SEALSQ (NASDAQ: LAES) has announced the French Quantum and Space Day The event follows successful Quantum Tech Days in Davos and New York now expanding focus to include space infrastructure security The two-day event features a private Strategic Partner Summit on May 12 The agenda includes expert discussions on quantum computing Key speakers include Laurent Guiraud (ColibriTD CEO) Jean Michel Picod (Google Security Expert) The event will showcase SEALSQ's quantum-resistant semiconductors and feature live demonstrations of Quantum Resistant IoT device certificate generation SEALSQ (NASDAQ: LAES) ha annunciato il French Quantum and Space Day previsto per il 12 e 13 maggio 2025 presso l'Hotel Le Fregate a Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer L'evento segue il successo dei Quantum Tech Days di Davos e New York ampliando ora il focus alla sicurezza delle infrastrutture spaziali Il convegno di due giorni prevede un Summit privato per Partner Strategici il 12 maggio con la relatrice principale Dr.ssa Dava Newman del MIT Media Lab seguito da una conferenza pubblica il 13 maggio L'agenda include discussioni di esperti su calcolo quantistico sicurezza post-quantistica e protezione delle infrastrutture spaziali Tra i relatori principali figurano Laurent Guiraud (CEO di ColibriTD) Jean Michel Picod (esperto di sicurezza Google) e vari leader del settore L'evento presenterà i semiconduttori resistenti al quantum di SEALSQ e offrirà dimostrazioni dal vivo della generazione di certificati per dispositivi IoT resistenti al quantum SEALSQ (NASDAQ: LAES) ha anunciado el French Quantum and Space Day programado para los días 12 y 13 de mayo de 2025 en el Hotel Le Fregate El evento sigue al éxito de los Quantum Tech Days en Davos y Nueva York ampliando ahora su enfoque para incluir la seguridad de infraestructuras espaciales El evento de dos días incluye una Cumbre privada para Socios Estratégicos el 12 de mayo seguida de una conferencia pública el 13 de mayo La agenda contempla debates de expertos sobre computación cuántica seguridad post-cuántica y protección de infraestructuras espaciales Los ponentes destacados incluyen a Laurent Guiraud (CEO de ColibriTD) Jean Michel Picod (experto en seguridad de Google) y varios líderes de la industria El evento mostrará los semiconductores resistentes al quantum de SEALSQ y contará con demostraciones en vivo de generación de certificados para dispositivos IoT resistentes al quantum SEALSQ (NASDAQ: LAES)는 2025년 5월 12일부터 13일까지 프랑스 생시르쉬르메르의 호텔 르 프레가트에서 열리는 프렌치 양자 및 우주 데이를 발표했습니다 이 행사는 다보스와 뉴욕에서 성공적으로 개최된 Quantum Tech Days에 이어 우주 인프라 보안 분야로 확장됩니다 Jean Michel Picod(Google 보안 전문가) 및 여러 업계 리더들이 참여합니다 행사에서는 SEALSQ의 양자 내성 반도체를 선보이며 양자 내성 IoT 기기 인증서 생성 라이브 시연도 진행됩니다 SEALSQ (NASDAQ : LAES) a annoncé le French Quantum and Space Day prévu les 12 et 13 mai 2025 à l'Hôtel Le Fregate Cet événement fait suite aux succès des Quantum Tech Days à Davos et New York en élargissant désormais son focus à la sécurité des infrastructures spatiales Ce rendez-vous de deux jours comprend un sommet privé pour les partenaires stratégiques le 12 mai avec la conférencière principale Dr Dava Newman du MIT Media Lab L'agenda inclut des discussions d'experts sur l'informatique quantique la sécurité post-quantique et la protection des infrastructures spatiales Les intervenants clés sont Laurent Guiraud (PDG de ColibriTD) Jean Michel Picod (expert en sécurité chez Google) et plusieurs leaders du secteur L'événement présentera les semi-conducteurs résistants au quantique de SEALSQ et proposera des démonstrations en direct de génération de certificats pour dispositifs IoT résistants au quantique SEALSQ (NASDAQ: LAES) hat den French Quantum and Space Day angekündigt Mai 2025 im Hotel Le Fregate in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer Die Veranstaltung folgt auf die erfolgreichen Quantum Tech Days in Davos und New York und erweitert den Fokus nun auf die Sicherheit von Weltrauminfrastrukturen Die zweitägige Veranstaltung umfasst am 12 Mai einen privaten Strategischen Partnergipfel mit der Hauptrednerin Dr gefolgt von einer öffentlichen Konferenz am 13 Auf der Agenda stehen Expertenrunden zu Quantencomputing Post-Quanten-Sicherheit und Schutz von Weltrauminfrastrukturen Zu den Hauptrednern zählen Laurent Guiraud (CEO von ColibriTD) Jean Michel Picod (Google-Sicherheitsexperte) sowie verschiedene Branchenführer Die Veranstaltung präsentiert SEALSQs quantenresistente Halbleiter und bietet Live-Demonstrationen zur Erstellung von Zertifikaten für quantenresistente IoT-Geräte SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) ("SEALSQ" or "Company") a company that focuses on developing and selling Semiconductors and Post-Quantum technology hardware and software products today announced it will host the French Quantum and Space Day on May 12–13 This exclusive event will bring together global experts in quantum computing and space infrastructure to discuss and demonstrate technologies essential for securing communications and data against future quantum-enabled threats Building on the success of Quantum Tech Days in Davos and New York SEALSQ now broadens the scope to a critical new dimension: securing space infrastructure As satellite systems become essential for defense they must be protected against the vulnerabilities quantum computing introduces Post-quantum security is no longer optional it is an urgent requirement for space operations "Quantum technology is reshaping cybersecurity we are anticipating and building a trusted foundation for the future," said Carlos Creus Moreira He added “We are thrilled to invite you to join us for this exciting event in the south of France with technology experts and our staff.” 2025 – Private Session)An internal strategy day with SEALSQ partners: Networking sessions and a gala dinner will strengthen strategic collaborations Day Two: Public Quantum and Space Conference (May 13 Why Post-Quantum Security for Space is UrgentSpace assets — including satellite constellations and critical Earth monitoring systems — are increasingly vulnerable to quantum-enabled attacks.Without robust post-quantum protections these vital systems could be disrupted or controlled by adversaries leading to massive cascading failures across global economies and security infrastructures.SEALSQ stands at the forefront of building the semiconductor and cybersecurity defenses the world urgently needs — securing everything from the smallest IoT device to critical orbital infrastructure About SEALSQ:SEALSQ is a leading innovator in Post-Quantum Technology hardware and software solutions Our technology seamlessly integrates Semiconductors with a strategic emphasis on developing state-of-the-art Quantum Resistant Cryptography and Semiconductors designed to address the urgent security challenges posed by quantum computing traditional cryptographic methods like RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) are increasingly vulnerable SEALSQ is pioneering the development of Post-Quantum Semiconductors that provide robust future-proof protection for sensitive data across a wide range of applications including Multi-Factor Authentication tokens and Industrial Automation and Control Systems By embedding Post-Quantum Cryptography into our semiconductor solutions SEALSQ ensures that organizations stay protected against quantum threats Our products are engineered to safeguard critical systems enhancing resilience and security across diverse industries For more information on our Post-Quantum Semiconductors and security solutions, please visit www.sealsq.com Forward-Looking StatementsThis communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning SEALSQ Corp and its businesses Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our business strategy events or developments that we expect or anticipates will occur in the future as well as any other statements which are not historical facts Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates which are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include SEALSQ's ability to continue beneficial transactions with material parties including a limited number of significant customers; market demand and semiconductor industry conditions; and the risks discussed in SEALSQ's filings with the SEC Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by SEALSQ with the SEC SEALSQ Corp is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information Already have an 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I would like to receive Newsletter from MICHELIN Guide Save lists of your favorite restaurants & hotels The coastline’s gems are located in the Alpes-Maritimes but also in the Var There’s certainly no lack of beaches on the Côte d’Azur And just because it’s back to school soon it doesn’t mean we have to bid farewell to the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean Michelin’s ‘Guide Vert’ (Green Guide) listed the five most beautiful beaches in the region and the selection is still just as relevant today the pebble Paloma beach is a veritable piece of paradise on the south-east edge of the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula which is named after Pablo Picasso’s daughter is perfect for those who feel the need to recharge their batteries From it you can admire the cliffs of Beaulieu-sur-Mer and the hilltop village of Èze Une publication partagée par Nicolas Nion (@nicolas.nion) Located between Monaco and Cap d’Ail, Mala beach is exceptionally beautiful. Every summer its big natural cliffs and mix of blues attract thousands of bathers looking for a peaceful spot with a breathtaking view. Une publication partagée par Klaske Kuperus (@klaske_op_reis) Close to the Italian mountains and Menton’s pretty, colourful houses, Les Sablettes beach is a dream setting. What makes it special? There are no pebbles and the water is shallow, making it an ideal holiday destination for families. Une publication partagée par Amazing Places 🌞📸 (@travelpicsaroundtheplanet) With over five kilometres of pristine white sand Pampelonne beach is the perfect spot to soak up the sun Whether or not you choose one of its many private beaches you’re in for a moment of relaxation Une publication partagée par OT Saint Cyr sur Mer (@saintcyrsurmertourisme) On the border between the Var and Bouches-du-Rhône departments the beach at Les Lecques is a picture-postcard setting with a relaxed atmosphere Water sports enthusiasts will fall under its spell too The thought alone conjures up daydreams of strolling through sun-dappled vineyards, savouring the faint scent of lavender on the breeze, or indulging in leisurely feasts that stretch on for hours by the glittering Mediterranean. Given the option to move there – and a sizable real estate budget – I’m not sure where I’d settle on to live. A centuries-old chateau steeped in history, ideally with its own vineyard, wrapped in lush, rolling countryside? Or perhaps a coastal haven down south, where I’d seamlessly slip into a rhythm dictated by the sea and the effortless glamour of Mediterranean living? With Chateau des Baumelles, the luxury is in not having to choose between the two at all. Located just five minutes from the picturesque beaches of the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region in south-eastern France, the property blends seaside proximity and vineyard serenity. Built in the 1500s, the property is part of the area’s heritage and was once a stronghold of the Abbey of Saint Victor. Now, it’s a stunning eight-bedroom chateau and estate, sitting on sprawling 1.2-hectare grounds with the rolling hills of Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer as a backdrop. The historic property is currently listed for sale through Christie’s International Real Estate for €6.5 million ($10.5 million). The World: Life on the largest privately owned residential mega-yacht Designer home on Noosa's Hideaway Island 'Casa Luca' just listed Need to unplug and unwind from the hustle? Buy this retreat in Portugal The chateau is partially restored and flanked by five stately towers elegantly joined by ancient surrounding walls. A magnificent reception hall boasting a soaring cathedral ceiling seamlessly connects the historic wing to the modern addition. The drive up to the chateau is nothing short of grand. An imposing wrought-iron gate opens to allow access within the solid walls, revealing a majestic, tree-lined driveway leading you to the front door. Step inside, and it’s every bit as enchanting as you’d expect. The ground floor houses elegant spaces, including two grand reception rooms, living rooms, a large kitchen, a formal dining room, an office and a library. “The old part of the castle is made up of numerous reception rooms and with magnificent fireplaces and period woodwork,” says listing agent Nicolas Benhamou. “A magnificent private library offers an intimate setting for reading by the fire.” The next two levels above offer comfortable living quarters. “The two upper levels offer eight very beautiful suites,” Benhamou says. “The old part is linked by a magnificent reception room – for festive evenings and dinners – to the recent part of the castle, which remains to be converted. “This rear part will offer a large living room as well as a professional kitchen opening onto a spit for cooking over a wood fire. “This part will also offer four other suites upstairs. It also has a magnificent rooftop with a view of the sea and vineyards for chic and luxurious cocktails. “A meeting room and a cinema room complete this part.” Back outside, and the offering is just as delightful, with lush and meticulously landscaped grounds. Benhamou says the stunning 16-metre stone swimming pool is complemented by “a spacious pool house with summer kitchen, fountains among the olive trees, a bar area, numerous annexes – including a caretaker’s house – and a magnificent new tennis court”. For those who relish the charm of a renovation project, this chateau offers an irresistible