Great year expected for Riviera tourism
This year, more than 370,000 passengers are expected to pass through the Nice Côte d’Azur airport each week. The impressive figure is a marked increase on last year, as the French Riviera looks to buck any trend of an economic downturn.
Villa Luna to get a total transformation
Over the past three decades, the impressive Villa Luna on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice has gone to wreck and ruin. Now, the faded building located on the Promenade des Anglais is about to get its shine back after the city council announced yesterday its plans to transform the rundown ruin into a fresh association centre.
Wanted man spotted in Italy
Xavier Dupont de Ligonnès, the Var man wanted for the murders of his wife and four children in Nantes last year, has been reportedly spotted in nearby Italy. A French couple called the local police after a man matching de Ligonnès’ description walked into their restaurant near Cuneo in Italy.

The Côte d’Azur derby is nearing
Marseille versus Nice – it’s one of the most anticipated and watched event on the Riviera’s football calendar. 12,000 fans are expected at tomorrow’s game and as spirits run high, the local police force has already begun to mobilise itself ahead of the inevitable confrontation at the Stade du Ray.
Major drug dealers jailed in Grasse
Following a spate of drug busts last month, police in the region have stopped yet another dangerous drug trafficking network. This time, a group of men have been convicted of transporting and selling heroin, cocaine and cannabis between the Alpes Maritimes and Lille in the north of France.
Clocks go forward this weekend
This coming Sunday – the last in March, the clocks are due to go forward by one hour at 2 am. But do you know the history behind the time change?

Nice and the five Continents
A history, a language, a future: French-speaking countries are tied together through more than just the name of Monde Francophone. The city of Nice will honour its links with the outside Francophone world this weekend as it brings together representatives from five continents to celebrate a shared patrimony at the Village du Monde Francophone.
Mayor of La Seyne ends his camp-out
After setting up camp 12 days ago, the Mayor of La Seyne, Marc Vuillemot, has already called it a day. Despite announcing that he will no longer sleep outside the maternity ward that he is trying to protect, Vuillemot claims that he is still completely committed to his cause and will “maintain surveillance and intelligence”.
Taxi fares deemed ‘insufferable’
“It’s too expensive”, “He went the long-way round”, “Prices are just ridiculous” … If you’ve ever taken a cab in the capital of the Côte d’Azur, you’re probably going to agree with at least one of these common criticisms of the taxi service. And amid pressure for taxis to cut their fares, it seems no one from either side is willing to back down.

Acts announced for Mini United Festival
Gossip, Iggy Pop and the Ting Tings are just a few of the stars set to play at this year’s Mini United Festival at Le Castellet this May.
Black market pedigree dog network busted
Over 100 pedigree dogs have been seized from farms near Draguignan as part of a wider investigation into dealings on the black market. Police fear the dogs were smuggled into the Riviera from Slovakia for breeding, sale or worse.
Marine Le Pen joins the presidential race
The leader of the far Right National Front Party (FN), Marine Le Pen, has gathered the necessary 500 signatures in order to run as a candidate in the two-round French presidential election.

Two shot dead in Marseille
A man and a woman have been killed during a shocking shoot-out on Thursday evening in Marseille. Officials told the French Press Agency this morning that score settling may be behind the fatal shooting, after the couple were reportedly deliberately targeted by a group of gunmen.
Is ‘the big one’ imminent?
If you felt the ground move this morning as you walked to work, it wasn’t just that Friday feeling. A third earthquake was recorded at 8.15am measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale.
100kg cocaine found at drug making den
Amid a serious clamp down on organised crime networks across the region, authorities have broken up yet another dangerous drug ring. This time, officers have uncovered a suspected professional drug making lab at a house in the Var, concealing nearly 100 kilograms of cocaine as well as a stash of weapons including a kalachnikov machine gun and a bullet proof vest.

Call for public debate on maternity ward
For months, the Mayor of La Seyne sur Mer, Marc Vuillemot, has been campaigning against the closure of the local maternity ward at the George-Sand hospital in the west of the Var, and in a his latest attempt to save the institution he has called on the people of the Var to take part in a public debate.
No plans to stop night flights
Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi has had his plans to stop night flights at Nice Côte d’Azur International airport dashed as airport officials tell him he has “absolutely no authority” in the area.
Three million euros up in flames
It may have been accidental, but the damage is irrepairable as a 50 metre yacht catches fire in the port of Nice.

We must protect our eco-system!
Today, Christian Estrosi, the Mayor of Nice, will introduce his plans for an environmental awareness campaign in schools and colleges throughout the Alpes-Maritimes.
Public transport clamp down in Nice
It’s going to get tougher to take a free ride on public transport across Nice, as authorities plan to down crack down on individuals dodging the system and refusing to pay for their bus and tram fares.
New website to ease transport woes
Tired of turning up to the station to find your train has been delayed, again? In a country where transport workers strike as often as possible, it’s no surprise that commuters suffer disruption on a regular basis. In response, the government has launched a new website to provide users with information on who’s operating, and when.

Become a juror at the Cannes Film Festival
Are you passionate about film and mad about cinema? The CRIJ Côte d’Azur is offering talented young residents the perfect opportunity to get your teeth into the wonderful world of film by becoming a jury member at the famous Cannes Film Festival, taking place this summer on the Riviera.
Drug bust in La Turbie
A 44-year-old Italian man convicted of smuggling 80 kilograms of hash through France has reportedly told a Nice court that he had managed to successfully transport a much bigger load just weeks before being caught.
Redknapp cleared of misusing Monaco account
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has been cleared of using a Monaco bank account to avoid paying taxes.

Course du Soleil in the snow
It won’t be just snowfall halting traffic on Sunday morning, over a thousand runners are expected to take part in the annual Course du Soleil this weekend – despite the freezing temperatures – resulting in some traffic disruptions in the morning.
Fifth man charged over Unik death
Police have charged a fifth man over the death of jeweller Thierry Unik. Hafid Dafri, a 41-year-old resident of Cannes La Bocca, will now face life imprisonment for his involvement in the armed robbery case that has rocked the Riviera.
Drop a degree!
As the Côte d’Azur shivers, electricity and energy consumption has continued to soar. With temperatures due to drop below freezing again tonight, people in the region are being encouraged to cut back on their electricty usage in a bid to reduce the risk of power cuts.

Sarkozy’s ‘emergency’ plan for jobs
With almost ten per cent of the population in France now unemployed, President Nicolas Sarkozy has announced a 430-million euro job creation package. Most of the measures have come as no surprise, having been fed to the media throughout the month. But there was one unexpected announcement – an “unprecedented” commitment to training the country’s potential workforce, who will then have no choice but to accept the jobs they are offered.
Fatal police shooting
Police are investigating the death of a 76-year-old man who was killed on Wednesday during a police shoot-out in Le Pradet. One officer remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Suspended sentences for Grasse police
Protesters took to the streets of Grasse yesterday after prosectors recommended suspended sentences for police involved in the death of a Tunisian man in 2008. A group of around 40 people were demanding justice for victim Hakim Ajimi.