As of next spring, United Airlines will be running a new route from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport to Washington DC. The service will increase the airline’s offerings between the Riviera and the US by more than 25% and feature a premium onboard experience for passengers.
The new flight, which will launch on 25th May 2025, complements United’s existing seasonal route between Nice and New York Newark, and significantly boosts its presence on the French Riviera while strengthening travel options for passengers seeking direct access to the US capital.
Marcel Fuchs, United’s Chief International Sales Officer, says, “We are delighted to announce this expansion of our network between France and the United States, and the launch of United’s first route between Nice and Washington DC. For the summer of 2025, our passengers in Nice will benefit from expanded travel choices, a direct connection to the American capital and convenient connections through our Washington DC and New York/Newark hubs to 78 destinations across the Americas.”
Travel in comfort and style
The Nice to Washington route will be operated using a Boeing 767-300, which features 30 United Polaris Business Class suites, 24 United Premium Plus seats and 149 Economy Class seats, including 32 Economy Plus seats.
The Polaris Business Class offers a luxurious travel experience with direct aisle access, gourmet meals, premium Saks Fifth Avenue bedding, products by Therabody and lie-flat seats for the ultimate in comfort. United Premium Plus, meanwhile, offers extra legroom and a generous seat recline, along with Saks Fifth Avenue amenities.
All Economy passengers enjoy complimentary meals, beverages and on-demand in-flight entertainment, while Economy Plus seats, located at the front of the Economy cabin, offer additional legroom and the benefit of a quicker exit upon arrival.
The former home of the SAS Prince of Monaco Car Collection, which has remained vacant since summer 2022, may soon be repurposed for a new, albeit temporary, use. According to a report by Monaco Matin, the space will be transformed into a karting track.
While the name of the operator remains under wraps, Finance and Economy Minister Pierre-André Chiappori reportedly confirmed that the winning bidder has been selected following a public tender process.
As reported by local newspaper Monaco Matin, the use of the space is expected to be temporary, with the lease set to expire at the end of 2025. “We do not want to commit to the future of a space whose future remains uncertain,” Chiappori explained.
The timeline for the opening of the karting track is unclear, as it depends on the work required by the new tenant. “The minimum duration for the necessary work will depend on technical possibilities,” said Chiappori.
Nonetheless, the newspaper reports that there is pressure for the operator to move forward swiftly.
The news follows the closure of Kart Indoor Monaco, a popular attraction in the Pêcheurs carpark for over a decade, which was forced to cease operating in November 2023 to make way for electric charging stations for the Principality’s new fleet of municipal buses, marking the end of a beloved venue that had drawn motorsport stars like Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen, as well as countless enthusiasts.
A speed radar situated not far from the Italian border town of Ventimiglia is causing outrage among motorists in the area, many of whom say they have received repeated fines from the reportedly unauthorised installation. Now, they are banding together to fight back against the rogue radar, threatening a class action lawsuit to have it removed and their fines revoked.
Not-so-affectionately called the “cash machine”, the radar leading out of Porra, a hamlet just outside Ventimiglia, has reportedly flashed thousands of drivers on the SS20 since its installation in July 2023.
This is the job of a speed camera, one might argue, but locals say that this particular radar should be decommissioned as it was installed without notice and is positioned in a location they believe to be wholly unnecessary.
The radar has been installed on a straight section of road, with no pavements, crosswalks or other apparent reasons to justify its appointment. It clocks motorists driving in excess of 50 km/h and reportedly nabbed 40,000 people in its first six months.
One particular irk of the radar is that it seems to be lacking the standard flash function that alerts drivers to their excessive speed and lets them know the location of the radar.
Since May 2024, Sanremo’s Justice of the Peace has annulled several of the speeding fines linked to the radar, citing two specific reasons: the radar has not been approved by the necessary authorities and a Prefectural decree authorising its legal installation cannot be found.
Many of the drivers who have received fines from the SS20 radar have decided to fight their tickets in court, and an Italian lawyer, Marco Mazzola, is now taking on clients who feel they’ve been wronged.
