Riviera Insider March 2016

MONACO The Scorpions live onstage in the Sporting this Summer!

GOURMET Michelin stars in the south: Who won and who lost

TENNIS Crazy games - posh fans: Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters

BIOT After the terrible floods: The glassblowers won’t give up

riviera see more, do more, know more

GLOBAL PROPERTY

MOVERS & SHAKERS FLOCK TO CANNES

# 165 march / aPril 2016 4,90 € The

english-language

magazine

for

The

french

riviera

&

monaco

since

2002

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EDITORIAL

By Sarah Harvey

enter competitions and an extensive calendar of events.

Finally, as more and more of our readers are getting their information using their mobile phones, our technicians have devised an App for Android and iphone devices. As the French say so succinctly: “On ne se quitte plus” … in other words: “We can’t get rid of each other”!

So if you want to know (almost) everything about this region, read the printed Riviera insider and all the news and information available on the website at www.riviera-press.fr so that we will always be connected.

With best regards from your now fully digitalised Riviera insider-team!

At last! The final stages of our metamorphosis have been completed, and the new website is now up and running. The website at www.riviera-press.fr should be user-friendly and easier to browse than before, while maintaining all the quality of the editorial. As always you will find daily news in english on the Riviera. However, the content of the magazine Riviera insider is not the same as that on the website. indeed we are offering two very different media for the region between Saint-Tropez in the Var and imperia in Liguria, italy. At www.riviera-press.fr you can find lots of useful information such as a list of Anglophone doctors, lawyers and other experts, a subscription form to the Riviera insider, information on international schools and markets, opportunities to

THE TEAM

peTRA HALL

AiLA STöCKMAnn

nearly 25 years ago, Petra Hall (Riviera Insider’s editor in chief) founded the newspaper Riviera Côte d’Azur Zeitung in German which was followed by The Riviera Times in 2003. These titles have now blossomed under the names Riviera insider and RivieraZeit into attractive, contemporary magazines. The goal from the beginning was to provide readers with exciting, informative and unique insights from the Mediterranean written by professional mother-tongue journalists. petra Hall has become an institution in the South of France and Monaco's media landscape.

Aila Stöckmann (editor of our sister publication, RivieraZeit) has been writing for German-speaking readers about the Côte d'Azur for more than a decade. With undiminished enthusiasm, she continues to share her experiences and encounters in the south of France. The German national has not only her feet but also her heart firmly planted in the sunny Riviera.

Karine Balagny (marketing) loves the international flair of the company. After several years of living in the uSA, and thanks to her experience in Sales and events, the native of normandy has found her dream position in our multicultural publishing house.

KARine bALAGny

MiCHeL GOMiZ

Michel Gomiz (communication & PR) lives for his profession. For 23 years he has been working as a media consultant for fashion, jewellery and other luxury items between the Côte d’Azur and paris. One of his hidden talents is playing the drums.

Carole Hébert (secretary) is the heart and soul of the team. besides dealing with accounting, subscription management and reader-concerns, the native of northern France has a knack with numbers and always ensures everything in the office is ticking over perfectly.

Vincent Artus (art director) has a gift for transforming visions and ideas into reality. The niçois creative talent has as a penchant for clean lines and playing with white space for optimum effect and has brought a fresh, stylish look to our publication. The multi-talented creative is also a photographer and videographer.

CAROLe HébeRT

VinCenT ARTuS

Over the past 140 years we have learned that behind every success story is a unique narrative. Today, CFM Monaco starts a new chapter of its own as CFM Indosuez Wealth Management.

Our role is to listen to your stories, interpret them, apply financial expertise and guide you towards your desired outcomes. If your goal is to create enduring wealth, why not start by sharing your story with us?

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B E LG I U M | B R A ZI L | FR A N C E | H O N G KO N G | ITA LY | LE BA N O N | LUX E M B O U RG | M I A M I | M O N AC O | N E W CA LE D O N I A | S I N G A P O R E | S PA I N | SW IT ZE R L A N D | U N IT E D A R A B E M IR ATES | U R U G UAY

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Issue #165 See MORe, dO MORe, KnOW MORe

conTenTs

The Hotlist Top ten news and trends

1o Gourmet The Raimbaults and their restaurant, L’Oasis

20 Michelin Guide: A young star on his way to the top

26 Leisure photo THE SCORPIONS: EVER YOUNG AND READY FOR FUN! © DR

Auron: between Heaven and earth

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Garden beware palm moths and palm weevils

32 Success Story Michel dotta, owner of Monaco’s oldest estate agency

36 Real Estate Housing the world: property professionals descend on Cannes for MipiM

38 Report nice’s blackest chapter the Third Reich on the Côte d’Azur

40 Biot After the floods: The rebirth of the ‘Verrerie de biot’

44 Art & Culture Adieu to Gottfried Honegger, a sharp observer of our time, society and its art

46 The Antibes Art Fair, a journey through time

50 This summer in nice: Rihanna is back!

53 Jiri Kylian is a guest at the ballets de Monte-Carlo

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Music The Scorpions come to Monaco: interview with bandleader Rudolf Schenker

56 Monaco Top Marques: prestigious supercar show roars back into town

60 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters: Thrilling games and a distinguished audience

64 Business With its Académie Femmes et Finance, CMb promotes financial skills for women

66 Events What’s hot and where to go in January & February!

72 News Catch up on all the latest news and updates from across the Riviera

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New Southampton Toulon route FLYBE LAUNCHES SUMMER CONNECTIONS TO UK

Flybe, europe’s largest regional airline, has announced a further expansion of its 2016 Summer programme from Southampton Airport in Hampshire with a new route to Toulon Hyères airport. The flights will operate three times per week, every Monday, Saturday and Sunday. The Saturday flights will run from 2nd July – 10th September, while the Monday and Sunday flights will be available from 17thJuly – 12th September.

Southampton Airport’s Managing director, dave Lees, said: “The summer season is always a fantastic time for us and it is excellent news that Flybe will be offering two brand new routes to Toulon and biarritz in France as well as bringing back flights to bastia and the popular sun routes to Alicante, Malaga, palma and Faro. Whether people are looking for a city break, stag or hen weekend, family resort or beach holiday, they can reach it all from their local airport.”

The flights will depart from Southampton at 4.50pm GMT, 6.55am GMT and 8.35am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays respectively. They will depart from Toulon at 8.15pm GMT+1, 10.30am GMT+1 and 11.50am GMT+1 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays respectively. bookings are already being taken for as little as £34.99 including taxes and charges. 

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Zero-waste groceries!

EPICERIE BOOMERANG: A FIRST IN PACA

epicerie boomerang has spun into Mouans Sartoux, offering for the first time in the Alpes-Maritimes organic and eco-friendly products without any plastic or paper wrappers and packaging.

While many shoppers today are being encouraged to use recyclable bags, this novel grocery store is stepping up the game: everything it sells has to be decanted from re-usable storage jars, glass bottles and metal dispensers into the reusable containers belonging to each customer! it looks a little like a return to the grocery stores of the early 1900s. but in theory, it means your household waste is reduced because there is no packaging. And customers can save money by only paying for the exact amount they will eat, which also means food waste is limited too. in addition, it’s helping to inject some more cash into the local economy; most of the products are from the provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. (The few products which aren’t local come from ethical sources.) products include pasta, rice, cereals, honey, jam, flour, sugar, tea, dried fruit, biscuits, spices and pulses, as well as fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs, wine, olive oil and vinegar. They even sell eco-friendly soap and shampoo.

The shop is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 1pm and 3pm to 7pm. 24 Avenue Marcel Journet, Mouans Sartoux.

A taste of home PASTIES, PORK PIES AND SCONES GALORE!

There’s nothing like some home comforts when you live overseas. As much as we all love the fresh cuisine on the Riviera, every now and again it’s nice to indulge in some traditional food from your homeland. And if you happen to be from the uK (or indeed just enjoy british snacks from time to time) then you might be interested in hearing that Mortons Saveurs d'Ailleurs in Callian has freshly-baked Cornish pasties, home-made pork pies, fluffy scones, delicious scotch eggs and all kinds of other british treats available.

And since indian food is also one of the most popular types of cuisine in the uK (chicken tikka masala is frequently voted the uK’s most popular dish!), curries and spices are available too.

Centre Agora, Route departementale, Callian. Open Mondays 2pm – 7pm, and Tuesday to Friday from 9am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 7pm. Saturdays: 9am to 7pm. Tel. 04 94 84 91 89.

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New baseball & softball club A HOME RUN FOR SPORTS FANS

For those of you missing a bit of American culture here on the Riviera, help is at hand. A brand new club, ‘Softball/baseball Comanches St Laurent du Var’ has recently been launched, offering competition or leisure games for men, women and children (aged from five upwards) of all abilities.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, there are group sessions and games for everyone.

The club is actually the ‘little sister’ of the Toulon Comanches (8 times French national champions, twice winners of the Vice european Championship and european Champions in 2015). Members are supervised by certified coaches or by top athletes at the practice sessions and matches.

The aim of the club is to encourage participation amongst young people, but also the older generations. it was founded by French baseball and softball enthusiasts (no, not Americans), and is supported by the mayor and the municipality, but people of all nationalities are welcome to join in the fun.

Sessions are held at the Stades des iscles. Adult sessions (19+) are on Mondays and Tuesdays from 6pm to 7.30pm. 4 18 year olds: Mondays and Tuesdays 6pm to 7.30pm. 9 - 13 year olds: Thurdays from 4.30pm to 6pm. 5 - 8 year olds: Mondays from 5pm to 6.15pm. Softballbaseballstlaurentduvar.com. 

Gaelic football team takes off ALREADY FEATURED ON SPORTS TV

it was only at the end of 2015 when Azur Gaels was first set up. but within four months the new team was appearing on France’s largest sports broadcaster, Canal+, in an exhibition football game against Gaelic Football provence, in January 2016. So it’d be fair to say that one of the area’s newest sports teams is making waves…

For those of you who don’t know, Gaelic football is an irish team sport derived from traditional irish ball games, played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch.

