French and Riviera News Monday 14 July 2025

An administrative judge has suspended an order against large cruise ships in Villefranche-sur-mer and Nice. Nice Mayor and President of the Nice Cote d'Azur Metropolis Christian Estrosi had issued decrees banning large cruise ships at the ports. He has long argued that such vessels cause excessive amounts of pollution. The administrative court suspended the orders after an application by the Prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes. The judge ruled that Christian Estrosi did not have the necessary powers to make such orders, those powers lying with the Prefect.


A man was hospitalised at the weekend after being shot in the Moulins district of Nice. It's not believed his injuries are serious. Several gunshots were heard in the district on Saturday afternoon. Police attended the scene and an investigation has been opened.


Three people have been arrested after a man died from stab wounds in Marseille. The man in his forties was reportedly involved in a fight in the 3rd arrondissement in the early hours of yesterday morning. 


Because of the Bastille Day holiday, the Prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes has introduced temporary regulation of pyrotechnic articles, combustible products, alcoholic beverages and the movement of minors under the age of 13 until tomorrow, July 15. The detailed regulations can be found on the prefectures website www.alpes-maritimes.gouv.fr

 Meanwhile the Var Prefecture has issued 2 orders temporarily regulating the sale, carrying, transportation, and use of fireworks until July 16, and the retail sale, removal, or transportation in any transportable container of combustible or corrosive products, fuels, and flammable gases until July 15. Further details can be foundon the prefecture’s website www.var.gouv.fr


The Var prefecture has said that there is a “severe” level of fire risk for five forest massifs today. Access is not recommended. There is a “moderate” fire risk level for the remaining massifs in the department. More details can be found on www.var.gouv.fr


President Macron has announced increases to the French defence budget. During an address to the armed forces yesterday evening, he said that an additional 3.5 billion euros would be allocated to defence in 2026 and an extra 3 billion euros in 2027. He said that the increases will mean that a total of 64 billion euros will be spent on defence in 2027.


Gisèle Pelicot, who earned international praise and recognition after publicly testifying at her rape trial last year, has been given France's top honour. She was named knight of the Legion d'Honneur on a list announced for Bastille Day.


A French military cadet has died after falling from a bridge in Paris. The Army Ministry said that Second Lieutenant Antoine Alix was deployed to Paris to participate in the Bastille Day military parade with his graduating class from the Combined Arms Military Academy. He fell from a bridge in the Montmartre district. The ministry said that he was “an exemplary cadet, appreciated by his entire class.”


BUSINESS


The European Union and Mexico have both said that they are disappointed at Donald Trump's threat to impose 30% tariffs on their imports into the US starting on 1 August. The government of Mexico said that the tariffs were unfair while the EU's Ursula von der Leyen threatened to take "proportionate countermeasures", if needed. However, they both said they wanted to keep negotiating. Meanwhile, the UK's ambassador to the US has said that the 10% tariff imposed on most goods imported to the US from the UK is likely to be “here to stay”. However, speaking to the Sunday Times, Peter Mandleson said that there was still scope for negotiation as regards some sectors and industries. 


The UK government will make it cheaper for people in the UK to buy an electric car. Speaking to the BBC, UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander didn't give any further details but said  that the government will be making announcements later this week on plans to make it more affordable for people to buy an electric vehicle.


Electricity network operators in the Netherlands are having to ration electricity supplies, according to the Financial Times. Quoting an association of network operators, the FT said that over 11,900 businesses are waiting for electricity connections, in addition to other buildings such as new homes. There has been a move towards the use of electricity in the Netherlands since the closure of a large gas field two years ago.


SPORT


Cricket…It was the fourth day of the third test between England and India at Lords yesterday. At the close of play England were 387 & 192 , India were 387 & 58-4 meaning that India need 135 runs to win.


Tennis… Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in four sets to win the Wimbledon title yesterday. The final score was  4-6   6-4  6-4  6-4. Sinner’s win comes just five weeks after he was beaten by Alcaraz in the French Open final.
In the women's final on Saturday,  Iga Swiatek won her first Wimbledon title by beating Amanda Anisimova 6-0  6-0 in just 57 minutes. Swiatek was the first woman to win a Wimbledon final without dropping a game since Dorothea Lambert Chambers in 1911.


Tour de France… Yesterday was Stage nine, Chinon to Chateauroux, a distance of 174.1km. Tim Merlier won with a sprint finish, Tadej Pogacar wears the leader's yellow jersey and Italian rider Jonathan Milan leads the points classification. Today would normally be a rest day but it’s Bastille Day, so the Tour will continue today.

 

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