French Prime Minister visits new Toulon hospital
Prime Minister of France Francois Fillon has inaugurated the new 300.2 million euro Sainte-Musse hospital in Toulon. Health Minister Xavier Bertrand was by his side yesterday as they visited the new 738-bed establishment, which will be completely operational in 2012.
More infrastructure developments on the Riviera
As part of the billions invested into the region, the Côte d’Azur will welcome several new developments over the coming years.
Housing auction for cancer charity
In an impressive bid to raise as much money as possible for cancer research, eight apartments will be sold at auction in the French Riviera. With opening bids of up to 620,000 euros, this is certainly one charity drive that will have a major impact, both locally and nationally.

Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat hotel wins Europe’s best spa award
The Grand-Hôtel in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat has scooped the prize for best spa in Europe at the Prix Villégiature du Meilleur Spa en Europe award cermony in Paris.
Infrastructure boom on the Riviera
Nice is on the fast track to becoming a ‘green city’, thanks to a host of new transport initiatives, largely led by city mayor Christian Estrosi. The future plans are bold, costly and disruptive, but eventually this region will provide some of the most environmentally friendly transport in Europe.
Farmers fight high-speed train
Opposition to the construction of a new high-speed rail line in the south is gaining momentum. Farmers in the Var are protesting against the planned route, arguing the line will be laid over large areas of fertile land. A meeting with the government has buoyed their hopes of success.

Three dead and two disappear in floods
The former mayor of Serres-sur-Arget has been found dead on a small island in the flooded Arget River after trying to assess the flood situation on Sunday evening. Meanwhile, a 52-year old man in the Var and a 50-year-old woman from Perpignan are missing as a result of the heavy downpours.
Minimum wage set to increase
It has been announced today that the proposed 2.1% rise to the French minimum wage will be implemented as of 1st December 2011. This will bring the gross minimum wage package to 1393.82 euros per month.
Var weather update
Météo France has lifted the high alert flood warning for the Var region. The Argens River, however, remains on moderate flood watch.

Heavy swells close coast roads
Police have cordoned off a number of seaside roads throughout the Alpes-Maritimes as large waves continue to thrash the coast.
Var downpour continues
The region’s wet weather is set to continue well into the early hours of Wednesday morning, as more heavy rain is expected to fall over the Var.
Rail disruption across the region
Rail users across the Côte d’Azur region have faced major delays and cancellations today, despite SNCF declaring that the strikes would cause little disruption.

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

Var drive-by shooting
Two homeless men have been discharged from hospital after being shot in the Var town of Draguignan.
Air France strike impacts Nice Côte d’Azur airpot
Air France’s 5-day strike is now expected to affect flights departing from Nice Côte d’Azur airport over the Toussaints weekend.
SNCF announces rail strike
Transport networks across the Côte d’Azur are set to be disrupted as SNCF staff stage a rail strike for the 8th November. Four unions have called for strike action against proposals to streamline SNCF.

Are we ready for G20?
Thousands of anti-globalisation and anti-capitalist protesters will descend on the French Riviera during the G20 summit in early November. And as the on going ‘Occupy Wall Street’ protests that have been replicated in 900 cities across the world shows, anger and resentment is mounting among the people.
Nice airport tornado
Air traffic was disrupted on Tuesday as a tornado hit off the coast of the Nice Côte d’Azur airport during afternoon storms. The twister was spotted around 6:30pm, 300 metres from the airport’s runway.
Motorcycle fatalities increase in the region
Nearly half of all deaths on Var roads this year involved motorbikes and bicycles. The majority were men, and the average age of the victims was mid-thirties.

Music to the ears
Orchestral marvel L’Espérance de Cannes delighted the city of Cannes with its debut concert of the winter season last weekend. With four more shows planned for this month alone, the group appears to be going from strength to strength.
Delta Air Lines ‘Pink Plane’ heads for Nice
Throughout the month of October, Delta Air Lines is doing its bit to help raise funds for cancer, flying its unique ‘pink plane’ to European and US cities. Employees will also don pink uniforms, and pink champagne will be served onboard, all to support the ongoing fight against breast cancer.
Security lockdown for Cannes G20
The countdown is on to the G20 summit in Cannes, and the glamorous city is about to go into lockdown. Here is a rundown of the security measures that we brought you earlier this month.

Fire ban extended in the Var
Unusually hot and dry conditions in early autumn have lead to an extension of the fire ban in the Var region.
Dispute over jobs for foreign graduates
The French government has been forced to confront concerns that the current residency system encourages skilled non-European graduates to leave France rather than enter into the job market. Higher Education Minister Laurent Wauquiez says he will address the “misapplications” in the government’s policy, which essentially obstructs foreign graduates’ attempts to put their skills into practice.
Nice Ballet season to begin this weekend
Gracing the stage of l’Opéra de Nice this weekend is the spectacular Ballet Nice Méditerranée, kicking off the season with the ‘Chorus in Spiritus’ collection from the 19th to 23rd October.

Environmental threats in Menton
A sewage leak has put sea swimming in Menton on hold this week, while a gas explosion in a local apartment has also shaken the district.
New proposals to reduce road death toll
The French government is being encouraged to introduce tough new measures to reduce the road death toll, including the banning of hands-free kits in cars and reducing the blood-alcohol limit for new drivers.
Trains disrupted as rail worker is stabbed
Rail users faced a day of disruption across the country when workers walked off the job. The strike started in the east of France yesterday after a ticket inspector was stabbed eight times whilst working on the Lyon-Strasbourg train. The workers have been told “it is not by stopping the trains that we stop the madman.”