban. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Céline Provins, Y2VsaW5lLnByb3ZpbnNAdW5pbC5jaA==; Oscar Esteban, cGhkQG9zY2FyZXN0ZWJhbi5lcw== Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher. 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish.  Gavana blong West Sepik provins long Papua New Guinea, Anthony Wouwou tok pasin em imekim long rausim mak long 76 pipol long provins blong em isoim ol narapla provins long mekim wankain. Mr Wouwou ibin mekim ripatriesen o rausim sampla lain husat itok ol ilaik go wok long Bewani Oil Palm we ol irong. Em itok ol wok long Bewani em blong ol papagraun lain na ino blong ol ausait lain. Gavana Anthony Wouwou itoktok wantaim Hilda Wayne long displa: Shots Vanimo, PNG. Vanimo is a small logging town on PNG's coast, close to the Indonesian border.(Flickr: Ian@thepaperboy.com) Published: YesterdayMon 5 May 2025 at 7:30am FooterABCABC PacificABC Pacific is the trusted voice in the Pacific et per ra!” Lovers of the 7th art all know the magic formula of Les Visiteurs And for a medieval experience “for real” discover “Les Lueurs du Temps” in Provins transporting you to another era.“It’s sorcery One of the must-see events of the season in Provins is of course “Les lueurs du temps” step back in time in the most beautiful way possible Take a break on this beautiful flower-filled terrace with the monuments of the medieval city as a backdrop “Les lueurs du temps” will take on an even more exceptional dimension Following on from the passage of the Olympic Flame through Provins a great day of festivities will take place visitors will discover 5 sports-related entertainment zones “Les Lueurs du temps” will bring the day to a beautiful close with a hundred candles lighting up the town Where can you marvel at the most beautiful rose gardens in Paris and the Ile-de-France region and my friend the rose told me so this morning” ephemeral… There’s something fascinating about roses roses are back in bloom in spring in and around Paris So where can you admire the refined beauty of freshly bloomed roses Did you know? 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blossoming A beautiful paradise for spring and summer strolls Labelled a “Jardin Remarquable” the Roseraie de Provins is a jewel of greenery to be discovered in the Old Town Roseraie de Provins, 11 rue des Prés, 77160 Provins Looking for a bucolic break from the hustle and bustle of the city Take a gentle stroll along the Promenade Pereire Away from the hustle and bustle: an infinite number of wisterias with its delicate fragrance and immaculate pink hues Promenade Pereire It’s one of the greatest treasures of Parisian heritage: the Jardin Albert Khan It is also home to a French garden and an orchard-rosery It’s here that aesthetes can admire rose-covered arches forming magnificent flower arbors TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need was more than just a police officer who died in the line of duty told a judge Monday that her father was a Desert Storm veteran That’s why his death in a crash caused by another motorist who was drunk at 8:15 in the morning is so painful you also think of my dad every single day,” Mariah Provins told Zachary W who pleaded guilty Monday to homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence in connection with her father’s death but rather as a reminder of how your decisions impact others around you.” Mariah Provins added: “The best apology is changed behavior and for this I am hopeful that you will become an advocate against driving under the influence Please don’t allow my father’s sacrifice my family’s sacrifice and my sacrifice to have been made in vain.” was ordered to serve three to six years in state prison followed by 4 years of probation who was crying near the end of the hearing Deputy District Attorney Kevin Chernosky told the court that Foltz had been driving along Old Clairton Road in Jefferson Hills on June 3, 2020 when the Ford pickup truck he was driving crashed head-on into a Jefferson Hills police SUV driven by Provins where he died from his injuries 10 days after the crash As emergency medical workers treated Foltz at the scene Chernosky said they noted the smell of alcohol on him His blood-alcohol content measured at 0.107% above the state’s legal limit of 0.08% The event date recorder in Foltz’s truck showed that he had been traveling 81 mph just 2.5 seconds before the crash The speed limit along that section of Old Clairton Road is 35 mph Investigators learned that Foltz had been out drinking in Moon until 3 a.m Provins’ family told Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Thomas E Flaherty that his hospitalization from the crash was particularly painful because it happened during the early stages of the covid-19 pandemic and they were often turned away from being able to visit I went to the hospital every day and fought to see my brother,” Rachel Molinaro said She told the court that she often waited for shift change hoping that a new nurse might be more sympathetic and allow her in used to love to dress in a police uniform and pretend to be like his uncle — pretending to arrest bad guys help old ladies and respond to accident scenes she said her son’s uniform has hung in the closet untouched He told Flaherty that he called his brother the night before the crash “The last thing I said to my brother was and I will talk to you tomorrow.’ Well I never had that chance to talk to him tomorrow,” Patrick Provins said respectful and a joy to be around,” his father wrote “He was the person most of us wish to be.” Marine Corps and Army Reserves and was a police officer for more than 15 years “He loved being a cop,” his father said “His loss to our family is incalculable has been forever marred by the tragic and premature death of our child.” Defense attorney Dennis Popojas told the court that Foltz began volunteering with South Park Meals on Wheels at age 7 and continued to work there told the judge that Foltz is deeply loved by the residents he serves “He deserves another chance,” she said He would never harm anyone on purpose.” Popojas told Flaherty that his client became addicted to drugs and alcohol when he was 17 and ended up losing a college golf scholarship over it “This was a monumental lapse in judgment by my client primarily through dependence on drugs and alcohol,” Popojas said Foltz completed a 30-day in-patient rehabilitation program Popojas asked Flaherty to allow his client to serve his sentence in the Department of Corrections’ motivational bootcamp for drug and alcohol abuse saying that it is designed for people like his client “This is an individual that can be redeemed,” Popojas said “If the boot camp is not a program for him telling the court that Foltz should have to serve his sentence in a traditional prison setting the burden of him having to carry that throughout his life would be enough for him to get past the drug and alcohol dependency he might have,” Flaherty said Paula Reed Ward is a TribLive reporter covering federal and Allegheny County courts. She joined the Trib in 2020 after spending nearly 17 years at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where she was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team. She is the author of "Death by Cyanide." She can be reached at pward@triblive.com Stay up-to-date on important news from TribLIVE 1-800-909-8742 © 2025 Trib Total Media | All Rights Reserved About Us Advertise Career Opportunities Contact Advertising Contact Circulation Contact Newsroom Contact Us Feedback Request Correction Resource Center Scholarship Opportunities Send Letter to the Editor Send News Tip Subscribe Subscriber Services Blog eFeatures Email Newsletters eTrib Facebook Home Delivery Instagram LinkedIn Marketing Minute Store Locations TribLIVE App - App Store TribLIVE App - Google Play X (formerly Twitter) Arts & Entertainment Best of the Best Business Directory Circulars Contests Coronavirus Lifestyles Local News YaJagOff Obituaries Opinion Our Publications Photos Real Estate Sports Video Weather Cookie Settings Privacy Policy Terms of Service Alexander Dennis has won employer of the year at the TEC Partnership Apprenticeship Awards Grimsby-based TEC Partnership is one of England’s largest providers of further and higher education and has worked with Alexander Dennis to train 30 apprentices over the past five years which recognises outstanding commitment to apprenticeships was received by Alexander Dennis Learning and Development Co-Ordinator Paul Provins and HR Manager Kate Salt Apprenticeship Operations Manager at TEC Partnership says: “Alexander Dennis’s dedication to nurturing talent and supporting apprentices every step of the way sets a shining example of what it means to be an exceptional employer “Alexander Dennis’s commitment to training the next generation not only strengthens their own workforce but also contributes to the wider industry ensuring a skilled and knowledgeable future for years to come Congratulations to everyone on this well-earned recognition.” Alexander Dennis offers a range of apprenticeships at its largest site in Scarborough as well as its other manufacturing sites in Falkirk and Larbert Mr Provins adds: “We are extremely honoured to have been recognised as Apprentice Employer of the Year by TEC Partnership We believe that our apprenticeship schemes bring enormous value to our team and we’re proud that many of our apprentices stay with us as they embark on diverse and successful careers.” routeone magazine is the indispensable resource for professional UK coach The home of vehicle sales and the