French and Riviera News Monday 27th October 2025

News

Two arrested over €88m Louvre jewel heist - French police have arrested two men suspected of involvement in the spectacular €88 million jewel theft from the Louvre museum in Paris last week. One suspect was detained late on Saturday at Charles de Gaulle airport as he prepared to board a flight to Algeria, while the second was arrested around the same time in Seine-Saint-Denis, just outside Paris. Both men, in their 30s, are known to police and have previous convictions for robbery. Authorities say the pair are being held on suspicion of organised theft and criminal conspiracy. Forensic analysis of items left at the scene – including gloves, helmets and power tools – helped identify them. The heist, carried out by four masked men posing as maintenance workers, lasted less than seven minutes. They escaped with eight royal jewels valued at nearly €90 million, including a diamond and emerald necklace once owned by Napoleon’s wife, Marie Louise, and a pearl-and-diamond diadem belonging to Empress Eugénie. More than 100 investigators are still working to recover the stolen jewels, as officials warn they may be broken up or smuggled abroad.

Five teenagers charged after attempted murder in Old Nice -  An investigating judge has opened a formal inquiry into group violence and attempted murder following a stabbing incident in Old Nice overnight from Friday to Saturday. Five minors, all born in 2008, were brought before the Nice prosecutor’s office on Sunday. According to prosecutor Damien Martinelli, the attack followed “a dispute between two groups over a trivial matter.” During the altercation, one participant allegedly stabbed the victim several times. Four of the teenagers have been charged with group violence, while one faces charges of attempted homicide. The prosecutor has requested judicial supervision for the four accused of group violence, and pre-trial detention for the suspect charged with attempted murder.

Fire in Corsica – A forest fire broke out on Sunday, 26 October 2025, in the commune of Aleria, in the Haute-Corse. The blaze began shortly before 1 p.m. and was brought under control by around 4pm. Around two and a half hectares was land was destroyed. Although the situation is now stable, crews remain on site to monitor the area. Weather conditions remain challenging, with strong winds forecast over the next 48 hours. Corsica is currently under a yellow wind alert, with gusts of up to 150 km/h expected.

Lake Sainte-Croix Incident - A sailboat accident has occurred on Lake Sainte-Croix, between the Var and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. The vessel began drifting on Sunday afternoon after its mast broke.  One of the two people on board was thrown into the water. However, thankfully, following a search operation, the individual was found safe and unharmed. Specialised water and underwater rescue teams were deployed as well as a drone unit.

Menton–Ventimiglia border to close for four months – Motorists have been reminded that from Monday, 3rd of November 2025, the lower border crossing between Menton and Ventimiglia will be closed for four months due to major roadworks on the Italian side. Only residents, shopkeepers, police and emergency services will be allowed through. Other motorists will need to use the Saint-Louis bridge or the motorway to cross the border. Ventimiglia’s mayor, Flavio Di Muro, confirmed the closure is essential for safety and modernisation. He acknowledged the disruption but said the upgrades would deliver a “safer, more functional road network” for the region. Work will continue around the clock, with a pause during peak tourist periods, and motorway maintenance has been rescheduled to nighttime hours to ease congestion.

Man arrested after stealing firefighters’ rescue vehicle - A man has been arrested in Saint-Tropez after stealing a rescue and victim assistance vehicle belonging to the Grimaud fire brigade in the Var. The theft occurred early on Sunday morning, around 8 a.m., while the vehicle was parked near a health centre in Gassin. It was found about an hour later in Saint-Tropez, properly parked and locked. Gendarmes from the Gassin company traced the suspect using footage from the town’s surveillance cameras. He was arrested without resistance and is now in police custody for theft. Investigators are working to determine his motives and the circumstances surrounding the incident.

HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco designs sunglasses for charity – HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco has helped create a limited-edition sunglasses collection in support of her Foundation’s drowning prevention initiatives. The capsule line, called Wave Safe, was launched in September through a collaboration between MyCrown Collection and Greek eyewear brand Faos Sunglasses. Only 300 individually numbered pairs have been produced, with proceeds going directly to the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. Personally involved in the design process, Princess Charlene helped shape everything from the concept to the name. The collaboration aims to raise both funds and awareness for the Foundation’s international work in water safety and drowning prevention.

Nice among Europe’s top destinations - Nice has earned a spot among the top 30 best European destinations for a city break, according to a ranking published in October 2025 by global travel company TUI. Based on Google searches made by Europeans between August 2024 and July 2025, the study places Nice 26th, with 44,670 searches. This makes it the third most popular French city for short stays, behind Paris in 2nd place and Lyon in 25th. The ranking is topped by Rome, followed by Paris, Prague, Amsterdam, and Barcelona. The study analysed searches such as “weekend in [city]” and “2 days in [city]” across multiple European languages. For Nice, the result is another proud moment for the Côte d’Azur’s capital, confirming its enduring appeal as a weekend getaway destination.

 

Business

The US and China have agreed the framework of a potential trade deal. Both nations are looking to avoid further escalation in a trade war. President Trump and China's President Xi Jinping are due to hold talks on Thursday in South Korea.

Advertised job vacancies in the UK fell last month as employers continued to cut back on recruitment and wait on next month's Budget. Jobs site Adzuna says the total number dropped by 2.4% in September. Postings are now 4.1% lower than a year ago.

Almost  two thirds of charities have fired workers and scrapped vital services. Research from Rathbones also suggests that 95% of executives in the sector are thinking about leaving because of financial pressures.

 

Sport

OGC Nice made back to back wins in Ligue 1 with a 2-1 victory over Rennes. Sofiane Diop scored his fifth goal of the season. Jonathan Clauss was also on the scoresheet for Nice.

Monaco returned to winning ways in the league with a 1-nill win over Toulouse. Mohammed Salisu scored the decisive goal - just 3 minutes into the game.

Britain's Jacob Fearnley is in action at the Paris Masters tennis later. After coming through qualifying, he faces 12th seed Andrey Rublev.

 

Weather 

A sunny and clear day across the Cote d'Azur. Feeling slightly warmer with a gentle breeze around - with highs of 20 degrees in Nice.

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