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Thomas Riqué: “Rugby is strong in Monaco”

by: Luke Entwistle
21/09/2022

AS Monaco Rugby president Thomas Riqué gave a glowing appraisal of the state of the sport in the Principality during the club’s start-of-season presentation on Monday.

Players, partners and the press gathered on the rooftop of the Cardio-Thoracique centre in Monte-Carlo to herald a new era of ASM Rugby, with the side now competing in the very top amateur division following last season’s promotion to the Fédérale 2.

The event celebrated not only that achievement but also the decade-long partnership between the club and the Cardio-Thoracique centre. The emotion from ASM rugby’s first win in Fédérale 2 on Saturday (24-19 v Saint Jean en Royans) was also still raw, and president Thomas Riqué was quick to congratulate the squad.

“I think we and our partners can be proud of our boys this evening, because what they did on Saturday was quite simply magnificent. Getting to the Fédérale 2, the highest level of amateur rugby, was already an exploit, which proves that we are a good team, but what they did over the weekend was a completely different challenge. I am happy today that we are showing our partners that rugby is strong in Monaco,” said Riqué.

New Monaco manager Walter Argoud added, “The victory was a great thing for the club. We knew it would be difficult, but the players played a great match with a great spirit, which allowed us to get the well-deserved victory.”

At the event, Argoud also set out the aims of the club going into this, the most special of seasons. “The objective is very much to stay up first of all, and if we manage that quickly, we’ll aim higher, but we need to keep our feet on the ground,” he said.

Monaco next face one of the favourites in the championship, Montmélian, on Sunday.

 

Photo of Guy Nervo and Thomas Riqué by Luke Entwistle

 

 

 

 

France commits another €250 million to national ‘bike plan’

by: Cassandra Tanti
20/09/2022

France’s bold plan to encourage more cyclists to hit the road is being boosted by another €250 million government investment for cycling infrastructure across the country.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced at Matignon, the prime minister’s headquarters, on Tuesday that the French Government will be continuing with its ‘Plan Vélo’ (Bicycle Plan).

She specified that an additional €250 million will be spent on the project for 2023.

The aim is to encourage bicycling in France by establishing bike-friendly infrastructure and encouraging people to get on their bikes via education campaigns.

The new funding will allow municipalities to build more bike paths and secure parking locations.

According to the Ministry of Ecology, the cycling plan is already bearing fruit. “The first five calls for projects launched between 2019 and 2022 were a great success with 933 winning projects for a total of 365 million euros in grants,” said the PM, “599 territories have thus been able to benefit from support for the realisation of projects for the sustainability of transition cycle paths, the creation of secure cycle routes and the reduction of route discontinuities.”

On top of the increased budget for the bike plan, the prime minister said that government would also create an “inter-ministerial committee on cycling” to be launched in the autumn, which will meet every six months.

The Bike Plan was originally launched in 2018 by current Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who was the then-Minister of Transport, as a 350 million fund to span seven years to 2025. It is now expected to run through to 2027 and will have been budgeted at least 500 million to 2025.

 

Photo credit: Eddie Junior on Unsplash 

 

 

 

 

Covid is making its expected resurgence

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/09/2022

The Covid-19 incidence rate is on the rise again in Monaco and surrounding regions, triggering fears that an eighth wave is imminent. Here’s the latest.  

Circulation of the Covid virus in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (PACA) region has risen in all departments.

The Alpes-Maritimes, along with the Alpes de Haute Provence and Vaucluse, have had the most dramatic increases. In the Alpes-Maritimes, the rate surged to 250.92 during the week of 7th to 13th September from 190.66 the previous week. By the 16th of September, there was another rise to 277.6, with a positivity rate of 17.7%.

In the Alpes de Haute Provence, the rate from 31st August to 6th September was 220.4. The week after, the rate went up to 306.19, a 38.9% increase. Meanwhile, the Var went from 189.4 to 228.8, a 20.8% increase, and the Haute-Alpes had a 23.6% rise from 216.2 to 267.26 during the same two-week period.

The French Minister of Health and Prevention François Braun told France Inter on 19th September, “We are on armed vigilance in the face of this eighth wave which, we have been told by all the scientists, will arrive.”

Monaco recorded 109 new positive cases among residents and non-residents in the week ending 18th September. It took the incidence rate to 174, double the previous week’s figure of 87, according to the latest government figures.

 

Photo of a Covid testing laboratory by Monaco Life

 

 

 

 

Nice Mayor claims city as top tourist spot in France

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/09/2022

The Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi declared his city to be France’s number one tourist destination after a stellar summer season, with visitor numbers well above pre-pandemic figures.

Nice is laying claim to the top tourist spot in France, and the fourth in all of Europe, thanks to a report by a transportation app called Freenow.