opportunity. While the historic spaces exude timeless elegance and seamlessly coexist with the updated sections, the property brims with untapped potential, inviting you to reimagine and elevate its grandeur even further. And as for that location? Live here, and you’re surrounded by vineyards, forested hills and the sparkling Mediterranean. “The castle is ideally located on the hills of the town of Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, which offers a lifestyle close to the sea, beaches and all amenities,” Benhamou says. “Marseille airport is only 45 minutes by car.” It’s an area known for the kinds of things summer dreams are made of: beaches (yes, there are even some sandy beaches around here) water sports, exploring vineyards, lazy afternoons drinking an aperitif with friends, or doing not very much at all. It’s a place where time seems to slow, and every moment feels steeped in indulgence and charm. So why choose between countryside charm and coastal chic when you can have both? The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate France – June 2024 – About 350 students from Salesian schools in the south of France gathered to reflect on Don Bosco's Childhood Dream The day was organised and prepared by the Pastoral teams and teachers in collaboration with the Directors of five Salesian schools: Sévigné" and Pastré in Marseille Don Bosco in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer and the Nazareth institute in Nice Rector and Economer of the Salesian community in La Crau Participants also had the opportunity to explore figures such as Don Bosco himself as well as to share their dreams with others The day ended in a festive and family atmosphere ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007 This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements 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 and with very little equipment – goggles a snorkel and flippers – the underwater trails of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur are an invitation to discover the seabed respectfully Just a few minutes by train from Marseille the Côte Bleue’s ultra-protected coastline is a real paradise with its underwater treasures An exceptional biodiversity thrives on the shallow coastal seabed of the Côte Bleue Marine Park – a protected marine area: Brown grouper and Red coral… to discover it responsibly La Côte Bleue Marine Park organises underwater hikes from the Rousset beach in a rocky bay in Carry-le-Rouet A simple and magical experience which reminds us of the importance of taking care of the coast and marine environments A first discovery on the occasion of a family swim the Frioul archipelago which was once the quarantine area in the Calanques National Park But L’île de Ratonneau also has a sandy beach which is easily accessed from Saint-Estève a favourite for families as soon as the weather gets warmer invites swimmers to an introduction to the diversity of species in complete safety: the area The itinerary is marked by 5 buoys with information panels Put on your goggles between two sandcastles and you might get the chance to see brown groupers and long-snouted seahorses The pleasure of a snorkelling session right in the heart of the town and then jump in the water from the Plage des Catalans which is easily accessed on foot or by bus from the town centre Probably one of the most magical aspects of Marseille Les Catalans underwater trail offers a 200-metre guided tour of the underwater wildlife Its big semi-submerged buoys have handles so that you can really enjoy the show And right next to the trail at a depth of 5 metres there’s a surprise: the submerged sculptures of the Musée Subaquatique de Marseille Swimming round a museum – another of the Sud’s magical experiences Info: free access all year round from Plage des Catalans (but equipped with buoys in the summer season The seabed sometimes bears witness to the history of the people who lived on the banks of the Mediterranean which has always been an area of commercial exchange Near the marked La Tour Fondue underwater trail archaeologists have rebuilt a Roman wreck with a load of amphora 6 metres under Swim here and you’ll fully feel the emotion of an underwater archaeological discovery Learn about the wildlife in the unspoiled coastal area from the information panels dotted along the itinerary which runs along near the lush green Pointe du Bouvet opposite the little Plage de la Tour Fondue beach Info: free or supervised access (nearest diving structure: L’Espace Mer at La Tour Fondue de Giens Supervision ensured by an archaeologist and a freediving instructor) Possibility of a grouped ticket with the Fort du Pradeau Dreamed up in six stages – embodied by 6 buoys with submerged explanatory panels the underwater trail of La Palud-Port-Cros takes you on a discovery of marine environments The itinerary gets off to a gentle start at the edge of the beach submarine wealth is revealed: 2 metres down And where you can see many fish: damselfish you’ll meet species which like dark cracks – anemones and sponges And then those who live in the lighter rocky shallow water: rainbow wrasse A concentrate of the Mediterranean just a flipper-stroke from the beach Immersible leaflet on sale at the Maison du Parc You can get there from the side of the vast fine sandy beach of L’Argentière Numbered buoys with handrails and submerged panels guide swimmers through widely diverse underwater landscapes: Cymodocea meadows crustaceans and starfish… And the so precious Posidonia seagrass the « lung » of the Mediterranean has been protected since 1988 Its roots mix with the sediments and form a sort of barrier – the matte – which plays a crucial role in fixing the sandy seabed Watch it slowly dancing to the rhythm of the current in the silent and soothing atmosphere of these preserved depths Guided tours (private and groups) by request Aquaguide for identifying the species available at the Tourist Office See an unimagined world hidden in the rocks In the Estérel Théoule Departmental Maritime Park with its mosaic of habitats which lend themselves to a wide diversity the underwater discovery trail of La Pointe de l’Aiguille unfolds in 4 stages a chaos of blocks covered in multicoloured seaweed makes up a habitat full of hiding places You can see little crustaceans nestling there and gobies and wrasse waiting to pounce The vertical walls are inhabited by sponges and yellow anemones which capture the plankton with their tentacles Trail equipped with submerged buoys from mid-June to mid-September Immersible leaflets available at the Tourist Office Opposite the south bank of L’île Sainte-Marguerite a unique and unusual underwater experience awaits you you will discover 6 submerged 2-metre high stone statues The works of sculptor Jason Decaires Taylor have become surprising shelters for algae And an invitation to reflect on the essential question of protecting the Mediterranean Devoted to the discovery of the seabed and its protection offers a museum itinerary with virtual and digital immersion Go from theory to practice and admire the wealth of the waters of the Mediterranean with your own eyes – Posidonia organises flippers-and-snorkel subaquatic hikes in the shallow depths chosen for their rich wildlife being as discreet as possible in order not to frighten the fish L’Espace Mer & Littoral d’Antibes is open from Tuesday to Sunday April to October Other marine trails to be explored with a guide-facilitator with the necessary equipment supplied are proposed in summer: in the Port d’Alon Calanque in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer or at the Domaine du Rayol in Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer For families of Formula 1 fans, the French Grand Prix is well worth exploring Circuit Paul Ricard is located in the small Southern French town of Le Castellet on the Côte d’Azur with its fine weather and rolling countryside it’s a natural pick for many to camp in the region during the race With the race taking place in late June, this makes the French Grand Prix a perfect getaway to explore the French Riviera outside the busy peak period of the summer holidays While many circuits are based in or around major cities Close to two cities in Marseille and Toulon racegoers can enjoy a relaxed week enjoying the best the French Riviera has to offer Before you book your French Grand Prix tickets check out ten things you can see and do in the area The Cote d’Azur is one of Europe’s most popular camping destinations The rolling countryside provides the region with some beautiful campsites while the southern coast offers plenty to explore The French Grand Prix itself is in the small complete with swimming pools to relax by and soak up the sun as there’s plenty to get the adrenaline pumping Whether you’re travelling as a family or as a group there are a number of local adventure parks that’ll test your mettle Le Royaume de Arbres offers plenty of thrills aimed towards adults: cliff climbing organisers host a classic event that’s a must for racing fans Before the beasts of modern engineering take to the track for Formula 1 race weekend there’s a chance for an ultimate throwback Hundreds of cars from throughout the years are tested against each other throughout the weekend Dating back to the 1950s and the first decade of Formula 1 racing watching from the stands provides window through the years of racing From Fangio’s early machines to some modern-day beauties you’ll see these cars racing head-to-head like they used to And for this with an interest in endurance racing there’ll be a showcase of Le Mans prototypes and GTs on track If you’re looking to spend a week in France this is a great way to bookend both weekends with on-track action If you’re willing to travel a little further afield Marseille is just a 45-minute drive from the circuit Notre-Dame de la Garde is one of the highlights this grand cathedral is an iconic piece of history It towers over the city: built on the highest point in the city the bell tower stands at 157m high with spectacular views of the city and coast Atop the bell tower is an incredible 11m statue of the Madonna and Child made from copped and gilded with gold leaf and it’s well worth a visit for the lookout over the city is one of just seven national parks in France The series of small inlets from the sea are narrow steep-walled caves along the Mediterranean coast It creates a tranquil area of the south coast described by many as a small piece of paradise These stunning pools feature some of the clearest water to kayak in the park provides a chilled antidote to the thrill and drama of the race weekend Marseille is also home to one of France’s most popular football clubs Olympique de Marseille were recently runners-up in the French league Their stadium, Stade Vélodrome has a capacity of 64,000 and has been a key monument in many major French events It hosted a semi-final of the 1938 and 1998 World Cups Six games of the Rugby World Cup were also held at the stadium in 2007 including the quarter-finals of both finalists South Africa and England A tour of the stadium will take in the dressing rooms including the chance to get up close with the club’s only Champions League trophy (1992-93 season) you’ll find the city of Toulon just a 20 minute drive from Le Castellet the backdrop of Toulon is the menacing Mount Faron it again offers great views of the coastal town But if the hike to the top doesn’t sound like fun The Faron cable car takes you to the summit with ease and comfort If you want to really get a next-level view Taking in the city as the sun sets and returning to the summit in under the twilight provide the chance for some unbelievable photos on the way down No one is going to France without embarking on a hunt for the very best food and drink The Cours Lafayette – one of the main streets in Toulon – is home to a renowned market full of colourful be sure to stop by to stock up and fill your picnic hampers here Circuit Paul Ricard is in the Provence region Whether you book a tour with a private driver you’ll experience some of France’s premium vineyards If you don’t want to venture too far away from the circuit the small town has a sandy beach and Roman museum popular with tourists from France and beyond The town is also known for its produce; Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer relies on the production of fruit There are markets to explore and buy fresh food to keep you fueled over the French Grand Prix weekend Book your tickets to the French Grand Prix now SEALSQ (LAES, Financial) is set to host the French Quantum and Space Day on May 12-13 This event will bring together leading experts in quantum computing and space infrastructure from around the world The focus will be on strategies and technologies needed to secure communications and data against threats posed by advances in quantum computing Building on the momentum from previous events in Davos and New York SEALSQ is expanding its initiatives to include securing space infrastructure With the growing reliance on satellite systems for defense addressing vulnerabilities introduced by quantum computing is crucial The shift to post-quantum security is becoming a pressing necessity to safeguard these systems emphasized the transformative impact of quantum technology on cybersecurity and highlighted the company's proactive approach in anticipating future needs He invited technology experts and participants to join the event in France which promises to be a pivotal gathering for shaping the future of space operations security Based on the consensus recommendation from 1 brokerage firms, SEALSQ Corp's (LAES, Financial) average brokerage recommendation is currently 2.0 The Sunday TimesIn the sun-dappled Place Portalis in the Côte d’Azur town of St Cyr-sur-Mer stands the original Statue of Liberty she served as a model for her New York sister after some wag climbed up and covered her mouth she’s