News
Over 2,000 homes still without power in the South – Parts of the southeast of France have woken up this Monday morning without electricity due to bad weather on Sunday. Météo France issued an orange wind alert for the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Hérault regions on Sunday. Strong winds left 2,215 homes without electricity in the South. France’s electricity board Enedis assured that work was to continue late into Sunday evening to restore power, aiming to have all homes back on supply by midday today Monday 10th March.
Storm Jana hits the south-east coast, causing widespread disruption - Storm Jana caused significant damage along the south-east coast of France, from Nice to Montpellier, via Toulouse and Marseille. Several thousand homes were left without power. In Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône), the storm had serious consequences, including a broken window at a flea market injuring two people, aged 46 and 60. The strong winds also uprooted a tree. Emergency services reported numerous interventions, mostly for fallen trees. The orange alert was lifted at 4 p.m. in the area. Firefighters responded to 115 incidents. The storm brought gusts over 100 km/h. Power lines were also severely damaged, with Enedis teams working throughout the day to restore services.
360 hectares destroyed: Fires now under control in Breil, Fontan, and Sospel – Meanwhile, the forest fires in the Roya and Bévéra valleys, which had been burning for several days, were brought under control by Sunday evening, thanks to rainfall. Firefighters in Alpes-Maritimes reported "positive progress" by the end of the day on Sunday. The fires, affecting Breil-sur-Roya, Fontan, and Sospel since Wednesday, had been in steep, hard-to-reach areas. Afternoon rain helped contain the flames.
During the night from Saturday to Sunday, 150 firefighters, supported by about 20 forest firefighters, worked hard to stabilise the fires, which had destroyed around 360 hectares. However, there was still concern on Sunday due to changing weather, with winds picking up in the afternoon, potentially reigniting hotspots. Regular checks will continue to monitor the situation. The mayor of Breil-sur-Roya, Sébastien Olharan, expressed gratitude to the firefighters and noted that an investigation into the cause of the fires was underway, with criminal intent being suspected due to the multiple starting points.
Rain and wind forecast for Nice – Meteo France has forecast that the bad weather is expected to last. Whie winds are expected to ease rain is forecast for the entire week, with over 15 cm expected today, Monday 10th March, and more rain on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The next dry day in Nice is not expected until next Wednesday, March 19th. Though the rain will not be constant, the skies will remain overcast for over a week on the Côte d'Azur. On a positive note, temperatures will remain mild, ranging from 9°C to 15°C.
Seven injured in serious traffic accident in Nice – In other local news, a road accident involving two vehicles has left seven people were injured, two of them seriously. The incident occurred on Sunday, 9th March, at around 6am on the rue Saint-Philippe in Nice. The two seriously injured individuals, a woman in her twenties and a man in his forties, were treated at the scene and taken to Pasteur 2 hospital. A significant rescue operation was at the scene and an investigation is underway.
University of Nice Côte d'Azur poorly rated in new ranking - A recent ranking by the specialised site L'Étudiant has revealed the best universities in France based on bachelor’s degree success rates, and the University of Nice Côte d'Azur is unfortunately poorly rated. The ranking, published in March 2025, places Nice's university 53rd out of 69 French institutions. This comes amid controversy after a professor at the university postponed an exam to accommodate Ramadan fasting, as reported by a student union.
The ranking is based solely on bachelor’s degree success rates. The University of Nice scored 7.1/20, with a low success rate in completing degrees in three years (26.7%) and a three-to-four-year success rate of 39.8%. In contrast, the University of Haute Alsace topped the rankings with a score of 18.8/20, followed by the universities of Angers and Paris.
The "I Love Nice" structure gets a makeover - The famous "I Love Nice" sign has had a makeover. Since last Thursday, 6th March 2025, the structure is now entirely blue and white, featuring marine animals. The change is linked to the upcoming 3rd United Nations Conference on the Ocean (UNOC 2025), which will be held in Nice from 9th to 13th June at the future Palais des Congrès, located on the port. The event will bring together over 100 world leaders and 15,000 researchers, with a focus on protecting the ocean. This blue and white design is part of the countdown to the global summit, which is just 100 days away. Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, invited 140 local students for a photoshoot in front of the I love Nice sign to mark the occasion. The "I Love Nice" structure changes its appearance regularly for different events. It was previously repainted in national colours and orange in November 2023 to support the fight against violence towards women.
Asteroid named "Nice" in homage to the city - An asteroid millions of kilometres from Earth has been named "Nice" in honour of the city. The naming was organised by Patrick Michel, an astrophysicist and research director at the Côte d’Azur Observatory. The name was chosen to highlight the importance of the city in the field of astrophysics, particularly its work in planetary security, including efforts to deflect asteroids that might threaten Earth. Patrick Michel expressed his joy at putting Nice's name into space. In addition, on 22nd March, the Mediterranean University Centre of Nice will unveil never-before-seen photos of Mars.
International Women's Rights Day in Monaco with Princess Charlene - Monaco celebrated International Women’s Rights Day at the Espace Léo-Ferré with various events on Saturday, including a visit from Princess Charlene. Princess Charlene took part in life-saving demonstrations at the Monaco Red Cross stand, practicing CPR to the tune of "Staying Alive" by the Bee Gees. She was accompanied by Minister of State and the Interministerial Delegate for Women’s Rights, as she engaged with representatives from different associations.
