Blog Archives

French are proud of their country. They have every reason; with all the unspoiled nature, gourmet cuisine, and the France national football team (ouch). Because deep inside every Frenchman historically lies a farmer, and we mean this certainly not negative, the Frenchman and Frenchwoman feels naturally strong links with rural life. Who has a garden or garden, devotes ots of attention to it; a garden is for French people something valuable.

The most beautiful French garden of course lies in Versailles. Over 800 hectares with 200,000 historic trees, 372 marble and bronze sculptures and 600 antique fountains. All the kings Louis and the last Queen of France; Marie Antoinette could be often found in this garden. And they still have taste; the current gardener orders annually about four million tulip bulbs from the Netherlands.

Festival des Jardins

In the Alpes Maritimes we have some beautiful gardens too and with the growing number of tourists, the region came up with the idea for a new festival: Festival des Jardins. The expressive theme is this year, “the awakening of the senses.” Sounds and smells good. In the cities of Antibes, Cannes, Grasse, Menton and Nice over 200 events are organised and ten local gardens are nominated to be elected by the public as The Most Beautiful Garden on the Côte d’Azur. A number of activities are public and most of them are free of charge. As in Nice: Jardin Albert 1er, Antibes – Juan-les-Pins: Pinède Gould, Cannes: Jardin de la Villa Rothschild, Grasse: Jardin de la Villa Fragonard, Menton Jardin Bioves.

Program Festival des Jardins

On this page you can find the list of participating gardens and addresses. For those with green fingers, serene minds, tree huggers, vegetable people and anyone who loves nature. Until May 1, you can enjoy the most beautiful gardens on the most beautiful locations on the Cote d’Azur.

by Ab Kuijer/28 March 2017/in Blog

Living on the Côte d’Azur proudly gives away some exclusively signed books of The French Riviera: A History, the must-have history book for everybody that loves the French Riviera. And you can win a signed copy!

How to participate? Share your best French Riviera story and you might win a The French Riviera: A History book, signed by Michael Nelson himself.

How did the French Riviera play a part in your life? Was it a historical encounter, an unforgettable holiday or did you meet the love of your life on the Côte d’Azur?

Send us your event (no word limit) and your story might be published on this website. The selected blog posts with the most likes and shares wins a signed copy of Michael Nelson latest best seller: The French Riviera: A History.

Word docs or plain text files to [email protected] . Deadline: June 1st 2017.

More about the book The French Riviera: A History

The book The French Riviera: A History ranges from the Terra Amata in Nice, occupied from 380,000 years ago and one of the oldest inhabited prehistoric sites in the world, through to settlement by Greeks, Romans, Franks, Ostrogoths and Visigoths, wars and revolutions, to tourism, and the establishment of the Silicon Valley of France in Sophia-Antipolis in 1974.

Michael Nelson shows the surprisingly cosmopolitan nature of the area in the early middle ages. Such as the story of the finishing school run by Frankish kings in the 7th century where Siagrius, the ruler of the region, had studied and where the son of King Edwin of Northumbria in England was also sent. The Riviera was part of Provence in France for much of its history and was often a microcosm of France itself, with many dynastic struggles and horrific blood-letting.

Colour maps and plates illustrate the book, and it is also full of fascinating anecdotes. Examples include the loan of a guillotine by Nice to Grasse in the French Revolution (Nice had no victims and Grasse had thirty) and the occasion when Jean Moulin, the leader of the French Resistance in World War II, invited the Germans to the opening of an art gallery in Nice which he was using as a front. In the nineteenth and twentieth century the British and Americans led tourism, and the Riviera was described by Somerset Maugham as ‘a sunny place for shady people’.

The French Riviera: A History is a fascinating look back over the Riviera’s rich history.

Buy the book The French Riviera: A History directly on-line

If writing is not your thing or if you do not have yet a nice French Riviera memory, here’s the link to the Michael Nelson website to order the book directly.

by Ab Kuijer/21 March 2017/in Blog

Brigitte Bardot is a living legend and we can fortunately still admire her alive. Sex symbol willy-nilly in Saint Tropez since the fifties, BB was born in 1934 and from her eighteenth she was in the imagination of many men with sultry tunes, exciting movies and lots of sexy photo shoots in magazines. The VAR was certainly happy with La Bardot, who remained loyal to the region where she felt at home. Her parents had already a house in St Tropez and in 1968 Brigitte Bardot bought an estate adjoining farm where she still lives in the year 2017: the Madrague. With her distinctive voice, she sang a beautiful ballad about the Madrague in 1963.