the only person in town wearing a surgical mask but — in Provence at least — they have recovered with what some might call unseemly haste Crackpot theories are routinely quoted to counter warnings of la deuxième vague as though David Icke has somehow become France’s chief virologist they say; swimming in the sea confers immunity — and what are rules for if not to be broken The beach crowds are similar to those in the footage from Bournemouth because the French know that summer pays the winter bills Restaurants are crammed at lunchtime — one restaurateur told me that he had removed two tables “to create the impression of conformity” — and at aperitif hour we’re shoulder to shoulder on les terrasses trying to catch the attention of defiantly bare-faced waiters There are signs everywhere saying “masque obligatoire” “maintain social distancing” and “maximum two customers inside” — and all are utterly ignored Taking liberties: the masked statueWhile it will disappoint the doom-mongers and so-called travel industry experts who predicted a summer of restrictions hell in France the new normal looks exactly like the old one could be accused of complacency or irresponsibility — of burying its collective head dans le sable But there’s a Gallic pragmatism to this attitude a realisation that if humanity can’t follow arrows in supermarkets then the achievement of wholesale behavioural change is a government fantasy It might not be just the French coming to this conclusion When I flew out from Heathrow last week there were signs that management is reluctantly playing its role in a badly written political panto The temperature checks — that even a tiny airstrip like Nairobi’s Wilson airport can manage — were absent a couple of ladies behind a table at the entrance to Terminal 2 handing out facemasks like Women’s Institute volunteers belts that could once accommodate five passengers at a time have been reduced to two “Imagine what it will be like when there are 500 people in the queue,” a supervisor told me 50% of chairs were blocked off; downstairs Electronic displays flash warnings that masks must be worn At least boarding procedures would be controlled We queued up like we were waiting for a Glastonbury lavatory and piled onto the aircraft as in the early days of Ryanair and it made it clear that masks were to be worn for the duration of the flight By the time we’d cleared the Channel coast some passengers were still wearing theirs — it didn’t matter: we all got chocolate And as for heightened checks at immigration the market on the Cours Mirabeau in Aix-en-Provence is where the impossibly glamorous come to buy the £25 dresses that make them look like a million dollars — and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has made it perfectly clear that they can continue to do so as long as everybody wears a mask and respects social distancing French women are packed into the stalls like the panting front row at a Johnny Hallyday gig “For the first few days the police were coming by telling us to wear masks but as soon as they were gone we took them off,” one stallholder “They were getting in the way of business.” It’s no better in the chic boutiques around the Place des Trois Ormeaux in the same city a handwritten sign says a maximum of two customers are allowed in at any one time; inside a minimum of a dozen are browsing the rails they don’t even bother with that.” She lifts a discarded £180 T-shirt to reveal a rather neglected-looking plastic bottle ▶ Are you cautious about travelling to popular tourist areas this summer Provence is revving up for a sporting bonanza at the highly-acclaimed Paul Ricard racetrack in Le Castellet An ideal base for exploring the charms of Provence between two tests… The world’s top 20 Formula 1 drivers will be battling for pole position in this exceptional setting between sea and mountain Devotees will undoubtedly be looking forward to the upcoming duel between the new world champion Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc who are fighting for the lead of the championship at the beginning of the seasonBut the British Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) six-time champion and his new teammate George Russell will be in ambush to fight for the top step of the podium its 5.8 km layout is one of the longest on the Grand Prix calendar Spectators will be able to assess the performance of French rising star Pierre Gasly (Scuderia AlphaTauri) on the Mistral straight named after the Mediterranean’s notorious gusting wind or that of Romain Grosjean (Haas) on the “Virage de la Saint-Baume” twist “Courbe de Signes” turn or “Double Droite du Beausset” – a wide double-apex corner  named after a nearby village aficionados enjoy the promise of  a spectacular show and heart-stopping adrenalin rushes To reach Le Castellet and attend the French Grand Prix the nearest TG high-speed railway stations are in Marseille Shuttle services are available to speed you to the event and a special access road has been opened this year for car sharers Priority is given to two-wheelers and park & ride car parks will be set up to keep the traffic moving everything is set to ensure the 2019 Grand Prix is one of the year’s most sensational sporting and festive events… Stay tuned this landmark 67-room hotel was a hotspot in its heyday because of the unbeatable beachside location and it remains one of the best bets for toes-in-the-sand bronzing and dining Modern rooms are deeply comfortable and the spa has many toning sea-water treatments year-round which was recently awarded a Michelin star innovative dishes might include sweetbreads with algae butter Address: 25 Boulevard Louis Lumière,83150 Bandol, FranceWebsite: thalazur.frPrice: Doubles from about £215 at the end of stone steps leading to a small cove near La Ciotat is a quirky mix of wild splendour and playful Robinson Crusoe-spirited hospitality Rooms range from apartments with kitchens to tiny Spartan spaces for die-hard Med trekkers locals flock to Chez Tania restaurant to watch the pink-orange reflections in the sea while sharing platters of antipasti followed by scallops and risotto with sea urchin Address: Calanque de Figuerolles, 13600 La Ciotat, FranceTelephone: +33 4 42 08 25 94Website: figuerolles.comPrice: Doubles from about £105 The Restaurant at La Calanque de FiguerollesAlice GaoLES ROCHES BLANCHESGorgeously restored by architect Monika Kappel this multi-level Cassis gem is set in a grove of windswept umbrella pines Luminous Art Deco rooms are decked out in soothing sand and ochre and all have sea-facing terraces with killer views of the coast In between dips in the pool and a plant-based treatment at Sisley Spa try chef Florian Cano’s superb bistro creations Address: 9 Avenue des Calanques, 13260 Cassis, FranceTelephone: +33 4 42 01 09 30Website: roches-blanches-cassis.comPrice: Doubles from about £215 Café in La CiotatEmilie MalcorpsLA VILLA MADIEThis two-Michelin-starred Cassis restaurant hidden away on a shaded inlet by a clear creek offering incredible seafood: feast on steamed lobster grilled red mullet or sea bass and delicate combinations of local produce Address: Avenue de Revestel-anse de Corton, 13260 Cassis, FranceTelephone: +33 4 96 18 00 00Website: lavillamadie.comPrice: About £110 for two La Villa MadieLA TABLE DE NANSAbove an impossibly scenic curved coastal road in La Ciotat this Michelin-starred restaurant is the place to be for a leisurely lunch or dinner overlooking the azure bay and towering trees In the kitchen Nans Gaillard is a whizz with classics such as fish soup braised beef and grilled fish drizzled with olive oil His excellent signature lemon tart tops it all off Address: 126 Corniche du Liouquet, 13600 La Ciotat, FranceTelephone: +33 4 42 83 11 06Website: latabledenans.comPrice: About £70 for two Riviera architectureBritney GillKV&BTucked away off the busy seafront drag this small wine bar and bistro is an essential pit-stop for a plunge into Bandol’s vineyards Try the Château Pradeaux or Château de Pibarnon and stay for a supper of traditional Provençal dishes from the chalkboard menu lamb with tapenade and a terrific crème brûlée FranceTelephone: +33 4 94 74 85 77Price: About £55 for two This raptor like rock has been around for millions of years Rocky calanque at CassisAlice GaoThe craggy silhouette is something of a landmark in these parts hidden at the base of 87 stone steps just outside the town of La Ciotat It has appeared in scores of French films; before that Georges Braque came here with an easel during his brief Fauve period and painted what he saw – a hunk of mauve and yellow glowing stone against a milky blue sky and a hyacinth creek families picnic on the beach or in the shade of parasol pines teenage boys dive off the cliffs and curl up with their girlfriends in the cool The French have a name for the tiny cove’s odd rock formation which can only be found here – le poudingue a river-churned compact ‘pudding’ of ancient stones sediment and red clay that has somehow made its way to the seafront Striped parasols on the MediterraneanVia TolilaAt dusk when everyone else lugs their beach gear up the steep steps to the road a lucky few amble over to La Calanque’s Chez Tania a restaurant and hotel set back from the beach that’s also known as ‘La RIF’ – République Indépendante de Figuerolles freshly showered and ready for sunset aperitifs on the weathered wooden terrace; a waitress is setting tables in the dining room The Out of Africa vibe is all part of the hotel’s tongue-in cheek banana-republic theme That’s why our clock is set an hour back from French time,’ grins Grégori Reverchon La Calanque de FiguerollesAlice GaoHe is the grandson of Igor and Tania Reverchon, who fled Communist Russia and opened the original snack shack on this site in 1956 adding a few rooms where friends could sleep off vodka-soaked meals I used to flip blinis in the kitchen and bring them piping hot to the tables,’ he recalls The place was so popular that Igor would string up hammocks between the fig trees and charge his guests 10 francs to sleep under the stars These days Chez Tania serves French classics – delicious grilled fish chocolate îles flottantes – and each summer regular guests from the neighbourhood turn up with baskets of ripe figs: for every 100 grams Reverchon deducts a euro from the price of their supper several dozen types of olives; vine peaches and plump purple aubergines; fragrant soaps; woven baskets; pottery; crafted jewellery; soft linen shirts and gauzy beach cover-ups; plus sandals and hand-stitched quilts Melons at a marketAlice GaoThere are nearly 80 vineyards on the hillsides behind the seafront producing some of France’s most prized bottles.‘Despite their proximity Cassis and Bandol wines couldn’t be more different,’ says my friend Elizabeth Gabay ‘The sun-ripened fruit of Cassis is tempered by Mediterranean salinity and chalky acidity; the Mourvedre of Bandol is all fruity opulence and has a kind of dark brooding sultry charm.’ Château de Fontcreuse near CassisAlice GaoEven back in the 1930s, villages such as Sanary-sur-Mer had little in common with hedonistic St Tropez attracting the company of more serious-minded artists who spent her youth in Sanary-sur-Mer in the late 1920s and 1930s chronicles the remarkable concentration of intellectuals camped out in a town with ‘one newspaper kiosk Boats at Sanary-sur-Mer portBritney GillThese days there’s a new hotel overlooking La Gorguette with a shady rooftop restaurant and plunge pool locals and holiday-makers splash in the shallows and play cards in the shade of umbrellas I can’t help but imagine that the Huxleys – who swam here daily always wearing their straw hats – would have fitted right in Plant-filled window in CassisEmilie MalcorpsThe Polish-born painter Moïse Kisling – much admired by Picasso and Modigliani – moved here from Montmartre with his wife and their two sons in 1923 but his bisexual wife Renée’s unconventional lifestyle deeply offended the Huxleys; Maria also disapproved of the writer Cyril Connolly who kept a menagerie of pet lemurs and ferrets who had heard of the village from Thomas Mann’s son Klaus Bruno Frank and Bertolt Brecht would meet at Bar de la Marine or Café Le Nautique to discuss philosophy nodding curtly at the exiled English writers at the other table Shops in BandolAlice GaoBandol has always been the biggest town along this stretch of the coast and a busy harbour where ferries leave for the Bendor Islands six-hectare Ile de Bendor and the larger and wilder Ile des Embiez were once owned by Paul Ricard the French entrepreneur known for his eponymous popular brand of Pastis Palm frondsBritney GillThe best place to stay in Bandol is L’Ile Rousse hotel set back on a hill overlooking a breathtaking curve of aquamarine ocean Once the home of the actor and singer Mistinguett then converted into a nightclub in the 1960s it was recently spruced up to the tune of £15million with a thalasso spa mirror-like infinity pool and private beach Guests lunch on salads at laidback La Goélette and on the terrace of the hotel’s smart Les Oliviers restaurant chef Jérémy Czaplicki creates ambitious dishes such as spelt risotto with shellfish Over dinner I ordered a bottle of Gros’Noré hand-picked organic red that tasted like a sexy swirl of earth I’d discovered it earlier that day at its source and now vowed to scoop up a case at the Maison des Vins on my way home The best bistros are tucked away in the backstreets behind Bandol’s harbour: KV&B for creative tapas L’Atelier du Goût for well-priced modern French food where Basque-born chef Gilles Pradines excels with southwestern and Mediterranean recipes Bandol restaurantChristian KerberOn a hill facing the port is dilapidated but still working Résidence Le Beau Rivage DH Lawrence and the Huxleys all stayed (though the plaque outside only mentions Lawrence) I rang the bell and an ancient woman hobbled to the door formerly a nautical goods store where Brando