latest bus and coach job vacancies routeone connects professional PCV operators with complete and unrivalled news coverage 40 of the industry’s future leaders will be honored at the Inland Marine Expo with the “40 Under 40” award which recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions to the inland marine transportation industry in a variety of fields All 40 honorees were nominated by executives and peers for their hard work and dedication to the industry The Waterways Journal is featuring all 40 recipients is a captain with G&H Towing Company of Galveston Seven people from four different companies nominated Price for the 40 Under 40 Award Price has worked at G&H Towing since 2007 She was one of the first college graduates hired at the company and the first female officer she proved herself within the company and was the first female promoted to captain,” said Bob Milmoe she has become one of G&H’s senior captains and designated examiners She has been a part of bringing new tugboats out of the shipyard for the past five years and recognized within the company for her work ethic and training skills.” Milmoe talked about personally seeing Price using her knowledge of the company’s Towing Safety Management System during audits safety inspections and for Certificates of Inspection “She is a natural leader and sets high standards for herself always going above and beyond to help others,” he said “She works harder than anyone I have ever met in my entire life She constantly fills her day with progress I never see her stop or slow down even for a minute She strives to improve her workplace through improving functionality and communication guides and inspires her crew on a daily basis working side by side with them to achieve them.” Schaeffer also noted that Price is a member of or on the board of 10 different marine organizations that support educate or provide outreach for mariners in the field “She is an active participant in all of these organizations,” Schaeffer said “She speaks often with local high schools to inform about and promote the maritime industry and a career path for young people who might not have known about it otherwise.” noted that Price’s active memberships include WISTA she mentors young women entering the industry and guides them to successful careers,” Manthey said “Her dedication and respect is well known in the industry.” met Price when he was assigned to her boat for watch He remembered how welcoming she was and that she made sure to show him around the vessel Price returned to the vessel for her next shift she found out that I had not been assigned to a vessel as an Able Bodied Seaman (AB) and requested that I be put on her boat under her supervision,” he said Price is completely selfless and always makes sure others get the answers they need in a timely manner,” he said “She treats everyone equally and works just as hard if not harder than anyone onboard the tug She is a strong leader and very deserving of this award.” is manager of crewing for Campbell Transportation Company in Houston She previously served as logistics coordinator for Campbell before being promoted to operations coordinator and then to her current position in September 2019 said Provins cares deeply about her employees as well as the marine industry “She goes above and beyond daily with trying to recruit and retain new talent for our company,” he said and I love seeing people with the same passion I’ve always had for the industry.” Cavins said that attitude sets her apart from others “Eileen is a bright and shiny star for the industry.” is chief financial officer for Team Services LLC in Baton Rouge He is also an owner partner of the organization and has held previous roles as logistics coordinator in quality assurance and as an accountant since joining the company in 2010 Richard is a 2006 graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University with a bachelor of science degree in accounting He completed his certified public accountant examination in 2012 Richard is an active member in The American Waterways Operators ALMA/American Equities Underwriters and Junior Achievement and currently lives in Baton Rouge with his wife and three daughters “During his tenure as CFO and part owner of Team Services the company has increased its sales numbers and staff,” said Will Hayes director of marketing and business development for the firm He believes Richard’s leadership will have a continued role in the company’s growth Richard’s continued focus on aggressive growth marketing and operational excellence will drive Team Services to be the best shore tankerman and facility operations company for years to come,” Hayes said Provin Technos the Delhi-headquartered distributor of printing presses and other equipment has announced the addition