News
Traffic disruptions expected in Nice as school holidays begin – With the start of the February school holidays this afternoon in the Alpes-Maritimes, Friday, February 7th, 2025, traffic is set to be heavily disrupted, particularly on the A8 motorway. Bison Futé has categorized the department as yellow, signalling potential difficulties, especially during the afternoon. The busiest routes will be in the South-East, including the A7, A8, and A43. Vinci Autoroutes also warns of delays on highways A8, A50, A51, A52, and A57, particularly near major cities like Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, and Nice. Motorists are advised to check traffic conditions in advance and ensure their vehicles are properly prepared for winter driving.
SNCF traffic chaos in Nice: over 3-Hour delays due to power failure – Meanwhile, a major disruption to high-speed train services between Paris and the South-East of France on Thursday has caused long delays. A power supply issue brought train traffic to a standstill. At Nice Ville station, at least two Ouigo trains experienced delays of over 3 hours. The SNCF reported that technical teams were working on repairs, but delays were expected to continue until mid-afternoon. Additionally, some trains in the South-East, including those from Marseille to Lyon, were cancelled.
France's struggling Baby Boom – Recent data has shed light on France’s struggling Baby Boom. In the study the town of Colomiers, in south-western France, shows that its fertility rate has plummeted by 31% since 2018, reflecting a broader trend across the country. Despite once being a popular destination for young families seeking affordable housing, the area is now witnessing one of the sharpest declines in birth rates in France. Last year France’s national birth rate reached its lowest point since 1919 and while President Macron has proposed reforms to encourage higher fertility, these policies may take years to reverse the decline.
France moves to ban disposable E-Cigarettes - French deputies have unanimously voted for a bill which will ban the sale, distribution, and free offering of disposable electronic cigarettes, commonly known as "puffs." The vote was held on Tuesday January 4th and is similar to measures already in place in Belgium. The move comes over public health concerns and the environmental impact of such products. A survey revealed that 18% of French teenagers (ages 13-16) have tried puffs. If passed by the Senate, those found violating the ban could face fines up to €100,000, with repeat offenders facing a €200,000 fine.
Biarritz Ordered to Rename La Negresse District Amid Colonial Legacy Controversy - A French court has ruled that Biarritz must rename its historic La Negresse district, a move activists argue is necessary to shed the colonial legacy tied to “racist and sexist” placenames. The district, possibly named after a black woman, along with a nearby street, rue de la Negresse, were targeted by activists calling for a change.
The name has been criticized for its connection to colonial history, particularly the deportation of Africans as enslaved workers. In 2020, the Memoires et Partages association formally requested that the city reconsider the names, but after a refusal from local authorities, legal proceedings were launched. The district is believed to have been named after a black woman who worked in an inn in the 19th century.
Snow, Rain, and Wind to Hit the South-East of France This Weekend - France's South-East region will see a weather shift from today, Friday, February 7th, with heavy rain and snow at a low altitude expected throughout the weekend. The Var and Alpes-Maritimes regions will experience rainfall, while snow is forecast for the north of Alpes-Maritimes, particularly in the Mercantour mountains. Strong winds will affect the coast, with gusts reaching up to 75 km/h in Toulon and Hyères.
The worst of the weather will hit Corsica, where up to a month’s worth of rain could fall. On Sunday, rain will persist, though it will ease during the day, and snow will be confined to higher altitudes in the Alps and Massif Central. The weather remains uncertain for next week.
No more food distributions on Place Garibaldi in Nice - As of this month, food distributions for the most vulnerable will no longer take place on Place Garibaldi in Nice. The decision follows complaints from local shopkeepers and residents about the disturbances caused by homeless groups. The City of Nice has announced that these distributions will be moved to other locations.
The change comes after previous efforts, such as removing benches in December to discourage gatherings have proved to be ineffective. While some local volunteers and charity groups understand the concerns, they also stress the importance of sustainable solutions for helping the homeless.
The decision has sparked strong reactions, particularly from the ViVA collective, which condemns the move as "anti-social" and "counterproductive," arguing that it reflects an effort to hide poverty from tourists. Left-wing activists warn that such policies highlight social inequality and harm those in need.
Fire Engines Gather at Monaco’s Prince’s Palace for Art Protection Drill - Eight fire engines have assembled outside the Prince’s Palace in Monaco on Thursday evening as part of a security exercise. The exercise focused on testing emergency protocols for safeguarding artworks in the event of a fire at the Palace. This smaller-scale exercise follows a more extensive drill held in 2020 and a similar one in 2021. Prince Albert II has highlighted the importance of these regularly safety exercises.
End of an Era at Pizza Fifi: A New Chapter Begins in Juan-les-Pins - After 35 years of serving delicious, thin-crust pizzas in Juan-les-Pins, Philippe Petit, the founder of Pizza Fifi, is retiring. While he may be stepping down, loyal customers can rest at ease as the essence of Pizza Fifi will remain unchanged. The recipes, the friendly atmosphere, and the signature crispy pizza dough will all continue under new ownership.
