VAR update
The department of the Var has suffered from a terrible catastrophe. The damage to lives, both human and material, is considerable. The BPCA’s regional department has decided to react immediately by helping our concerned clients with several measures.
Not open all hours
If you’re someone who craves a kebab after a night out in Nice, you may find it a little harder to satisfy your hunger pangs than before. Mayor Christian Estrosi has been on the offensive recently, targeting takeaways and groceries that stay open late in certain parts of the city and in particular the old town.
Nice to host next G8 summit
President Sarkozy has announced that Nice has been chosen to hold the next G8 summit in 2011. Bestowed with the G8 presidency next year, France is responsible for organizing and hosting the summit, which will be held over three days in the spring.

We’ve replaced the photos on our Saint Martin-Vésubie village page. The previous page had 4 small, questionable-quality photos from 1995. Beyond’s Saint Martin-Vésubie village page now gives you 15 large, better-quality photos. Most were taken this week (June 2010). Saint…
By Russ

Our second successive day of hiking in the Mercantour turned out really fine, with better weather than yesterday, magnificent views from the high mountain ridges, Alpine wildflowers, chamois, and our legs not protesting too much from another 8 hours up…
By Russ

We had a great loop hike today, starting/ending right in St Martin-Vesubie. Local bakery open at 6:30 am, even providing coffee for our quiche breakfast, and a great 10-cereal bread loaf to take for lunch. The trail climbed steadily, through…
By Russ

After the flood
Apocalyptic visions are continuing to emerge from the Var in the wake of the torrential rainfall that has been plaguing the region since Tuesday.
VAR update
The department of the Var has suffered from a terrible catastrophe. The damage to lives, both human and material, is considerable. The BPCA’s regional department has decided to react immediately by helping our concerned clients with several measures.
Not open all hours
If you’re someone who craves a kebab after a night out in Nice, you may find it a little harder to satisfy your hunger pangs than before. Mayor Christian Estrosi has been on the offensive recently, targeting takeaways and groceries that stay open late in certain parts of the city and in particular the old town.

We’ve managed to escape from the computer and other home-bound duties for a few days out in the real Beyond. We’re installed in a nice little 2-star hotel in St Martin-Vésubie, ready for an early start tomorrow hiking in the…
By Russ

Freakishly heavy rains last week in the Var caused sudden and severe floods in several towns and villages, causing severe damage and destruction and killing at least 25 people. There are still 13 people missing.

Tuesday, 15 June 2010, heavy rains channeled by the local hills and the Massif des Maures to the south overflowed the Nartuby and Argens rivers. 

With a suddenness that took everyone by surprise, the floods occurred in a matter of minutes rather than hours. It was the worst flood see

By Russ

Var deluged in rain-lashed PACA
France Metéo’s orange alert may have been lifted this morning but yesterday’s torrential rains across the PACA (Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur) region have left a trail of death and destruction in their wake. Worst hit was the Var department with 150 to 250mm of rainfall recorded in many places.
After the flood
Apocalyptic visions are continuing to emerge from the Var in the wake of the torrential rainfall that has been plaguing the region since Tuesday.
VAR update
The department of the Var has suffered from a terrible catastrophe. The damage to lives, both human and material, is considerable. The BPCA’s regional department has decided to react immediately by helping our concerned clients with several measures.

On this day in 1860, the French flag replaced the duchy of Savoy flag for the first time in Nice. Today that event was celebrated with parachutists and a performance by thePatrouille de France, one of the world’s oldest aerobatic demonstration teams, formed in 1931. I grew up watching air shows at our local airport, and once saw theBlue Angelsperform, so I was very much looking forward to today’s festivities. My expectations were far exceeded — the Patrouille de France, led byVirginie Guyot, the first woman ever (in the world) to lead an aerobatic demonstration team, was breathtaking, especially over the background of a particularly beautiful Mediterranean.

Despite there beingquite the crowd, I was able to find aspot near the beachand Place Albert 1er, which was where the performances were set to take place. First, agroup of 35 parachutistsdropped into a formation supposed to be “150″, though we spectators had a hard time making it out in the blazing sun. T

By fraise

Strikers make for travel chaos
Commuters in Nice will need to be patient today. Industrial action, against government reforms of retirement and employment laws, has created a block on nearly all bus and tram routes.
Nice under siege for France-Africa summit
They started arriving yesterday, 59 delegations and 33 heads of state for the France-Africa summit, prompting a massive security drive. Today and tomorrow Nice, Eze, Beaulieu and St Jean Cap Ferrat are virtually under siege.
Fatal accident at Fréjus fairground
Just days after the annual Lunar Park at Fréjus opened for the summer, a young man has been killed after a bungee jump from a giant crane went wrong. The incident comes nearly a year after nine people were injured in another accident at the park in August 2009.