of the Spande product line manufactured by Shanghai Spande Intelligent Equipment to its offerings An agreement to this regard was reached just before drupa 2024 Spande focuses on intelligent printing and packaging equipment It also provides intelligent printing solutions for the label and POD printing industries Four R&D teams work on digital inkjet product development and manufacturing industrial equipment manufacturing and research and visual inspection; Spande has 15 invention patents Spande is the exclusive strategic partner of Siemens in the Chinese domestic printing industry and has also obtained German TüV certification Spande offers a range of flexo and inkjet digital presses – the AC Series S-7 Series and S-5 Series are its flexo printing machines The AC Series consists of 700 and 800 mm web width flexo print and converting lines with substrate handling capacities from 12 to 800 microns with speed range up to 250 meters a minute It uses sleeve technology for faster change overs and multiple options for its interchangeable units The S-7 Series are fully automated flexo presses with web widths of 370/450/520 mm and substrate handling capacities of 12 to 450 microns with speeds ranging to 200 minute a minute These are equipped with auto register and auto impression setting – achieved by eight servo controls and two Intelligent vision systems installed on each unit The S-5 series is an automated flexo press with web widths of 370 and 450 mm and a substrate handling capacity from 12 to 300 microns with speeds ranging up to 200 meters a minute Spande’s inkjet press has web widths of 660 and 440 mm and substrate handling capacities from 50 to 250 gsm with resolutions of 1200 x 1200 dpi and speeds ranging to 100 meters a minute at 1200 x 600 dpi The press is built for the printing of of 10 to 15 million pages monthly The Spande digital press uses high-density and durable water-based environment-friendly inks A combination of professional printing head positioning technology with Spande’s nozzle splicing technology achieves seamless printing between nozzles and online maintenance modes including online nozzle maintenance enables the press to achieve high reliability stable operation and consistent high print quality Spande claims it is one of the best ink-jet presses in this segment in terms of achievable quality “Shanghai Spande Intelligent Equipment is a technologically solid company, manufacturing high-end flexo and digital inkjet presses. Provin will launch these very sophisticated and productive presses in India. We are sure we will disrupt the Indian market with these products,” Provin director Vinay Kaushal said An English-language packaging industry B2B platform in print and web Packaging South Asia is in its 19th year of publication We do not make any claims about being the best or the most widely read if you are interested in targeting the Indian and South Asian markets to sell equipment To improve your marketing and grow sales, talk to us. Our research and consulting company IppStar [www.ippstar.org] can assess your potential and addressable markets in light of the competition and sales strategies for market entry and growth Suppliers and service providers with a strategy and budget for targeted marketing can discuss using our hybrid print and social media channels to create brand recognition linked to market relevance Our platform and channels are differentiated by hands-on practice and an understanding of business and financials including some of the best technical writers is ready to meet you and your customers for content India and South Asia’s fast-growing packaging industry is continuously expanding capacities with efficiency and appropriate innovative technologies Get our 2025 media kit and recalibrate your role in this dynamic market Enhance your visibility and relevance to existing markets and turn potential customers into conversations Ask for a sample copy of our monthly or two weekly packaging eZines For editorial info@ippgroup.in — for advertisement ads1@ippgroup.in and for subscriptions subscription@ippgroup.in Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription and website in this browser for the next time I comment From the gorgeous gardens of Giverny to a family day out at Disneyland you can reach fabulous sights within an hour or so of Paris © Franz-Marc Frei / Getty Images Who would ever want to leave Paris Indeed, a wealth of treasures for art lovers, families, outdoors enthusiasts and just about anyone can be accessed via an easy train right from the City of Light, providing a sampler of all the wonderful things France has to offer in an easy day trip Whether you want to walk in the footsteps of Monet in Giverny tuck into a medieval banquet in Provins or delight the kids by meeting Mickey Mouse here