According to local media reports, roughly 100 people met in Breil-sur-Roya recently to discuss their options and see what can be done to get excessive fines repealed, as well as looking at other possible appeals.
“For those who paid, we will see with Italian law how to make a class action,” Mazzola told France 3, adding that criminal action may be a possible recourse.
For the time being, however, officials in Ventimiglia have said that they are not going to remove the “cash machine,” despite the fact that it still has not been approved.
Aspiring singers are being invited to try out for the 2025 Golden Voices Music Awards at the local auditions round in Beausoleil in just under a month’s time.
The Golden Voices Music Awards will hold auditions for its 2025 international competition in Beausoleil on 9th November. Then, on 16th November, soprano Vanina Aronica will lead a vocal masterclass for local singers keen to hone their craft. Aronica is the president of the Golden Voices Music Awards and MIMA Club, and has an established international career in the classic crossover genre.
The auditions are open to participants of all ages, genres and nationalities, and the event will provide avid singers with a chance to perform in front of a jury that includes professionals such as Bruno Berberes, the casting director of The Voice France.
The auditions will be held at the Espace 1993 on Avenue Jules Ferry in Beausoleil. The same venue will be hosting the masterclass, which will focus on vocal technique, repertoire selection and how to prepare for an audition.
This year’s event follows on from the 2024 auditions that saw four members of the Monaco cohort make it through to the final round.
For more information or to register, interested candidates can contact the organisers via email at contact@thegoldenvoicesmusicawards.com or by phone on +33 (0)6 34 61 17 64.
Under the gaze of club legends such as Arsène Wenger, AS Monaco’s current crop are making their own history as past, present, and future intertwine in this special centenary year.
It wasn’t just nostalgia but also entertainment that was in high supply at the Stade Louis II at the end of September. Wenger was amongst around 40 legends of the Les Monégasques to descend on the Principality on 28th September as part of the club’s centenary celebrations. Gathered at the club’s sleek new Performance Centre in La Turbie, incomparable to the facilities that they once had at their own disposal, they reminisced.
Lucien Cossou joked about how he missed out on beating Delio Onnis’ all-time goal-scoring record for Monaco. “What annoys me is that people don’t ask why I’m only the third top-scorer [in Monaco’s history]. It’s because I took and scored just one penalty,” Cossou told journalists gathered atop the sun-drenched rooftop of the Principality club’s base.
Lucien Cossou in La Turbie. Photo credit: Luke Entwistle/ Monaco Life
But there were also conversations that melded together the past and the present, such as an anecdote recounted by Euro 1984 winner Bruno Bellone, who spoke about getting the train down to Cannes as a 14-year-old with his Adidas to join Monaco’s now famed academy before going on to establish himself as a legend of the club. It is a path that many since have followed.
The past is also translating onto the pitch at the Stade Louis II. Legends spent the day talking about football being played “the Monaco way”. Two adjectives most commonly associated with “the Monaco way” are “attractive” and “attacking”. That is exactly what Adi Hutter is proposing in the current day.
The Austrian was in esteemed company as Les Monégasques took on Montpellier HSC. He would have been forgiven for feeling a little intimidated. Behind him, between the running track that circles the Stade Louis II and the VIP box where Prince Albert II and Dmitry Rybolovlev looked on, was a whole host of legends, including managers who had written history at the club. Wenger, Gérard Banide, Leonardo Jardim, and Claude Puel to name but a few. Hutter’s record now betters them all.
Arsene Wenger walking alongside Leonardo Jardim at the Stade Louis II. Photo credit: Luke Entwistle / Monaco Life.
Thanks to that dramatic late victory against Montpellier (2-1), earned through a last-gasp Lamine Camara goal, coupled with a win over Stade Rennais ahead of the international break, Hutter now has the best win record (63.4%) of any manager in Monaco’s decorated history.
“Adi really fits well with the way we work, the way we are in terms of an organisation. He has a clear playing idea and he is very simple in the way that he shares this with the players. He also has very positive leadership skills,” Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro told Monaco Life before that win over Montpellier.
