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Day: 9 October 2016

Pound takes a dive, expats feel the hit

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/10/2016

currencyThe dramatic fall in the value of the British pound, which started just after the Brexit vote on June 23 and picked up speed over recent days – plunging to a 31-year low against the USD in Asian trade Friday – is having a serious impact on the hundreds of thousands of British expats in France.
Particularly hard hit are pensioners living in France, and many of them have told the online English news service The Local how much the weakening pound has changed their lives, many reporting a 30 percent drop in income.
Debbie Coxon, 62, who lives in central France’s Creuse department, said: “We were horrified by the vote, and we’re fed up of people not in our position saying, ‘Nothing much will change’ when it already has big time for us. Personally I feel spat out and utterly ignored – I don’t feel I can even justify having my hair cut as an unnecessary expense.”
Lynda Adcock, a 63-year-old in Brittany, has been left in a similar boat. “The exchange rate means that we have to think about if we can put the heating on, what we eat and it has generally made a huge impact on our daily life. We have the added matter of feeling insecure with absolutely no information coming from the British government as to how they are going to treat us in times to come, post Brexit.”
Sally Hipwood, a 67-year-old in southeastern France’s Vienne department, commented that she has been left in dismay and fearing the future. “I have already reduced the amount of money I spend each week on groceries. The biggest impact for me though is going to be that I will not be able to go to the UK to see my family as often as I would wish.”
In some parts of France, in the Dordogne, for example, the local French economy is very dependant on British expats. But the pound may continue its descent and the fallout from the British referendum on EU membership will continue to hurt both migrants and locals alike.

Earthquake and road fatalities shake things up

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/10/2016

Photo: Joshua Kimberly
Photo: Joshua Kimberly

An earthquake measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale shook the Alpes-Maritimes late Saturday night and was felt throughout the Nice region, at Cagnes-sur-Mer, and in Monaco and Menton.
The epicentre of the quake registered at 23:37 local time was off the coast at San Remo, 10 kilometres below the surface. The tremors lasted about four seconds.
READ MORE: Government offers free SMS alerts for major risks and emergencies
In other news, a shock increase in road deaths in France during the month of September – up 30.4 percent on September 2015 – can be largely explained by very poor weather last year, the National Office of Traffic Safety said on Friday.
In hard numbers, 335 people lost their lives in French roads last month, 78 more than in the same month of last year. There had been a sharp decline in road deaths in September 2015, by 17.4 percent, due to adverse weather, heavy rains and floods that curtailed many road trips.
However, after 12 years of decline, French road deaths have been increasing over the last three years, from 3,384 fatalities in 2014 (up by 3.5 percent from 2013) to 3,464 in 2015. This was the first time in 35 years that France’s road toll had increased over two consecutive years.

Canadian road show for Monaco Tourism

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/10/2016

Guy Antognelli, Deputy General Manager Monaco Government Tourist and Convention Authority
Guy Antognelli, Deputy General Manager Monaco Government Tourist and Convention Authority

Embarking on its first ever road show in Canada, the Monaco Government Tourist and Convention Authority, in collaboration with Atout France, made a recent stop in Toronto to promote the destination and highlight new offers, according to travelweek.ca.
Guy Antognelli, Deputy General Manager, said that despite being only two square kilometres in size, the Principality of Monaco is host to many must-see events and attractions, most notably the Formula One Grand Prix, which takes place each year in May. There’s also the Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival, now in its 41st year, which draws royalty and tourists alike, as well as residents, and the annual Monaco Yacht Show, now recognised as the world’s number one superyacht event.
Monaco’s small size also means that visitors can pack in more sightseeing in less time while covering less ground. Monaco offers North American visitors the chance to join Le Club, which for a fee of $85 includes benefits valued at $300, including free helicopter transfer from Nice Airport. A confirmed three-night reservation at Hôtel de Paris, Hôtel Hermitage, Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo, Monte-Carlo Beach Hotel, Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, Fairmont Monte Carlo, Le Méridien Beach Plaza, Port Palace, Columbus Monte-Carlo or Novotel Monte-Carlo is required to join and receive a one-year individual membership.
The Canadian Club de Monaco will be celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017 with events across the year in the Principality, providing an inviting opportunity for fellow countrymen to both visit the Principality and celebrate the Dominion of Canada.

Hospital hosts breastfeeding information session

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/10/2016

babyThe Princess Grace Hospital is offering a half-day of information and help for breastfeeding mothers on Wednesday, October 12, from 9:30 am until 2 pm.
Consultants at the hospital who specialise in breastfeeding (“allaitement maternel”) will be available for present and future mothers. Videos and demonstrations will also take place at the Maternity Centre, in the room for prenatal care, second floor. The meeting is open to the public and professionals.
Princess Grace was a keen early advocate of breast-feeding, setting a tradition that continues to this day.