The new club, which has a women’s team as well as men’s team, practises at the Stade des bouillides in Valbonne. it was founded by two men (with no irish connection) who met in a pub on the Riviera: Chard Faul, who is from Reading in england, and Charley Cornillau, an ex-nantes GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) man, bonded over their love of Gaelic football one night and decided to create a team. before then, the nearest club was GF provence, which is two hours’ drive away. now the team represents the region as the only GAA club.

They also run open training sessions on Wednesdays and Saturdays for men, women and children, and organise the regular pub quizzes in english in Valbonne. Azurgaels.com. 

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Business lounge for yacht crew SEND EMAILS, HOLD INTERVIEWS, KEEP FIT!

The Crew business Lounge by yFSOL has opened in the heart of Antibes and is the only business space dedicated to yacht crew and captains. yachting Financial Solutions chose to open it a stone’s throw from port Vauban in Antibes because it’s one of the biggest yachting hubs in the world. it’s hard to get some time for yourself when you’re working on a boat, or even to get a good internet connection. So when you want to find out your bank balance or check emails for potential job offers, it’s not so easy. Captains or recruiters also struggle with finding venues to hold interviews, so usually end up doing it in a pub. Hence the idea for the yachting business lounge was born. Crew and captains can do all of those things in the lounge, and in addition, can network with other crew members. The venue also hosts ‘yachting Wednesdays’ seminars and workshops (which are either related to the yachting industry or financial planning) led by professionals from a range of disciplines. They even include workshops on staying fit while on board a boat. The Crew business Lounge by yFSOL, 62 Rue Fontvieille, Antibes. Open Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm. Closed Saturdays and Sundays.

Yfsol.com. 

Villa Garibaldi’s new concept: ‘DAY PARTIES’ ARE THE NEW NIGHT PARTIES

A stylish lounge bar, a sophisticated restaurant and a party space all in one... Villa Garibaldi is one of the latest hot new openings in nice, and offers much more than just the average entertainment. One of the highlights is the regular scheduling of ‘day parties’ – an import from the u.S., and one of the hottest new concepts amongst 25-45 year old urban professionals in new york City.

What is a day party? Well, it’s quite literally what the name suggests; a party during daylight hours. The advantages? it’s something fun to do for those who just love to dance, no matter what the hour is. And some have suggested it’s a good way to mix and mingle without any late-night tomfoolery! And so, Villa Garibaldi launched in style at the end of January with a sophisticated day party, starting at 1pm and finishing at 6pm, accompanied by a brunch menu, cocktails and champagne. The special event featured Gil Martin, one of the Riviera’s top dJs, who is a regular guest dJ in Cannes, Miami and Stockholm. Many more similar events are planned for the future. They will be posted on the website and Facebook page. 64 boulevard Risso, nice.

Villa-garibaldi.com. 

Customised designs go mainstream SUPERMARKET GIANT LAUNCHES ‘MY DESIGN’

My design is a new way to breathe life back into old, everyday items such as clothes, cushions, lamps and jewellery. This quirky trend is quickly becoming popular around the globe, and now Carrefour at the Centre Commercial near the Acropolis in nice is the first supermarket to get in on the action. So how exactly does it work?

The process is fairly simple. essentially, a four-person team helps the customer to choose a redesign for the item or items from three separate categories: decoration (cushions, dishes, clocks, lamps, picture frames etc.), ready-to-wear (t-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, polo shirts, dresses etc.) and accessories (phone cases, stationery, bags, earrings etc.). How long does it take? it varies. Customization can take anything from a few hours to a few days if it’s an online order. However, some redesigns only take a few minutes as the design team does the work locally in the store. So you can either hang around and watch the magic happen or if it’ll take a little longer, go and do some shopping, run some errands or see a movie. All you have to do is give them the item that you want to have customized and let the team do their thing. if you’re doing it online, you just choose the category of the item you want redesigned and select a photo of the redesign you want. The team then prepares the newly designed cushion, shirt or lamp and sends it to you. Mydesign.com.

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Multimedia exhibition sheds light on Chagall EXCITING CARRIÈRES DE LUMIÈRES SHOW

After welcoming more than half a million visitors to the Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Renaissance Giants exhibition, the Carrières de Lumières in baux-de-provence is following up its success with a unique multimedia exhibition of Marc Chagall, which runs from 4th March to January 2017.

The work of the world-famous Russian-French artist (1887-1985) has been digitised and will be projected onto 5,000sqm of Carrières de Lumières’ walls, up to 14 metres high. This means his most evocative masterpieces can be experienced by visitors in an innovative, spectacular and very dynamic way.

The exhibition is produced by Culturespaces, with the assistance of the Marc Chagall Committee, and curated by Gianfranco iannuzzi, Renato Gatto and Massimiliano Siccardi with the musical collaboration of Luca Longobardi. entitled ‘Chagall, songes d’une nuit d’été’, it features 12 sequences - Vitebsk, life, poetry, collage, war, stained glass, the Opera Garnier, daphnis and Chloe, mosaics, circus, illustrations and the bible - with Chagall's creativity in all its glory. And for the first time, photographs taken by the curators in the collections of the Marc Chagall national Museum in nice will also be included, offering new insights. Alongside the paintings there are collages, mosaics and stained glass windows, demonstrating the extent of the artist's talent. Carrieres-lumieres.com/en. 

The Airport at your fingertips NICE COTE D’AZUR AIRPORT’S NEW APP

Whether you are frequent flyer or only jet off once in a blue moon the new app from nice Cote d’Azur Airport is set to be a handy new gadget.

The airport is launching a rather clever multi-functional phone app that will accompany the opening of its newly-renovated Terminal 1 retail area, which will shortly be followed by the completed renovation of Terminal 2.

The app itself is pretty simple to use. it employs SiTA’s beacon technology, which is an information technology company which provides its services to airports. All you have to do is download the app (which is available for both Android and iphone via the airport website, then SiTA’s Common use beacon Registry relays reliable and relevant information to your phone. There are beacons installed throughout the new retail area in Terminal 1 and when these devices pick up that a passenger is using the app they receive information and offers regarding all of the retail outlets that are in their precise location. but it’s not just retail information; perhaps more importantly, users also gain access to information about the weather, connecting flights, baggage tracking and boarding times. Also, if you are an Airport premier Club passenger you will earn points as you make your way through the airport via this app. nice.aeroport.fr. 

© Carrières de Lumières

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We didn’T eVen nOTiCe THe CRiSiS in 2008, buT in FebRuARy 2009 OuR ReVenueS SLuMped by 25 peR CenT

“our mosT imPorTanT Task? sPoil our guesTs!” Photos FABIEN PRAUSS

• Michelin-starred chef Stéphane Raimbault meets Riviera Insider’s editor in chief, Petra Hall, at the market in Cannes • Three brothers, one passion: The raimbaults and their superlative restaurant, L’Oasis, in Mandelieu-La Napoule, have been the embodiment of first-class gastronomy for many years. We discover more, behind the scenes at the Côte d’azur’s culinary hub.

photo left WELCOME TO STEPHANE RAIMBAULTS WORLD! photo right AFTER A MEAL AT THE RESTAURANT L’OASIS, GUESTS KNOW WHY FRANCE IS WORLD-RENOWNED FOR ITS CUISINE © D.R.

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Salut Stéphane, ça va bien?” it certainly won’t be a fleeting visit, when you accompany two-star chef Raimbault on a stroll around Cannes’ Forville market. This is because he is constantly bumping into old pals, slapping good friends on their shoulders and greeting various vegetable and fish traders. it’s clear they all know and love him, not least because they make a special effort to provide him just with their best products. “i’ve been coming here almost every day for 25 years to compile the menu with my brother Antoine, based on what’s on offer,” Stéphane says. Then he smiles. “but first, we’ll go for a glass!” ...it’s quite early in the morning for an aperitif. but Stéphane, who is in charge of 50 staff, is used to having his way...Moments later, we are sitting in one of the bars surrounding the market. The waiter serves dry Chablis in an ice bucket, followed by cold cuts and a baguette. it’s just the right setting for a chat.

We haven’t seen each other in 20 years. despite having gained a few white hairs, just like me, Stéphane is as charming and animated as ever. Wrinkles only show on his forehead when he talks about the economic climate. “We didn’t even notice the crisis in 2008, but in February 2009 our revenues slumped by 25 percent,” he recalls. “That makes a businessman worry… and become creative. Opening our significantly cheaper bistrot de l’Oasis attracted guests who would have never set foot in our restaurant. Michelin-starred restaurants predominantly scare the wallet,” he explains. “Then things got better - la mayonnaise a commencé à monter. We increased revenue by 24 percent, and found a new balance. but the crisis hasn’t passed yet. nowadays you have to work a lot more than you used to, salaries and social costs eat up 48 percent of all income. And it’s extremely hard to find diligent employees. young people don’t want to get their hands dirty anymore.”

When i ask about his philosophy, Stéphane playfully rolls his eyes. “What do you mean by philosophy?!

“

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THE FABULOUS STORY OF L’OASIS

i’Ve been COMinG TO FORViLLe MARKeT in CAnneS ALMOST eVeRy dAy FOR 25 yeARS TO COMpiLe THe Menu.

The restaurant L’Oasis (two Michelin stars) in Mandelieu-La Napoule remains one of the most popular gourmet temples along the Côte, even after 63 years in business. in 1960, then-chef Louis Outhier earned his first star; the second followed in 1965, the third in 1980. Only a few kilometres from Cannes, the film festival stars quickly discovered this “land of milk and honey” with its wonderful garden. The restaurant soon became the Côte d’azur’s culinary sensation. But in 1988, Outhier decided to hang up his chef ’s hat. For lack of the perfect successor, the Oasis set a sad record: it became the first three-starred restaurant to close since the Michelin guide was first published in 1900.

