NEWS
Sunny Weekend - Sunny and warm weather is expected this weekend in the Alpes-Maritimes. Friday is mostly clear but brings light rain in inland areas, with highs around 23–26°C. Saturday will be mostly sunny, with a slight chance of showers near Roquebillière and temperatures up to 30°C. Sunday promises full sunshine across the region and even hotter temperatures, reaching 32°C inland. Overall, it will be a beautiful, summery weekend on the French Riviera.
UNOC restrictions - The UN Ocean Conference 2025 (UNOC) is taking place from the 9th to the 13th of June, with strict security around Port Lympia and parts of the city. Some roads, parking areas, and sea access points will be closed or restricted; beaches remain mostly open except for "Bains Militaires". Public transport like buses and trams are free from the 6th-8th of June, with some route changes and deviations. Access to boats in the port is limited to maintenance only, with no sea outings allowed until the 13th of June. Schools remain open, but access to homes in restricted areas is controlled, and drone use is banned until the 14th of June.
Estrosi announced removing Saint-Isidore tollbooth - Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, has announced that the Saint-Isidore tollbooth on the A8 motorway could be removed within two years, citing pollution concerns. He stated that the Transport Minister has committed to the project, with a decision expected by the end of this year. Estrosi, author of a new 140-page manifesto on ocean preservation, promotes a "right-wing ecology" with solutions like nuclear energy and industrial rearmament. He criticizes bureaucracy and delays that hinder green transitions in France. The announcement comes just before the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC 3) in Nice.
Serial tyre slasher - Several residents have had their car tires mysteriously punctured over recent weeks in Nice’s Valrose district. Victims report screws or suspected screwdriver damage, with no pattern or personal motive identified. Despite repeated incidents, the police have not been contacted or intervened. A frustrated local has posted warning signs accusing a "serial tire slasher" and claiming to be monitoring the situation. Residents speculate it might be a fellow motorist seeking revenge, though his public note has raised concerns.
Environment activist property's vandalized - Environmental activist Claire Nouvian’s Paris apartment has been vandalized with black paint and offensive messages just before her trip to the UN Ocean Conference in Nice. She suspects intimidation, stating her daughter is frightened and calling for police protection. Nouvian is the founder of Bloom, an NGO fighting destructive industrial fishing practices. Her organization believes the attack was orchestrated by industrial fishing lobbies threatened by Bloom’s advocacy. They’re pushing for major wins at the upcoming UN conference: banning bottom trawling in marine protected areas and excluding large vessels from coastal waters.
Juans-les-Pins Seafront renovation - The seafront of Juan-les-Pins, Alpes-Maritimes, is undergoing major renovation, but delays mean it won’t be fully completed until spring 2026. Some sections, including three beaches on the west side, will reopen by the 30th of June, while others will be ready by late July. Work will pause over summer in key areas like La Pinède to ensure the tourist season and jazz festival go smoothly. Local residents and businesses face ongoing noise and disruption but hope the final result will boost the town’s appeal. The €18 million project aims to enhance both the environmental and architectural quality of the promenade.
INSEE study shows how wasteful the PACA region is - A recent INSEE study shows that the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region produces more waste than the national average, mainly due to tourism. In 2021, each resident generated 638 kg of waste, compared to 548 kg in France overall, with coastal areas being the worst affected. Only 15% of waste is properly sorted in the PACA region, versus 22% nationally, though sorting practices have improved over the past decade. The region also has fewer recycling centres, which are less frequently used and collect less waste per visit than the national average. Despite these challenges, the PACA region is one of the few regions where waste per capita has slightly decreased in the last ten years.
NEWS UPDATE
Burglary - Five armed burglars have broken into a villa during the night, threatening a babysitter and the 5-year-old child she was watching in Cannes. The intruders, masked and carrying a stun gun, surprised them while they slept. They stole luxury items worth around €100,000. The owners were not home at the time of the robbery. An investigation for armed robbery in a group has been opened by the Grasse prosecutor’s office.
Saint-Isidore tollbooth not to be destroyed - Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot has clarified that the Saint-Isidore toll near Nice won't be removed before 2032, when the A8 Motorway concession ends. Mayor Christian Estrosi had claimed it would be scrapped within two years, but Tabarot disagreed. Instead, the toll may be upgraded to a free-flow system using license plate recognition for automatic payment. This system, already in use near Paris, would let drivers pass without stopping. Tabarot emphasized the need to improve safety at the site, which has seen repeated accidents.
Police officer hit by a car - A police officer on duty for the UNOC ocean summit has been hit by a car while riding his motorcycle on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. The 48-year-old officer was slightly injured and taken to Pasteur 2 Hospital. The accident occurred during a security reconnaissance near the Fabron area. Although he was in pain, his injuries were not serious. The Promenade des Anglais will be a key route in the coming days as international delegations arrive for the summit.
