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Day: 4 March 2024

‘Mediterranean episode’: what happened when Sunday’s storm hit?

by: Niki Borisova
04/03/2024

A severe storm that hit the south of France and Monaco over the weekend caused mass damage, death and disruptions to travel in the region.

Sunday 3rd March saw the most extreme weather of the ‘Mediterranean episode’, which is a period of intense storms and incredibly heavy rains that causes extensive flooding. It brought down trees, ripped through powerlines and caused landslides in vulnerable areas of the south of France. As the rain came down, one tragic incident on the A8 motorway led to the death of an Escota worker who had been trying to help relocate a broken down vehicle.

See more: Further details revealed about deadly motorway accident in La Turbie

The worst of the storm occurred between 9am and 3pm, with as much as 100mm of rainfall recorded in the Pre-Alpes-de-Grasse zone and the Mercantour valleys.

The storm led to the closure of several roads, including the RD91 or Route de Casterino due to an elevated avalanche risk and the RM97 to Isola 2000, which was impacted by the heavy snowfall experienced in the more mountainous parts of the region.

See more: Bountiful snowfall has ski resorts in the Southern Alps rejoicing

Coastal roads in Nice and Menton were also temporarily shut for public safety.

Winds from the storm reached 90km/h and caused trees to fall on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, blocking three lanes out of four. In Antibes, six massive trees came down near Port Vauban, causing considerable damage to the road and leading to a complicated clean-up operation. Elsewhere, coastal areas saw parking lots flooded and roads become impassable due to the conditions.

As the storm’s shadows recede, there has been a break in the clouds, with Monday 4th March seeing a return of sunshine. Further rain is, however, forecast for the coming weekend.

 

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Photo credit: Météo Cote d’Azur, Facebook

 

 

Nice Airport: easyJet offers new summer destinations from €30

by: Cassandra Tanti
04/03/2024

Low-cost carrier easyJet has unveiled three new destinations to and from Nice for the summer of 2024, promising sun-soaked adventures along the Mediterranean.

Fresh off the heels of the winter season, easyJet is expanding its offerings this summer with an array of affordable destinations, especially towards the sun-kissed shores and vibrant cities dotting the Mediterranean coastline.

Alicante: April to August

Alicante leads the charge, making its debut in Nice starting from Friday 5th April 2024. The Spanish gem will be accessible once a week throughout April, before ramping up to twice weekly flights (Mondays and Fridays) from May until 30th August.

On the easyJet website, one-way tickets from Nice to Alicante are currently available from €32. However, with the summer season approaching, prices are expected to rise slightly, ranging between €45 and €70 if booked now.

Malaga: from €31

Following closely behind is another Spanish delight, Malaga, with new flights operating from Sunday 2nd June. Travelers can enjoy the sunny charms of Malaga with three weekly flights until Sunday 1st September.

Early birds can secure seats on the Malaga-bound flights starting from €31.

Malaga was in fact part of the summer lineup in 2023, served twice weekly by the airline Iberia.

A glimpse of Greece: Kefalonia

Rounding off the trio is the picturesque Greek island of Kefalonia, nestled in the serene Ionian Sea. Commencing from 30th June, travelers can pick up a weekly flight departing on Sundays until 1st September.

Ticket prices for this scenic retreat tend to be slightly higher, starting at €90 on 30th June. During the peak summer months, prices soar, ranging between €120 and €185 euros for a one-way ticket.

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SEE ALSO:

Nice Airport to receive €4.1 million in EU funding for emission-cutting project

Photo of Nerja Beach, credit Martijn Vonk on Unsplash

 

 

K2MATCH Investor Lounge: an event connecting startups with investors

by: Niki Borisova
04/03/2024

The upcoming K2MATCH Investor Lounge event, part of a platform that specialises in boosting B2B and B2B2C startups, will be seeking to connect innovative startups with investors based here in the Principality.

The K2MATCH Investor Lounge is preparing for its second edition in Monaco, which will be held on 7th March 2024. The event is being organised with the intent of bringing together startups and investors by offering a platform for businesses to pitch directly to a select group of potential backers.

Based in Paphos, Cyprus, K2MATCH specialises in supporting the growth of B2B and B2B2C startups and scaleups, aiming to elevate them to leadership positions within their industries. The event in Monaco is part of the organisation’s broader strategy to provide startups with access to capital, expertise and networking opportunities in a wider geographical area. Besides Monaco, K2MATCH Investor Lounges have also been hosted in Düsseldorf, Germany, and there are upcoming events planned for Dubai.

Alexandros Dohn and Badr Moudden, the co-founders of K2MATCH, have harnessed their expertise in entrepreneurship and investment to drive startup success around Europe. Dohn, from Paphos, specialises in building ecosystems for startups, focusing on strategic partnerships and investor relations to help founders scale and secure funding. Moudden, who is based in Düsseldorf, brings experience in strategic development and sales growth across various sectors, including his role as a startup mentor and “business angel”.

Alexandros Dohn, who is pictured left, and Badr Moudden. Photo credit: K2MATCH, LinkedIn

The agenda for the upcoming Investors Lounge includes startup pitches, a Q&A session and networking opportunities, with the goal of fostering connections between participants.

The startups set to attend the event cover a variety of sectors, including technology, recycling, artificial intelligence and health. Companies like Aera, Recyclium AG, AlignCoach.ai and Decomplex.ch are among those scheduled to present their solutions to challenges in their respective fields.

