National News
French President in televised interview - In a televised interview on French television on Tuesday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron has said he will maintain the country’s centrist caretaker government until the end of the Olympic Games in mid-August to avoid disorder, dismissing an effort by a leftwing alliance to name a prime minister. Macron said the current caretaker government would “handle current affairs during the Olympics”, which end on 11th August. There is no firm timeline for when Macron must name a new prime minister. The parliamentary elections left the national assembly with no dominant political bloc in power for the first time in France’s modern republic. Macron, who has a presidential mandate until 2027, has the ultimate say in who will be appointed as prime minister. However, the prime minister would need the support of a majority of lawmakers to avoid a no-confidence vote.
American rapper Snoop Dogg to carry Olympic torch - In other news, American rapper Snoop Dogg is to carry the Olympic torch through the final stages when it passes through Paris before the opening ceremony on Friday. As reported by some media Snoop Dogg will no doubt “be hoping that he won’t Drop It Like It’s Hot when he holds the torch in Saint-Denis to mark the start of the 33rd Games”. The rapper is in the French capital as a special correspondent for the US TV network NBC. Snoop Dogg, who has more than 20 million followers on X, also wrote: “U gots to do it!! Will u be watchin?? #FollowTheDogg #ParisOlympics.”
Local
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene visit collection of Olympic torches ahead of attending the opening ceremony in Paris on Friday – Meanwhile, ahead of attending the opening ceremony in Paris on Friday, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco have visited the Prince’s very own personal collection of up to 40 Olympic torches currently on display at the Grimaldi Forum. Carrying a universal message of peace since its establishment during the Amsterdam Summer Games in 1928. It was not until 1936, in Berlin, that a relay carrying a torch to the host country was established. Before expanding to the Winter Olympics in Oslo in 1952. The exhibition offers a perfect journey through time, entrance is free and it is on until August 18th.
Tackling overtourism - In a move to tackle overtourism a small island off the north coast of Brittany has imposed a summer tourist quota. The move hopes to ensure visitors have a more enjoyable experience and that its 400-odd permanent residents do not feel swamped. The island’s mayor Olivier Carré said that from this week until the 23rd of August, the number of people allowed on to the Ile-de-Bréhat, excluding local people, second homeowners and workers, between 8.30am and 2.30pm must not exceed 4,700. Steps to deal with overtourism such as regulate visitor numbers of tourist taxes for example have already been implemented in cities such as Amsterdam, Paris and even natural beauty sites such as the Calanques outside of Marseille.
Swimming bans introduced on several stretches of our region’s coastline - Meanwhile the summer season here in our region has been hit with several swimming bans on beaches in both the Var and the Alpes Maritimes due to the quality of the water. After a swimming ban on several beaches in the Var reported on Monday, the situation on the beaches of the Alpes-Maritimes appears to be not much better. In Cannes, on the boulevard de La Croisette, the quality of the water is considered "sufficient" for swimming but is however, not the best compared to the rest of the beaches in the city where the level ranges from good to excellent. In Vallauris, all the beaches in the town are also orange, indicating "sufficient" water quality for swimming, but not the best. In Antibes, on the west side of the Cap, swimming is not prohibited but the water quality is considered insufficient. Meanwhile on the east side, the level is sufficient for swimming, but is not considered "good". In Villeneuve-Loubet, there is a ban on swimming in the Marina. In Saint-Laurent-du-Var, swimming is also prohibited along the promenade, up to Cap3000. In Nice, the water quality remains good to excellent on almost the entire Promenade des Anglais, except towards the port end where the water quality is considered insufficient, but swimming remains authorized. In Villefranche-sur-Mer, at the Darse beach, the water quality is "sufficient" for swimming, just like that of Passable in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Finally, in Menton, according to the latest data swimming is prohibited in Gorbio.
Tribute - In other news, a ceremony in tribute to those who died last Thursday in an arson attack on an apartment in the Moulins neighbourhood of Nice is to be held this Saturday afternoon at the Palais Nikaïa in Nice. The fire left no chance for seven people from the same family on the top floor of the building to survive. The tribute organised by the city council and the victim’s relatives hopes to bring peace in the memory of those who lost their lives and give support of the three survivors of the fatal blaze.
Water supplies disrupted in the Var - Supplies of tap water in and around Draguigan in the Var have been disrupted. The water supply network was interrupted for several hours on Tuesday due to and electrical breakdown which impacted two drinking water production plants in the region. Homes located in Taradeau, Lorgues, Saint-Antonin, and Vidauban experienced problems with their supplies. Authorities announced that they have since found a temporary solution by deploying generators but have requested that residents in the affected area restrict their use of water.
French President will not be spending a long summer holiday in the Var – According to reports there will be no “long holiday” for French President Emmanuel Macron at Fort Brégançon this summer. Accustomed to staying three weeks in the Var each summer, the President of the Republic is only expected for a few days after the Olympic