But canny Outhier had already set his eye on a young talent seven years earlier: the 24-year-old Stéphane raimbault, who at the time worked in a starred-restaurant in Paris. Louis Outhier hired the up-and-coming chef and sent him to Japan, as an ambassador for the Oasis. Young raimbault would have liked to take over the prestigious restaurant straight away but didn’t have the necessary wherewithal. What he lacked in money, he made up in wiliness. He convinced his employers, investors from the Japanese Plaza Hotel chain, to buy the Oasis and returned to the Côte d’azur in 1990 to run the legendary restaurant. One year later, with the help of further Japanese investments and his brother François as pastry chef, the restaurant was thriving once again. and what a dream start it was! already in 1992, Stéphane received two Michelin stars. in 1999, the two raimbaults - joined by their other brother antoine who had meanwhile got on board as a chef - took over the restaurant. They opened a patisserie right next to it. Up until today, they sell delicious cakes, petits fours and home-made bread here. even the luxury chain Relais et Châteaux added L’Oasis to their network. The more affordable “L’etage” opened on the second floor of the architecturally striking building in the midst of the economic crisis in 2008. Later, the raimbaults also added cooking, wine and patisserie courses to their offer.

Today, three brothers and 50 employees are living their dream at L’Oasis. it is one of gastronomy in all its facets.

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Well, i do have a few principles, which i’ve always stuck to. First of all, you have to love your job - and socialising. That’s essential. i’m very extroverted and open to my guests’ criticism. i go from table to table and talk to them. ninety percent - among them many foreigners - thank me afterwards with happy smiles on their faces. i like what paul bocuse once said: ‘There are two big schools of gastronomy, the good kitchen and the bad kitchen.’ Or prosper Montagné, who wrote Larousse Gastronomique: ‘Our profession is to lift taste into culinary heaven.” Once he has had a few glasses, Stéphane reveals he may have some philosophical thoughts after all: “A chef’s dishes reflect his personality, his past, his history. Look at me. you’ll find Japanese influences in my cooking, because i have been working there for nine years. but i quickly realised that you also have to stay in touch with your surroundings.” Colleagues like Joël Robuchon or Alain ducasse jet around the globe and run restaurants everywhere. “i admire them but it’s not for me,” the 60-year-old says determinedly. And what about organic produce? it certainly is in fashion these days. “yes, all my fish is caught locally (editor’s note: also

photo STEPHANE HIMSELF STANDS BEHIND THE STOVE EVERY DAY WITH HIS BROTHER ANTOINE AND THE TEAM

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see interview with Gilbert dubbiosi). but it isn’t essential; it’s more of a secondary detail. For me, i see it as a marketing strategy. Our most important task is to spoil our guests.” And that is precisely what he and his team do, with lots of enthusiasm. day in, day out, Stéphane himself stands behind the stove - with delicious results. eating at L’Oasis is a unique experience, if an expensive one. Menu prices range between €79 (lunchtime) and €98 (evenings, Thursday to Friday) to €149 and €242 per person. but after such a meal, guests know why France is world-renowned for its cuisine. As lunchtime approaches, it’s time for Stéphane to get moving. but as we part, the culinary maestro recounts a small anecdote from his time at a hotel management school in paris. “i was often alone on the weekends, because i lived too far away to go home. So i used to sneak into the kitchen and read about gastronomy legends like Vergé and bocuse in a big book. i still can’t believe that today i rank among those names…” he modestly adds, before he scoots into his small delivery van and rushes back to Mandelieu - back to his kitchen.

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Pascal Paulze has been the Oasis’ head sommelier for 20 years

i’m a dinosaur,” says Auvergne-born pascal paulze, referring to his 20 years of experience as head sommelier at Oasis. “it’s rather unusual to have worked in the same establishment for so long. but you do need time to develop a well-stocked wine cellar and the essential contacts for it.” pascal, who knows every single one of the 12,000 bottles stocked in his cave, and even likens them to his ‘children’, is not your stereotypical chubby, red-nosed cellar keeper.

Right at the beginning of his career he selected certain bottles for storage, which he has only now added to the menu. “Without my boss, Stéphane Raimbault, being willing to invest in this long-term philosophy, all this wouldn’t have been possible.”

One year ago, pascal was appointed meilleur ouvrier de France, a prestigious professional honour reserved for the very best in different fields. initially, he had studied the intricacies of the kitchen at a school of hotel management. but today he is confident he has found his true calling: “Gastronomy led me to wine, the true passion my life revolves around. i couldn’t advise my guests thoroughly without having had a knowledge of both worlds. For example, which wine goes well with which dish. but you also need to have good people skills and to enjoy what you’re doing.” in addition, a fair understanding of psychology comes in handy. “When i talk to my guests and am able to work out their wishes, it’s a magical feeling.”

So what’s the most expensive wine the head sommelier has tucked away? “Romanée-Conti vintage 1999 and petrus 1990 can reach prices of up to €12,000. i have sold about 15 such exceptional wines in my career - but they’re not at the heart of our concept here. The wine for €50 must also be excellent. it’s most important to have a balanced menu.”

And personally speaking, what is pascal’s favourite drop? “i prefer provence and its 50 outstanding vineyards. When i want to enjoy a special wine at home, i pick a white bourgogne or a red from the northern Rhône valley.”

“

keeper of 12,000 fine wines

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"We GO TO SeA eVeRy dAy, unLeSS THe WeATHeR dOeSn’T peRMiT iT"

mer de lérins beCOMeS A quALiTy SeAL ilbert dubbiosi’s name comes with an intriguing back-story. One of his ancestors was abandoned as a newborn in front of a Tuscan church. in those days, such foundlings were called ‘dubbiosi’ - the doubtfuls. but Gilbert himself is sure where he was born; he first saw the light of day in Le Suquet, in Cannes’ old town. Here, the dubbiosis have been making a living from fishing for generations. While the men go to sea, the women sell red mullet, gilt-head bream, poissons de roche - essential for a delicious fish soup - and all kinds of other fish at Forville market.

Fifty years ago, around 80 fishermen earned their money in the Lérins bay. Today, only 30 are left. They have to abide by the regulations of Cannes’ prud’homie, a legal entity comprising of four judges who

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oversee sea-fishing regulations. This institution, which only exists in the Mediterranean Sea area, was established in the Middle Ages and became official by decree in 1859. There are also other prud’homies in the Alpes-Maritimes area, based in nice, Antibes, Menton and Cros-de-Cagnes.

Gilbert, who looks like the embodiment of a Mediterranean fisherman, wanted to make locally-caught fish more popular. He went and spoke to councillors about a proposition for a quality seal named Mer de Lérins. “Customers can now find this small label on market stalls and also in restaurants in and around Cannes, such as the Oasis, so they know it’s safe to buy the product or eat there,” Gilbert says enthusiastically. “it’s not easy for a restaurant to be able to guarantee fresh fish daily. We go to sea every day, unless the weather doesn’t permit it. We use traditional fishing methods and mainly catch red mullet, octopus and other species native to our waters. dragnets are illegal, and we rarely catch passing fish like anchovy, sardine or mackerel.” So, anyone wanting to enjoy fish responsibly with sustainability in mind should look out for the unique Mer de Lérins label.

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Nicolas Decherchi seizes second Michelin star for Restaurant Paloma in Mougins Guide Michelin: Peter Bausch documents the winners and losers of this year’s coveted culinary awards

a young sTar on his way To The ToP

icolas decherchi learned the ropes from some of the most high-flying culinary masters in France. The 34year-old chef, who only took over La paloma in Mougins in 2013, is one of the biggest surprises of the Michelin Culinary Guide 2016. in 2014, after just six months, he received his first star - and his rise to the top only continues. With his second star, decherchi and his pastry chef, yohan Jara, now belong to the exclusive club of the 108 best restaurants in the entire country.

At the tender age of 16, decherchi took his first tentative steps, working for Michelin-starred truffle–impresario, bruno, in Lorgues. The young cook honed his skills between 1999 and 2002 at the then twostarred Villa de Lys in Cannes, under bruno Oger. He continued his apprenticeship at Alain ducasse’s

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three-star maison, Louis XV in Monaco. And from 2010 to 2012 decherchi polished his expertise alongside his former mentor, bruno Oger, who is now in residence at the two - star club Villa Archange in Le Cannet. decherchi, whose signature dishes include pigeon croquettes served with foie gras and Jerusalem artichokes, has had a path to the top that makes one think of an experienced master in the provincial kitchen, Roger Vergé. in merely two years, ‘Cuisine de Soleil’ innovator, Vergé, transformed Mougins in the 1970s into a stronghold of gourmet cuisine on the Côte d’Azur.

His former restaurant, Le Moulin de Mougins, later became the flagship restaurant of Alain Llorca, but has since lost its star whilst experiencing some tumultuous times. it was badly hit by the severe floods of October 2015. now there are plans for it to reopen in 2016. Mougins, however, remains the home of another Michelin-star restaurant; Le Mas Candille.

The winners The trio of Michelin three – starred chefs on the Riviera have defended their crowns. Alain ducasse, of the Louis XV in Monaco; Gérald passédat, of the petit nice in Marseille and Arnaud donckele of the Vague d’Or in Saint-Tropez remain deeply - rooted in the Michelin roll of honour which features the 26 top kitchens in France.

The 2016 ascents into Michelin’s most prestigious three – starred club can be counted on two hands.

The South African, Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen, has received his first star for the restaurant, Jan, in the port area of nice. The same goes for philippe Jourdin of Terre blanche in Tourrettes (who trod the same path via the Moulin de Mougins). yoric Tièche, alongside his pastry chef, Steve Moracchini, at La passagère has finally captured his first star for the beautiful terraced restaurant at the Hotel belles Rives on the waterfront of Juan-les-pins. As

photo above ALAIN DUCASSE {L} AND GÉRALD PASSÉDAT ARE AMONG THE STAR-WINNERS AS WELL AS ARNAUD DONCKELE (PICTURES BELOW)

in MeReLy TWO yeARS, ‘CuiSine de SOLeiL’ innOVATOR, VeRGé, TRAnSFORMed MOuGinS in THe 1970’S inTO A STROnGHOLd OF GOuRMeT CuiSine On THe CôTe d’AZuR

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have pierre Gagnaire, at pèir, based in the Luxury Hotel La bastide in Gordes, Luberon; and Jerôme Roy of Le Cloître, the former monastery in Mane, Hauteprovence.

The Losers Alongside the supernovas of 2016, there are also some falls from grace. Arnaud Tabarec of the Sea Sens restaurant at the Five Seas Hotel in Cannes, and the Japanese Keisuke Matsushima restaurant in nice have lost their stars, as have the Château eza in Èze and the Maison Jaune in Saint-Rémy.

