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Month: February 2026

Europe’s new border system isn’t ready for summer — and Paris airports are sounding the alarm

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
23/02/2026

Travellers flying through Paris this summer could face extremely long queues at passport control, as the operator of Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports warns that Europe’s new biometric border system is not ready for peak season. 

Paris Aéroports (Group ADP) has formally asked for the complete deployment of the Entry/Exit System (EES) to be pushed back to autumn 2026, warning that a summer launch would be “extremely risky”.

Their predictions suggest queues of between four and six hours at peak times if the system runs at full capacity during July and August.

What is the EES?

The EES is set to replace the old passport stamp with automated biometric checks like fingerprints and facial scans for all non-EU nationals crossing the Schengen zone. That means British, American, Canadian and Australian travellers, among others, will be registered each time they enter or exit Europe.

The system has been rolling out in stages since October 2025 and is due to be fully active across Schengen from 10th April 2026.

The reason behind the concern

Border processing times have risen by 70% at airports where EES is already operating, according to ACI Europe. Queues of two to three hours have already been reported at Amsterdam Schiphol and Frankfurt during busy periods, and in Lisbon wait times reached seven hours before authorities suspended the system for three months.

Those figures are all the more alarming given the system was operating at just 10% of its eventual capacity when they were recorded.

In a joint letter to EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs Magnus Brunner in February, ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe and IATA warned that unless immediate action is taken, the peak summer months could see queues of four hours or more.

The three organisations said that there was “a complete disconnect between the perception of the EU institutions that EES is working well, and the reality, which is that non-EU travellers are experiencing massive delays and inconvenience.”

Why the system is struggling

ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe and IATA have identified three issues: chronic understaffing at border control, unresolved technology issues particularly around border automation, and very limited uptake of the Frontex pre-registration app among Schengen states.

Furthermore, regular system breakdowns have further undermined the reliability of operations at many airports.

Charles de Gaulle handled more than 7.1 million passengers in July 2025 alone. ADP says the testing carried out so far bears no relation to those kinds of volumes.

What Brussels has allowed

The European Commission moved in early February to give member states some flexibility. After 10th April, countries will be able to partially suspend EES for 90 days, with a possible 60-day extension.

However, ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe and IATA warned that suspension mechanisms may no longer be available after early July, and urged the Commission to confirm that flexibility would reman in place until the end of October 2026.

What travellers should do

Non-EU passengers through Charles de Gaulle and Orly this summer should allow at least three and a half hours before an international departure and a minimum of three hours for any connecting flight involving a non-Schengen route.

Self-service pre-registration kiosks are available at both airports before the passport queue and are free to use.

Meanwhile, flights within the Schengen area are not affected. Regional airports such as Nice, Lyon and Marseille are likely to see less disruption than those in Paris.

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Main photo credit: Connor Danylenko, Pexels.

Historic Menton garden Serre de la Madone wins prestigious international award for restoration

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
23/02/2026

A nine-hectare garden above Menton, Jardin Serre de la Madone, has received international recognition after being awarded one of four prizes, worth $27,000, given by the French Heritage Society at a ceremony in Paris on 5th February. 

Michael Likierman, president of the Association pour la Sauvegarde des Jardins d’Exception du Mentonnais (ASJEM), the association overseeing the garden’s restoration, and Gilles Deparis, director of Menton’s exceptional gardens, attended the award ceremony, held at the French Senate.

Gilles Deparis, Isabelle de Larouillière and Michael Likierman at the awards ceremony, photo credit: Jean-Marie Dufour / Agence Rétines

About the garden

Jardin Serre de la Madone was created in 1924 by Lawrence Johnston, who also designed the celebrated garden at Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire.

Drawn to Menton’s exceptional microclimate, Johnston gathered a remarkable collection of rare plants from expeditions across Africa, China and beyond, arranging them across terraced “garden rooms”.

Today, the garden holds more than 5,000 species from five continents, including three nationally recognised botanical collections, and has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1990.

In 2025 it was selected as the only garden among 18 regional sites for the Loto du Patrimoine, the national heritage lottery.

Major restoration under way

After falling into neglect following Johnston’s death in 1958, the garden was acquired by the Conservatoire du Littoral in 1999. Since 2022, restoration has been led by the ASJEM alongside the City of Menton under a co-management agreement signed in 2024.

The total restoration budget is €3.2 million, covering terracing, irrigation, historic glasshouses and sculptural elements.