France 3 Côte d’Azur has recently made a series of videos about the life of BB, which they got exceptional permission in the last broadcast to film on the farm. Unique, because Brigitte Bardot lives for years the life of a hermit.

If you click on the France 3 videos, you may see only a black screen and the statement that France 3 forbids to view the videos on third-party sites in some countries. Therefore, just click on the link that appears on screen and you can see the video in a new window on Youtube.

Back to Brigitte Bardot. Disappointed in men, the media and humanity, she gives all her money, love and attention to fight against animal suffering. From Paris, her Bardot Foundation works daily to raise money and to save animals. And so it all began:

Video Brigitte Bardo: Love for the animal

Aflevering 2: An exhibition about Bardot

Who goes to the VAR and Saint Tropez or explores the surroundings of La Madrague shall never catch a glimpse of her. That did not kept fans to organize an exhibition about her. BB himself was of course not present, but that did not spoil the fun.

Aflevering 3: Brigitte Bardot as a tourist attraction

Bardot still lives in the Madrague and continues to change the image of a small village into a tourist attraction.

Aflevering 4: Brigitte Bardot opens her doors exclusively

Here, all of France waited for; a look at the yard of Brigitte Bardot and a meet and greet with BB and her animals.

by Ab Kuijer/17 March 2017/in Blog

Saint Laurent du Var is one of those Southern French coastal villages where many people pass by as they travel to and from the airport Nice Côte d’Azur. And that’s a shame because Saint Laurent du Var is a typical port town with good restaurants, cozy cafes and night clubs with a great local atmosphere and obviously many locals and a few tourists.

The village itself is a long shopping street with a church and a constant buzz. The port of Saint Laurent du Var is a little further towards the sea and has developed since 1950 a cozy little haven where more and more restaurants began to settle. Obviously, because a beer or wine tastes extra delicious while watching bobbing sailboats.
In the evening it is pleasantly busy, with lots of nice people and no whining here. By all the positive feedback and experiences the hospitality stretched the outside terraces; the official four meters grew into seven meters. This is, of course, illegal, and one day an official arrived with a tape measure. In 2002, some thirty restaurant owners were fined for illegal extension of the terrace, on penalty of 150 euros per day. Jointly the restaurants decided not to start court proceedings. This matter would drag on for fourteen years; even exceptional for French standards!
More and hefty fines were issued by the State ranging from 200,000 to 1.2 million, but in the meantime the restaurants were still open because the trial was not over. Last year September 2016 finally an endcame to the impasse. For those who then came to the harbor for a delicious entrecote it was a shock; all restaurants were closed. In October a complete renovation of all the restaurants started including a seven meters terrace with sleek Italian design.

Cost of all this: about six million, paid by the port which made arrangements with the restaurants to repay this amount with a few hundred euros a month. The fines are minimized by the State up to 5% of the initial amount, provided that the permit includes the larger terraces were issued and renewed until 2030. The State insisted that it would not pay any euro to fund the project. A nice deal where entrepreneurship and reality has won. The government opted for local employment and the growing tourism, and that makes Saint Laurent du Var for the next decades a good shelter for fun and entertainment.

For those who want to see the renovation of the restaurants Saint Laurent du Var; walk to CAP 3000 from the airport across the bridge. Walk a little further towards Cagnes sur Mer, and you will arrive half way in the heart of the port of Saint Lau. A great discovery! Opening july 2017.

Webcam Saint Laurent du Var

Want to buy a new apartment in Saint Laurent du Var?