are seven of the best day-trip destinations each within around 90 minutes’ travel time from central Paris the church retains its original stained glass and intricate stone-carved portal How to get to Chantilly from Paris: Chantilly is 31 miles (50km) north of Paris TER train services (direction Creil) link Paris’ Gare du Nord with Chantilly–Gouvieux train station in 25 minutes UNESCO lists the walled town of Provins as the “Town of Medieval Fairs” – and this charming place certainly does a convincing job of channeling the Middle Ages (thankfully Provins’ some 150 medieval structures include the Tour César the Church of Saint Quiriace and the Grange aux Dîmes where you can watch a live re-enactment of a medieval market fortified gates and over 6 miles (10km) of underground tunnels But it’s the medieval-themed spectacles that most convincingly bring the period to life making Provins an ideal day trip from Paris for families visitors can enjoy regular displays of falconry horsemanship and medieval warfare (complete with trebuchets and jousting) where you can tuck into medieval food while being entertained by troubadours How to get to Provins from Paris: Provins is located southeast of Paris and can be reached in 1 hour 20 minutes on the P Line from Gare de l’Est (disembark at Provins) France’s best-preserved medieval cathedral is Chartres’ 13th-century Cathédrale Notre Dame Built on the site of a Romanesque predecessor that was all but destroyed by a 1194 fire the staggering structure is topped by Romanesque and Gothic steeples The sanctuary also houses a number of sacred relics believed to have been worn by the Virgin Mary during Jesus' birth Nearby, you can learn more about stained glass at the Centre International du Vitrail, which occupies in a half-timbered former granary, and admire the fine-arts collection at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in the 18th-century Palais Épiscopal (Bishop’s Palace) steep streets lined by medieval houses descend to the western channel of the Eure River bistros surround Chartres’ iron-canopied market (Wednesdays and Saturdays) How to get to Chartres from Paris: Chartres is 57 miles (91km) southwest and can be reached by car in roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes Frequent TER trains link Paris’ Montparnasse with Chartres’ train station with a journey time of around 1 hour 15 minutes For more artsy activities, stroll the galleries of the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny for an overview on all things related to the Impressionist movement Enchanting Michelin-starred inn Le Jardin des Plumes serves sublime modern French cuisine (each dish almost a work of art in itself) while La Capucine Giverny offers staple dishes in a lovely garden setting How to get to Giverny from Paris: Giverny lies 46 miles (74km) northwest of Paris and can be reached in roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes by car Trains run from Paris’ Gare St-Lazare to Vernon (45 minutes to 1 hour which lies 4 miles (7km) to the west of Giverny Shuttle buses link Vernon with Giverny in season; alternatively cycle along a dedicated track or take a taxi Strolling through the lavishly adorned, 700-room baroque Château de Versailles will help you appreciate the outrageous wealth of the French monarchy – and perhaps give you a sense of why the French Revolution took hold Transformed from a hunting lodge by Louis XIV in the mid-17th century and serving as the seat of the royal court until 1789 this palace complex had as its last royal occupants King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette – both of whom the revolutionaries eventually executed by guillotine The most striking features include the opulent Grands Appartements du Roi et de la Reine (King’s and Queen’s State Apartments), and the 246ft-long (75m-long) ballroom Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors), where 17 massive mirrors face windows that open to the setting sun. After a thorough renovation, Marie Antoinette’s private apartments have recently opened to visitors Outside, visitors can wander around the beautiful Château de Versailles gardens and park, with their geometrically aligned terraces, 300 or so statues and fountains that “dance” to classical music in the summer months. The estate’s drinking and dining options include the elegant, palace-housed Ore, while those not on royal budgets can find cheaper options in the pretty surrounding town of Versailles and its markets How to get to Versailles from Paris: Just 14 miles (22km) southwest of central Paris, Versailles is most easily reached by train: take the frequent RER C from Paris’ Left Bank RER stations to Versailles-Château–Rive Gauche station (journey time: 40 minutes) the travel time by car is around 45 minutes The