Jardin Serre de la Madone, photo credit: Yann Monel

The $27,000 French Heritage Society prize was secured through the Fondation Mérimée, which supported the garden’s application and distributed nearly €700,000 to heritage projects across France in 2025.

The garden is also part of a UNESCO World Heritage bid covering the acclimatisation gardens of the French and Italian Riviera.

Visit and support

The garden is open to the public most of the year, with regular admission priced at €10. Those wishing to support the restoration can sponsor a lemon tree on the upper terraces or donate via the Fondation du Patrimoine’s online platform

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Main photo credit: Yann Monel

Leclerc tops Bahrain testing as Ferrari heads to Melbourne with cautious optimism

by: Cassandra Tanti
23/02/2026

Charles Leclerc closed out 2026 pre-season testing in Bahrain at the top of the timesheets — fastest overall, ahead of Norris and Verstappen, with 135 laps and 731 kilometres in the SF-26 on the final day alone. It was the kind of Friday that generates headlines. Leclerc, characteristically, is not reading them.

“It’s still difficult to understand where we really stand because teams are hiding their true form,” he said in comments released by Ferrari. “It’s important not to focus too much on lap times and prepare for the first race.” On Instagram, he was equally direct: “Testing finishedddd. Now it’s time for the serious stuff to finally see where we stand. Race one in 2 weeks.”

He set his best time — a 1’31″992 — on C4 tyres in the afternoon after a morning of set-up work and longer runs in the Bahrain heat. Across both tests, Ferrari’s SF-26 covered just under 6,200 kilometres in total. Fred Vasseur, in the team’s official statement, struck a similar note to his driver. “The priority was to complete a lot of mileage and build a strong foundation. It is very difficult to draw conclusions in terms of performance — we don’t know the programmes of the other teams.”

Norris finished 0.879 seconds back in second, Verstappen third. Russell stepped up to fourth after Antonelli stopped on track with a pneumatic issue, and Gasly was fifth in the Alpine. Aston Martin had a troubled day, managing just six non-timed laps through Stroll after a battery problem had already cut short Alonso’s Thursday running.

The SF-26 heads to Melbourne on 6th March for the opening free practice session of the Australian Grand Prix, the first of 24 rounds in what promises to be one of the most intriguing seasons in recent memory. The Albert Park circuit, fast and unforgiving, has historically been a circuit that suits Ferrari — and with a new car, fresh regulations and a Monegasque driver who ended testing faster than everyone else, the expectation around the Scuderia heading into the season opener is considerable.

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Photo source: Scuderia Ferrari Media Centre

 

AS Monaco Basket clinches 2026 Leaders Cup title

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
23/02/2026

The Roca Team have won the Leaders Cup, defeating Le Mans Sarthe Basket 103-79 in the final at the Futuroscope Arena in Poitiers.

It was sweet revenge for Monaco, who had lost to Le Mans in the same fixture last year. Now, under the guidance of Vassilis Spanoulis, they were dominant right from the start.

The first quarter was smooth throughout. Mike James set the tone early, contributing nine points in the opening four minutes, while Elie Okobo tested Le Man’s defence at every level, and Monaco led 30-12 at the end of it.

Le Mans managed a brief response in the second quarter through Trevor Hudgins and Johnny Berhanemeskel, prompting Spanoulis to call a timeout. Monaco steadied and went into half-time with a commanding 53-40 advantage.

Third quarter decided the game

The third quarter put the game beyond doubt. Jaron Blossomgame hit three three-pointers in five minutes, and Daniel Theis was a constant presence inside, drawing fouls and scoring with ease. Monaco’s lead grew towards 20 points before Spanoulis brought Nikola Mirotic into the five position to close out the quarter.

The final quarter was a formality. Okobo opened it with a dunk and continued to dictate play throughout. Nemanja Nedovic, subdued for much of the weekend, finally found his range from three, and Mirotic added a late contribution. Le Mans collected a series of technical fouls as frustration set in, but at that point, the outcome had long been decided.

The Roca Team receiving the 2026 Leaders Cup, photo credit: AS Monaco Basket

Okobo led all scorers with 19 points. Blossomgame finished with 17, Theis with 15 and Alpha Diallo with 14 off the bench. James rounded off a fine all-round display with 12. For Le Mans, Berhanemeskel’s 22 points stood as the sole bright spot on a difficult evening.

Speaking after the final whistle, Theis reflected on their collective effort. “The defence was enormous, and that allowed us to score more freely in attack,” he said. “We know Le Mans never give up, and we gave everything to come out on top.”