once bought a dozen striped jerseys © edwardquinn.comThe story of how an 18-year-old village girl came to meet the Hollywood star is extraordinary Mariani had posed for a series of nude portraits for Moïse Kisling who had come to his studio to buy a painting ‘He and Kisling decided I should be sent to Manhattan to work as his family’s au pair and get a proper education,’ she says When she wasn’t looking after the children Mariani studied acting with the legendary Stella Adler there was a cocktail party for veteran Adler students She met Marlon and they danced the mambo – soon the couple were engaged ‘I knew in my heart that Marlon was a Don Juan,’ Mariani said and it’s so dry it’s impossible to make anything grow,’ he adds pointing to the tiny bonsai-like trees on the cliff sides Some maintain that the base of the Statue of Liberty was made of sturdy Cassis stone The diamond sparkle bouncing off the water is almost blinding a cathedral of rocks with tall organ pipes like candle drippings in shades of white cave-like slits where I swim in the clear jade water and no thumping basses blasting on private beaches here it’s just me and the chirping cicada in the pines Porquerolles: holidays on Les Iles d'Or Porquerolles: the loveliest island on the French RivieraGallery13 SlidesBy E Jane DicksonView SlideshowThe ultimate day-long road trip along the French Riviera The ultimate day-long road trip along the French RivieraGallery21 SlidesBy Rory WylieView SlideshowAlpes-Maritimes: The Quiet French Riviera Alpes-Maritimes: the quiet French RivieraGallery25 SlidesBy Antonia QuirkeView SlideshowFranche-Comte: a guide to France's secret corner best-known internationally as one of François Truffaut’s New Wave muses and as the star of the trashy Hollywood melodrama The Other Side of Midnight was found dead early morning on Easter Sunday in the swimming pool of her home in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer in the South of France Her death apparently occurred late Saturday night or very early Sunday Pisier was expected to take part at an homage to Jean-Paul Belmondo with whom she had costarred in Gérard Oury’s L’as des as / The Ace of Aces (1982) French Indochina [in today’s Vietnam]) had an extensive film career in France who cast her as Colette Tazzi in the L’amour à vingt ans / Love at 20 segment “Antoine and Colette.” Antoine was Truffaut’s regular on-screen alter ego Love at 20 wasn’t exactly a highlight of any of the directors’ careers perhaps identifying with Antoine a little too much became so enamored of his Colette that he temporarily left his wife and children for Pisier Pisier’s Colette would be seen twice again: briefly in Stolen Kisses (1968) in which Léaud/Antoine’s romantic interests are Delphine Seyrig and Claude Jade an unhappy experience for Truffaut (“François hated this project very early on,” Pisier would say) Despite her early association with Truffaut her career as a serious film actress was to take off only in the ’70s after working with the likes of Jacques Rivette in Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974) to whose dialogue and situations she and fellow players Juliet Berto and Luis Buñuel in the mordant The Phantom of Liberty (1974) in which Pisier is one of several people sitting (pants down; dresses up) on toilet bowls around a table and who must excuse themselves and go behind closed doors whenever they need to munch on something There were also André Téchiné’s Souvenirs d’en France / French Provincial (1975) in which Pisier played opposite Jeanne Moreau and Michel Auclair (and mocked Greta Garbo’s Camille); and Jean-Charles Tacchella’s romantic comedy Cousin starring Victor Lanoux and Academy Award nominee Marie Christine Barrault who believes he’s having an affair with cousine Barrault for her performance as a prostitute-mother in Téchiné’s Barocco (1976) costarring Isabelle Adjani and Gérard Depardieu Directed by Charles Jarrott (who died last March) the film version of Sidney Sheldon’ novel The Other Side of Midnight was a consequence of the success of Cousin But despite the input of adapters Herman Raucher (Summer of ’42) and Daniel Taradash (From Here to Eternity the period melodrama was massacred by critics Pisier herself reportedly had trouble keeping a straight face when she had to deliver her last line in the film none of that prevented the good-looking but overlong (2h45m) and overripe melodrama about love and revenge from becoming one of the year’s biggest hits earning 20th Century Fox $18.4 million (approx $88.54 million today) in rentals (* see next page) in North America “What’s a bright and beautiful young French actress like Marie-France Pisier doing in a piece of shlock like The Other Side of Midnight?,” asked Newsweek “Pisier obviously isn’t satisfied working for talented non-millionaires like François Truffaut Perhaps because of the harsh critical reaction to The Other Side of Midnight Pisier’s Hollywood career failed to take off (Leslie Caron remained the only French actress to have a successful Hollywood career until what with Inception and the upcoming The Dark Knight Rises.) I should add that notwithstanding widespread assertions that The Other Side of Midnight was a box office flop for a studio that seemed to be expecting another Gone with the Wind but one of the year’s top-fifteen box office hits Fox used likely blockbuster The Other Side of Midnight to book likely flop Star Wars at the same theaters considering that the practice of block booking had been banned decades earlier in the late ’70s Pisier was back in France working for Truffaut in Love on the Run and with André Téchiné in The Bronte Sisters (1979) playing Charlotte Brontë opposite Isabelle Adjani’s Emily Brontë and Isabelle Huppert’s Anne Brontë Pisier kept on working in the last three decades She looked good but was otherwise wasted in the American-made French Postcards (1979); played Coco Chanel in George Kaczender’s English-language box office misfire Chanel Solitaire (1981) with Timothy Dalton; received a Canadian Genie Award nomination for Roger Vadim’s The Hot Touch (1981) and Melvyn Douglas; and was George Sand in Andrzej Zulawski’s La note bleue (1991) all-star film version of Marcel Proust’s Time Regained (1999); and could be seen as the glamorous divorced mother of Romain Duris and Louis Garrel in Christophe Honoré’s homage to the New Wave Pisier made her last film appearance as a somewhat xenophobic French bourgeoise in Anne Depétrini’s Il reste du jambon the liberal-minded Pisier was an ardent defender of women’s rights and legal abortion having signed Simone de Beauvoir’s April 1971 manifest demanding the legalization of the procedure Referring to Pisier as an “engaged intellectual” – Pisier took part in the student protests that paralyzed France in 1968 – that country’s Socialist Party also issued a statement that read in part: France has lost one of its most emblematic actresses and the Socialist Party joins those close to her and the French cinema family to share in their sorrow Source for The Other Side of Midnight’s box office figure: Aubrey Solomon’s 20th Century Fox: a corporate and financial history on its The Other Side of Midnight page Box Office Mojo claims the film grossed $24.65 million That seems much too low a figure for a movie that generated $18.4 million in rentals for studios generally keep about 50-55 percent of a film’s domestic gross A list containing some of France’s most-polluted beaches has been unveiled to help summer visitors decide where to bathe it shows the vast majority of French beaches are ranked as ‘excellent’ Its study looked at more than 1,800 beaches whose water quality is regularly checked by regional health agencies in France The media organisation has provided a searchable, interactive map (in French and behind a paywall) that allows you to see beaches near you or check the quality of those you may visit on holiday Visitors are advised to check for reports on the quality of the water before diving in A European directive requires bathing water to be checked and the result of these analyses enables authorities to classify beaches into four grades based on their water quality and they are based on the microbiological analysis results for the current year and the three previous ones eight beaches in Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur are primarily affected by poor (‘insufficient’) quality water These notably include beaches in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer On June 21, swimming at Gravette beach, Antibes, was suspended due to high levels of enterococcus bacteria in the water have been closed since March and will remain so throughout the summer beaches of excellent quality water in the area include those in the communes of Grimaud The beaches in these regions tend to be of high quality while most of the beaches in Corsica are also classified as ‘excellent’ Read also: Riptides on French coast: How to avoid and what to do if caught suffers from higher-than-ideal levels of pollution beaches a few kilometres away in Ile d'Oléron and Ile d'Aix are much better Soorts-Hossegor; and Anglet in the Pays Basque all of which have a number of beaches with ‘excellent’ water quality the beaches of Agon-Coutainville and Coudeville-sur-Mer have ‘insufficient’ water quality which have many sites with ‘excellent’ water quality Hauts-de-France has fewer swimming spots compared to other regions and while none of them are ranked as of ‘insufficient’ quality the proportion of beaches of ‘excellent’ quality is low They tend to be rated ‘good’ or ‘sufficient’ and Saint-Brieuc are of ‘insufficient’ quality The beach at Saint-Michel-en-Grève even saw the first suspected case of death caused by green algae, in 1989, when hydrogen sulphide, a toxic gas emitted by decomposing algae, is thought to have caused the death of a 27-year-old jogger The beach at Saint-Brieuc is also seeing problems linked to invasive green algae and Plounéour-Brignogan-Plages have around a dozen beaches that are deemed to be of ‘excellent’ quality The beaches at Pornic and Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez fare better than those at Pouliguen and Saint-Nazaire as the latter two are rated of ‘insufficient’ quality in the Le Figaro list These have been ranked France’s most environmentally friendly beaches Green, yellow, red, purple: New safety flag system for French beaches How to pick a clean beach in France Recent power cut in Spain and Portugal is warning to holidaymakers to ensure they are prepared for worst-case scenario The resort is set to remain open to the public and not only to professionals Storms from the weekend will persist across some areas “He has pneumonia,” said the bald-headed surgeon his eyes narrowing at the patient lying prone in the bed I’m not certain how long he will live.” The year is 2014 and in the antiseptic halls of a fake Alpine hospital a Swiss physician has just delivered devastating news the one member of an exclusive club to have won a World Cup and starred in an Oscar-nominated movie Frank Alain Leboeuf was born in Marseille on 22 January 1968 it became evident at an early age that he had a talent for performing telling his mother aged four that he wanted to become an actor Struggling to find an outlet for his creative talents his father suggested he join his local football academy with little else to do in the sleepy fishing village of Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer he would be spotted by the newly named Sporting Club Toulon Var quickly signed into their youth academy on the French Riveira Toulon would surprise everybody by finishing fifth that year before financial difficulties saw them forced to make substantial budget cuts along with a clutch of his teammates in the youth team A successful trial at Marseille followed before Leboeuf accepted an offer from Hyères FC in the third division It was then that he decided to take his future into his own hands placing an advertisement in France Football seeking a professional contract: ‘Player seeks pro trainee place in first or second division’ His ambition was admirable, if a little misguided. As the likes of Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain kept their powder dry There he would work part-time in a clothing store selling sportswear during the day and training with his semi-professional teammates in the evening a part-time contract in the Île-de-France did little to satisfy Leboeuf’s professional desires Les Tangos convinced by a video he had personally delivered to showcase his array of skills Read  |  Eric Cantona: the early French years From the moment Leboeuf made his professional debut in August that year it became obvious that he was an exceptional talent A gangly libero with a penchant for taking penalties his coiffed-mane seemed as comfortable quarterbacking a 40-yard pass as it was making a timely interception when Ligue 2 side Racing Strasbourg came calling in 1990 A mulleted Leboeuf would help the Alsatians secure promotion to the top division in 1992 courtesy of a playoff victory against his father’s old club Stade Rennais Strasbourg would tear their way into an eighth-place finish that year, building on their early success by signing talents like Marc Keller and Aleksandr Mostovoi Only PSG prevented them from a historic cup win in 1995 a solitary blot in a year in which they had managed to snare the Intertoto trophy Strasbourg would not be exempt from its implications as some of the club’s best players headed for the exit door Chief amongst them was their silky central defender who had been flirting with several clubs at home and abroad Despite openly admitting his love for the city and the region Euro 96 had just concluded Terry Venables packing his bags after England’s painful semi-final exit against Germany had sent several scouts to Alsace during the course of the season weighing up a move for Leboeuf before firming up a summer offer of £2.5 million