Aix-en-provence has forfeited two Michelin-starred restaurants: Jean-Marc banzo swiftly abandoned the restaurant Le Clos, at the Hôtel Renaissance, and now only works as a culinary adviser, while pierre Reboul has lost his star to Mikaël Féval, who plans to take over the kitchen of the Château la pioline.

Alain Llorca, once a shining star of the kitchens in Mougins, has expanded his empire again. Although he recently closed the Café llorca at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco, he continues to operate the dépendance in the centre of Vallauris, as well as his flagship restaurant in La Colle-sur-Loup, which has been included in Michelin’s bib Gourmand - a guide that rewards 655 restaurants for their good value, high-quality cuisine. 

RA AN HWA ANG Od de to Second Love Blossom

operagallery allery.com 1, aven nue Henri Dunant, Palais de la Scala, 98000 Monaco T +377 9797 5424 monaco@operagallery.com Mon. - Sat. 10 0 am - 7 pm

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Spots to discover

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t first you might not associate the French Alps with idyllic mountain villages and traditional ski huts as much as with demanding pistes and gigantic ski areas. However, the ski stations in the area certainly don’t lack in appeal for the eyes, as well as the heart.

Auron is something special. it is only kilometres away from isola 2000, the most well-known ski area in the Alpes-Maritimes. There aren’t any huge hotels; the historical village, set in the Mercantour national park, offers family-friendly hotels and guest houses in a location that is also lively during the low season. Ambitious skiers will find on the 43 pistes (8 black and 16 red ones) offer more than enough entertainment for a long weekend in the snow, while relaxing strolls around the area are also an appealing attraction. because of the position, on a high plateau 1,600 metres above sea level, snow is always guaranteed during ski season – despite the fact it’s only 90 kilometres to nice. until now the temperatures have remained stable at just slightly below freezing throughout the winter months. but the season started very late this year. it wasn’t because of the absence of cold weather, but rather because of the lack of precipitation. Only in February did enough snow fall to open most of the slopes, because until that point only a few were open. but it was good news compared to the other ski areas in the Alps: there was more sun than elsewhere.

To offer the winter sports fans a decent standard of satisfaction and enjoyment on the pistes, a lot of money has been invested in snow machines over the past few years.

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due to the artificial snow, half of the ski areas could be opened at the beginning of the season, although they were surrounded by green grass.

Just like its competition in the rest of the alpine area, Auron is looking constantly for new ideas to convince guests to visit. The latest idea? A gourmet dinner in the cable cars at “Las donnas” access-point.

Twelve guests can sit at the hand-made wooden table placed in the middle of the gondola, which, by day, can transport 40 skiers (standing up) to the 2,400 metre-high summit in just one trip. For the opening night of the ‘flying diner’, the tourism chief, Michel Guillot, and his fellow supporter did their best to woo us. A fire was burning in the little chimney in one corner of the gondola, the table was decorated, and the winners of two competitions were invited to join the soiree. The three course menu offered Carpaccio with scallops, lobster and mango-passion fruit vinaigrette; grilled guinea fowl with mashed potato, and for dessert, a lovely fusion of saffron pear with orange crème – all whipped up by Jacques Rolancy, a renowned guest chef from nice (Le Rolancy’s) and the talented patisserie chef, bruno Laffargue, from Cagnes-sur-Mer (Mic Mac Macaron). They were handed a real challenge: naturally, a cable car isn’t equipped with a kitchen; neither it is easy to serve a hot meal at temperatures of minus seven degrees.

We faltered a bit when the gondola started moving from the station in the valley. Just seconds later, the guests were left hanging between heaven and earth for a few moments, surrounded by darkness. Then it moved onwards to its destination, some one hundred metres up, so smoothly in fact that so the wine didn’t even spill over the brim of the glasses. After each trip to the top and back down again, a new course was served.

“What a great experience!” the guests gushed as they warmed up in front of the open fire. it remains to be seen whether that idea can be repeated again in the summertime or not – at sunset there would be breath-taking views across the picturesque mountain scenery while guests enjoy their gourmet dinner.

The chefs leading the gastronomic maiden trip were only engaged for the inaugural dinner experience: They are all counted among the more than one dozen gourmet cookers of the coast that participate in January the fifth time at the culinary art festival “Les Chefs au Sommet” in Auron – that is one of the

photo above THE CHEFS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE FESTIVAL "LES CHEFS AU SOMMET" HAD A LOT OF FUN © Cook and Shoot By Aline Gerard

photo on the right ENORMOUS BARBECUE: ONE OF THE FESTIVALHIGHLIGHTS © Cook and Shoot

By Aline Gerard

SKI AREA AURON  Day skipass: 33,50 euro  On Tuesday starting from 8pm: «vente flash» on auron-skipass.com, there will be a certain quota of passes for half price  43 pistes and 16 lifts  Snow park, ski school for kids, sledging and snow shoe run (on the piste du riou)  Ski bus «Bus 100% Neige»: Nizza-auron for 8 euros round trip (www.lignesdazur.com)

smart marketing ideas of the skiing area. Well known cooks are going to stand in the kitchen of the local village restaurants and create a special menu for a fixed price; this time under the direction of philippe Joannès, chef of Fairmont-Monte-Carlo.

The last time the star chef Jacques Chibois from Grasse and Alain Llorca from Le bar-sur-Loup participated.

This year in Auron the ski season ends officially 17th of April, depending on the snow. Also cross country skiers and snow shoe hikers will be able to enjoy it for a while longer.

The el dorado for hikers with raquettes under their shoes is some kilometres away in Saint-dalmas-leSelvage – where some of the bravest will have the possibility to hike on an icy waterfall. 

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Beware Palm moThs and Palm weevils

By TOBIAS A. WILLE

For years there have been reports about the two main pests damaging Mediterranean palm trees: the palm moth (Paysandisia archon) and the red palm weevil (rhynchophorus ferrugineus). as the weather warms up now is the time when eco-friendly preventative action can be taken to save trees that have come to symbolise the riviera.

• With the spring now is the time to protect your palm trees •

photo top left BEAUTIFUL BUT DANGEROUS: THE PALM MOTH PAYSANDISIA ARCHON © Didier Descouens photo bottom left THIS PHOENIX CANARIENSIS HAS BEEN A VICTIM OF INFESTATION © PuDo

he two insects that are having such damaging effect on palm trees have featured in the Riviera Times before as being “immigrants”, i.e. non-endemic, pests: the palm moth originates from uruguay and Argentina, while the red palm weevil hails from the tropical regions of Asia. unfortunately, while climate change allows us to plant exotic species by the Mediterranean Sea, it also helps unknown pests like these to spread. urgent action needs to be undertaken systematically and regularly against these palm killers, not least because it is very expensive to dispose of the dead trunks. in some regions on the French Riviera, once magnificent avenues have already had to be entirely destroyed. One only has to go to the “city of palms”, Hyères, to find the most devastating example of this destruction.

A big problem for those fighting these two pests is the large number of second homes on the Côte d'Azur, where many gardens lie unobserved during autumn when the larvae of both insects have an exceptionally easy run on their victims.

Given the different languages spoken on the Riviera, we will confine ourselves to the

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Latin names from now on for identification purposes.

which palm trees are attacked by the palm moth, Paysandisia archon? butia yatay, Chamaerops (all species); phoenix canariensis / dactylifera / reclinata; Latania; Livistona chinensis / decipiens / saribus; Sabal; Syagrus romanzoffiana / yatay; Trachycarpus fortune; Trithrinax campestris; and Washingtonia (all species and cultivars, including filifera).

which palm trees are attacked by the red palm weevil, rhynchophorus ferrugineus?

Areca catechu; Arenga pinnata; borassus flabellifer; Caryota maxima / cumingii; Cocos nucifera; Corypha gebanga / elata; elaeis guineensis; Livistona decipiens; Metroxylon sagu; Oreodoxa regia; phoenix canariensis / dactylifera / sylvestris; Sabal umbraculifera; Trachycarpus fortunei; and Washingtonia (all species and cultivars, including filifera).

The most popular species planted on the Côte d'Azur, Chamaerops, phoenix, Livistona, Trachycarpus and Washingtonia, are attacked by at least one of these two insects. Given that for various reasons it is unlikely that they can or will be contained on the Mediterranean, at least not in the short term, the first question is which species should be chosen for new plantings.

Secondly, it is important to find safe, effective, cost-efficient and practical solutions to preventing and limiting their distribution.

how to recognise an infestation The pattern of damage on infested palm trees is quite similar for both insects, although a palm weevil infestation will kill the palm more quickly. in the case of the palm moth, only its larvae destroy a palm's leaves. Also the palm weevil itself, as well as the larvae, will eat holes and burrow into the base of the leaf stalk. both pests attack the soft and only “growth point” of the palm tree, the so-called apical meristem or vegetation cone beneath the crown. Once this is destroyed the palm tree, unlike most other plants, cannot keep growing and will certainly die. For this reason, all palm trees must be treated rapidly and regularly. The older and higher the palm tree is, or the more overgrown and bushy (Chamaerops) it becomes or the more armed with thorns (phoenix), the more labour-and-cost-intensive the control of a possible infestation will be. (continued page 34)

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brownish outlined small holes in outgrown leaves will indicate that it has been attacked in the past, and that the next generation of the insect is likely to already have left the palm tree. quite fine, fibrous material that is thickened by dried palm sap and which looks a little like dark sawdust that has been mixed with tree resin, inside of and beneath the crown and between the old cut-off bases of leaf stems along the palm tree's trunk, are a sure indicator of a massive infestation. Horizontally off-standing leaves that have become yellowish and are turning greyish and slowly sinking down are another sign of an infestation, especially with the phoenix palm tree. due to the increasing extent of the problem, it actually seems quite irrelevant whether a palm tree is already infested or not. unfortunately, it is only a matter of time before it is attacked and, as there are no visible external signs early on in an infestation, systematic prevention for all palm trees is therefore crucial.

how can infested palm trees be treated and what preventative measures can be taken? in our latitudes, neither the red palm weevil nor the palm moth have any natural predators. The oviposition of both species usually happens late summer or early autumn. The palm moth is quite a large butterfly, gliding about ostentatiously creating a beautiful yet treacherous image between September and november. Conversely, the females of the red palm weevil species fly so fast and inconspicuously that they are rarely noticed. Their larvae are not affected by frost which is another factor giving them an easy ride on palm trees when home-owners are absent.