Buy a seafront apartment in Saint Laurent du Var

by Ab Kuijer/17 March 2017/in Blog

A look back at a quiet week in which the schools have begun and many parents as well as grandfathers and grandmothers finally came to rest. The first Sunday in March was ‘old school’ busy and fun on the beaches. Young and old are cycling, running, skating or strolling along the sea. Spring seems to be started, the temperature runs all week up to 16-18 degrees. Only Saturday it rained all day and our garden furniture flew in all directions. Unfortunately, these strong winds did not kept a fifty women from Menton to go para-gliding; you know, hanging under a square parachute and then landing right on a lawn. Unfortunately, the sporty woman collapsed by the strong wind against the rocks of Roquebrune Cap Martin and did not survive the fall.

In politics you can see a fall coming; such as those of Fillon. He demonstrated this week how to be true elite. Despite an investigation into salary fraud with EU money and the departure of almost all of his executives, he believes in his victory and calls a conspiracy is going on. Emmanuel Macron is a smarter guy. With his movement “En Marche” he promises everything you want to hear; such as legal marijuana, taxation on robots and this week he wants to abolish the French ‘tax d’habitation’. That sounds like an unrealistic lie and that’s true. But French people likes to be fooled, and no one thinks: ‘How will France pay all of this?’ Not from economic growth; which is only 1.2%. Mr. Macron is therefor called by his opponents Mr. Macaron, the yummy cookies that everybody likes.

The political lords are making themselves uncredible at every level. The mayor of La Gaude, the village near Nice Côte d’Azur handed the key over from his city because he must appear before the court for income tax evasion. French elite believe in their own story; and that they are put above the law and the ordinary people. Yet, this law is badly needed as even normal people tend to break that law.

You probably remember the attack on the Promenade des Anglais. More than 1,000 people (out of 2,500) received compensation of tens of thousands of euros from a special fund for the victims. A couple from Antibes listed themselves as a victim, hoping to earn a little extra. The fund paid 60,000 euros until an alert officer discovered that these people got also listed as a victim in the terrorist attack in Paris. The judge sentenced the couple promptly to six years imprisonment and repayment of the money.

French judges apparently like the number six; a car thief this week in Grasse was also sentenced to six years in prison. The man responded to an ad on Le Bon Coin. On the spot he threatened the owner of the car with a knife and took the car away. It is clear: in France we have a high zero-tolerance policy; we do like this ourselves, especially against processionary caterpillars. This, as polonaise lovers disguised hairy caterpillars shuffle as a long trunk in the garden or on the terrace and pose a serious danger to the respiratory tract of humans and animals. We have the first string of processionary caterpillars therefore doused and burned mercilessly with gasoline. Pathetic yes. But it is our garden and they had no valid papers. Plus, we need security above all.

As a new security measure was installed at the French police. They must record all interrogations and detentions with a video to prove that they comply with the law. So if you are stopped over in your car, that call is being filmed. Let’s hope you have not had too much alcohol in your head, celebrating last exceptional rosé year. It was announced that the Provence sold 23% more of rosé wine in 2016 with a total value of 1.44 billion euros. Perhaps this can be used to pay the “tax habitation’. That would be fair; a notorious wine lover can drink his own tax credit.

Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen continues to score high in the polls; helped by incidents like this. A French Christian schoolteacher was suspended in the middle of France because he read passages from the Bible to nine and ten year old children in his class. Some kids complained about it to their parents; a petition followed where parents demanded that their children were not exposed to such ‘a book full of lies’. Despite the fact that it is a public school here, the parents succeeded in suspending the teacher.

by Ab Kuijer/5 March 2017/in Blog

We have expanded our French Riviera website through a partnership with the American Yelp. Who you say? Yelp, a runner up from California that specializes in honest customer reviews about restaurants and bars. With more than 135 million monthly users and over 95 million reviews Ywelp is becoming a good friend for the future.

How does this work on the website of Living on the Côte d’Azur? If you click on a villa or apartment, you will see at the top of some moving pictures. Below in black are a few extras; including ‘nearby’. If you click that text, you’re suddenly at the bottom of the page, close to the Google map. This Google map is never the exact address, to protect the privacy of the seller, but always an indication.

Under the Google Map you can see a selection of the best addresses in the area, selected by Yelp. The distances are set to 0, but that’s because we have not set the exact address. You now know where to find the best rated restaurants, bars and cafes.

Finally, we have expanded another service; signing up for our newsletter ‘A message from the Ciote d’Azur’. Every month we send you a smart selection of new and special properties. You can also register from on this page to receive a ‘blog alert’; which are the weekly stories about life in the South of France.

