With some of the world’s best horse-and-rider combinations at start last Sunday’s CSIO5* 1.60m €500,000 Rolex Grand Prix Ville de La Baule was always going to be a clash of titans USA's Kent Farrington and Greya took their first international victory together ahead of their compatriots Karl Cook and Caracole de La Roque in second and Belgium's Gregory Wathelet aboard Bond Jamesbond de Hay in third.  we take a look back at the action at the 2024-edition of Jumping International de La Baule.  All photos © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.  © 2025 World of Showjumping - All rights reserved Powered by Artionet - Generated with IceCube2.Net The Grand Prix de la Pâtisserie 2025 has been awarded Which sweets and which pastry chefs have been honored with this year's award Get out your dessert forks? Every year, the city of Paris and chef Pierre Hermé organize a competition to select the capital’s best pastries Discover the winners of the Grand Prix de la Pâtisserie de la Ville de Paris 2025 Paris, the gourmet city par excellence? From croissants and pains au chocolat to the crazy creations of Michelin-starred chefs and the pastries of young talent that everyone’s snapping up the capital has something to make sweet-toothed gourmets salivate It’s precisely to celebrate this gastronomic culture and the dynamism of this scene that the City of Paris has created a special prize Launched in 2019 with the collaboration of Pierre Hermé each year rewards a sweet creation that stands out for its excellence on the theme of “sporting values“ rewarded Raamin Samiyi and his “Diving Opera” as well as Baptiste Willot’s “Pomod’Oro” the capital’s most creative pastry chefs had to work on the theme of “Plants and aromatic herbs from the woods of Paris The competition was open to professional pastry chefs and those in specialized training the prize was €4000 (for professionals) and an internship at Maison Pierre Hermé (for students) Prizes require a jury! And the Grand Prix de la Pâtisserie de la Ville de Paris would be nothing without its uncompromising jury chaired by pastry chef Pierre Hermé and made up of journalists culinary experts… and Parisians with discerning palates the City of Paris allowed residents of the capital to taste the participants’ creations and give their opinions The jury finally delivered its verdict last Friday during an afternoon dedicated to tasting some fifteen top-flight creations We now reveal the names of the lucky winners and their incredible pastries The name is a nod to the game chifoumi/stone-leaf-scissors The “young talent” prize went to Mahé Souchu This CEPROC student and apprentice at Maison Thevenin designed this “Éveil des Sous-Bois“ with its highly original composition based on stinging nettle which appealed to the taste buds of the jury members Find out more about the Grand Prix de la Pâtisserie 2025 in collaboration with Le Grand défi Pierre Lavoie and the Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec (FMOQ) will host La Grande marche in our community The walk will be taking place in over 100 cities in Quebec will be invited to do a 5-km loop around the streets of Saint-Lambert The aim of the event is to raise public awareness of the importance of adopting healthy lifestyle habits and doing physical exercise Can you say "love at first sight?" In a city where history whispers from every corner Hotel de la Ville boldly reimagines the spirit of the Grand Tour for the modern traveller Perched atop the Spanish Steps like a crown jewel in Rome’s architectural tiara this 18th-century palazzo has been transformed into a masterpiece of contemporary luxury and now houses the city’s most talked-about new addition: Café Ginori where Italian artistry meets culinary excellence Occupying what might be Rome’s most enviable address on Via Sistina Hotel de la Ville stands as a testament to the city’s enduring romance with style and sophistication which reopened in 2019 after an ambitious renovation couldn’t be more perfectly positioned – just a three-minute walk down the Spanish Steps leads you into the heart of Rome’s historic centre while the peaceful Villa Borghese gardens are right behind the hotel Italian architect Tommaso Ziffer and Olga Polizzi featuring a vibrant piazza within the heart of the hotel where neoclassical and antique motifs dance with contemporary comfort The design pays playful homage to the Grand Tour era when European aristocrats and nobles would come to Rome as part of their educational rite of passage The most coveted accommodations are undoubtedly the three glamorous top-floor suites – Canova and De La Ville – each offering sweeping views of the Eternal City’s terracotta roofscape At the helm of this culinary enterprise is the legendary Fulvio Pierangelini Rocco Forte Hotels’ Creative Director of Food night porter and sailing instructor to Italy’s most celebrated chef is as fascinating as his innovative menus one of the 20th century’s leading chefs The new café offers three distinct dining experiences throughout the day with standout dishes like Scampi with caramelized Sciacca mango and Cacio e pepe with lobster highlighting Pierangelini’s talent for reimagining classics with contemporary flair with Ginori 1735’s iconic patterns woven throughout the space From the “Oriente Italiano” wallpaper to embroidered fabrics adorning cushions and chairs every detail creates