The event will be held at the Columbus Hotel in Fontvieille from 6pm to 10.30pm. For more information about the event and to register, click here.

 

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Photo credit: K2MATCH LinkedIn

Further details revealed about deadly motorway accident in La Turbie

by: Cassandra Tanti
04/03/2024

A driver who killed one man and injured four others, including two police officers, is being investigated for involuntary manslaughter and involuntarily causing injury after a tragic car accident near Monaco on Sunday.

The accident occurred on Sunday 3rd March at 12.47pm, amid heavy rains brought on by the ‘Mediterranean episode’ that had struck the region. Two patrol officers from Vinci Autoroutes, the parent company of Escota, were moving a car to safety after a minor incident on the A8 motorway.

After setting up markings to secure the area, they were hit by a car which is believed to have been driven at excessive speed in the dangerous conditions.

Tony Nellec, aged 54, was killed instantly. Four other people who responded to the initial scene were also injured – another Escota worker, two police officers and a tow-truck driver.

Two were taken to hospital in a serious condition.

On Monday, the Nice public prosecutor’s office confirmed to Nice-Matin that an investigation had been opened for “involuntary manslaughter by deliberate breach of an obligation of safety or prudence” and “unintentional injuries”.

Toxicology tests are being conducted to determine if the driver was under the influence of alcohol and/or narcotics.

Vinci Autoroutes changed its social media image to black in mourning after the tragedy, saying that they were “angry and in immense pain”.

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SEE ALSO:

Drunk driver charged in Monaco tunnel death

 

Photo credit: Clay LeConey on Unsplash

 

 

Bountiful snowfall has ski resorts in the Southern Alps rejoicing

by: Elsa Carpenter
04/03/2024

While it rained, rained and rained some more on the coast over the weekend, the vibe couldn’t have been more different in the mountains of the region. Snow fell thick and heavy to the joy of ski resorts and holidaymakers who now look set to enjoy a week of incredible conditions. 

Beginning on Saturday 2nd and continuing all throughout Sunday 3rd March, the mountains of the south of France have been graced with a welcome dump of soft and fluffy snow of up to 80cm in some areas. 

Though road access to resorts in the east of the region, particularly the route to Isola 2000, was complicated – simply impossible in some cases – the majority of the snow, fallen trees and landslides had been cleared away by Monday 4th March to allow families and winter sports fans looking to get away during the second week of the holidays to reach their holiday destinations.  

The substantial snowfall also caused numerous pistes to be closed in the interests of safety, but staff in all local resorts worked throughout the night on Sunday to ensure that as many runs as possible could be opened.

Certain resorts, particularly those in the Mercantour, have been more affected than others by the heavy snow and were offering discounted passes at the start of the week, such as in Isola 2000, where a full day pass cost just €12.30 on Monday 4th March, and in Auron, which decided to offer skiers and snowboarders 50% off daily forfaits.  

Avalanche risks remain elevated across the region and those staying in ski resorts in the Alpes du Sud over the weekend would have become well-accustomed to hearing detonations from high up in the mountains.

By the morning of Monday 4th March, clear skies and sunshine had arrived to provide the set-up for near-perfect conditions on the slopes. Another dusting of fresh powder is due on Tuesday 5th March and then again at the end of the week. Temperatures are forecast to remain favourable to the integrity of the snowpack, meaning that an excellent weekend of skiing is to be had in the south!  

Check out our reel of the conditions in the Val d’Allos Espace Lumière resort over the last few days: 

 

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Photo by Monaco Life

Norway’s Kenneth Blom to enjoy premiere Monaco exhibition at the Kamil Art Gallery

by: Stephanie Horsman
04/03/2024

The Kamil Art Gallery on Avenue Princesse Grace is set to host Norwegian Kenneth Blom and his Silhouettes Unveiled collection this April. It will be the first time that the artist’s work has been on show in the Principality.  

Born in Demark and raised in Norway, Kenneth Blom’s inspiring use of ethereality has led to comparisons between himself and his fellow countryman, the great Edvard Munch. Though Munch was more drawn to the human figure, Blom’s interests address relationships in the exterior realm, with industrial or empty landscapes dominating his style, but with the same haunting impact as his compatriot.  

The 57-year-old painter’s blend of the real and the figurative is highlighted even further by the way his use of colour gives the appearance of subjects melting into one another to great emotional effect.  

FIRST FOR MONACO 

Blom’s paintings have been celebrated all over the world, with shows in cities such as London, Berlin, Beijing, New York, and Oslo to his name. Now he is coming to the Principality, where the opening of his Silhouettes Unveiled collection at the Kamil Art Gallery will coincide with the start of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters tennis tournament.  

Held in conjunction with Galerie Birch, Silhouettes Unveiled will showcase a series of new works made specially for the occasion that explore “undefined space between abstraction and figuration, the silhouettes that emerge draw us into the mysteries of human psychology.” 

The exhibition will be available to view from Monday to Saturday between 11th and 22nd April, and from 10am to 7.30pm. There will be a special preview event at 6.30pm on 11th April. For more information, click here. 

 

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Photo credit: Kennet Blom, Sight, 2023, Oil on canvas, 95 x 76 cm, courtesy of the artist