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Day: 26 May 2023

Monte-Carlo Television Festival: more than a red carpet event

by: Stephanie Horsman
26/05/2023

The 62nd edition of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival has confirmed details of its extended Business Content programme.

The specially curated event, which will offer a series of panels spanning many current issues facing the international programming industry, will be attended by a group of leading experts, executives and creative talent from around the world.

Delegates and attendees of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival will be able to join the Business Content strand as well as those who separately register for the Festival’s exclusive Pass Pro which gives participants access to an exceptional line-up of high-level professionals who are shaping the future of television.

Also included in Pass Pro registration is Festival Connect – a unique networking tool which is now open to facilitate exclusive meetings with leading industry figures via the platform.

 “Our Festival continues to be the leading European hub for creativity and talent,” said Laurent Puons, CEO Monte-Carlo Television Festival. “We are extremely pleased to have curated a welcoming and intimate setting for influential experts from across the international content business to meet and share conversations about the topics and trends that matter most.”
The Business Content schedule will take place in Monaco’s state-of-the-art Grimaldi Forum from 17th to 19th June. To see the full schedule, click here.

 

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Henri Matisse’s Niçois haven goes up for sale

by: Elsa Carpenter
26/05/2023
henri matisse

The Belle Époque retreat owned by celebrated artist Henri Matisse has been listed by Sotheby’s International Realty for close to €2.5 million.

This piece of artistic heritage is found in the Excelsior Régina Palace, itself in the heart of the historic Cimiez nieghbourhood of Nice. It was bought by Matisse, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, in 1918 and was his home, on and off, until his death in 1954.  

The 165m2 property has been listed for €2.48 million. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s

The two-bed 165m² apartment also housed his workshop, which, thanks to the south-facing aspect of the property, would have been flooded with the natural light that attracted so many of his contemporary artists to the region.  

There’s further history to the place too. England’s Queen Victoria was said to be dissatisfied with the hotels in the city during one of her many visits. This brought about a stage of vast development in Nice, one part of which was the construction of the Excelsior Régina Palace, which took on the ‘Régina’ section of its name in honour of the long-living monarch.  

henri matisse
The Excelsior Régina Palace is classified as a historical monument. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s

“Its construction was entrusted to the architect Sébastien-Marcel Biasini in 1897 as well as to François-Félix Gordolon for the metal structure as well as the wrought iron. For the crown which overlooks the apartments of Queen Victoria, he was helped by Gustave Eiffel,” reads the listing by Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty. “The Régina stands out in Nice and on the Côte d’Azur for its remarkable architecture, harmoniously combining different artistic styles. In a Belle Époque ensemble, the dominant influence is that of Art Nouveau, with its organic shapes, floral ornaments and curved lines.” 

The building has stood the test of time in an ever-evolving city and is now classified as a historical monument.  

Matisse’s former home is on the third floor of the Excelsior Régina Palace and owns stunning views of the city below and the Baie des Anges. Thanks to its location within one of the most prestigious enclaves in Nice, the property comes with many modern amenities, such as a swimming pool and tennis courts, as well as a generous cellar and storage space and a double garage.  

henri matisse
The south-facing property is filled with the natural light that enticed Matisse and many of the other great 20th century artists who called the region home. Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s

The grounds of the Excelsior are beautifully landscaped and the entire address is protected by an on-site caretaker and a video surveillance system.  

It is currently on the market for €2,48 million. Click here to see the full listing.  

 

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Photos courtesy of Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty

Use it or lose it: paid leave has an expiration date

by: Stephanie Horsman
26/05/2023
paid leave

For private sector employees in France, paid leave does not necessarily roll over into the next year, and the deadline for use is fast approaching.  

Workers in the private sector, take heed. The government has put out a reminder that last year’s accumulated paid leave expires on 31st May, unless arrangements can be made with employers to extend it, or roll it over, into this year.  

The leave in question is anything acquired between 1st June 2021 and 31st May 2022, though in certain sectors the dates vary, whilst the principle remains the same.  

If a person has not taken all their holiday time by the end of the company’s cut-off date, they risk losing it altogether. This can be avoided in some cases by speaking directly to the employer and asking for it to be postponed, but as some organisations have “use it or lose it” policies, there is a risk they will not comply.  

Some situations allow for postponement, despite company rules. These include external constraints such as sick leave, maternity or adoption leave, or the impossibility of taking time for organisational reasons at the request of your employer.  

Employees who benefit from a time savings account (CET) can invest in it the rights resulting from periods of leave or rest (RTT) not taken. 

Paid leave is obtained at the rate of 2.5 working days per month of work performed.  

 

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Photo source: Vidar Nordii-Mathisen 

Visa rules for second home owners in France may be easing

by: Stephanie Horsman
26/05/2023
visa second home france

Non-resident second home owners in France may soon be allowed a special five-year visa, allowing for a longer stay period and less red tape.

Blame it on Brexit. When the UK voted to leave the European Union, the chaos that ensued affected so much more than governmental agencies and trade. It also impacted the tens of thousands of Brits who, until then, were legally able to jump back and forth across the Channel to France, where an estimated 86,000 own second homes, and stay for as long as they wished.  

Under the current laws, UK citizens are only allowed, like any other non-EU visitor, to stay under the 90-day rule. This means that anyone coming into France can stay for a total of 90 days in a 180-day period, then they must wait another 90 days before re-entering.  

If they want to remain longer, they need to apply for a long-stay visa, giving them the right to stay from four to six months, but this needs renewing every year. It also has a fee attached.  

This may all change soon though, as the French Parliament is proposing a new visa for non-resident second homeowners that will streamline the process and eliminate the need for a certain amount of red tape.  

Introduced by Senator Corinne Imbert, this proposed amendment to the Immigration Bill states: “Any foreign national who owns a secondary residence in France may apply for an extended long-stay visa authorising him or her to stay on French territory for a period not exceeding six months per year. This visa [would be] valid for five years.” 

Support for the idea is growing, with several senators and MPs on board, particularly those from the northern reaches of France.  

The visa would be for any non-resident second home owner – not just Brits – making it a somewhat easier sell to the legislature, as well as making it more appealing for potential buyers worldwide.  

Proprietors of second homes from outside the Schengen Zone accounted for 1.5% of real estate owned in France at the end of 2019, according to Banque de France. This is up from 1% in 2001. The value of these assets came in at roughly €125 billion, a significant amount for the economy. Furthermore, second home owners pay higher property taxes than primary owners.  

The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region accounts for just over 20% of the transactions, the highest in all of France.  

 

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Photo source: Jean Nicolas Fahrenberg