an atmosphere that’s both sophisticated and welcoming The Sicilian-themed Irene Forte Spa is a 550-square-meter haven of tranquillity offering an experience that goes beyond typical spa treatments With five single treatment rooms and a double suite specially designed for Rasul mud rituals the spa complex includes a comprehensive thermal area that rivals Rome’s ancient baths in luxury The wellness offering perfectly complements the hotel’s sophisticated ambiance providing a peaceful retreat after a day of exploring Rome’s bustling streets As part of the prestigious Rocco Forte Hotels collection Hotel de la Ville represents the group’s commitment to creating distinctive properties that capture the essence of their locations while maintaining exceptional standards of luxury and service The hotel exemplifies Sir Rocco Forte’s vision of modern luxury hospitality – one that honours history while embracing contemporary sophistication The addition of Café Ginori is perhaps the perfect embodiment of this philosophy bringing together three centuries of Ginori’s artistic excellence with Rocco Forte’s contemporary luxury approach It’s a combination that feels both timeless and thoroughly modern – much like Rome itself Hotel de la Ville Rome has rooms from €1 200 per night EasyJet has direct return flights from Nice to Rome from €40 and ITA Airways offers direct returns flights from €120 Book directly via Rocco Forte Hotels MonacoTribune straight to your inbox? It's free! France makes around 16 million baguettes daily. “You are one of the most beautiful persons I’ve known a person who is today universal,” Hidalgo told Lagerfeld in French as the crowd gathered in close for pictures I’d like to thank you from Paris.” Lagerfeld who apparently came up with the Eiffel Tower set concept months before he learned of the award (so he’s psychic on top of everything else?) made his own brief speech at his trademark rapid clip too fast for this non-native speaker to catch much more than a few formidables So let’s hear from the celebrities who assembled for the occasion Julianne Moore: “It’s so wonderful to be in Paris That’s something that I think is really remarkable about him—the way he celebrates craftsmanship and how there’s a person behind every dress.” Sofia Coppola: “Karl is so warm and generous in spirit I was inspired by him even as a kid because he did so many things—so many lines and photography Katy Perry: “I thought the show was classic and timeless and very glitz My favorite was the sequin checkered gown with feathers on the shoulders.” Perry: “I was invited to the show and I asked We’re going to do this one time and the one time we do it we’re going to go all the way.” Lucie Guerra Les villes françaises à la grande superficie sont nombreuses Mais celle qui est véritablement la plus grande va vous surprendre Quelle est la plus grande ville française ? D’instinct, nombreux·ses sont celleux qui répondraient Paris ou Marseille avec des superficies respectives de 105 et 240 km2 la capitale française et la cité phocéenne se positionnent bien loin derrière la véritable plus grande ville de l'Hexagone : Arles.  Une publication partagée par French Fascination (@frenchfascination) Avec une taille de 758,9 km2 la « Petite Rome de Gaule », réputée pour ses multiples monuments historiques, se positionne comme la plus grande ville de France. Elle atteint presque la même superficie que New York City qui s’élève à 783,8 km2.  Une publication partagée par •❂ ᎳᎾᏒᏞᎠ ᎳᎪᏞᏦᎬᏒᏃ ❂• (@world_walkerz) « Mais il n’y a que 50 000 habitants à Arles » Face à sa consœur américaine aux 8,5 millions d’habitants la commune des Bouches-du-Rhône semble bien infime Qu’est-ce qui explique donc une telle superficie  La réponse est toute simple : ce sont les nombreux kilomètres carrés de son parc naturel régional de Camargue Arles n'est cependant pas à proprement parler la plus grande ville française mais la plus grande ville de france métropolitaine : Maripasoula, en Guyane fait quant à elle 18 360 km2 de superficie Une publication partagée par Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur Tourisme (@visitsouthoffrance) If in the past, we waited for the winner of the Grand Prix de la Baguette today it's the creativity of artisan patissiers that Paris also celebrates A captivating theme: This year, candidates had to work on the theme " the values of sport ", echoing the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games A local touch: Each creation must incorporate at least one Parisian ingredient. You can work with the network of Parisculteurs or "Fabriqué à Paris" label holders to find this unique ingredient 7 entries were received from students at Mederic CEPROC and the École Boulangerie et Pâtisserie de Paris At an event this afternoon at the headquarters of the Syndicat des Boulangers-Pâtissiers du Grand Paris won this year's Jeunes Talents prize for his creation "La Pomod'Oro" This success opens the door to a one-week internship with Pierre Hermé will honor the winners at a special ceremony at Hôtel de Ville on November 27 It will be the culmination of a highly competitive career marked by creativity and savoir-faire "I'm very proud of the enthusiasm this professional event has generated since 2019 Parisian pastry chefs surprise us with their technique and creativity Encouraging the new generation is essential so we're very proud to launch