Leboeuf’s signature was just one in a swathe of impressive captures by the west London club, who also saw the arrival of Gianfranco Zola Almost overnight they morphed from mid-table also-rans to cosmopolitan uber-hipsters with nobody espousing their new-found swagger better than dreadlocked player-manager Ruud Gullit For Leboeuf, however, English football would prove an eye-opening experience. “In all my life I have never seen such horrible training conditions,” he would later admit to FranceSoir in 2000. If the facilities were tough, the playing style was worse, Vinnie Jones gifting him a bruise on his head the size of a tennis ball during a 4-2 defeat at home to Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang Leboeuf would improve commensurately alongside his rough and tumble partner in defence Steve Clarke as Chelsea secured a fabulous sixth place finish in the league and captured the FA Cup Leboeuf would combine defensive solidity with a keen eye for a raking pass most notably in his assist for Vialli in the famous 2-1 win at Old Trafford in November Read  |  The lovable wizardry of Gianfranco Zola the Frenchman was beginning to symbolise his team’s pluralistic identity In a city changing rapidly with the onset of cheap air travel and increased immigration a United Nations of footballing excellence who were confident of wresting control of the Premier League agenda With Gullit sacked in his sophomore year after disagreements with the board Tore André Flo and Gustavo Poyet were added to an already star-laden squad the reward being a place in the Champions League and double victories in the Coca-Cola and Cup Winners’ Cups his foraging runs from centre-back garnering a strong rapport with the Chelsea fans Frank Leboeuf!” would become a familiar refrain from the Stamford Bridge crowd the Frenchman making more apperances than any other player that year With Chelsea’s greatest-ever league position secured Leboeuf jetted home to France for the 1998 World Cup looking to top an impressive season Included as a back-up to Marcel Desailly and Laurent Blanc Leboeuf’s cameo in a dead-rubber against Denmark seemed destined to be his solitary contribution That was until Slaven Bilić went to ground under an innocuous challenge from a distraught Laurent Blanc Despite replays showing the contact was minimal the Internazionale man was given the first red card of his career chatting distractedly with substitute goalkeeper Lionel Charbonnier as matters unfolded It was only when Aimé Jacquet told him to put on his kit that the cogs started whirring the Chelsea defender performing manfully in the remaining 13 minutes to secure passage to the final in Paris but from our perspective we were just playing a football game,” Leboeuf recalled in a later interview with Goal At least that’s how it seemed until the team bus turned onto the Champs Elyséé to a million multi-coloured faces singing their praises If Leboeuf was thinking it couldn’t get any better than that the Chelsea defender appeared on the BBC panel show They Think it’s All Over on 12 November 1998 What was ostensibly a comedy programme turned into a half-hour of awkward embarrassment for the 30-year-old whose repeated admonishments of “I won the World Cup” attracted the ire of regulars Nick Hancock and Rory McGrath and Leboeuf found himself a figure of fun in the British media Read  |  Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink: an ode to one of the Premier League’s most devastating marksmen coupled with his bi-monthly newspaper column in The Times lent him an air of detachment and condescension that fit the ‘arrogant Frenchman’ stereotype just a bit too snugly His performances on the pitch would continue unabated Desailly had arrived in the summer from Milan and together they formed a Francophone wall which blocked out all comers on the way to an impressive third place finish in the Premiership The next year saw a close-fought exit against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final the reward for failing to win in the first 13 games of the season had spotted a rough diamond in the Chelsea academy and was quick to earmark the erstwhile World Cup winner’s place as a likely proving ground he was powerless to stop the advances of a certain John Terry whose 26 appearances hinted strongly at a changing of the guard who had been implicated in the sacking of Vialli after complaining that the Italian “had problems with everybody” in the dressing room With the Chelsea hierarchy open to offers and Leboeuf looking anxiously at his place for the 2002 World Cup a transfer to Marseille was agreed in the summer of 2001 he was leaving for a club he had sworn never to play for just a few years before Retiring from the game proves difficult for most footballers whose exit in 2005 coincided with a divorce and the death of his father After a difficult few years in which he admitted suffering from depression flying to Los Angeles to take acting classes at the prestigious Lee Strasberg institute Leboeuf had already starred alongside Harvey Keitel in a movie whilst still a player at Chelsea in 2001 but he nevertheless committed to spending two years learning his craft in the relative anonymity of the sunshine state When he wasn’t busy poking holes in Brecht’s fourth wall Leboeuf lined up alongside Jason Statham and Woody Harrelson for Hollywood United FC an amateur team consisting of A-list actors and movie producers After a few years playing minor film roles starring in the aforementioned Oscar-winner The Theory of Everything These days he combines appearances on stage and screen with the football studio appearing as a smooth-talking pundit for Téléfoot and ESPN amongst others “I’m very pleased and I’m very fortunate,” he purred to the BBC’s Colin Patterson in 2014 When asked if he would swap his World Cup winner’s medal for an Academy Award he responded with a typically nonchalant shrug “Why ask me to swap when I can have both?” By Christopher Weir  @chrisw45 members and friends of the Salesian Family of the FMA and SDB Provinces of France and South Belgium lived a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Don Bosco members and friends of the Salesian Family of Our Lady of the Nations (FRB) of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and Saint Francis de Sales (FRB) of the Salesians of Don Bosco of France and South Belgium lived a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Don Bosco in the places of his life as a child and adult: Becchi While the previous editions were held in Lourdes to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the dream at 9 years The pilgrims were accompanied by twenty Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and young people of the Salesian Youth Movement SDB Canadian vice-director of “Museo Casa Don Bosco” in Turin who said: “This dream at 9 years is still current because it describes the mission that God entrusted to John Bosco – helping young people in danger to lead a full life - the children of two Salesian houses in southern France – La Navarre and Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer – presented a musical dedicated to Michele Magone: “From the street to the light and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This 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You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker By 2022-11-02T11:29:00+00:00 An underground through station is to be built at Marseille St-Charles FRANCE: Transport Minister Clément Beaune has signed the Déclaration d’Utilité Publique enabling the start of work on the first two phases of the Ligne Nouvelle Provence Côte d’Azur programme to expand the heavily used Marseille – Nice corridor The project approved on October 18 includes a number of elements The remodelling of the hub at Marseille Saint-Charles will include the construction of a new subterranean station facilitating the RER Métropolitain plan to increase the frequency of regional services while reducing delays across the network Works between Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer and Hyères will include remodelling of Toulon and La Pauline-Hyères stations to improve regional services The junction with the Cannes – Grasse line will be improved and new tracks provided at Cannes and Antibes stations A four-track station will be built at Nice airport while Nice station will be remodelled to improve punctuality The works will enable trains to run between Cannes Nice and Menton every 10 min at peak times The Marseille – Ventimiglia High Performance work package will see the installation of ETCS Level 2 on the route FRANCE: Funding has been finalised for the first phase of the Ligne Nouvelle Provence d’Azur project to upgrade the busy Marseille - Nice corridor to support a 66% increase in the number of daily services The planned launch of Services Express Régionaux Métropolitains operations around Marseille President Macron has promised ‘a decade of the TGV’ in the 2020s and work is due to start soon on three more high speed lines FRANCE: Upon completion of a public inquiry on February 28 SNCF and the local authorities involved have signed off the €3·5bn funding package for the Ligne Nouvelle Provence Côte d’Azur programme to enhance capacity in the Marseille – Nice corridor Site powered by Webvision Cloud Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardMarie-France Pisier | French actress a French actress who was discovered as a teen by filmmaker Francois Truffaut and went on to star in Cousin a French actress who was discovered as a teen by filmmaker Francois Truffaut and went on to star in Pisier's body was discovered April 24 by her husband in the swimming pool of their home in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer according to the news agency Agence France-Presse a short that is part of 1962's Love at Twenty Pisier and Leaud played the same characters in 1979's Love on the Run - Los Angeles Times two men set off for work at the Stade de France both were fans of the country's football team and regarded the national stadium as a sacred place representing all that was best about modern picked up his passengers in the early evening - a group of France fans who knew him and requested him by name They liked his genial manner and habit of chatting knowledgeably about football on the long drive to the game He had made the trip to the Stade de France many times It was the sort of bitterly cold evening he had never known before he left the palm-fringed shores of his native Mauritius in the 1990s but the friendly rivalry between the French and German fans and the sight of beaming children with painted faces Through a thick cocoon of thermal clothing he dimly registered the vibrating of his phone I have a feeling something bad could happen.” one of Paris' notorious banlieues: chaotic impoverished suburbs synonymous with unemployment father of the brilliant French footballer Zinedine he worked on a building site in Saint-Denis just yards from the future site of the stadium and slept there too because he didn't have enough money for rent he could scarcely have dreamed that on that same soil “The big problem was that for the young generation integration was not as good any more,” says French football writer Julien Laurens “Our dads had jobs but we were not sure what the future held for us 'What are we going to do next?' You went to school and you were already a failure because school was not for you You went for a job interview and there was no job for you because you came from a bad area What is it to be French when your parents are from Spain with many players from immigrant backgrounds had lost a pre-tournament friendly to Russia and scraped draws against Sweden and Morocco Public opinion was strongly against manager Aime Jacquet a 56-year-old former soldier who had narrowly escaped deployment to the Algerian War but was nonetheless well used to the military metaphor of siege mentality and staring down the barrel It was against this pessimistic backdrop that Jean-Marie Le Pen leader of the far-right Front National party denounced the multiracial Bleus as “artificial” and “not a real French team” It was clear they were fighting for more than the World Cup trophy Jacquet gathered his men at their training camp at Clairefontaine “I want us to be together in this,” he said according to football magazine FourFourTwo “What is going to happen is so important - I don’t think you have fully realised yet.” was the centre of scepticism about the national team so the decision was taken to stage France's first match in Marseille Further victories over Saudi Arabia and Denmark ensured their passage to the knockout stages before a goal by defender Laurent Blanc defeated Paraguay in the last 16 The quarter-final was a nervy confrontation with three-time world champions Italy “That was the turning point,” Laurens says not just in the team but in their own country The country really united and it was like there were no differences any more; posh people and poor people In places where there was barely a village people were [celebrating] in the streets." insulated from the outside world at Clairefontaine began to realise they were part of something extraordinary “We could see what was happening,” remembers Thierry Henry then a 20-year-old winger of French Caribbean heritage who would go on to become his country's leading goalscorer “I think what it was really down to was that French people could relate to the team Because of the different heritages through the team whoever you were and whatever your background Croatia were beaten 2-1 in the semi-finals leaving just one obstacle in France's path: Brazil The hosts were underdogs: Brazil were the defending champions and the world's number-one-ranked team To most French people of a certain generation the 1998 final remains a defining moment in their lives one of those rare occasions when the trajectory of an individual life collides with the flashbulbs