If you have any questions, you can always reach us at [email protected]

Voor more information and a link to the App www.yelp.com

by Ab Kuijer/3 March 2017/in Blog

It is wild boar time. Down in the valley, near our house we hear rustling through the bushes and dogs bark all night, like living nervous alarm systems. In itself, a boar bolt is of course delicious, but I do not see myself hunting in the valley to get one. It seems that you can join the wild boar hunters pack, even though the level of the average swine shooter is not very high. Last year, a man who was hanging his laundry out was shot in the stomach because the hail came right through the bushes. Do you hear so boars, then there are hunters too and you’d better stay indoors.

And there are more boars active, in this case the French management of AirFrance. We as Dutch with our KLM make every effort to lead the group in good runways. However, the French management rewarded themselves for their cleverness to hire the hard working Dutch for the dirty work. French directors gave themselves a 40% raise in 2016 under the guise, “we’ve got five years, nothing extra.” Seriously.

Thieves

The French government is looking the other way, probably towards the region of La Gaude and Saint Laurent du Var. Since the government has, over the heads of the local senators around, decided to build a new state prison. Mayors and prefecture are furious and hope that a new government comes to their senses and choose another location. This is going to be even more exciting with the French elections; ultimately they are all crooks. In France, the polls bring Marine Le Pen to an ultimate high altitude; everyone is sick and tired of the elite. Ultimately the voter determines who will govern the country. For The Netherlands, we have sent our orange envelopes with ballots to The Hague. It seems that this time a record of nearly eighty thousand people abroad take the trouble to vote. Well done!

More optimism; summer jobs are coming up; as many as a thousand. For young people the only time to earn some money and work experience. On average you earn ten euros an hour during long days, but it keeps you busy and it’s good for your work experience. Visit the summer jobs fair in Cannes; open daily from 9 to 14:00 . More info via [email protected] for anyone with a healthy work ethic.

Innovation

Health is worth something in our aging society. For a company it is a wise area to deploy innovative medical devices. A new type of scanner 4D was presented this week at the l’Institut Méditerranéen Proton Therapy (IMPT). Especially for young children with cancer, the new machine is ideally suited to early to irradiate very small places. Which is quite clever done by the French engineers.

Also clever done, but in architecture is Villa El Djézaïr. This palace stands along the seaway in Juan les Pins since 1922. It was in disrepair for a long time, but since 2014 it is fully restored. Still, it remained vacant and that is a pity. The owner has happily announced that there will be a lounge bar in the palace. Opening this summer! Time for a party;-)
The carnival party in Nice ended officially this weekend and has attracted a lot of people; we ourselves fled to the mountains. Again this year, thousands of people were again looking obediently on a tribune at the many hired dancers and actors who played they had fun. How unlike a Brasilian Carnaval where the people dancing in the street. The municipality of Nice has earned with ticket sales at least another 1.5 million euros.

Surfin ‘surfin’

Fun and sports is more important than money. That’s the surfer’s spirit from the beach boys and beach dudettes in Saint Aygulf, Fréjus and Saint Raphael. They have started a campaign to create awareness about surfing in the Mediterranean. Many people think they have to got to the French Atlantic west coast and Biarritz, but nothing is less true. You can enjoy two-meter high waves and experience the same sensation in the Var. More information about the best surf again see https://marc.ifremer.fr

For those who likes to surf some culture in the coming weeks here our two tips for next month.

01 till 03 march 2017

Foire de Nice

The indoor flea market of the year in Nice; a mix of official dealers and people who clean up their attics. Take some hand money with you, you might score a lame brocante. Or a canopy bed from the 1700’s.

NICEXPO

Palais des Expositions

06359 NICE

www.foiredenice.com

25 and 26 march 2017

Fête des Jardins – VALBONNE SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS

Do you have green fingers? Give them some inspiration during this wonderful expo in Valbonne. The springtime outdoor party of the year!