Theoretically, there are insecticides with agents like chlorpyrifos 48%, dimethoate 40%, phosmet 50%, imidacloprid 20% or thiamethoxam 25% that could be used to prevent them, while other potentially effective insecticides are banned within the eu for very good reasons. All named insecticides are extremely harmful to bees and have a negative impact on other useful creatures, bird life and ground water. even more importantly, since prevention is not a one-off treatment, application of these insecticides cannot be halted, which in the long-term is just too environmentally hazardous, and – given the number of palm trees on public and private land - simply too expensive.

For the treatment and prevention of these

pests we would recommend applying the entomopathogenic Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes which can be ordered via the internet. Cooled down (2-6°C) they can be stored as a powder for about a week.

These whitish transparent nematodes (active phase: 0.1mm) are natural parasites of many insect larvae. They will actively seek out their insect hosts, penetrating them through body openings and releasing symbiotic bacteria that rapidly kill the weevil or moth within days.

To ensure a successful treatment, the temperature of soil and air should be at least around 12°C (ideally 15-20°C), otherwise the nematodes remain inactive. note that in winter the nematodes will usually die off and therefore need to be applied again next season. The treated palm crowns should be kept damp for six to eight weeks after

Unfortunately, it is only a matter of time before the palm is attacked

treatment to maximise the effect. As nematodes are sensitive to light and ultra-violet rays, treatment should be done at dawn or dusk, or when the sky is overcast.

They cost around 10 to 30 euros (30 for 100m2), depending on the amount ordered.

However, this will be sufficient for a large number of palm trees plus the cost of man hours required to apply the nematodes.

Given the amount of work required and due to the severity of the problem, we would recommend, especially with the higher palm trees that cannot easily be treated from a standing position or small ladder, to install a permanent spray nozzle with opening holes of at least ½ mm connected to a small irrigation pipe down and along the palm's trunk.

The small nozzle only has to be readjusted every now and then, for example after a storm or after your gardener has been trim-

ming the palm’s crown. The nematode lotion can then be easily pumped up to the crown using a manual water pump. you need to irrigate the crown generously with the nematode lotion, ideally once a month.

With smaller palm trees, which are easier to reach, you can use customary pressure sprayers. Make sure the holes in the spray nozzle are big enough for the nematodes to pass through and take care not to use a sprayer that you have already used to apply harmful substances, like insecticides or herbicides. Other entomopathogenic fungi that can be employed for environmental control of a variety of pests include Metarhizium anisopliae and beauveria bassiana, and are also easily available over the internet.

what other precautions will help save your palm trees?

We strongly recommend that you examine your palm trees on a regular basis, looking for any sign of damage as described above and to get a qualified gardener to peel, skin and maintain them regularly. A Chamaerops humilis for instance which is not regularly maintained will become bushy within a season and create a hotbed for both these insect species. never leave freshly cut palm leaves lying around for too long. if they have to stay on your property for a while then please wrap the cut-ends in heavy duty plastic bags or put the leaves into airtight barrels, as the scent of the palm’s sap is extremely attractive to both species and will be detected from a long way off. you should also instruct your gardener to never enter your property with palm cuttings from other gardens, but to dispose of them all beforehand. This may sound a little alarmist but, more often than not, this is how the pests end up in properties that had not been infested before.

Although more and more arborists and botanists are of the opinion, quite rightly, that protective lotions should not be applied after tree surgery and that cut surfaces should be left open and unsealed, in the case of palm trees we would highly recommend the use of protective lotions to minimise the effect tree sap has in attracting insects. in our blog on www.greenparrotgardens.com you will find alternative and attractive palm species, which you can plant instead of the ones named above. in effect, it is a form of prevention by denying the palm moth and red palm weevil their victims, while still being able to enjoy beautiful palms in your Mediterranean garden. 

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sTriding inTo The fuTure Michel Dotta is the owner of Monaco’s oldest estate agency – but also has many more strings to his bow…

photo on the right "THANK GOODNESS WE HAVE THE PRINCE! HE IS A GUARANTEE OF STABILITY" © D.R.

He is one of the most important decision maker in Monegasque economic life and holds numerous positions. Michel Dotta, 66, is the owner of the estate agency of the same name, located in the golden quarter of the Principality. at the same time, he is also President of the Monaco economic Board, the Monegasque National association of estate agents and the Commission for Town Planning and Urban Development…No matter which of these hats he’s wearing, his objective is still the same: to promote his small country internationally. By PETRA HALL

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i don’t have much time." With these words (so inspiring for a journalist), and a friendly smile, Michel dotta welcomes me to his renowned estate agency, which, a long time ago in 1894, was set up under the name of bremont. The smart businessman doesn’t freely offer up much information about himself, so right at the start of our conversation - the clock is ticking - i ask him a personal question: “Which qualities in particular have contributed to your success?” “Work, work and more work,” comes the answer, short and sweet. “And are there also negative qualities?” He laughs. “The list is too long, but we often love people particularly because of their faults!”

However, in any case, it’s not strictly true to say that dotta’s life is all work, work, work. He’s an enthusiastic golf and tennis player and loves fast cars, which is why he’s part of the Media Commission for Monegasque motorsport. “Reading is another of my passions; i’m curious and want to know everything. There are always new challenges and to master them fascinates me just as much as picking oneself up after a defeat and carrying on.”

Was the firm’s illustrious family tradition not a significant burden to him? “it wasn’t the dottas who founded the agency. but certainly, in relation to my father, i always felt obliged, as soon as i stepped into the family business in 1975, to carry on his work. people could have said that we weren’t dynamic enough, which was never the case. Actually it was the opposite, as we were, and always are, a step ahead of the times. For example, we were the first business in Monaco to have software for customer administration, even before the banks.”

A staff of 26 works at dotta. “We are a family,” says the boss. “native speakers are very important, and to that end we have italians, Russians, Croats, yugoslavs and poles in our team. in addition i’d like to have english and German speakers on board too.”

How then does the property market in the principality look today? “Sales figures moved around the two billion euro area in 2015. The curve isn’t increasing any more, it’s been stable since 2009.”

The clock ticks louder … such a complex subject in such a short time! Anything else to mention about the clients, who must have considerable funds at their disposal in order to be able to be involved in Monaco’s property scene? “They come from all over the world to deal exclusively with us. Whoever arrives here automatically belongs to a kind of club.

A franchise system doesn’t come into question for me. i want to remain my own boss, and that’s also in the interest of our clientele. i’m from the old school: i don’t do business over cocktails and i use ‘vous’ not ‘tu’ when addressing my clients.”

Our speed-chat is coming to an end. How do you see Monaco’s future? Confidently? “Thank goodness we have the prince! He is a guarantee of stability. unlike a politician, he doesn’t have to keep the

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“

electorate happy. in this way, in total harmony, he can steer the progress of his country in the right direction over the long-term. He only has the good of Monaco in mind - a unique situation in the world, which, for investors, is something you can’t put a price on.” 

THE MOST EXPENSIVE CITY IN THE WORLD in the world of luxury real estate, the Principality is the most expensive place in the world, according to Knight Frank. With a million dollars you get just a 17sqm apartment; which works out to be around 60,000 dollar per square metre, according to the British real estate specialist.

Of course, the location is a deciding factor in the price, but prices of 10 to 20 million euro for an apartment wouldn’t shock anyone in Monaco. The current record is held by the Tour Odéon; a breathtaking 3,600sqm penthouse. 500 million euro is the estimated price. examples of what else is currently on offer: 110sqm apartment in the Carré d'Or: 5,400,000 euro; 6-room apartment (180sqm) near Hermitage: 7,800,000 euro; 2-room apartment (79sqm + 30sqm terrace) with sea view: 6,800,000 euro; 6/7-room apartment Belle epoque style, villa del Sole: 19 million euro. rentals: 3-room apartment (85sqm) in Saint-roman: 6500 euro/month; 4-bedroom apartment (182sqm): 23,000 euro/month plus 1,000 euro housing allowance. and does anyone fancy being an entrepreneur, for 380,000 euro you can purchase a snack bar/ice cream shop in the Old Town...

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housing The world

sPonsored By

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Property professionals descend on Cannes for MIPM The most influential international property players will be gathering in Cannes for four days from March 15th to 18th to network, explore new opportunities and do business.

By Claire Lathbury

ow in its 27th year, MipiM is the leading real estate event for property professionals and this year’s figures are more impressive than ever: 21,400 participants, 351 stands, 89 countries and 2,445 exhibiting companies on 19,000sqm in the palais des Festivals, itself located on a prime piece of real estate epitomising the French Riviera, the Croisette. new for this year is the first-ever global real estate & urban management start-up competition, putting the spotlight on the most promising solutions for the future of our cities.

Complementing that is the main theme for the conference program, “Housing the World”, including “How to build a liveable future while maintaining growth targets?” and “Tomorrow’s building: tall, clean, mixed, smart?”

Another first is a networking cocktail for influential women in the industry on the 15th, in addition to the regular open meetings (healthcare, housing, logistics, hospitality and future talent) and topical lunches and breakfasts, all of which provide fuel for one of MipiM’s prime attractions: networking. networking is also what drives the regional focus, with 39 countries taking stands to showcase trends and major projects in their cities, both to attract investors but also offering opportunities for delegates.

As every year, a highlight will be the MipiM Awards on the 17th March which give global recognition for the most outstanding projects completed or yet to be built around the world in a range of categories. The photos above and on the left are examples of the multitude of projects presented at MipiM 2016. 

27th MIPIM MARCH 15TH TO 18TH 2016 PALAIS DES FESTIVALS CANNES

photo top left THE TITANIC QUARTER IN BELFAST, N. IRELAND © D.R. photo top right THE PROJECT ONE VANDERBILT IN NEW YORK © D.R. photo left WHITEHALL RIVERSIDE IN LEEDS, UK © D.R.