the Jeune Talent prize We're delighted to have two Parisian men and two Parisian women on our jury who have found both inventive and gourmet ways to showcase local products while at the same time promoting sport through their creativity " " A competition such as this helps to promote our pastry-making expertise throughout the world and encourages us to imagine new combinations of flavours highlights certain points in common between our universes I'm very honoured to be the patron of this wonderful event," explains Pierre Hermé made up of renowned experts such as Gérard Tempion and Pascal Barillon and Laurent Le Daniel for the young talents had the difficult task of selecting the best from a host of talented candidates The presence of Parisian citizens on the jury added a touch of authenticity and proximity to the competition This page may contain AI-assisted elements, more information here Refer your establishment, click herePromote your event, click here €25.00Add to cart Monaco City Council, and more specifically two of its departments – the Early Childhood & Family Department and the Senior Citizens and Social Action Department, were eager to join the international cultural event known as La Grande Lessive®, an international biannual event organised on two Thursdays in the year, in March and October. The 32nd edition took place on Thursday 20th October 2022, in 121 countries and 5 continents. This ephemeral exhibition of participatory art operates on the principle of hanging laundry by displaying artworks made on an A4 format… on a clothesline!  At the origin of the event was Joëlle Gonthier, a visual artist and doctor of aesthetics, who created the first ephemeral art exhibition on a clothesline in 2006. Since then, several thousand installations have been created throughout the world for each edition, with more than 13 million participants! La Grande Lessive® takes place two Thursdays a year in various locations and aims to develop social links and awaken the desire to practice art.  On Thursday 20th October, children from the Monaco-Ville crèche and the family crèche, as well as beneficiaries of Home Help and members of the Club le Temps de Vivre, were invited to take part in a display of drawings on the theme of this year’s event: “The colour of my dreams”. Throughout the day, children with the help of the nursery nurses displayed their creations on the terrace of the cloister of the Foyer Sainte-Dévote, while the seniors exhibited theirs in Parc Princesse Antoinette, from 11.30 am to 12.30 pm, to the great pleasure of passers-by. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Bardet insists he is still a staunch opponent of same-sex marriage I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A French mayor who staunchly opposes same-sex marriage has been accused of hypocrisy after officiating his own son’s wedding to another man Despite condemning same-sex unions as “not what nature intended” Raymond Bardet the mayor of the south-eastern town of Ville-la-Grand said he didn’t think twice about performing the wedding ceremony for his son According to Pink News, he told Le Dauphiné Libéré: “My son was getting married, there was no question of letting anyone else do it. “If I had asked a deputy to celebrate the marriage, people could have thought that I was criticising my son or that we had fallen out. He told the newspaper he only found out his son was gay three months ago and had never discussed same-sex marriage with him prior to this. “I am his father and I would be the one to celebrate his union, as I would have done for his sister," he said. “I didn’t know his partner, but he’s a good person and they make a beautiful couple together. I saw two smart men, very content together. However, Mr Bardet was quick to insist his controversial views remain unchanged, stressing his son’s wedding would be the only same-sex union he would officiate. "It won't happen again," he added. "I have certain opinions and I hold them firmly." Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Canada’s Beth Underhill and the 13-year-old stallion Dieu Merci van T&L (Toulon x Corrado I) won Sunday’s CSIO5* 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix Ville de La Baule The 59-year-old Canadian rider joined Eric Lamaze’s Torrey Pines Stable at the end of last year taking over the riding duties on some of his top horses – including Dieu Merci van T&L The relatively new partnership seems to be a match made in heaven: After jumping double clear in Friday’s Nations Cup to help Canada finish third Underhill and the powerful stallion impressed again on Sunday with another two flawless rounds – besting a field of fifty world-class horse-and-rider combinations in one of the most prestigious Grand Prix classes on the circuit.  with the François André Stadium packed with spectators on this sunny Sunday afternoon. Gregory Bodo’s fourteen-fence track was masterfully built and in particular it was the open water at 4 the triple combination at 11abc and the penultimate plank that caused the most faults – while the time allowed of 80 seconds also played it’s part only seven of the fifty riders managed to answer all the questions asked by Bodo to clear the track Joining them for the second round were four riders on time faults from round one as well as the two fastest four-faulters.  