and front pages of history “I think everyone in France remembers where they were that day,” says Vincent Duluc France's coach made the journey from Clairefontaine to the Stade de France at a crawl so large were the crowds lining the streets to acclaim the team “I remember just as we were about to walk on to the pitch seeing the Brazilian players and thinking it was impossible that they could win because they were 11 and we were millions,” says Lilian Thuram What followed in the shimmer of that sultry July evening had the quality of a dream Zidane - who hated heading the ball as a boy and had to be taught to do it when he joined a football academy aged 13 - scored two headed goals as France won 3-0 (Smail Zidane missed the match that made his son a world champion - he stayed at home to babysit his grandson.) Thuram remembers: “The referee blew his whistle and I immediately ran towards my childhood friends who had come to watch the match in the stands I made a sign to them with my finger on my temple as if to say: 'This is crazy.' We smiled at each other and we spoke with our eyes - we couldn't hear each other speak More than a million people flooded the Champs-Elysees to acclaim the triumph of the 'black was projected on to the Arc de Triomphe in red France's World Cup victory was celebrated throughout the night of 12 July on the streets of Paris “It was only on leaving the stadium and walking through Paris that you realised just how incredible this day had been,” Duluc remembers “It was a Tricolore-coloured national party Not since the Liberation in 1944 had so many people thronged the streets of Paris.” The symbolism was obvious: this was a victory not just of a team “France '98 was a historical landmark which liberated a certain reflection on French society,” Thuram says [Marcel] Desailly - each of the players had their own story [of colonial heritage]." in our victory the whole history of France was encapsulated In the following year's European elections which had polled 15% in the 1997 parliamentary elections “Le Pen turned the team into a symbol of multicultural France in order to attack it and therefore the symbol won,” says Laurent Dubois The scenes of celebration were replicated across the country “The World Cup win represented a victory for an alternative vision of France: the idea that we all come together People remember it as a very promising and beautiful time "But the hope that people had at the time - that this was a representation of a new moment of something that could change French society - has not come to pass.” The band was barely a couple of bars into the Marseillaise when the whistling started: first in isolated snatches then building to a deafening mass screech which seemed to have its own gravity As the camera panned down the row of France's players a look of incomprehension flickered across the features of Marcel Desailly "Le jour de gloire est arrive" ["The day of glory has arrived"] it was already clear it was going to be anything but The occasion was a long-awaited friendly between France and Algeria on 6 October 2001 It was the first time the two countries had met on the football pitch since Algeria had won its independence from France in 1962 after a bloody seven-year war had added a further layer of symbolism to a fixture already groaning under its weight the media and the politicians wanted to frame Muslims in a negative narrative,” says Lilian Thuram “Add to that the history between France and Algeria there was generally a very negative view of Algerians and it was clear to me that this was a very important match.” The game was billed as a moment of reconciliation with the Stade de France once more the stage for the theatre of history with the France and Algeria players lining up arm in arm was arranged to provide the defining image for the next day's front pages But the elaborate choreography of rapprochement was futile Zidane's family origins made him an obvious target: his every touch was met with loud boos and chants of "Zidane harki Zidane harki!" – a slur wrongly alleging that his father had been a traitor during the Algerian War many people in the banlieues were feeling excluded from French society added to which football in North Africa was always politically loaded,” explains Andrew Hussey an expert in French cultural history at the University of London the football terraces were one of the few places where young people could chant slogans against the government and some of that culture translated over into Paris With Algeria being humiliated on the pitch as France romped into a 4-1 lead and officials refusing to intervene to quell the trouble - a decision Vincent Duluc blames on “historical guilt” - something had to give hundreds of Algeria fans invaded the pitch and forced the match to be abandoned “It was an intense moment,” says Laurent Dubois The Stade de France had been sacralised by this incredible national parable that had unfolded there in 1998 What happened in 2001 soiled the symbolism of the place.” The France players streamed from the pitch Only Thuram remained - eyes wild with anger “I was furious - the kids didn't understand the political impact of their actions,” he explains “It would all feed into that vicious cycle of mistrust You can't denounce racism and then just go and shoot yourself in the foot like that “So I tried to grab one of the kids - everyone thought I wanted to fight him You don't understand that ultimately this is going to be used against you.'” Days later Le Pen announced his candidacy for president outside the stadium - citing the pitch invasion as proof that the integration of North African immigrants had failed The Front National would win 17% of the vote in the 2002 election - advancing to the run-off as the second most popular party the stadium that had enshrined a multicultural dream had become a springboard for the politics of the far right France's Under-17 side continued the nation's international success in the late 1990s and early 2000s by winning the 2001 World Cup in Trinidad and Tobago “It punctured the optimism of '98,” says Duluc it was a reminder that it was a fragmented France The identities that came together in that '98 team had not enmeshed in society as a whole." It showed that even if people had been born here they would choose their Algerian identity.” That fact hadn't gone unnoticed at the Algerian Football Federation which began lobbying Fifa to change its rules on international eligibility It argued that players who had represented one country at junior level should be able to switch allegiances and represent another nation at senior level it ushered an exodus of French-born players from the country's youth teams to the African nations of their parentage Four members of that U17 side from 2001 would go on to represent African nations: Hassan Yebda (Algeria “The national football team became a battlefield for racial and social tensions through the 2000s,” Hussey says “The disintegration of the team was directly linked to the disintegration of the social contract in France.” As the team began to unravel - crashing out in the group stage of the 2002 World Cup and the quarter-final of Euro 2004 amid rumours of dressing-room disharmony - so too did the image of France as a harmonious multicultural society And nowhere was the ugly reality bubbling to the surface more obviously than in the neighbourhoods where most of the France players had grown up - the banlieues “There's a massive difference between the centre of Paris and the world of the banlieues - they really are two separate worlds,” Hussey explains and then you've got a kind of social exclusion which is related to things like unemployment two teenage boys of African immigrant origin were returning home after playing football They were chased by police into an electricity substation in the eastern banlieue of Clichy-sous-Bois and were electrocuted The incident provoked already simmering racial tensions thousands of predominantly Arab youths clashed with police and torched buildings an unlikely run to the 2006 World Cup final aside remained dogged by under-performance and chaotic infighting throughout the 2000s - was just another banlieue problem another unsightly symptom of the disorder and disaffection of the young men from France's suburban ghettos when the team imploded at the 2010 World Cup - finishing bottom of their group amid a revolt against coach Raymond Domenech - the word used by Sports Minister Roselyne Bachelot was the same one Nicolas Sarkozy used to describe the rioters of 2005: "racaille" French media published leaked tapes in which officials of the French Football Federation were heard to discuss a race quota limiting the intake of black and North African players at France's youth training centres to 30% Leading the discussions was France manager Laurent Blanc who had played alongside Thuram and Zidane in the 1998 team It seemed the dream of French football was broken beyond repair didn't know his father was making the journey to the Stade de France that evening the 63-year-old had been retired for two years it doesn't surprise him that his father took that job “He simply liked his work - that was part of his personality,” he says He continued to accept jobs because he liked the social aspect that the job offered him the simple pleasure of sharing conversation with passengers.” A trip to the Stade de France would have held a particular attraction for Manuel Dias who came to France aged 18 to escape Portugal's authoritarian regime “It was one day during 1966 that he first discovered his passion for football,” Michael remembers fondly “After an hour’s walk to the neighbouring village he discovered the World Cup match between Portugal and England on a black-and-white television in the corner of a cafe if Sporting Lisbon were playing he’d have an earpiece so he could listen to the match The team of his adopted country was especially dear to his heart but the French national team represented something quite particular for him,” Michael explains I remember how thrilled he was in 1998." He loved going to watch the matches at the Stade de France - he loved the atmosphere of the place.” Salim Toorabally was checking tickets on the turnstile of Gate L A little spooked by the text from his daughter he replied to assure her he would be especially vigilant a young man tried to sidle through Salim's turnstile behind another spectator Salim stopped him and asked to see his ticket The young man replied he had to go in - his friend was waiting with his ticket inside the ground with a few wispy hairs on his upper lip and chin He was a trainee electrician and a football fan it doesn't work like that,” Salim told him He loitered near Salim's gate for 10 minutes watching how he dealt with the steady stream of spectators instructing him not to let him through under any circumstance Manuel Dias had dropped off his passengers He had a little ritual that he cherished whenever he did the run to the stadium Then he got out to buy a coffee and soak up the atmosphere of the big match He was turning back to his car to listen to the game on the radio when he crossed paths with Bilal Hadfi “It was an extremely strange explosion because it made such an odd noise there was a second blast as one of Hadfi's accomplices detonated his bomb outside Gate H “That one sent a chill up your spine,” remembers Duluc whose children were in the crowd that night a journalist beside me in the press box got up to get a look at the presidential box and almost immediately he saw Hollande get up and leave the stadium That was when we knew something was up.” The noise of the second bomb was greeted with a ripple of shouts by fans who apparently thought it was a loud firework or flare A startled look briefly flashed across the face of France left-back Patrice Evra as he dribbled upfield but he passed the ball to a team-mate and the match settled back into its normal rhythm Mobile reception and internet in the stadium is erratic an announcement was made over the tannoy: “There has been an explosion in a brasserie in the vicinity of the stadium.” France's second goal of the game was celebrated no less vociferously than usual It was only after a third bomber detonated his device in a nearby side street and another announcement over the tannoy admitted there had been "external incidents" that panic began to spread among a crowd whose memories of the January 2015 attacks in Paris - including a shooting at the offices of magazine Charlie Hebdo and a siege at a Jewish supermarket - were still fresh Spectators were informed the east exit had been closed and they should leave via the north But their tickets didn't specify which exits were which - instead carrying only the letters of their designated gate - and the panicked crowd rushed en masse for the same exits there was a crush for the exits,” remembers Duluc or fearful of heading into the dark streets and subways of Paris many instead made instinctively for what felt like the safest place: the football pitch The green rectangle of turf that had since 1998 served as the stage for a nation's triumphs and disasters became a sanctuary Michael Dias was having dinner with his girlfriend as news began to filter through that Paris was under attack “I remember saying to my girlfriend: 'Have you seen Somebody's been killed at the Stade de France,'” he recalls I didn't realise my dad was caught up in it But I felt a certain stress gradually creep up on me they say that sometimes when someone close to you is hurt you feel it turned on the news channel and followed that for an hour he’s at the Stade de France and I can’t get hold of him.'” two France players were having the same awful moment of realisation As news of the attacks was broken to the two teams by Noel le Graet president of the French Football Federation forward Antoine Griezmann remembered his sister Maud was attending a concert by the band Eagles of Death Metal and realised she was