French and Riviera News Monday 19th June 2023

News

Severe thunderstorms hit northern France - The French capital, Normandy, the Pays de Loire as well as part of the Southwest of France have been hit by severe thunderstorms. A tornado was reported in the Seine-Maritime on Sunday, causing some damage. Flooding was reported is places and gusts of winds of up to 123km/h were recorded at the top of the Eiffel Tower, which was struck by lightning overnight. On Sunday parks and green spaces had been closed in Paris due to a weather warning issued earlier in the day by Météo France and a Sting concert due to take place in the gardens of the Château de Fontainebleau had also been canceled. Several train lines in the Paris region were disrupted on Sunday and trains were not running between Orleans and the French capital.

Earthquake in western France - Around 170 people been relocated from the western French town of La Laigne after an earthquake. The quake, believed to have been between magnitude 5.2 and 5.8 was felt from Rennes in the north-west to Bordeaux in the south-west on Friday evening.  Homes, schools and churches were damaged, with hundreds of buildings having to be evacuated.  Earthquakes above magnitude five are unusual in France, with the last affecting the country in November 2019.

Arrest on Avenue Jean-Médecin - A man has been arrested on Avenue Jean-Médecin in the city centre of Nice after uttering threats of terrorism in public. The individual who is from Clermont Ferrand and is already a “fiche S” (which is an indicator used by law enforcement to flag an individual considered to be a serious threat to national security in France) was arrested on Sunday evening at around 5.40pm. The man is currently in police custody and an investigation has been opened.

Man, brandishes knife on tram - Meanwhile a 43-year-old man who threatened passengers on the tram with a knife on Saturday has been placed in a psychiatric hospital in Nice. The individual had threatened passengers on Saturday shortly before the stop at Pont-Michel in the east of the city. According to reports in just his underwear, the individual had threatened passengers saying that he wanted to "cause several victims and smell the smell of blood". He was prompted arrested at the next stop and placed in police custody

Royal family welcome and congratulate Monaco basketball Athletes - Prince Albert II of Monaco, his wife Princess Charlene along with their son Prince Jacques were all smiles on Sunday as they welcomed the Monaco basketball athletes to the Palace. The royal family congratulated the AS Monaco Basket (ASM) players and leading staff next to their trophy, two days after they won the French Elite Basketball Championship. Earlier this month Princess Charlene her twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella along with Prince Albert had attended the opening of the Historical Sites of the Grimaldi’s of Monaco.

Solar bike tour - The solar bike tour of the Alps, the Sun Trip Alpes 2023, has just passed through Nice. Having left Savoie on Thursday June 15th, the tour aims to get to Annecy on July 1st with an itinerary through Italy, Germany and Switzerland. The cyclists did not go unnoticed in the Riviera capital on Sunday posing with their solar powered bikes which will complete 2000 kilometres around the Alps, in front of the I love Nice sign.  The Sun Trip Alpes is in its second season and the race can be followed in real time online.

Congratulations! – Finally, it’s congratulations to Marc Géria from Antibes who has completed his 15,000km journey from the Cap d’Antibes to the North Cape in Norway. After having crossed ten countries Marc achieved his goal in 45 days.

Business

To protect the independence of tyre making giant Pirelli, the Italian government has blocked a Chinese state-owned company from taking control. Beijing-controlled chemical giant Sinochem is Pirelli's biggest shareholder, with a 37% stake in the 151-year-old Milan-based firm. The move comes as tensions between Beijing and the West are in focus as the US secretary of state visits China.

Meanwhile Microsoft's co-founder Bill Gates met China's President Xi Jinping on Friday as tensions remain high between Washington and Beijing. According to Chinese state media Mr Xi told Mr Gates that he was "the first American friend" he had met in Beijing this year. Gates is the latest high-profile US business leader to visit China since it reopened its borders. 

According to reports in French media the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Binance is being investigated by French authorities. The investigation is focused on its anti-money laundering procedures. It follows the announcement of the company's departure from the Netherlands after it failed to obtain a licence from the Dutch central bank. In a statement Binance confirmed French authorities visited its offices last week and will comply accordingly.

Sport

Formula One - Red Bull's Max Verstappen has equalled Ayrton Senna's career total of 41 victories with a dominant win at the Canadian Grand Prix at the weekend. The Dutchman's sixth triumph in eight races this season gave him a 69-point lead in the championship and was the 100th victory for his Red Bull team. Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso passed Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes on track to win a battle for second place. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc recovered from qualifying 11th to take fourth.

Cricket – On day three of the Ashes test match series England were hit by a one-two punch from Australia in a devastating 21-minute spell before rain ruined the third day of the first Ashes Test. Only 22 balls were possible, but in that time, Australia were rampant claiming two wickets for two runs.

Football - Spain have won the Nations League Final meaning that Croatia missed out on their first international trophy after losing on penalties. The contest in Rotterdam had finished goalless after extra time. It is Spain's first international trophy for 11 years, since their victory at Euro 2012.
Tennis – Speaking about her physical and mental struggles since the US Open Emma Raducanu said that "sometimes she’d wished that she’d never won the tournament '". The 20-year-old claimed a stunning 2021 US Open title when she became the first qualifier to win the Grand Slam.

Weather

Sunny with highs of 27 degrees in Monaco and Nice. 28 degrees in Cannes. 27 degrees in Beaulieu sur mer. 25 degrees in Eze and 26 degrees in Opio. In Saint-Tropez in the Var, highs of 29 degrees, reaching 32 degrees in Marseille and Avignon. This afternoon a strong easterly wind across the Alpes Maritimes and the Var, remining mainly fine. This evening going down to 22 degrees with strong north easterly winds and gusts of up to 55km/h with clear skies.

The outlook for tomorrow and Wednesday - sunny spells with strong winds and gusts of up to 65km/h in the Alpes Maritimes and the Var highs of 27 degrees.

Sunrise            05.48am

Sunset             09.15pm

London           24 degrees with sunny intervals. Paris                26 degrees with thundery showers.

Palma              29 degrees and sunny.

Brussels           25 degrees and sunny.

Cardiff             23 degrees and sunny intervals.

Beach Weather

Beaulieu sur mer – Sea temperature is 24 degrees. Air temperature is 27 degrees. Mainly fine. UV level is 10.

Nice – Sea temperature is 24 degrees. Air temperature 26 degrees. Sunny. UV level is 10.

 

 

 

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