first château was built here in the early 12th century; a succession of monarchs subsequently expanded it – most notably Renaissance ruler François I Fontainebleau is also awash with lively local bistros such as Le Bistrot 9 Pick up forest-picnic supplies at wonderful pâtisserie Dardonville or the bustling town market How to get to Fontainebleau from Paris: Fontainebleau is 42 miles (68km) southeast of Paris, with the travel time around 1 hour and 20 minutes by car. R trains link Paris’ Gare de Lyon with Gare de Fontainebleau–Avon station (40 minutes quintessential rides (Pirates of the Caribbean Big Thunder Mountain...) and larger-than-life characters so be sure to research ahead of your visit and pre-book online How to get to Disneyland Paris: from Paris Disneyland Paris is 20 miles (32km) east of Paris, and journey time is around 40 minutes by car. Frequent RER A trains run from central Paris to Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy (journey time: 40 minutes to 1 hour). Katsura Roller India will manufacture high-quality rubber rollers for the Indian printing industry adding a plant is being set up in Faridabad in Delhi-NCR which will be operational from September 2024 “With this joint venture manufacturing facility we will be able to supply Japanese quality rollers at competitive prices,” he added “We have been supplying printing presses for over a decade now A major pain point of printers is the quality of rollers available in India With more and more new machines coming into India it becomes very important for printers to have good-quality rollers to achieve good print results This was the major reason behind the joint venture with Katsura Roller,” he said But if you want to grow your sales or improve your marketing IppStar can assess your potential and addressable markets in light of the competition For suppliers or service providers with a strategy and budget I suggest you talk to us about using our hybrid print and social media channels to impact your product communication We are one of the world’s leading B2B publications in the print industry with hands-on practitioner and consulting experience – an understanding of business and financials Our young team is ready to travel to meet you and your customers for content India’s fast-growing large economy has considerable headroom for print. Get our 2025 media kit and recalibrate your role in this dynamic market Founded in 1979 as a technical newsletter, Indian Printer and Publisher is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and multi-channel IPPGroup. IppStar [www.ippstar.org] is our Services This work, Junior enlisted Soldier fills leadership void, by SSG Ruth McClary, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright 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 you can discover some truly charming places sublime natural spots for hiking and family outings a real change of scenery without leaving Paris This superb fortified town is well worth a visit Here you can admire charming half-timbered houses take part in age-old medieval festivals and stroll through the gourmet market… A must-see the commune of Bois-le-Roi offers lovely walks and great spots for a picnic Every year, several million people visit the Château de Versailles this residence of kings has tons of treasures for you to discover Everything from the building designed by André le Nôtre for King Louis XIV to the garden will enchant you Fontainebleau is an enormous green jewel on the outskirts of Paris, offering sublime landscapes. The 25,000-hectare forest is a fantastic playground for hiking enthusiasts The Saint-Cloud estate is a must-see just outside Paris. You can wander through more than 400 hectares of gardens, admiring fountains and sculptures. In winter, the resort lights up with immersive trails for the whole family This spa resort in the Paris region offers a well-deserved break from the hustle and bustle. We love to go there for a romantic weekend, pamper ourselves at the thermal baths, stroll along the lakeside or enjoy the jazz festival when the weather’s fine Receive emails when new obituariesare published to our website When you have experienced the loss of a loved one you can trust us to guide you through the arrangements necessary to create a meaningful ceremony that celebrates the unique life being honored Since the establishment of our funeral home we are pleased to continue serving the residents of our community as a trusted tradition for over 80 years Our staff is committed to providing your family with the highest quality care and service in your time of need and we take pride in our responsibility to lighten your burden as you take the first steps toward healing Cross-Smith Funeral Home, Inc.   |  300 E. 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