Another highlight was a gaming tournament hosted by The Nice Geek, featuring PS5 consoles, Nintendo Switches, and retro games. The tournament focused on female characters. Earlier in the day, a round table discussion took place. The event was a celebration of women’s rights, creativity, and community engagement in Monaco.
The legendary stair race returns to Beausoleil: Ready to climb 427 steps? - Beausoleil is getting ready to host its famous stair race for the 25th year. This unique event challenges participants to race up 427 steps in record time, celebrating the town's heritage. The race covers 350 meters, with five ramps and a 70-meter elevation gain. It’s a true test of both endurance and a chance to appreciate the city’s distinctive urban design, which has been shaped by these iconic steps.
The race will start on Saturday 22nd March at 10 a.m. from Boulevard de la République and end at the bottom of the Riviera staircase. While the event is physically demanding, it’s open to everyone, and participants can race individually or in teams. There are also plenty of prizes to be won. For more information and registration, visit the official page.
2,000 OGC Nice supporters allowed for Monaco derby on March 29th – Finally, the 108th Côte d'Azur derby between football teams AS Monaco and OGC Nice is set for Saturday, March 29th. The two teams are battling for a spot on the podium and a direct place in the Champions League, with just three points separating them. Monaco authorities have approved 2,000 tickets for Nice supporters in the visitors' section at the Stade Louis-II. These tickets are priced at 10 euros each and will be distributed by OGC Nice. Tickets for the general public will be available soon, but fans are reminded that all distinctive Nice signs will be banned outside the visitors' enclosure. With Nice in 3rd place and Monaco in 4th, this derby will be crucial in the race for Champions League qualification.
Business
US President Donald Trump has declined to comment on whether the US economy is heading for a recession or rising prices, following confusion over his administration’s changing stance on tariff threats against key trade partners. When asked about a possible recession this year, Trump mentioned a "period of transition" without providing a clear answer. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, however, stated that the US economy would not contract but did acknowledge that some prices could increase. This comes after a turbulent week for US financial markets, as investors struggled with uncertainty following Trump’s reversal on key aspects of his trade policies.
Meanwhile, Mark Carney has won the Liberal Party’s leadership race to succeed Justin Trudeau as Canada’s prime minister, promising to defeat US President Donald Trump in the trade war. The former governor of the Canadian central bank and Bank of England defeated three rivals in a landslide. In his victory speech, Carney, 59, strongly criticized Trump, who has imposed tariffs on Canada and suggested making the country the 51st US state. Carney is expected to be sworn in as prime minister soon and will lead the Liberals in the upcoming general election, which is likely to be called in the next few weeks.
And - Hackers believed to be working for the North Korean government have successfully cashed out at least $300m of a $1.5bn crypto raid. The group, known as Lazarus, stole the digital tokens from crypto exchange ByBit two weeks ago. Since then, experts have been trying to track and block the hackers from turning the stolen crypto into cash. Experts warn that the hackers are working tirelessly to cover their tracks and are highly skilled in laundering crypto.
Sport
Rugby Union – In the Six Nations action at the weekend France’s captain Antoine Dupont suffered an injury during Les Bleus' Six Nations win over Ireland on Saturday. Dupont, was forced off in the first half of a thrilling match in which France beat Ireland 42-27 ending Ireland’s Grand Slam hopes and taking France to the top of the Six Nations table. On Sunday England’s 47-24 win over Italy now means that they are best placed to take advantage of any final-day slip-up by Six Nations leaders France after they moved up to second in the Six Nations table with a seven-try victory over Italy at Allianz Stadium. And Scotland beat Wales 35-29
Football - In the Premier League on Sunday Chelsea beat Leicester City 1-0 at home. Tottenham drew 2-2 against Bournemouth and Manchester united drew against Arsenal 1-1. This evening West Ham are at home to Newcastle United kick off is at 9pm French time.
Formula One - General Motors (GM) has officially been given the green light for its Formula 1 entry for the 2026 season. The new team will be named after GM’s luxury brand, Cadillac. The approval comes just over two months after GM reached a preliminary agreement with F1 to enter the sport next year. Previously, F1 had rejected an entry bid from the US team Andretti, which had ties to Cadillac. However, GM’s stronger commitment in a later proposal convinced F1 to accept Cadillac’s entry into the competition.
Weather
Sunny intervals with rain forecast by this afternoon. A gentle breeze. Highs of 14 degrees in Monaco, 15 degrees in Nice, 13 degrees in Saint-Tropez with thundery showers. This evening going down to 10 degrees along the coast with cloudy skies.
The outlook for tomorrow and Wednesday, rain with a gentle breeze across the region tomorrow. Wednesday some sunny spells to start rain by the afternoon. Highs of 15 degrees.
Sunrise 06.51am
Sunset 06.30pm
Weather elsewhere
London 15° light cloud
Dublin 12° sunny intervals
Cardiff 14° light cloud
Paris 13° light rain
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