Sophia-Antipolis, place Sophie-Laffitte

www.jardinsud.com

by Ab Kuijer/24 February 2017/in Blog

From the sunny French Riviera, we laugh and look at the world of politics. Trump as president stirs the society and in France? It is hard to say what will happen; the Socialists have shown where their interests lie in any case: new party leader Benoît Hamon promises everyone a basic wage of 750 euros and wants to legalize cannabis. He promptly received the most votes. Really, politics is more fun than a soap opera on TV.

French Riviera news: a full head of camembert

However, some court decisions are also extremely entertaining to read. Last year, a man threw over dinner a piece of Camembert to the head of his wife. An ordinary fight started in the restaurant between Claude and Marie, two adult in their thirties. Marie went to the police, with Camembert still in her hair to start a case against her husband. In Draguignan, the wise court sentenced the man this week to one year in prison for unacceptably aggressive behavior. Really, haha, and this is not even fake news.

Anyway, Nice Carnival is approaching and is dedicated to ……. politics. Political heads are parading in February with in front Benoît Hamon followed by Emmanuel Macron, Manuel Valls, Francois Fillon, Francois Hollande, Nicolas Sarkozy and Marine Le Pen. Whether free joints are distributed is questionable; the French dive in any case fully in the party. Who takes politicians still seriously?

Nobody. An attempt to get US banks to move their investment from London to Paris now Brexit is a fact, went a little different than hoped. French Finance Minister Michel Sapin made a major speech in Washington DC. However, his speech was entirely in French, ignoring the fact that English is really the one and only language outside France. That meeting has entered the books as a French catastrophe.

French Riviera news: tram line 3 in Nice

Luckily this catastrophe was not as bad as the flooding disaster that hit Cannes, two years ago. Finally, politicians and insurance companies found a solution for the many victims. As of January 27, 2017 everyone has ten days to reclaim their total damage. Thereafter the money will be paid soon. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs have already gone bankrupt because they could not pay the renovation of their mud flooded store. Still, paying out after paying two years is quite fast, in France.

The growth in the number of tourists that continue to come to Nice goes a lot faster. Despite all political jokers, stupid terrorist attacks and some violent storms, Nice Airport has once again broken a record. As many as 12.4 million people landed at Nice Airport, an increase of 3,4% compared to 2015.

Soon you can even take the tram from the airport to downtown Nice or Saint Laurent du Var. The tram is very popular on the Cote d’Azur; it is cheap, fast, open up poorer neighborhoods and saves a lot of cars driving in circles looking for a parking space. Christian Estrosi announced this week proudly that even a third tram line arrives. Line 3 opens in in 2020 and brings you in 25 minutes from Place Massena to Nice Saint-Isidore.

French Riviera news: events in February 2017

Local commerce will brightens up when the new tram line 3 arrives. And so we make a stop in this blog for the free Australian flower tour; the mimosa. This month, the entire southern coast of France is in bloom with those special yellow flower branches on the trees. Coming in February to the Riviera for a tour to visit your new apartment or to invest in a luxury villa? Combine this with a trip of local culture. We selected two more events on the Côte d’Azur for you:

French Riviera news ANTIBES – Pain, amour et chocolat

The love of both man and woman goes through the stomach. Certainly a week before Valentine’s Day, this is a mouth watering exhibition. Free tasting of delicacies such as pastries, cakes and fresh chocolate. Here you’ll find original valentine gifts !

09 to February 12, 2017

16 to February 19, 2017

10 h-19 h

Port Vauban

French Riviera news MENTON – Festival de Citron

Every year a great party in Menton to celebrate the successful harvest of lemons. Visit the gardens of Bioves and enjoy the colorful procession; a parade with this year a swinging Broadway theme.

February 11 to March 1, 2017

Bioves et jardin Promenade du Soleil

www.fete-du-citron.com

by Ab Kuijer/31 January 2017/in Blog

It might not even be officially spring time, but in the south of France we already feel that the sun rises to power. It rains occasionally decent, luckily most of the showers fall after 22:00 at night. During the day the sun shines, and on many beaches in Cannes and Juan les Pins the sun loungers are already out. Between 11:00 and 15:00 it feels like vacation and that is exactly the time for a delicious lunch.