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sPace, BeauTy, Peace Von AILA STÖCKMANN

What’s important in a luxury home?

Michaël Zingraf founded the sametitled real estate agency in 1977. The Group boasting 11 branch offices along the Côte d’azur and in the Provence has become the high-priced segment’s market leader. in their portfolio: Mansions costing up to 300 million euro.

The riviera insider spoke to their patron.

M

r zingraf, you have been selling upmarket properties on the côte d’azur for almost four decades. how has the sector changed over time?

Things have changed bit by bit. in the early days, we mainly had French and european clients. in the 1990s, we generated half our revenues from German buyers.

With time, we got more customers from other countries. in the late 90s, Russians and Saudis were becoming more important. Today, foreigners make up 85 % of our business; around 60% are europeans, including Russians, who however are less active than just a few years ago.

Concerning market developments, our industry has experienced two lean periods: One came in the early 1980s and the second during the 1990s Gulf War. but the 2008 financial crisis hasn’t hit us very much: Since 2007, we’ve seen our sales figures increase almost every year.

what’s important in a luxury home? i don’t like the word luxury - it emphasises appearance but lacks reality. What i care about most in a dream real estate are lavish space, freedom, beauty and peace. The Côte d’Azur is predestined for it. it’s a grown cultural area, where infrastructure and vegetation have developed over the decades. There is a certain balance here. i’ve just come back from Hong Kong and i must say i consider myself very lucky to live here on the Côte. not to mention the climate…

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and your customers: what are they looking for?

Often, location is everything. We don’t sell properties below €1 million. but when people invest €1 million, they prefer a 40 square metre studio on Cannes’ promenade de la Croisette to a four room flat on boulevard Carnot, the main access route to the festival city.

who are your customers today and why is the upmarket segment booming right now?

Currently, most of our customers hail from Great britain followed by northern europeans, so Germans, Scandinavians, dutch and Russians. We are just developing the Chinese market. The Chinese are mainly looking to invest in properties but they are also interested in a secondary residence on the Côte d’Azur.

There are several factors that explain why our sales figures have been growing for years. Firstly the market determines the price: buyers are on average paying 22% less compared to what sellers are looking to get. Secondly, interest rates are very low. Thirdly, this means money on the bank doesn’t yield any profits, so properties more and more serve as investment opportunities. Fourthly, trust in the stock markets has diminished; that also plays into our hands. And finally, the euro has slumped compared to the pound, the Swiss Franc and the uS dollar. So now is the moment to invest.

where are the nicest mansions?

That differs from person to person. Many buyers are specifically looking for a house on Cap Ferrat. but we do also have stunning mansions in the back country villages, from Saint-paul via Mougins to Saint-Tropez.

The ones on Cap Ferrat aren’t necessarily more beautiful, just ten times more expensive.

Personally, which is your favourite object?

We have around 2,000 in our portfolio. if you want to pin me down to one: a vineyard surrounded by grapevines in Lourmarin.

why have you specialised on the luxury segment? it’s genetically determined… (grins). it’s just more beautiful and there’s so much more individuality behind selling high-class properties. but seriously: We have built our reputation over 40 years of hard work and integrity.

speaking of 40 years: what keeps your excitement for the job alive?

My maturity and yearlong experience allow for completely different encounters. Customers respect me more than they used to and many have become friends over time. That, and constantly meeting new people is just wonderful. 

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photo on the bottom "CHARLOTTE MALT", PAINTED BETWEEN 1940-1942 © Charlotte Salomon Foundation

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photo on the right "LEBEN? ODER THEATER?" CREATED BETWEEN 1940-1942 © Charlotte Salomon Foundation

nice’s BlackesT chaPTer

By ROLF LIFFERS & MALTE ROHWER-KAHLMANN

• The Third Reich on the Côte d’Azur: looking back on the darker side of the city’s history • The skies over Nice are blue, as the sun beams down on the grandiose Promenade des anglais. a day in sharp contrast to the dark years from 1940 to 1944, in which the Les Années Noires congress was held recently in the Centre Universitaire Méditerranéen (CUM) amidst heightened security measures. even 70 years after the end of the war, many questions remain unanswered, and many traumatic memories are still alive. For all the words that have been written to describe the unspeakable horror, they will probably never be as harrowing as the 300 pictures taken by Charlotte Salomon, on display at the Musée Masséna. The German-Jewish artist fled from the Nazis and came to Nice to find shelter. But in the end, she found death at auschwitz.

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"eVeRy COunTRy HAS iTS OWn WAy OF ReMeMbeRinG", SAyS nAZi-HunTeR SeRGe KLARSFeLd.

he speakers - passionate nazi-hunter, Serge Klarsfeld (80); novelist, david Foenkinos (41); and nice’s mayor, Christian estrosi (60), leave us without a single doubt; the Third Reich’s legacy still haunts many of us. it will probably never cease to do so. This means we have to carefully consider how to keep history alive amongst young people and future generations, “so that it will never repeat itself”, as Klarsfeld asserts.

Riviera insider sought a deeper insight and perspective by talking to witnesses from back then, alongside experts. “every country has its own way of remem-

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photo top left page 43 "CHARLOTTE"-AUTHOR DAVID FOENKINOS WITH AN ENTHUSIASTIC READER OF HIS BOOK © Rolf Liffers photo on the bottom page 43 FOENKINOS (R) SHOWS NICE’S MAYOR CHRISTIAN ESTROSI THROUGH THE ORIGINAL EMOTIONAL PAINTINGS OF CHARLOTTE SALOMON © Ville de Nice photo on the bottom NAZI-HUNTER SERGE KLARSFELD, WHO LIVED IN NICE DURING THOSE BLACK YEARS: "THE TOWN WAS NOT A STRONGHOLD OF SQUEALER" © Rolf Liffers

bering,” Klarsfeld says, when asked about ‘Stolpersteins’ or ‘stumbling stones’ – monuments in Germany to commemorate victims of nazi oppression, which serve as a constant reminder of the country’s past. At significant places all over the country, these striking paving stones catch the attention of passersby, making them pause to think during their everyday lives. but every nation should decide for itself which form of remembrance suits them best, Klarsfeld says. He is convinced that “tripping stones wouldn’t suit France at all.” The French would find them irreverent, as such symbols of commemoration “shouldn’t be trampled on”. but the Romanian adds: “it would be fine to have memorial plaques on walls or on the facades of houses. However, it’s not so easy to realise the idea here: you need to have the owners’ consent. And in practice, it’s very difficult to get that.” in Vichy - the capital of the former ‘zone libre’ which collaborated with Hitler - he found he was banging his head against a brick wall, even when talking to Jewish households. Whilst he doesn’t want to speculate on their reasons, he briefly shrugs and gives the following explanation: perhaps people just don’t want their properties to appear in a negative light. Or maybe they feared that building branded in this manner would be less attractive to rent.

So instead of stumbling stones, Klarsfeld is proposing a register of victims for France. Anyone with a smartphone could access it and “find any victim and his or her former address within the blink of an eye.” Virtual maps have already been made for the 11,458 Jewish children deported from Marseille, nice, paris and Lyon. “you only have to type in a family or street name on the internet,” the jurist explains. The next step will be to include grown-up holocaust victims, another 70,000 lives. This additional work will take several more years to complete.

charlotte salomon’s paintings: “an ode to life” Speaking of stumbling stones; in front of Wielandstraße 15 in berlin’s Charlottenburg district, a golden cube reminds anyone passing by of Charlotte Salomon. but the things the few engraved lines of remembrance don’t mention could have been lost forever, had it not been for david Foenkinos, who penned ‘Charlotte’; a novel tracing the German-Jewish artist’s life. before she was murdered in a concentration camp aged 26, she had painted more than 1,000 expressionist pictures. They radiate “happiness, in a way, although she suffered so terribly,” the acclaimed French author and director, delicacy, says. He thinks she delved into creativity to escape the horrific reality of her incarceration.

Charlotte grew up as an only child from a respectable family; her father was a doctor, her stepmother, a singer. Her biological mother killed herself when her daughter was nine - an experience Charlotte later addressed in her paintings. in 1939 she fled to the south of France, where her grandparents already lived in

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LITERATURE Beate and Serge Klarsfeld: «Mémoirs», 624 pages, 28 euro, editions Piper

Max Gallo: «1943 – le souffle de la victoire», 19.90 euro, Pocket David Foenkinos: «Charlotte», 240 pages, 17.99 euro, Dva

exile. She also met her future husband here, an Austrian who had fled the nazi regime. She was five months pregnant with his child when she died in a gas chamber in 1943.

Seventy years later, Foenkinos stumbled upon her drawings for the first time. He was initially shaken, then became “obsessed”, and subsequently decided to write a book about Charlotte. He started carrying out research, visited her family home in berlin, where the current tenant harshly rejected him (how reminiscent of Klarsfeld’s experience in Vichy). He also travelled to Villefranche-sur-Mer, where Charlotte had been hiding in a mansion called L’ermitage. Here, he even got to speak to the granddaughter of the man who had given away Charlotte’s hiding place. The novel became a bestseller.

Charlotte managed to hand over her artistic legacy to her French doctor (“This is my whole life”, she had said); he later passed it on to her parents. They first exhibited the pictures in 1961, yet the public didn’t seem to take much notice. but Foenkinos, whose works have by now been translated into 40 languages, immediately recognised something remarkable in them: “What she has created is an ode to life, an ode to survival.” Memorial plaques are soon to be installed in places along Charlotte’s journey through the region; in Villefranche, nice and Saint-Jean-CapFerrat.

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“nice was not a city of denunciators” Just like 84-year-old historian and author, Max Gallo, of the Académie française, Klarsfeld (who went to school in nice) describes everyday life in those days from his own personal experience. He puts locals at ease by saying that nice - contrary to other places around Vichy - was “not a city of denunciators.” quite the opposite in fact: italian soldiers and the former prefect actively protected the Jews. The citizens also kept their silence, despite the nazis gradually upping the bounty on betraying the whereabouts of Jews from 100 up to 5,000 Francs. but then the Germans arrived in the city, headed by the infamous SS Officer, Alois brunner. every day he had hundreds deported to be gassed. On the 30th September 1943, Klarsfeld’s father was taken away while the rest of his family was hiding behind a cabinet in Rue d’italie.