Only two riders managed to jump double clears; the first was Brazil’s Yuri Mansur who with Vitiki (Valentino x For Expo) had delivered perhaps the most beautiful first round of the Grand Prix – effortlessly guiding his wonderful chestnut around the demanding track Although a bit of luck was involved in round two with a tap on the first oxer it was another great performance by Mansur who stopped the clock at 45 seconds over the shortened track to take the lead.  Beth Underhill entered the arena and the Canadian rider set off with determination Dieu Merci van T&L easily covers a lot of ground with his powerful canter and Underhill encouraged him for every stride – bringing the time down to 43.77 seconds as she crossed the finish line.  None of those to come could catch Underhill and Mansur home hero Pierre Marie Friant and the 14-year-old gelding Urdy d’Astree (Bouffon du Murier x Pamphile) gave it a good shot and stood for the biggest surprise of the day when being the best on behalf of the host nation with a rail down on the penultimate oxer in round two and the very quick time of 41.66 seconds This put him tied in third with Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet and Nevados S (Calvados Z x Romualdo) who carried four faults with them from round one to jump clear in round two in a time of 41.66 seconds Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat and Venard de Cerisy (Open Up Semilly x Djalisco du Guet) finished fifth and it’s been a very memorable week,” Underhill smiled after her win “I have not known Dieu Merci van T&L for very long; I have been with him for approximately two months so this is my third 1.60m class with him but he suits my style – he has a big gallop and he thrives on pace so I feel like we have gelled quite quickly.” and I was walking through the vendors and I came up to the other side of the ring and I saw the plaques of all the previous winners and I thought ‘Would it not be wonderful to be part of that?’ that group of riders and teams,” Underhill said.  and I’m so grateful to be here – for the organisers here for inviting Canada it meant so much for us to be here,” Underhill said and for Rolex who have been such sponsors for the sport for so many years – giving us the opportunity to have our sport at this level Antoine Lebrun Malgré un charme indéniable et une ambiance vibrante Lille déçoit encore en se positionnant à la toute dernière place sur 119 dans le classement des villes les plus sûres de France publié par Le Parisien ce week-end Un revers qui vient ternir l'image de la ville pourtant si prisée pour sa convivialité et son dynamisme Le Parisien s'est appuyé sur les données de la délinquance fournies par le ministère de l'Intérieur prenant en compte une multitude de critères tels que les cambriolages les vols et les agressions dans les villes de plus de 50 000 habitants Et le constat est sans appel : Lille est clairement dans les choux on retrouve la ville portuaire de Cherbourg-en-Cotentin dans la Manche avec une note globale de 16,34 sur 20. Elle est suivie par Boulogne-Billancourt (15,65/20) et la ville d’Ajaccio en Corse (15,35/20) qui trustent le podium confirmant ainsi leur réputation de villes où il fait bon vivre en toute sécurité Lille se positionne à la toute dernière place des 119 villes classées Elle dégringole complètement à l'instar d'autres grandes villes françaises comme Paris (104ème) Bordeaux (110ème) ou encore Marseille (114ème) vous avez bien lu : on est plus en sécurité à Paris ou Marseille que sur la Grand Place de Lille.  Auriane © Philippe Comtesse - Gregg Bréhin_YodelOKÀ côté de la Cathédrale Grand Magasin est la nouvelle recyclerie imaginée par Philippe Comtesse Ouverture prévue le mardi 3 avril à 10 heures voici ce qu'on pourra dénicher les objets vendus dans cette nouvelle recyclerie du centre-ville seront renouvelés quasi-quotidiennement du petit objet d'usage courant au coup de coeur collector c'est surtout le nouveau projet de Philippe Comtesse la recyclerie de matériaux industriels mis à disposition de tous.  Grand Magasin confirme que la consommation a changé le réemploi n'est plus réservé aux personnes dans le besoin mais intéresse tous ceux qui souhaitent se montrer plus responsables dans leur consommation Grâce à un partenariat avec Nantes Métropole les objets collectés pour Grand Magasin sont issus de l'Écopoint d'Auvours L'objectif est de leur donner une seconde vie pour préserver l'environnement.  vice-présidente à l'économie sociale et solidaire et à l'économie circulaire de Nantes Métropole :  « L'ouverture du Grand Magasin est une bonne nouvelle pour les Nantaises et les Nantais désireux de se mettre au réemploi et réduire leurs déchets Je suis ravie de voir s'implanter en plein coeur de notre centre-ville une enseigne d'Économie sociale et solidaire venant conforter la dynamique du zéro déchet à Nantes Métropole Cette belle initiative offre des solutions de proximité Le Grand Magasin participe aussi à la création d'emploi l'enseigne passera de 7 à 11 salariés Rendez-vous le mardi 3 avril à 10h pour découvrir cette nouvelle enseigne solidaire Grand Magasin4 rue de l'Évêché - NantesTél : 09 66 65 12 44Du mardi au samedi de 10h à 14h et de 15h à 19h Pépite : transformez votre œil en œuvre d'art à Nantes Château de Maubreuil : l'hôtel 5 étoiles avec restaurant et spa le plus secret de Nantes Mama Shelter vient d'ouvrir l'hôtel le plus dingue et branché à 1h30 de Nantes