To celebrate the sun, we have some special offers in terms of last minute new constructions on the French Riviera coast. Why are these offers so special? We know that these objects are sold in the next three months since then the marketing season starts. Local realtors come back in April from hibernation to sit down in their offices. Whoever wants to buy a second home or an apartment on the Côte d’Azur, is well advised to take action this week !

Choose from a one bedroom corner apartment on the top floor in Antibes, a two bedroom apartment in the heart of Cannes Palm Beach with swimming pool, a three-bedroom villa in Biot, a complete two or three bedroom villa in Sainte Maxime or a top (literally) apartment in Nice Laterne with pool!

Antibes corner apartment penthouse style

In a modern designed small building we can offer the apartment on the fourth (top) floor. From this 1 bedroom apartment you have the view that gives the building its name. A blue sea, 180 degrees wide. Enjoy the spacious living room of 36M2 opening up to a large (to Southern French standards) and sunny terrace of 27M2.

Price 375,000 euros excluding garage.

Would you prefer two bedrooms; the current bedroom is large enough to make two small bedrooms. Ultimately, you will enjoy living outdoor most of your time.

Nice Laterne new top floor apartment

This new apartment with magnificent sea views in Nice Laterne is set amidst a private park. Here are many plants, trees and flower species that give color to the Mediterranean life. The residence has almost organically formed to nature with typical curves. All apartments have sunny terraces, 180 ° to the Mediterranean sea and offer luxurious amenities to satisfy all your requirements.

Two bedrooms, a total of 57m2 and terrace of nearly 11M2. Price 423,500 euros including garage

Cannes new apartment with swimming pool

Invest in Cannes in a luxury new residence with swimming pool. No sea view, but the beach is within 3 minutes walk. You live in Cannes, at the most beloved district of Palm Beach. If you want to walk with your shopping bags from the Rue d’Antibes to your home, this is the best opportunity.

Building B with swimming pool, 1st floor, 1 bedroom, total 42M2, terrace 10,4M2, 325,000 euros

Building B with swimming pool, 2nd floor, 2 bedrooms, total 64m2, terrace 18,8M2, 495,000 euros

Building B with a pool, 3rd floor, two bedrooms, a total of 64m2, 44m2 terrace, 690,000 euros

Biot new villa new constructions

Slowly the final touches to this beautiful area. Nestled in a green valley between Biot and Valbonne, this is a safe and stylish area where many local engineers and doctors to live. Would you buy a new villa on stand, near Cannes and Nice in the romantic Biot?

The last six villas all have three bedrooms, a living area of 93m2 and a terrace of 13 M2. The prices depend on the situation but from 529 000 to 612 000 euros you can buy a new villa with ten-year guarantee in Biot on the Côte d’Azur. We will send you the floor plans and location. Or better yet, we walk with you on the field.

New villa in Biot for sale for 529,000 euros

Sainte Maxime new villa new constructions

In the holiday village of Sainte Maxime, close to Saint Tropez, we offer for sale of new split-level villas. Conveniently located close to the village of Sainte Maxime, the lively harbor and beaches. An estate of a total of 14 semi-detached villas for a very competitive price. These are the villas that are still for sale today. Please contact us for the plan and take an option before it’s too late.

1 villa built three bedroom split level. Total living area 94m2 and garden 374M2 Possibility to make a pool. Price 447 720 euro

4 villa built three bedroom split level. Total living area 94m2 and garden 367M2 Possibility to make a pool. Price 447 720 euro

Villa built on 5 split level with two bedrooms. Total living area 94m2 and garden 374M2 Possibility to make a pool. Price 345,600 euros

6 villa built three bedroom split level. Total living area 94m2 and garden 404M2 Price 430 500 euros

Are you interested in new constructions on the Cote Azur? Ask for more information [email protected] or WhatsApp +33770186203

Look for more information about French Riviera real estate offers on these links:

All our new constructions real estate French Riviera Cote d’Azur

Selected re-sales luxury French Riviera real estate Cote d’Azur

by Ab Kuijer/30 January 2017/in Blog

One way or another the new year on the Cote d’Azur starts very slowly. Everyone seems busy with New Year get-togethers or parties other than ‘back to daily business aka work”. No one could be reached via email or Whatsapp; I felt like I was on another planet and started to wonder: “Is this still the always bustling international Southern France ?!” Suddenly the penny dropped: many French used the first week of 2017 of course for their new “right to disconnect.