The congress in nicelast February passed without incident, without a trace of fanaticism or hatred. instead, historian, Ralph Schor, in his closing remarks, called for more patriotism, so that common values like liberty, equality and fraternity could take centre stage again. And, he warned, this could not be achieved through memorial plaques alone. Serge Klarsfeld summed it up: “We have to keep the memory of the holocaust alive by defending the values of our true democracy, and by trying to broaden it to the boundaries of planet earth”. 

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shuTTing down is ouT of The quesTion!

The rebirth of the ‘Verrerie de Biot’

By AILA STÖCKMANN

The 60th anniversary celebrations of Biot’s glass works were a much smaller affair this year than had been originally planned. The fact that this anniversary could be celebrated at all was entirely down to the grit and determination of the employees.

Patronne anne Lechaczynski tells us about the history of the family-owned company, which came close to ruin following the devastating floods of October last year.

n the night of 3rd October 2015, the floodwater reached head-height at times throughout the biot glassworks site. The ovens, show rooms, galleries and museum were all affected by the severe flood that swept across the area, enormous damage was caused to various works of art and the colourful glassware which is stored and displayed on the premises.

As the water receded, it left a trail of broken glass and stinking sludge in its wake. eloi Monod established the family-owned company in biot exactly 60 years ago.

Last October, the company became one of the many victims of the heavy rain and floods between Mandelieu-La napoule and Villeneuve-Loubet that not only claimed 20 lives but also damaged thousands of homes and threatened the very existence of some local companies. “everything was destroyed at our premises,” said Anne Lechaczynski, who together with her brother Serge has been managing the company for the past 15 years. Their parents originally acquired the glass works from Monod in 1973.

The firm’s insurers have estimated the damage at more than three million euro. Lechaczynski, who is a native of biot, rushed to the glass works in the middle of the night between 3rd and 4th October. The alarm had been raised when the ovens experienced a power outage. They normally burn day and night but had gone cold by the time she arrived, signalling just how bad the situation was. The 3,000sqm workshop, storage area, show room and gallery were completely flooded, with water at times reaching a height of between 1.5 and 1.8 metres. The only consolation was that no one was hurt, since work is only carried out during the day. After the initial shock, when not only the owners but also the 20-person team stared ruin in the face, things had become a little clearer by the next day: they had resolved to carry on. Or even better, they would start again from scratch. The insurers arrived on the same day and arrangements were made for bulldozers and trucks to take away the mud and ruined stock. everyone on the team then pulled up

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their sleeves and set to work on cleaning the whole place up. Any glass stock that could be saved had to be washed and relabelled. Four electricians were at work every day from 5th October 2015 right through to February 2016. After three months, the rooms were finally ready for the painters.

“From that day on, we had a completely different job,” said Anne Lechaczynski. She and her brother had to organise the general refurbishment, and saw it as an opportunity not only to rebuild but also to modernise. new show rooms, new shelving units, Led lighting throughout - “everything was decided on an ad hoc basis, as we had no time to create an overall concept in advance,” Lechaczynski said.

The biot glass works or, to give it its proper French name, the Verrerie de biot, has a fascinating history.

The glass blowers, who produce the various products using traditional glass-forming techniques, have worked in open view of the public since the company was first founded in 1965. indeed, this was a unique feature of the business at the time, pointed out Lechaczynski. The company was also the first manual glass-blowing atelier to be opened in the region after the sector had pretty much died out due to industrialisation. The last domestic glass works in the region were located in Cannes-La bocca but closed its doors as long ago as 1899, ending a 1,000-year tradition in provence. The establishment of the Verrerie de biot in the 1950s also coincided with the arrival of the artist Fernand Léger, creating the foundations for the village’s reputation today as a village d‘art, with numerous galleries still in existence.

Visitors to the glass works located at the edge of the old town can still watch the glass blowers practising their craft to this day. Over the years, the glass works have become an important tourist attraction for the little village tucked away behind Antibes. in 2006 it was also given the label ‘entreprise du patrimoine Vivant’ (epV), and since then has opened every day including Sundays.

The parents of Anne and Serge, danielle and Jean Lechaczynski, were natives of poland. danielle was a librarian while Jean worked at ibM. They bought the glass works from its founder in 1973 when it was in considerable financial difficulty. danielle was in charge of day-to-day operations while Jean helped out at weekends. it could be said that Anne and Serge grew up surrounded by the family business. it was never the assumption that they would one day take over the firm. “Our parents always said they wanted to sell the Verrerie at a later date to finance their retirement,” remembers Anne, who is now 53. in fact, this attitude may have had the effect that may have been secretly desired all along by their parents. After college, both siblings returned to the family business and decided to make a go of it. Anne studied business administration at college and as a result has also been able to build up sales of biot glassware in the u.S. The sister and brother have now been running the Ver-

700 000 visiTors a year annual revenue of

€4 million

500 000 Blown glass ProducTs a year

15 glass Blowers

photo on the bottom of page 45 THE NEXT URGENT TASK FOR ANNE LECHACZYNSKI WILL THEN HAVE TO GO TO THE TOWN HALL TO RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FLOODING CRISIS

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rerie together since 2000 and have worked with tireless energy to make it a success. “We argue a lot, but it is soon forgotten,” said Anne Lechaczynski, whose tasks include the design of new creations. The employees are used to it, and value the atmosphere of a family-run business, affirmed their boss. “We ask a lot of them and it is certainly not always easy for our staff, but we give a lot back and maintain the human touch, which is especially important during times of crisis.” The speciality of Verrerie de biot is still the same after 60 years; verre bullé, glass with air bubbles. it started out as a production error by company founder Monod, but was turned into a virtue. He developed a technique that allowed a random number of air bubbles to be introduced between two glass layers. All hand-blown glass from biot, whether drinking glasses, wine glasses, salad bowls, vases or candle holders and in all colours from green, yellow, red or the particularly popular blue glass, are interspersed with bubbles. each product is also signed with the village’s name using lettering that has been registered as a trademark.

When we spoke at the beginning of February, the corridors smelled of fresh paint. The glass works had only just opened its doors after its enforced four-month break. it was still early days - only temporary ovens were in place, and very few glasses were on show in the sales areas, while the storage rooms were almost empty, and the art gallery was still closed. in May, or at least this is the hope of Anne Lechaczynski, the glass works will be fully operational once again. This is when the peak season begins. “We are dependent on tourism,” she said. Amid all the misfortune, the one piece of luck was that the floods arrived after the crucial summer business period.

by July, the new ovens should finally be delivered.

These are custom products with a normal delivery period of at least a year. Two to four ovens of three different types are required in the artisanal workshop in biot for melting, re-heating and cooling.

The next urgent task for Anne Lechaczynski will then be to go to the town hall to raise questions about the flooding crisis. How was it possible that such dramatic flooding took place in a so-called vallon sec - a valley without flowing water? And what must be done to prevent such a catastrophe from ever happening again? 

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adieu To a sTarry-eyed idealisT A tribute to Gottfried Honegger, a sharp observer of our time, society and its art By ALFRED THUM

Graphic designer, painter and sculptor Gottfriend Honegger died in mid-January aged 98 in his home town of Zürich. The celebrated artist created many famous scultpures and leaves behind the Espace de l’Art Concret in MouansSartoux.

he death of a great man always creates a void, but it also brings back to mind how much of a mark he made; the impact his life has had. We can consider ourselves lucky that Gottfried Honegger spent an important part of his career here, on the Côte d’Azur. Countless things he created are here to stay and will forever tie his name to the region.

There are his sculptures; intriguing in their clarity and colourfulness, giving life to squares, gardens and parks – and sometimes even dominating them.

Often they only reveal their playful forms on second glance. And then there is the espace de l’Art Concret in Mouans-Sartoux (between Grasse and Cannes), an important institution created to last for genera-

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tions. not only does it encompass the donation Albers-Honegger’s nearly 500 works of art. it also engages in art history research, and holds temporary exhibitions in the neighbouring castle’s Galerie du Château, which also hosts visiting artists. And, last but not least, it passes on its knowledge to future generations at the Ateliers pédagogiques (educational workshops).

The donation Albers-Honegger foundation’s history shows how relentlessly Gottfried Honegger could fight for a cause he believed in. He wanted to donate his and his wife Sybil Albers’ works of art to the community. in return, the state was required to build a house in Mouans-Sartoux’s château park where the collection could permanently be on show to the public. in 2004, this venture resulted in a

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magnificent piece of architecture, much to the delight of everyone involved. nestled amongst the park’s greenery, its big windows open out onto the surrounding natural scenery. And with its inviting entrance, the bright-green house appears to magically draw in visitors. Two more foundations - Aurelie nemours and the brownstones - have been added to the collection, which now boasts paintings and sculptures from the past 50 years. its name: espace de l’Art Concret.

There had already been art in Mouans-Sartoux’s castle, long before negotiations with the foundation started in 2000. Since as early as 1990, there have been temporary exhibitions, organised lectures and efforts to develop concrete art and research in the field - and, not to forget, education, which by now has gained enormous significance. Ten-thousand youngsters joined art education programmes in 2015. before long, the castle became too small for all this. So Honegger had a ground-level extension built - modern and with large windows - where all educational work could be concentrated. He also developed a cardboard play set, which comprises of circles, triangles and rectangles in the primary colours. Children can playfully combine them, just like the maestro did throughout his entire life. He called the set Viseur because he wanted to teach children how to see, the basis for all creative work. Honegger knew it was a challenge to enthuse the current generation of children with creativity, as they are overwhelmed by endless possibilities, and often pushed into being passive and merely consuming without any input. but his childhood was very different, somehow ‘easier’. As a shepherd boy, he had nothing, and had to invent all his toys and games himself.

Gottfried Honegger thought a lot about the role of art in life and wrote down his fascinatingly clear views. Artists’ personalities, their genius, their motivation and the individual’s desire for self-expression were secondary to him. He only cared about the ‘Zeitgeist’ revealing itself through the artist, who merely serves as the mediating organ for social currents. However brilliant; he believed artists could never create those currents themselves.