among those held hostage at the Bataclan was worried he couldn't get hold of his cousin Asta Diakite the last of the huddled supporters were evacuated from the Stade de France pitch They emerged defiant into one of Paris' darkest nights Michael Dias kept calling his father's phone feeling a nauseous wave of panic rise every time he heard the automated voicemail recording He called the police and the local hospitals “The hours passed in a kind of despair,” he remembers The Germany team decided they did not want to leave the stadium to return to their hotel which had been the subject of a bomb threat earlier that day the France players insisted on staying in the changing rooms with their opponents until 03:00 Mattresses were dragged on to the linoleum floor and nestled among ice baths and recovery bikes Griezmann received news that his sister had escaped from the Bataclan Diarra learnt that his cousin had been killed in the gun attack on the Petit Cambodge restaurant She was buying groceries at the shop next door “She was like a big sister to me,” Diarra wrote in a statement the Portuguese government contacted the Dias family with the news they had been dreading: Manuel had been killed in the initial bomb blast Of the 130 people killed across Paris that evening he was the sole victim at the Stade de France but occupied your thoughts at every moment,” Michael Dias said in his eulogy to his father “You left us at a football stadium - the stadium of your France The detritus of grief is still pooled in the Place de la Republique: cards the bars and terrasses that once thrummed with the buzz and chatter of nocturnal city life are quieter now “For the first couple of weeks after the attacks it felt like a city at war,” Andrew Hussey remembers “There were jeeps full of paratroopers careering round “Now there's something else: a sense of unreality but there's also a sense that something bad is just about to happen but people don't know what the answer is.” Paris is home to 1.7 million Muslims and 280,000 Jews - more than in any other European city But it is a city unsure how to preserve harmony between those two communities uncertain of how to reach its young men - many in the ever-more impenetrable underworld of the banlieues - and turn them away from the temptation of religious conflict I travel through Paris' spiralling labyrinth of autoroutes to Alfortville an unremarkable concrete precinct on the edge of the south-eastern banlieues - the sort of grey place where tedium can easily become something darker that a cell of six young men plotted the November attacks on a ground far humbler than the Stade de France that one football club is trying to promote peace through sport UJA Maccabi Paris was formed by a merger of UJA Alfortville the traditional amateur club of Paris' Jewish community They play with the Star of David on their chests But the young people who wear the shirts are Muslims open to everyone,” says the club's president We don't concern ourselves with a player's origin or religion all we ask is that they embody the values of fraternity.” at a training session for the men's first team - who play in France's fifth tier - the tackles fly hard and fast But underpinning it all are the bonds of kinship and respect: the players arrive with a hearty "Bonsoir coach!" on their lips and exchange handshakes before training “We are family,” says midfielder Kevin Zonzon we hang out often and everyone respects each other For me it's a strong signal [for society].” who grew up in a Cameroonian Christian family From time to time we talk about our different religions a Catholic who crosses himself before every match often eats a halal meal with his Muslim team-mates But it is not just about promoting tolerance and unity Maccabi also gives young men structure and direction in their lives Some of the players were involved in petty crime before they joined the club “What we do here is a kind of social work,” Pascal says we provide a small part of their education: to respect the opposition when you give them a framework to work with We know that if they turn up to training and the match on Saturday they're not going to get up to any nonsense because they have the discipline of sport.” This is a club that has passed very close to terror's chilling orbit Pascal Laloux was the owner of the Bataclan the concert hall where 89 people were killed on 13 November He sold up just two months before the attacks and knew many of the people in the hall that evening The players - who along with Pascal were in Guadeloupe for a French Cup match the night of the attacks - regularly had their pre-match meal in the venue’s cafe but I didn’t go through one tenth of what some people went through,” Pascal says Many would have been absorbed by grief - or hatred But Pascal has thrown himself back into football more convinced than ever of its unifying power “I didn't create a football club in order to bring people together,” he says When you see a young Moshe and a young Hamed and a young Mamadou playing on the same team Maccabi has done for Pascal what he has done for a generation of young Parisians: it has given him a purpose and saved him from sinking at the most difficult time of his life I think I would have been even more distressed,” he says “I think I would have sold up [and moved abroad] “The club forced me to stay in a daily reality You are an important figure in so many people's lives that you just have to get on with it.” As Pascal drives me back to the metro station scarred with bullet-holes and cordoned off behind police tape to see the concert hall that I devoted 35 years of my life to [like that] there is no emotion in material things,” he says We were 2-0 down and then five minutes into the second half one of our players was sent off we're going to win this match.’ And we won it 3-2 “Watching all the players together after the third goal you can't help but feel joy in your heart.” workers are busily putting the finishing touches to the stadium before Euro 2016 - the first major tournament France has hosted since the 1998 World Cup the exterior is bedecked in the multi-coloured livery of sponsors France’s parliament voted to extend the state of emergency “We know that [the Islamic State group] is planning more attacks and that France is clearly a target,” Patrick Calvar Everyone fears there will be an attack at Euro 2016 emergency services have been rehearsing France's worst nightmare in eerily realistic training exercises which replicate bombings or chemical attacks on stadiums Never before has a tournament been staged amid such a backdrop of fear “We know that danger exists,” says Vincent Duluc “As long as football encourages us all to live together in harmony the terrorists will choose to wage war on it whereas the goal of football is to unite it.” the divisive effects of the attacks are already being felt the Front National - led by Jean-Marie Le Pen's daughter Marine - is likely to be the most popular party in the first round of next year's presidential election “The context now is very similar to 1998,” says Julien Laurens There are issues with terrorism - people don’t feel safe There’s a feeling that because of what happened which had stopped for a while and now is coming back." to do something special because it will bring people together.” Whether the team is capable of shouldering that burden is unclear they are among the favourites for the tournament but friendly results have been erratic - including defeats by Albania and England the team have found it easier to reflect the French public's divisions than to capture their support Star striker Karim Benzema - a Muslim of Algerian origin - has been banished from the squad as he is investigated for his part in an alleged plot to blackmail fellow international Mathieu Valbuena talented and ethnically diverse but unproven and overshadowed by the calamities of the recent past can recapture the spirit of that magical summer of '98 “I think the moment where the eyes of the country were on the football team “Everything that has happened since - especially the 2010 World Cup - has left its mark on the hearts of the French public the team have betrayed their confidence - they have broken something that cannot be repaired It would take the young players in the team to do something really special for us to see the same phenomenon again.” But Thierry Henry - who still remembers the moment during the 1998 celebrations when an elderly woman thanked him for giving the country its finest hour since the Liberation - has more faith in his successors “Sometimes in France we have doubts about whether we should support a team at the beginning the French population usually back the team,” he says “This team has to create that togetherness and it looks like they are going to have a good tournament so I think we will see that togetherness we saw in 1998.” France oscillates between extremes in its choice of national manager a natural authoritarian who has much more in common with military man Jacquet than amateur astrologer Domenech there is a feeling that what is at stake this summer is too important to be left to chance - that the 23 players selected are doing battle for France's soul football cannot solve problems which are fundamentally political in nature,” Thuram says Football has the power to bring people together when you win "It will be exactly that scenario in France if the French team wins and it won't just be the football fans who are caught up in it - it will be a national thing it's a positive thing for everyone - people are happy that can make them much more open to diversity Maybe then they won't fall into the trap of 'them and us' that politicians try to construct.” France play Romania in the tournament's opening match Eighteen years after he witnessed the fairytale of 1998 seven months after the nightmare of the November bombings Vincent Duluc will once again take his seat in the press box of the Stade de France it is the stadium of the attacks for me,” he says it will be weird to go back - it will be hard not to think of what happened [in November] he will not be taking his children with him but I made sure I requested them at the Parc des Princes,” he says but I think my kids would rather go there than go back to the Stade de France two tickets for a match at the Stade de France that lie “I’m not sure who I can give them to,” he admits “Who will want to come after what happened last time It’s difficult to give people seats and tell them everything will be OK Michael Dias will watch the France-Romania match from his living room He was invited to attend the game as a guest of honour “I’m a big football fan and I enjoy the big matches - for sure I will watch some of the games on TV,” he says “But I will not go back to the Stade de France." How could I feel comfortable watching football a few yards from where my father was killed?” Manuel Dias loved the French football team But what he loved above all was what that blue jersey has in its best moments come to represent: tolerance Six years after he hung that jersey on the peg for the last time Thierry Henry hasn't forgotten what it means “One of the [best] things about this summer will be having that feeling again,” he says “Where everybody feels like they are French Faith and Football on BBC Radio 5 live on 8 June Euro 2016 on the BBC Sport website To play the videos on this page you must install Adobe Flash seven loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) hatchlings were counted on the French Mediterranean coast the Observatoire des Tortues Marines (OTM) and the Réseau Tortues Marines de Méditerranée Française (RTMMF) have been observing an increase in turtle reproduction along the Mediterranean coast Between 2016 and 2022 along the French coast four sea turtle clutches were observed between the Var and Hérault regions: Saint-Aygulf (2016) Thanks to the mobilization of numerous local players including French Biodiversity Agency staff these nests are now protected by enclosures and awareness campaigns have been launched for beach users it will be necessary to wait until the end of the incubation period (55 days on average) to hope to see the baby turtles (or wrigglers) head out to sea While these closely spaced events are excellent news for biodiversity Are sea turtles colonizing new nesting habitats Is this the result of an increase in water temperature a change in currents or the natural evolution of nesting habitats Scientists will need a few more years and a lot more data before they can answer these questions Between Toulon and Hyères, the small town of Le Pradet is also a charming seaside resort benefiting from a sunny and warm setting. You wish to dive into the blue waves of the Mediterranean Sea? Discover the most beautiful beaches in Le Pradet. This beautiful sandy and pebble beach is about 100 meters long and is suitable for families. Indeed, children can have a long walk and can swim in complete safety thanks to the presence of a first-aid station open in summer. You can bask in the sun in a preserved natural setting. Showers and sanitary facilities are also available on site. The seabed is great for snorkelling. Une publication partagée par Tel Père Tel Fils 👨‍👦 (@telpere_telfiston) le 23 Oct. 2019 à 10 :17 PDT Une publication partagée par Anita (@pizzor123) le 8 Déc. 2019 à 11 :39 PST Composed of nice golden sand and small pebbles, this 150-meter-long beach is located at the foot of a small cliff. It gradually sinks into the sea, making it a swimming spot suitable for young children. Holidaymakers can take advantage of the sanitary facilities and showers at their disposal. A first-aid station ensures the supervision of the bathing during the summer. The beach of Monaco, about 200 meters long, is composed of sand and gravel. It is equipped with showers, toilets and a first-aid station. Le Pin de Galle is accessible after a steep path. This beach, about 150 meters long, is also equipped with sanitary facilities, showers and a first-aid station open in the summer season. You can also settle down at Les Oursinières, a beach of about 100 meters long made up of pebbles and sand. The first-aid station is open during the season, and showers and sanitary facilities are available for holidaymakers. Une publication partagée par PriPri ❤️☀️ (@priscillette) le 21 Juin 2020 à 3 :50 PDT Une publication partagée par Pradet_Kite School (@pradet_kite) le 23 Juin 2019 à 1 :06 PDT Swimming and sunbathing will not keep you busy during your stay: you can also try your hand at many water activities is an activity that appeals to children and parents alike Kayaks and pedal boats are also available for hire The seaside resort also has more unusual activities Flyboarding offers the incredible sensation of flying over the Mediterranean or to discover other activities such as wakeboarding or towed buoys A scuba diving experience is an opportunity to admire the corals the posidonia and the sometimes endemic fauna of the Mediterranean sea bed bars and stores of the seafront are also at the origin of the festive atmosphere of the seaside resort during the day as well as in the evening: mattress rental gourmet break a few meters from the waves… Your local supermarket could very soon be changing hands as part of the transformation of nearly 300 Casino stores to Intermarchés or Nettos.  