Monaco make best start since 1961
Hutter has helped lead Monaco, currently top of Ligue 1 with 19 points and two points clear of Paris Saint-Germain, to their best league start since the 1960/61 season. The team to win the title that year? None other than AS Monaco.
As Scuro rightly tells us, it is “too early” to talk about a title challenge, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for optimism. In their post-Kylian Mbappé era, PSG have lost their air of infallibility. Whilst some opposition managers have described Les Parisiens as “better” than in previous seasons, that is yet to reflect on the pitch.
With Olympique de Marseille yet to show the consistency required to launch a title challenge, Monaco do look best placed to challenge PSG’s supremacy. There is undeniable quality in this squad, with a mix of youth and experience. Denis Zakaria and Thilo Kehrer are the backbone of this side. Their experience, as well as their undoubted leadership qualities, are helping the other youthful elements to shine.
Eliesse Ben Seghir, who spent much of last season on the sidelines with injury, is like a new signing; Maghnes Akliocuhe is proving that last season wasn’t a flash in the pan, picking up where he left off; Lamine Camara, in his short time at the Principality club, has shown that he may be destined for big things; and George Ilenikhena, in the process of obtaining French citizenship, broke Mbappé’s record to become Monaco’s youngest goalscorer in the Champions League, thanks to his winner against Barcelona.
“Sometimes [the youth-centric recruitment] goes against fans’ expectations, but we believe in this way. That’s the way we have the opportunity to see an 18-year-old striker scoring against Barcelona at the Stade Louis II. This is the history of the club,” said Scuro, referencing Ilenikhena’s goal. The Monaco CEO is perpetuating the club’s tradition, all while yielding results.
The centenary shirt worn during the victory over Montpellier, signed by club legends. Photo credit: Luke Entwistle / Monaco Life
Scuro deserves great credit for the construction of the squad, with strong backup options in every position. With Monaco competing in multiple competitions, rotation is essential, and the strength in depth in the squad is allowing for that, all while remaining highly competitive.
“Our playing style is connected to our physicality […] if you don’t rotate, it is basically impossible to give energy and physicality, which are our principles,” Scuro told us. But implementing a rotation policy whilst not disrupting the dressing room, or hurting egos, is no easy task. Communication is key, according to Kehrer. “There is good communication, and that is why there is a good understanding in the team and with the technical staff,” said Les Monégasques’ vice-captain.
This strong connection, harmony and ability to put ego aside in the name of collective goals has Monaco flying high, both in Ligue 1 and in the Champions League, a competition in which they remain unbeaten. In this special centenary year, the current iteration of the Principality club is upholding the traditions of the past. Striding along the path laid by the champions of 1961, time will tell whether they will reach the same destination and lift silverware once more at the end of the campaign. But they can hardly have gotten off to a better start.
Residents across the Riviera have been treated to stunning displays of the Northern Lights over the last few nights, with many taking to social media to share their photographs of the rare event.
It is not often that areas as far south as the Côte d’Azur and Monaco get to witness the aurora borealis, which are usually confined to more northern latitudes, but residents across the region have been able to turn their gaze to the skies and enjoy the glorious natural phenomenon over the last few nights.
The spectacle, which featured hues of pink and violet, was particularly prominent on the night between Thursday 10th and Friday 11th October.
Experts say that this wide-reaching display was the result of a solar storm that caused a surge of solar particles to collide with Earth’s atmosphere.
The special event has spurred a flurry of photographic activity on social media, with users across the south of France posting images online to document the rare sightings.
Émerveillement total hier soir à Nice Côte d’Azur ! 🤩❤️
Des aurores boréales ont illuminé notre ciel, un instant hors du temps… Avez-vous eu la chance d’assister à ce spectacle naturel unique ? ✨#ExploreNiceCotedAzurpic.twitter.com/tR4TFMHGzA
🌌 Des aurores boréales sont en cours, visibles jusque dans le sud de la France. Vue de la Montagne de Chabre dans la Drôme. Il faut regarder vers le nord et échapper aux nuages pour les apercevoir. (via @skaping) pic.twitter.com/VaQbWBi9Ay