Top marks for Top Marques Watches

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/10/2016

Photo: Top Marques Watches
Photo: Top Marques Watches

The second Edition of Top Marques Watches & Jewellery drew to a close last weekend to rave reviews for its high quality exhibitors and sublime setting at the Hotel Hermitage Monte-Carlo.
The “Pop-up” watch and jewellery show, Monaco’s only exhibition dedicated to exclusive watches and bespoke jewellery, was organised by the team behind the Principality’s premier supercar show and featured exclusive brands such as Greubel Forsey, Franck Muller, Backes & Strauss, Rebellion Timepieces, DeWitt and Urwerk.
Held at the Salle Belle Epoque, the show was inaugurated by HSH Prince Albert on the Thursday of Yacht Show week and attracted a steady flow of visitors throughout the three days, with a considerable number of sales understood to have been made.
A notable amount of money was also raised for Monaco Disease Power, a Monegasque association that works with families with children with disabilities. Many of the donations were made at a Charity Tombola at the opening cocktail, sponsored by jewellery designer Elena Sivoldaeva, who offered a bespoke diamond brooch as first prize. Other prizes included a watch donated by Rebellion Timepieces and an original work of art by artist Robert Combas.
Manoj Bairstow, managing director of Top Marques Monaco, said: “We were delighted with the public’s response to the second edition of our watches and jewellery show, and were even more pleased to hear that the majority of exhibitors made sales, which is, after all, the aim of the event.”
Adding that Top Marques is “over the moon that so many people made donations to Monaco Disease Power” the MD added, “More than half of the participants have confirmed they will be appearing at Top Marques Monaco in April. We’re thrilled by this as we feel it is a good indicator of the show’s success and of all our events.”
Next years Top Marques Watches & Jewellery will take place September 28-30, 2017. meanwhile tickets for Top Marques Monaco, April 20-23 at the Grimaldi Forum, are now on sale.

Are you getting yours?

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/10/2016

Mme Valerie Davenet, Director of the Environment, with Mme Marie-Pierre Gramaglia, Minister of Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development.
Mme Valerie Davenet (left) Director of the Environment, with Mme Marie-Pierre Gramaglia, Minister of Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development at “A bag for life” launch.

The campaign to send some 22,000 Monaco homes by post “Un sac pour la vie” (A bag for life), is in full swing this week, compliments of the Monaco Government.
And Monaco Life is supporting the initiative by asking readers to spread the environmentally-friendly message. Take a creative picture of you with your new bag anywhere in Monaco and tag the photo in Instagram (@monacolife_) or Facebook (@monacolife.net) #sacpourlavie #monacolife. We’ll post various shots on our homepage and over the next month, the winning image will win a year’s subscription to Monaco Life’s Premium Service, which includes free access to Urbanologie.
Although a ban against the use of plastic shopping bags has been in effect in the Principality since June 1, 2016, Mme Marie-Pierre Gramaglia, Minister of Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development, launched the “A bag for life” initiative officially on September 7.
“There are 250 billion plastics bags in the Mediterranean sea,” Mme Gramaglia pointed out, and each bag takes 450 years to decompose. In Europe, each person uses on average 200 plastic bags per year.
“The Bag for Life campaign therefore has two meanings,” the Minister, in the presence of Mme Valerie Davenet, Director of the Environment, added. “First, a reusable biodegradable cotton bag you can use for life, and second, one less plastic bag in the Mediterranean.”
saccontentsIn a week’s time, a royal blue cotton bag, 35 x 35 cm, designed with the words “Un sac pour la vie, A bag for life” will be sent in the mail to each Monaco resident, with a letter from Mme Gramaglia explaining the initiative and an educational pamphlet about plastic bags and the environment.
“We want to convince people to use reusable bags,” Mme Gramaglia said. “We can’t wait for the change, we are the change.”
There are 200 stores in Monaco supporting the plastic bag ban campaign. But the “Sac pour la vie” bags will not be for sale or available from any shop.
A tasteful informative animated video in French will be released in parallel to raise awareness about the negative impact plastic has on the environment and to help promote the “A bag for life campaign”. An English version, with a young boy’s voiceover, is due to be released in the coming weeks.
At the beginning of the New Year 2017, there will be a further ban on disposable packaging plastic bags, like you use to buy fruit and vegetables in the supermarket, that are less than 30 percent bio-based materials (this will rise to 60 percent in 2025). And from January 1, 2020, plastic cutlery and disposable kitchenware will also be forbidden and replaced with utensils made from plant-based compostable materials, the new generation of plastic.
“It’s all about changing our habits,” Mme Gramaglia emphasised.
The ban on plastic bags also went into effect in France on July 1, 2016.
Article first published on September 7, 2016.