Philippe's journey began in 1989 when, after years of working as a pastry chef he realized his dream of running a pizza truck. His innovation? He was the first to offer pizza delivery in the area, a service that quickly gained popularity. Within months, he moved to a permanent location and, in the 90s, set up shop at 112 boulevard du Président Wilson, where the pizzeria is still located today.
Man contests €200 fine for loudspeaker phone call at French train station - A man fined €200 for making a call on loudspeaker at a train station in France is contesting the fine. David was speaking to his sister at Nantes station on Sunday when an SNCF employee told him to turn off the loudspeaker or face a €150 fine. After not paying immediately, the fine increased to €200. David, 54, has hired a lawyer to dispute the fine.
SNCF confirmed the fine, issued by security staff in a quiet area of the station, and stated the fine increased because David refused to pay on the spot. Although there is no national law in France banning loudspeaker calls, noise regulations under the French Transport Code can result in fines for disturbing the peace in public transport areas.
While public reactions to loud phone calls are often negative, with 86% of British respondents deeming speakerphone use unacceptable, different countries have various approaches.
Business
Investors drove Amazon's shares down sharply on Thursday following weak performance in its cloud computing unit and lower-than-expected first-quarter revenue and profit forecasts. Shares fell as much as 5% in extended trading after the fourth-quarter earnings report, wiping out about $90 billion in market value, with a final decline of around 4.2%. The CFO of Amazon Brian Olsavsky stated that the company's capital expenditure for this year would likely match last year's fourth-quarter spending of $26.3 billion, with a focus on developing artificial intelligence software.
Meanwhile, Tesla raised the prices of its Model X cars in the U.S. by $5,000 on Thursday. The all-wheel drive Model X now costs $84,990, up from $79,990. This follows a similar price hike in December when Tesla raised the prices of its Model S cars in the U.S. by $5,000, alongside increases across its entire range.
And - The Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, has urged continued U.S. support for two key global economic institutions. He told reporters that he is "following extremely closely" whether the Trump administration will alter its backing of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. Sources in Washington revealed that these institutions are part of a White House executive order reviewing U.N. and other international organizations. Bailey emphasized the importance of avoiding fragmentation in the world economy.
Sport
Rugby Union – In the Six Nations England will play France tomorrow at Twickenham kick off is at 5.45pm French time. Fly-half Fin Smith will be making his first Test start. At 22, he replaces Marcus Smith, with Marcus moving to full-back. Smith has seven bench appearances for England so far and aims to get the attack flowing in his debut start. Meanwhile, France have recalled fly-half Matthieu Jalibert as captain Antoine Dupont will be leading from the scrumhalf and centre Emilien Gailleton, born in Croydon, is among the replacements. Italy will face Wales with a 3.15pm kick off and on Sunday Scotland host Ireland at 4pm French time.
Football – Liverpool are through to the league cup final after beating Tottenham in last night’s semi-final second leg 4-0. Spurs hit a new low giving up their hopes of winning a first trophy in 17 years. In the FA Cup 4th round this evening Manchester United are at home to Leicester City.
Golf - The PGA Tour is "closer to a deal" with LIV Golf after involving U.S. President Donald Trump in negotiations. Trump met with PGA Tour commissioner and player director Adam Scott this week to assist talks with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which funds LIV. LIV Golf, launched in 2022, has attracted several top players with large signing fees and prize money. In June 2023, the PGA Tour and European DP World Tour announced a framework agreement with PIF, though a deadline for the merger passed at the end of the year. Additionally, the 2024 US Open will offer LIV Golf players an exemption based on rankings. Trump, a known golf enthusiast, owns several championship courses worldwide.
Athletics - Over 200 gold medals will be contested at the scaled-back Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Swimming, track cycling, and Para sports will have more medallists than in any previous Games. Para sports will be fully integrated into six of the 10 disciplines, with a record 47 medal events in total.
Cycling - Former Tour de France champion Egan Bernal has won his first race since his life-threatening crash in 2022. The 28-year-old rider claimed victory in the national individual time-trial championships in Colombia.
Weather
Sunny intervals with moderate to strong winds by this afternoon. Showers are forecast in the Var region. Highs of 14 degrees in Nice, 13 degrees in Monaco and 12 degrees with strong winds and rain in Saint-tropez. This evening going down to 6 degrees and cloudy.
The outlook for the weekend, strong winds and light rain on Saturday, light rain and a moderate breeze on Sunday. Highs of 13 degrees.
Sunrise 07.39am
Sunset 05.49pm
Weather elsewhere
Dublin 7° sunny intervals.
London 5° light rain.
Paris 6° light cloud.
Local snow report – Yellow avalanche risk is in place.
Isola 2000 – 15/19 lifts operating. 41/46 slopes are open. 90cm snow.
Valberg – 11/15 lifts running. 25/42 runs open. 60cm snow.
Auron – 17/19 lifts running. 43/43 runs open. 100cm snow.
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