The move could also see shoppers save big on their weekly shops – prices will be on average 15% cheaper, according to BFMTV.  Read more: Leclerc or Lidl: Which is the cheapest supermarket in France? Some 64 Casino supermarkets are set to reopen under new ownership by the end of May.  It comes after retail group Les Mousquetaires bought 294 Casino supermarkets and hypermarkets between October 2023 and January 2024 after Casino was forced to sell off most of its stores in a bid to avoid bankruptcy.  The rest are being changed gradually up to October 2024.  See more: Intermarché and Auchan to buy more than 300 Casino stores in France See our list below to check where and when shops will be changing and whether they will become an Intermarché or a Netto.  Read more: Is French supermarket trend for ‘monthly subscription’ worth doing? Casino in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés - Intermarché - May 16 Casino in Hardricourt - Intermarché - May 16 Casino in Asnières-sur-Seine - Intermarché - May 23 Casino in 13th arrondissement of Paris - Intermarché - May 23 Casino in Boissy-Saint-Léger - Intermarché - May 23 Casino in Lucé - Intermarché - May 23  Casino in Longeville-sur-Mer - Intermarché - May 16 Casino in Blanzac-lès-Matha - Netto - May 16 Casino in Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche - Intermarché - May 23 Casino in Saint-Martin-D'Hères - Intermarché - May 23 Casino in Villeurbanne - Intermarché - May 16 Casino in Lyon (7th and 9th arrondissements) - Intermarché - May 16 Casino in Clermont-Ferrand (three stores) - Intermarché - May 16 Casino in Clermont-Ferrand - Netto - May 16 Casino in Annemasse - Intermarché - May 23 Casino in Clermont-Ferrand - Intermarché - May 23 Casino in Lyon (7th arrondissement) - Intermarché - May 23 Casino in Canet-en-Roussillon - Intermarché - May 16 Casino in Fleurance - Netto - May 16  Casino in Perpignan - Intermarché - May 23 Casino in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer - Intermarché - May 16 Casino in Carry-le-Rouet - Intermarché - May 16 Casino in Saint-Pons - Intermarché - May 16 Casino in Le Cannet - Intermarché - May 16 Casino in La Ciotat (two stores) - Intermarché - May 16 13th arrondissements) - Intermarché - May 23 Casino in Davézieux - Intermarché - May 23 Casino in Villeneuve-Loubet - Intermarché - May 23 Eight pairs of tickets for this summer’s festival are available exclusively to Connexion subscribers ‘vac from the sea’ is an environmental project initiated by electrolux as a means of raising awareness around the marine plastic problem by collecting ocean plastic waste and making vacuum cleaners out of it as a means of encouraging consumers and industry to recycle more five unique vacuum cleaners have been crafted from plastic debris collected from five bodies of water: pacific ocean each one represents the ocean from which the plastic originates and all models are fully functional and have been built using the same core structure (chassis bag compartment) as the new electrolux ultra one green-model the global initiative aims to bring attention to the issue of plastic pollution while at the same time combatting the scarcity of recycled plastics needed for making sustainable home appliances the plastic debris has been collected in partnership with organizations including: B.E.A.C.H blue view divers in thailand and surfrider foundation in france electrolux green range concept vac with vac from the sea – pacific ocean edition (side view) the vacuum cleaners embody the plastic paradox: oceans are full of plastic waste yet on land there is a shortage of recycled plastic for producing sustainable vacuum cleaners electrolux makes green range vacuum cleaners from 70 percent recycled plastic ‘our intention is to bring awareness to the situation and the need for better plastic karma over 60 million people have been reached and we are continuing the initiative following the great response.’ – cecilia nord vice president – floor care sustainability and environmental affairs electrolux green range concept vac with vac from the sea – pacific ocean edition left: vac from the sea – baltic sea edition right: vac from the sea – indian ocean edition the baltic sea edition concept vacuum cleaner plastic was collected from three different sites: gdansk special vac from the sea-envelopes were distributed to people in the small harbor of sandhamn in the stockholm archipelago the envelopes were stuffed with beach litter thailand was collected from both beaches and the underwater seabed to construct the vac from the sea – indian ocean edition much of the debris found consisted of fishing gear such as nets and plastic ropes coral reef diving methods were used to collect the plastic parts buckets drink bottles and detergent containers were also found the collected plastic was split in a shredder into thin strips white and colored plastic strips were mounted in a patter that covers the entire top and hub caps of the vacuum cleaner left: vac from the sea – pacific ocean edition right: vac from the sea – mediterranean sea edition much of the plastic of the pacific ocean edition has been bleached by the sun and corroded by salt water fish and other sea-animals when they think they are food much of the plastic remaining in the sea and that which washes up on the beach is usually blue green or white the collection site in hawaii saw some of the debris covered with barnacles and annelid worms others had traces of bite marks from sharks france that was used to compose the mediterranean sea edition were objects thrown or washed out to sea from the beaches: beach toys PET bottles… tourism provides the mediterranean sea with tons of plastic on a daily basis much of it remaining in the sea forever because of plastic’s  slow degradation plastic from marseille was cut into heart-shaped pieces and attached to a thin shell of industrially recycled plastic hot air was used to form the plastic close to the vacuum cleaner left: vac from the sea – north sea edition right: electrolux green range vacuum plastic was gathered on the bohuslän beaches in sweden for the vac from the sea – north sea edition the plastic remnants were not bleached in the same way as in the oceans cleaned and cut into pieces which were then punched into circular tokens these were then applied onto a fiberglass weave moulded after the shape of the vacuum cleaner vac from the sea – indian ocean edition colection site: koh phi phi island thailand collection method: coral reef diving partners: blue view divers local partner blue view divers state that discarded plastic bags amount to a huge number and cause a lot of problems in koh phi phi as the resident hawksbill turtle population often dies from swallowing plastic ‘we also removed several plastic bags and plastic bottles from the dive site that had become trapped amongst the staghorn corals and dive site.’ – electrolux – vac from the sea ‘the removal of the nets was a slow and careful process of cutting the net making sure we did not break the fragile coral that had entangled it.’ – blue view divers vac from the sea – north sea edition collection site: skagerrak sweden collection method: coastal clean up partners: sotenäs municipality plastic garbage found along the north sea vac from the sea – mediterranean sea edition collection site: st france collection method: beach clean up partners: surfrider foundation vac from the sea – baltic sea edition collection site: sandhamn latvia collection method: coastal clean up with locals partners: islanders a look at some of the production images taken during the building process of the vacuums: bright colored tokens cover the hood of the north sea vacuum cleaner work being done on the pacific ocean edition vacuum plastic collected from the pacific ocean gathered plastic from the pacific had a completely different color scale than the plastic from other oceans it is assumed the plastic has been in the ocean for years bleached by the sun and corroded by salt water left: hood made of shredded PET-bottles right: a rope found amongst the plastic from hawaii was used as a vacuum cleaner handle left: plastic debris from the atlantic ocean right: plastic waste from two oceans the french plastic marseille consisted mainly of PET-bottles and ‘tourist litter’ the swedish plastic from sotenäs contained different sorts of packaging AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style One of the advantages of living in the South of France is that you can enjoy amusement parks in the sunshine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPgejcqLVRA invites you to experience an unforgettable adventure in an exceptional wooded setting with attractions for young and old alike: roller coasters the new season promises new sensations with 3 brand-new attractions: the Mini Autos 📍 Freeway A55 – Fos/Martigues Exit Carry le Rouet 🫰 From €17.50 for children under 12 and €21.50 for children over 13 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEr_zNpuy5c OK Corral has been innovating to offer its visitors ever more rides and fun With the recent opening of the Mexican zone and its 3 new attractions from the youngest (with 15 rides for children under 1 metre) to the most daring you’re plunged into the authentic world of the Far West Over 55 years of Wild West history to discover for a total immersion in the American West An ideal place to spend a day full of laughter and emotions shared between generations https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42KLK4BfjQ4 is a theme park dedicated to the world of comic strips it offers more than 24 attractions for the whole family from roller coasters to water rides to interactive attractions all in a setting inspired by the famous comic strips Among the roller coasters are “Wanted Dlaton” and “Spirou Racing” Younger guests can enjoy rides such as “Aéro Champignac” and “Marsu Palombia” The park also features a “Zombillenium Tower” the park plans to unveil two new attractions An ideal place for young and old in search of adventure and fun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqW8CuqNqz0 located in the thousand-year-old castle of La Barben offers a unique experience in Provence with 11 shows and various activities for the whole family comedy and sound and light shows will amaze young and old The 2025 season runs from April 5 to November 2 The park is also committed to environmental protection and has been awarded the ” Sustainable Entertainment: Responsible Emotion” label Highlights include 360° projections and a major night-time show “Napoléon: l’Aigle et la Muse” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQCT_CiUKG4 Looking for a refreshing day out just 30 minutes from Marseille located on the magnificent Côte d’Azur is the ideal place to experience thrills with family and friends it has offered a multitude of attractions: giant slides wave pools and water playgrounds for all ages Whether you’re looking for adrenalin or a moment of relaxation Aqualand has everything you need for an unforgettable day under the Mediterranean sun are you ready to have fun and cool off in an exceptional setting RTE'S Doireann Garrihy has shared stunning holiday snaps in the South of France The presenter has been showing snippets of her vacation to Saint-Cyur-sur-mer in France on her Instagram The 2FM DJ was grinning from ear-to-ear in the picture she posted yesterday by the sea wearing a flowy black dress and sunglasses She captioned it: "Movin’ mad in Sud de France!" The RTE star looked to be enjoying herself relaxing in the sun Doireann posted a video of herself sunbathing at the beach on her Instagram story to congratulate Kelly Harrington on her winning of the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games. She said: "Got a little Aperol spritz to do a cheers to Kelly Harrington and Go tobann.. Doireann shared a video this morning of the scenic route and beautiful views on her way for a coffee and said: "Time for a coffee in this fabulous place.. This comes after the podcaster shared a hilarious throwback snap of her younger self "being smug about her travels". The presenter had her followers in stitches as she posed in a pink co-ord and waved "like the Queen upon arrival". Young Doireann posed on the runway in front of a plane with a huge grin on her face and her teddy bear under her arm. Doireann said: "Younger Doireann being smug about her travels "Context: @claregarrihy and I had just landed in London for a ‘just the two of us’ trip and she told me to wave like the Queen upon arrival "I actually wouldn’t have called the Queen my aunt I was so happy