Thrilling but dangerous
Diving brings thousands of visitors each year to the Côte d’Azur and is a vital part of tourism economy. Yet, the deaths of more than 10 divers last month remind us that the sport is not without its risks.
Drugs debate sparked in France
With the death of Amy Winehouse hitting the headlines world over, the debate about drug use is raging in the news once again.
Pretty colours, feisty sting
For the last few years, the biggest peril in Côte d’Azur waters has been jellyfish. In response, and to protect swimmers from being stung, many beaches set up jellyfish-free zones using barriers developed by a local company.

Provence – or to be more correct – Provence Alpes Cote d’Azur (PACA) is a popular area for foreign investors. Its chic and lavish reputation encourages investors from around the world.

PACA is divided into Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhone,Var and Vaucluse. Strangely no department for the Cote d’Azur or French Riviera. The Cote d’Azur area stretches from the Italian border to east of Toulon including playgrounds of the rich and famous. Cote d’Azur property is expensive.

Inland Provence property prices tend to drop significantly. The Luberon, however, remains very expensive. The Luberon was made famous by Peter Mayle, and has attracted many buyers and visitors. The Var department is lovely and is worth investigating for property that is more competitively priced.

TheRoman Temple of Verneguessits in a beautiful glade in the woods, northwest ofAix-en-Provenceand just northwest ofLambesc. Most in ruins, but one tall Corinthian column remains, along with some walls and an adajcent Medieval chapel built into the temple walls.

By Russ

Cross-Atlantic teamwork to fight against cancer
Representatives from Nice and the US city of Houston, Texas, met last week to strengthen their scientific partnership.
Say goodbye to your guidebook
Travelling around the Côte d’Azur just got a little bit less heavy. Whilst enjoying the beaches, food and architectural beauty of Nice and Monaco, tourists no longer need to lug around a guide book to answer their cultural questions.
Caution: rainstorm ahead
Heavy rainstorms have been forecast to hit the Var, particularly Ste-Baume’s western coastline, later this afternoon and lasting into tomorrow evening.

Unpleasant surprise greets beach goers
An unpleasant site greeted sun seekers on the Ponteil beach in Antibes, yesterday. Walking along the shore, tourists came across a two-meter long and 250 kilo body of a dolphin.
Flying high
Thanks to new improvements introduced by Delta Airlines this summer, flying across the Atlantic to and from Nice just got a little more comfortable.
Cross-Atlantic teamwork to fight against cancer
Representatives from Nice and the US city of Houston, Texas, met last week to strengthen their scientific partnership.

Unexpected thrills
Children and teenagers were among those anticipating a thrill, when they signed up for a ride on a roller coaster in St. Tropez’s Azur Park last week. But, according to a Riviera Times reader, they got rather more of a shock than they were expecting, when the roller coaster’s hydraulic cable snapped.
DSK hearing postponed
Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s hearing in New York has been postponed until August 1st.
Stranded at Nice Côte d’Azur
120 passengers bound for Constantine, Algeria suffered horrific delays at Nice Côte d’Azur airport this week. Their ordeal began on Monday morning when, just after checking in their luggage, the passengers learnt that a strike by Air Algérie cabin crew staff was going to delay all flights to Algeria.

Muslim woman denied access to Ligne d’Azur bus
Bus traffic came to a halt on Avenue Thiers yesterday when a young woman, known only as Stephanie L, was told she was not allowed to board. Stephanie, a Muslim women, said although she had bought a ticket the bus driver denied her entrance to the vehicle because of her niqab.
Beat the rush for summer savings
Walk down Jean Médecin and almost every person you see will be carrying at least two bags. Big bags, bursting at the seams. Yesterday morning the soldes—Nice’s five weeks of summer sales—was declared open, and this year reductions reached a new high from the get-go.
Shaken and stirred
A 5.3 magnitude earthquake sent a shudder through the Côte d’Azur and Corsica yesterday evening.

Leonetti named minister for European affairs
The mayor of Antibes, Jean Leonetti has been nominated the minister for European affairs following Nicolas Sarkozy’s fourth cabinet reshuffle in ten months.
MEP calls for shale gas regulation
The influential German MEP Jo Leinen has called on the European Union to regulate shale gas and other controversial fossil fuels.
What does the future hold for Dominique Strauss-Kahn?
Questions are starting to form concerning Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s political future after prosecutors admitted his trial on sexual assault charges is on the brink of collapse.