Roadworks on the A8 motorway - Roadworks on the A8 motorway and A500 from the 9th-13th of June will cause night-time closures and detours in the Alpes-Maritimes. The A500 (including the Monaco tunnel and exits n 56 & 57) will be closed nightly from 8:30 pm to 5:30 am. Several A8 interchanges, like Mandelieu, Mougins, Nice Aéroport, and Saint-Laurent-du-Var, will have entry/exit ramps closed at different times. These closures are due to road resurfacing and vegetation clearing for fire prevention. Alternative routes are provided, and heavy vehicles have special instructions to follow.
Boar cull cancelled - The town of Menton has cancelled a planned wild boar cull after a public outcry, especially from animal rights groups like the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. The cull was scheduled during the birthing season, raising concerns over killing mothers and newborns. Many residents criticized the plan, citing safety fears and animal cruelty. The mayor’s office cited wild boar damage as the reason but agreed to cancel after backlash. Although the hunt is called off, tensions remain over how to manage wild animals in urban areas.
BUSINESS
India’s central bank has cut interest rates by 0.5%, its third cut in a row, to boost slowing economic growth and falling inflation. The repo rate now stands at 5.5%, the lowest in three years, aimed at encouraging domestic consumption and investment. Lower borrowing costs are expected to support households, businesses, and the struggling real estate sector. Despite the rate cut, the RBI shifted to a “neutral” policy stance, signalling future cuts will depend on inflation and growth trends.
Lululemon’s shares have dropped over 20% after it lowered its profit forecast, citing reduced store traffic and economic uncertainty. The company blamed inflation, low consumer confidence, and U.S President Donald Trump's tariffs for hurting discretionary spending. To respond, Lululemon plans modest price increases, cost-cutting, and renegotiating vendor deals. Like Adidas, Nike, and Skechers, it faces challenges from U.S. tariffs, especially as many products are made in Asia. These tariffs are pushing several major brands to warn of rising costs and higher prices in the U.S.
And - Tensions between U.S. President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk have erupted into a full-blown public feud, ending their once-friendly relationship. For over a week, Musk has openly criticized Trump’s signature spending bill, even lobbying against it. On Thursday, during a meeting with the German leader, Trump voiced his disappointment with Musk. Musk fired back with explosive claims on X (formerly Twitter), insinuating without evidence that Trump appears in unreleased files connected to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump retaliated, calling Musk “crazy,” claiming he was asked to leave the administration, and threatened to cut government contracts with Musk’s companies. The feud has hit Tesla hard, with shares plunging 14%, dipping below the $1 trillion valuation mark. Despite Musk stepping back from a threat to retire a key SpaceX spacecraft, the damage is done. The clash follows Musk’s recent exit from a government role focused on reducing excessive spending.
SPORTS
Football - The U.S. will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Olympics, but a new travel ban by President Trump raises concerns. The ban fully blocks entry from 12 countries and partially restricts 7 others, though athletes in major events like the Olympics are exempt. However, fans from banned countries cannot attend, and there’s uncertainty for athletes in smaller events or those already playing in U.S. leagues. The vague definition of "major events" leaves room for confusion, affecting upcoming tournaments like the Gold Cup and Club World Cup. Organizers remain confident the Games will proceed smoothly, but questions remain around fairness, logistics, and diplomatic fallout.
Cricket - Rob Walter has been named as New Zealand's new head coach for all three formats of the game. The former South Africa white-ball coach has signed a three-year contract and will take over in mid-June ahead of New Zealand's tour of Zimbabwe. His contract will run through to the next One-Day International World Cup in 2027, as well as the next two T20 World Cups in 2026 and 2028.
Cycling - Five-time Olympic champion Sir Bradley Wiggins says he is "indebted" to disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, who he has called a "great strength and inspiration" for his help as he battled drug addiction. Wiggins, who was the first Briton to win the Tour de France in 2012, revealed last month how he became a cocaine addict in the years after his career. The 45-year-old Briton said that since his retirement in 2016 Armstrong, who was stripped of seven Tour de France titles for using performance-enhancing drugs, had supported him.
WEATHER
Mostly sunny with cloudy patches on the coast while light rain persists near Tende and Puget-Theniers. We have moderate winds with highs of 24 degrees in Nice and Marseille, 26 in Cannes and Toulon and 30 degrees in Saint Tropez.
Tonight, some cloudy patches with temperatures dropping to 18 degrees.
Outlook for this weekend,
Sat: partly cloudy with moderate winds and highs of 24 degrees
Sun: bright and clear across the region with highs of 26 degrees.
Mon: bright and clear again with highs of 26 degrees and strong winds in the Bouches du rhone department.
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Meteo France have placed the Var on a top-level red alert for forest fires today. Two other nearby departments, the Bouches-du-Rhone and the Vaucluse ...
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