Playmaker Matthew Strazel shared the same sentiment. “Life gave us another chance against Le Mans in the Leaders Cup final,” he said. “With this win, we prove than we learn from our mistakes.”

Monaco now turn their attention back to the EuroLeague and the French championship, with this title providing them a boost of confidence ahead of a demanding run-in

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Main photo credit: AS Monaco Basket

 

What drivers and residents need to know about road changes for Monaco’s 2026 race season

by: Cassandra Tanti
23/02/2026

Three major motorsport events are coming to Monaco this spring and early summer, and the circuit installations that make them possible will affect roads and parking across the Principality from now until mid-July.

The 15th Monaco Historic Grand Prix runs from 24th to 26th April, the Monaco E-Prix takes place on 16th and 17th May, and the Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco follows from 4th to 7th June. Work to install and dismantle the circuit infrastructure will cause a series of road closures and parking restrictions that residents and visitors should plan around well in advance.

Road closures and one-way restrictions

Several key routes will be affected from as early as now. The Quai Albert Ier is closed to traffic from 23rd February until 17th July — the longest single restriction of the entire period. The Route de la Piscine will operate as a one-way street from 23rd February to 5th July, with full closures during race weekends. The Quai des États-Unis will also run one-way between the Route de la Piscine and Avenue J.F. Kennedy from 23rd February to 5th July, with adjustments to the affected stretch from 6th April to 21st June.

Avenue J.F. Kennedy will operate under one-way restrictions between the Sainte-Dévote roundabout and the Quai des États-Unis intersection between 9.30am and 4pm on specific weeks in April, May and June, with full closures during each of the three race weekends. The Tunnel Rocher Antoine Ier will be closed entirely from 13th April to 21st June.

Boulevard Louis II will be closed from the Portier junction on the evenings preceding each race weekend, while Quai Antoine Ier will run one-way along the building side between the Route de la Piscine intersection and number 14 from 13th April to 21st June.

Parking restrictions

Parking restrictions across the Principality begin in stages from late February and build through March and April as installations progress. Among the earliest to be affected are the Quai Albert Ier and Route de la Piscine, where parking is prohibited from 23rd February. The Quai Chicane follows from 16th March, with Boulevard Louis II, Avenue J.F. Kennedy and Avenue d’Ostende losing parking from mid to late March.

Further restrictions come into force through April on Boulevard Albert Ier, Avenue de Monte-Carlo, Quai Antoine Ier and the Quai des États-Unis. The Esplanade des Pêcheurs will be off-limits for parking from 13th April to 14th June.

When will things return to normal?

Dismantling of the circuit installations will be carried out progressively after the Formula 1 Grand Prix, with a full return to normal traffic and parking conditions expected by 17th July.

Residents are advised to check individual street restrictions carefully, as dates and conditions vary significantly by location.

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Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life 

Groupe Michel Pastor backs Vacherot ahead of home Masters

by: Cassandra Tanti
23/02/2026

Valentin Vacherot has a new backer for the 2026 season, with Monaco property group Groupe Michel Pastor confirming a sponsorship deal with the Principality’s most celebrated tennis player.

The partnership was announced last week, months after Vacherot’s stunning run at the Shanghai Masters 1000 last October turned him from a journeyman qualifier into one of the sport’s most talked-about names. Ranked 204th in the world at the start of the tournament, he came through qualifying to defeat a series of top-ranked opponents and claim a title that few saw coming — one of the standout sporting stories of 2025.

Jean-Baptiste Pastor, President and Managing Director of Groupe Michel Pastor, said the alignment between the group and the player went beyond geography. “His methodical determination in pursuit of great objectives in all circumstances echoes our own commitments in the development of ambitious and responsible property projects,” he said, adding that the values of perseverance and resilience that defined Vacherot’s Shanghai campaign were ones the group recognised in its own work.

Vacherot welcomed the backing ahead of what promises to be his most high-profile season to date. “This support is an asset and an additional source of motivation to meet the many challenges of the competitions I am engaged in,” he said.

The timing is significant. Vacherot is set to walk onto the clay at the Monte-Carlo Country Club next month as a direct entry into the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters main draw — the first time a Monegasque player has achieved this without a wild card. For both player and sponsor, home soil has rarely felt so meaningful.

See also: 

Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 2026: what was revealed at the official launch

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Main photo source: Groupe Michel Pastor