No more email

This new extension to the Labour Act gives every worker the right to – during work hours – go completely offline. Since January 1 French workers have five additional working days per year to be filled with other matters than be connected to a computer or smartphone. The aim here is to relieve the ‘heavily stressed worker’ (ahem) from too much information. Indeed, suppose they have to answer an email in time., It also explains why the restaurants are so full: “Sorry boss, I’m going off-line.”

Detour for a burger
That law means nothing to you if you work in a supermarket and just need to fill the counters. Here, strike is the only legal work stoppage. And so it happened; all Carrefour supermarkets will organize in the coming weeks throughout France spontaneous strikes to protest that they need to stay open on Sunday mornings. If you are hit by this strike and you can’t get food; go looking for a tasty quick snack. In most cases, you should need a detour. A recent survey about the number of fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s, Quick and Subway in French cities shows that Nice in terms of fast food is performing badly. In the capital of the Côte d’Azur only 27 fast food joints can be found for roughly 800,000 people, accounting for a thirteenth place. In Bordeaux you can find most fast food restaurants per number of inhabitants.

Chill on the street
The lover of a triple hamburger is indeed put in the cold, but that’s nothing compared to the cold that refugees have to go through on the Cote d’Azur. The hope of a warm house and a nice benefit without doing anything turned into a feeling of icy reality. It’s in Europe a lot colder than in sunlit Africa that they have left behind. Luckily, people gather around to collect duvets and sleeping bags so that the refugees are at least warm on the street. A typical case of treating the symptoms without addressing the problem. The acquittal this week by the Court of Nice for the Frenchman that smuggled asylum seekers into the country through the hinterland of Menton makes it even more unclear.

Donor bikers
I understand less and less of politics and decided to take a refreshing ride on the motorbike. While I kept me neatly to the speed on the A8, cars got left and right zigzag overtaken by fellow bikers who apparently have seen too many action movies. Not surprising that the number of fatal accidents has increased by 23% in southern France last year; from 24 to 31. Cause: speeding and too much alcohol. Now motorcyclists were always called driving donors (healthy males), this year the doctors may squeeze their hands. The new Donor Law became effective and makes everyone a donor unless you are registered as dead egoist and keeps your organs healthy for yourself.

Help the youth
It was already busy in the hospitals; Grasse even delayed its operations because the annual flu epidemic. We understand nothing of this; there are so many people sick, weak with ‘gastro’ around this time of year. GPs prefer to prescribe anti-depressants (cash!) rather than a good dose of vitamin D3 and magnesium to improve the resistance. What has to improve at least is unemployment among young people. The government put some serious money into a new project called Clic n Job. I will be the grumbler who points out that the word Job is unknown for the many non-English speaking young people. But it gets worse. The idea for the site (read Government) is the believe that young French people do actually not know a lot about the Internet and therefore need to be helped with how the Internet works and how to apply for a job. Really, it’s no joke, there are many millions invested in this already hopeless project .

Tv drama festival
Actually France as a country is a good subject for a television series about life itself. Which TV producer dares to? The Mayor of Cannes David Lisnard is certainly ready for it; he launched this week the plan to organize a special TV Drama Festival in Cannes to be just as prestigious as the Film Festival. First edition is scheduled in 2018.
You do not have to wait that long for some other entertainment; for the coming week, we have two tips for some outgoing events on the Côte d’Azur. Up to date events can of course be found in our free App.

Upcoming events

“Un hiver en musique” concert – MOUGINS
Every Sunday a series of classical concerts at the Eglise Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur in Mougins. Who then reserve a table in one of the restaurants has a wonderful Sunday afternoon and evening.
Every Sunday 17:00 until 5 February
Reservations via tel. 33 (0) 4 93 75 87 67

Salon du Mariage – Nice
Wedding plans for 2017? Getting married on the Côte d’Azur is obviously super romantic; this exhibition gives you all the inspiration and puts you in touch with the right suppliers of dresses, locations and cars.
21 and 22 January
10 h-19 h
Nice-Acropolis
1 Esplanade Kennedy

by Ab Kuijer/15 January 2017/in Blog