Nice Mayor Christian Estrosi took the opportunity to tell a press conference on Monday that Nice indeed had a fantastic summer season, with occupancy rates over 87% in July and August, with around seven million visitors to the seaside city. This is even better than 2019 figures, when the city saw five million people pass through.

According to the mayor, it wasn’t just a case of more people coming, but a better type of tourist.

“We haven’t always had the clientele we wanted. Today, far from over tourism, we can count on quantity as well as quality,” he said before adding, “it’s our strategy over more than three years that is hailed: today we attract thanks to culture, sustainable development and major events.”

Museums saw record attendance with over 250,000 tourists visiting, and the city’s newly minted status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site has also drawn a new calibre of tourist.

Credit for the uptick is given at least partly to the return of Americans as well as customers from the Middle East, who now are accounting for big numbers. This foreign clientele spent more this summer than in 2019.

Improvements in infrastructure and other major works such as a new convention centre and the tram system has turned Nice from a beach and party place to a family destination with investors getting in on the action, making Nice even more desirable.

It’s not only the tourists who see the charms of Nice. Big events are being scheduled, such as Biennale des Arts, the Ultra Trail and the Transition Forum, a summit on sustainable development returning at the end of the month, followed by the Nice-Cannes marathon in October. The rise in bookings for events in another indicator of just how much interest in the city there is.

According to the Paris Office of Tourism and Conventions, the capital welcomed 9.9 million visitors from June to August, including 7.4 million foreign tourists.

 

 

Photo by Monaco Life 

 

 

 

 

Monaco narrowly lose to Lebanon in Davis Cup tie

by: Luke Entwistle
20/09/2022

Monaco lost 3-2 to Lebanon in the Davis Cup, despite an impressive comeback from 2-0 down. Attention now shifts from promotion to survival in Group II.

Following a comfortable victory against Morocco in March, Monaco went into the two-day tournament, which took place on Friday and Saturday, with the chance to get promoted to Group I of the world-renowned tennis tournament.

However, Monaco found their task much more difficult than they did earlier this year. Deprived of home-court advantage, the Principality side struggled on the hard court of Zouk Mosbeh.

Valentin Vacherot lost the first match in three sets against Hady Habib (1-6, 6-4, 6-3). The Monégasuqes were then left with a mountain to climb when Benjamin Hassan beat Lucas Caterina in straight sets (6-3, 6-1).

Monaco began their comeback in the doubles, as Hugo Nys and Romain Arneodo won in three sets (6-2, 6-7, 4-6). Valentin Vacherot’s victory in the fourth match of the competition (6-3, 7-6) then took the tie to a thrilling decider.

However, it wasn’t to be for Monaco. Habib beat Nys in three sets (6-2, 6-7, 6-2), to give Lebanon the victory, and dash Monaco’s dreams of reaching the top group. Focus now turns to remaining in Group II, and the draw for their next Davis Cup opponent will take place on Tuesday 20th September.

 

Photo of Monaco Davis Cup team by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

 

 

 

 

Princess’ Foundation teaches Sospel kids to swim

by: Cassandra Tanti
19/09/2022

A learn-to-swim programme organised by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation is allowing more than 300 local school children to learn the life-saving skill of swimming.

On Friday 16th September, Secretary General of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation Gareth Wittstock visited the educational facilities of the Sospel swimming pool with other dignitaries.

During the month of September 2022, the Foundation is partnering with the Town of Sospel and the French Swimming Federation (FFN) for the implementation of the ‘Sospel Natation Azur’ project, which aims to teach swimming to Sospel schoolchildren as well as those from the towns of Breil-sur-Roya and Moulinet.

Photo credit: Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace

The project will allow nearly 300 children from kindergarten to 6th grade to acquire the minimum skills to ensure their safety in the water during the 10 sessions, and to perform the ‘Sauv’Nage’ test approved by the French Swimming School and the FFN.

On Friday, 70 children from the CP, CE1, CE2 and CM1 classes of the Sospel school were able to enjoy the swimming lessons, supervised by FFN-certified swimming instructors.

The outdoor swimming pool of Sospel, closed for three years, was reopened and renovated in 2022. It will allow for swimming classes to be held on a more regular basis in conjunction with schools and leisure centres.

Photo credit: Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace

Normally open in the months of July and August only, the swimming pool will open in the month of June 2023 also for a wider reach of the project.

The project is inspired by the program ‘La Turbie Natation Azur’ which, since 2014, teaches swimming to young children before the beginning of summer at the Princess Charlene Municipal Swimming Pool of La Turbie, thanks to a partnership between the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, the City of La Turbie, the Côte d’Azur Committee and the FFN.

 

 

Photo above credit: Eric Mathon, Prince’s Palace