AS A SHepHeRd bOy, GOTTFRied HOneGGeR HAd nOTHinG, And HAd TO inVenT ALL HiS TOyS And GAMeS HiMSeLF

photo page 46 left GOTTFRIED HONEGGER AS A YOUNG MAN © D.R. photo page 46 right HONEGGER: CREATIVE UNTIL THE END OF HIS LIFE © EAC photo above left IN THE ESPACE DE L'ART CONCRET IS THE DONATION ALBERS-HONEGGER © Chiappacan photo above right CHILDREN PLAYING WITH "VISEUR," DEVELOPPED BY HONEGGER © EAC photo bottom right HONEGGER-WORK, REPRESENTING THE PERIOD END OF THE 1950S © D.R.

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it follows that artists’ individuality, their mood, premise and merit should not take centre stage. it’s only society’s state of mind that counts, with all its wants and needs. but seeing artists as instruments doesn’t mean they cannot actively impact society.

They can bring playfulness and creativity to people, especially the younger generation, and show them how to discover and apply this to all areas of their lives. So the artist takes a backseat, while a work’s origin and what he or she achieves when communicating with society takes priority. Honegger thought that the product leaving his studio did not constitute a work of art - yet. Only when it went on display and the public could emotionally and intellectually react to it - when it triggered something inside them – then was when it became a work of art. it’s not the artist who brings it to life, but the audience.

The Côte d’Azur’s art aficionados might have almost called it a lucky coincidence, if the circumstances weren’t so sombre. but just as Honegger’s death has re-ignited public interest in his creative work, Mouans-Sartoux’s espace de l’Art Concret had been planning to host an exhibition entitled Gottfried Honegger - alpha omega, which is still going ahead and runs until 22 May. it is completely dedicated to Honegger, forging a bridge across his artistic life, which saw many radical changes. in every room, the exhibition contrasts his early work with creations from his later days. everything is laid bare. even the tentative first steps of young Honegger, who back then worked as a graphic designer in advertising, and only painted on the side, are on display. A prospective artist, floating with the current, is what this bold exhibition is supposed to convey. Honegger’s first paintings from the 1930s are cubist and instantly reminiscent of picasso.

Today, they are only of interest as a jigsaw piece in his puzzle. From a purely artistic point of view, they have limited appeal. in the late 1950s, Honegger decided to quit his day job to become a full-time painter. This was his ar-

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goTTfried honegger, a Personal PersPecTive An obituary tistic breakthrough. His painting became clear and direct, while still containing some cubist elements, such as shadowy corners, at first. but those completely disappeared in the 1960s, when expressive elements stopped featuring in his work. His pictures were now geometrically abstract. Honegger had found his style. The surfaces are not always painted smoothly. The paintings are often slightly protruding due to the carton he used as a base for his canvas.

He limited all big shapes to circles, triangles and rectangles and started playing around with them, portraying a wealth of colour and form variations bound to amaze every viewer. And he stuck with this concept until the end. While the first three-dimensional experiments were rather tentative, almost unperceivable, reliefs became more and more integral over time. Sometimes forms would grow out of the surface, so the picture seems almost like a sculpture hung up on the wall. Other times, the wall beneath it would become an aesthetic part of the picture. in his last works from 2014 and 2015, the wall behind the picture features as a dominating element, upon which playful, often only hinted-at variations of circles, triangles and rectangles unfold.

The observer can complete them in his mind’s eye and rediscover them in other places. This allows for a never-ending and appealing game between the work of art and the spectator, who can choose to play along, or walk on; as he pleases.

These reliefs are only one step away from actual sculptures, which finally became Honegger’s trademark style, featuring prominently in many public spaces. Just like he incorporated walls into his reliefs, his sculptures revolve around nature and urban spaces. Once again, he tickles the spectators’ curiosity with basic shapes - spheres, pyramids, cylinders and boxes - and challenges them to enter into his trigonometric game. primary colours dominate all of this, and catch the passer-by’s eye in addition too.

Sadly this sharp observer of our time, society and art is no longer with us. A starry-eyed idealist, who firmly believed that playfulness and creativity can change the world. A conceptual artist, a denier of individualism, who created such unique and unmistakable works. but what he has sown began growing long ago, and now we are left with magnificent trees to gaze upon.

WHAT’S ON:  The exhibition Gottfried Honegger alpha omega in Mouans-Sartoux’s castle is running until 22nd May and is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 1pm to 6pm.

The same opening hours apply to the Donation albers-Honeggers next-door, which features the second part of the temporary exhibition, as well as a permanent collection.

by PETRA HALL

“As i must take my body to the garage to have the pumps and pistons fixed, i’ll have to remain in Zürich for a while. i hope they still have a few spare parts for my model in stock or i’ll have to have this and that made by a custom-fitter…”

Gottfried Honegger sent me this letter on 9th november 2000. it was one of many throughout the years. My answer: “i immediately have to declare my love to you, one of modern times’ finest models…” back then he was 83 and still an eloquent charmer. but even more than that, he was an acclaimed painter, artist and avid fighter against aveuglisme, as he called it - our society’s blindness. “it’s all good and well to write about Cézanne, picasso and Klee,”one of his letters runs. “but it is more important to support and encourage those movements committed to contemporary art, who understand themselves as a political element against our century’s ugliness and aggression.”

So, finally, it seems the garage has run out of spare parts. Gottfried died on 17 January in Zürich. An irreplaceable loss for concrete art, which has lost one its most prominent proponents. He will live on in Mouans-Sartoux’s espace de l’Art Concret with its own Albers-Honegger foundation. The same goes for his observations, which he exclusively penned for our newspaper 16 years ago. We will republish some of them in our next editions: “These texts are more or less written in the spirit of Goethe. Oh, what am i saying? Goethe could get some advice from me on how to write short texts.” yes, that was Gottfried Honegger: witty, creative and analytical, humorous and truth-loving. They don’t make them like him anymore.

JIRI FIGUR RA

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a journey Through Time Antiques, modern and contemporary art

his year the Antibes Art Fair has created a veritable playground for dealers and the public. it started out as a small antiques market but has grown into a major event lasting two weeks. now in its 44th year, the Antibes Art Fair runs from April 16th to May 2nd and offers a feast for the eyes of art lovers and antiques experts.

What makes this Fair special is that the alleys and stands are designed to reflect the spirit of the exhibits. They take visitors on a journey through time to discover rarities and curiosities which abound among the items of furniture, textiles, photos, books, jewellery and even pre-Columbian art, all packed into an area of 4,000 square meters.

Over 120 exhibitors are presenting art and antiques from different periods, including a work by visual artist Miryan Klein. Her “Ligne de Vie” (palms of hands connected by lifelines) will be visible to all as night falls. Advice and guidance also in english. 

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Exceptional Music for the Holy Week

May 2nd, open daily 10.30am - 7.30pm.

Esplanade du Pré des Pêcheurs - Port vauban, antibes. entrance: 10 euro.

Free entry to Espace Plein Air and Espace Brocante.

photo HENRI LEBASQUE (1865-1937), NU ASSIS, HUILE SUR TOILE, 81 X 65 CM © Galerie Alexis Pentcheff

nice Baroque ensemBle n the run up to easter week, the nice baroque ensemble is performing the three Leçons des Ténèbres by French composers, François Couperin and Marc-Antoine Charpentier. Commissioned

by Louis XiV in the 17th century, the three pieces mark the descent into darkness (symbolized by the gradual extinction of 15 candles on a candelabra) on the three days of mourning between the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Combining the vocal intensity of the court with the solemnity of the service, these compelling works possess a remarkable intensity and power, a painful lament to the crucifixion.

The venue for this exceptional concert is the Church of Saint-Martin-Saint-Agustin in nice on Friday March 18th at 8.30pm and again on Sunday March 20th at 4.30pm. before the concert, on Wednesday March 16th at 5pm in the Louis-nucéra Library in nice, there is a lecture on the subject entitled “Les Ténèbres au Grand Siècle: Musiques et Liturgies pour la Semaine sainte sous le règne de Louis XiV”. 

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photo on the right PHILIPPECANTOR © LionelBouffier

44th Antibes Art Fair, April 16th

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a TreaT is in sTore Regional orchestra Cannes performs Mendelssohn’s most popular work Elijah treat is in store for music lovers on April 29th when Mendelssohn’s oratorio “elija” comes to the Côte d’Azur. The Cannes-pACA Regional Orchestra conducted by Austrian Wolfgang dörner will be performing this major work from his baroque period, with the Ars Vocalis choir doing the honours on the vocals. Felix Mendelssohn-bartholdy, born in 1809, was 38 years old when he became fascinated by the prophet elijah, the fiercest and most vengeful of all the Old Testament prophets, whose story resonated deeply with the composer. He began drafting the libretto with his friend Julius Schubring in 1838, to whom he wrote that he imagined elijah as a “strong, zealous and, yes, even bad-tempered, angry and brooding” character. However, they would not return to the score for another ten years when the birmingham Festival committee asked him for a new oratorio.

The work gave Mendelssohn an opportunity to em-

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Concert: april 29th at 8.30pm in the Théâtre Croisette, Cannes. Tickets: 15 and 29 euro in advance from the Palais des Festivals +33 (0)4 92 98 62 77, or on the door one hour before the performance.

Parking: 5.50 euro at the Palais des festivals.

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ploy a large and richly layered chorus, singing in usually eight or three parts, with four soloists. in Cannes the lead roles are taken by bass singer Markus butter, tenor Fabien Hyon, mezzo-soprano Ahlima Mhamdi and soprano Marie-Laure Garnier. 

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16 APRIL 2ND MAY 2016

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rihanna is Back wiTh a Bang!

The R&B star will perform live onstage this summer in Nice By Roisin O’Donoghue ihanna will perform in nice as part of her Anti world tour which. This tour, which is sure to be amazing, will begin on 12th March in the u.S and will finish 21st August in the u.K. Among the tour’s destinations are: The netherlands, ireland, italy and France. Her French leg of the tour will be in Lyon and then nice on 15th July. The Allianz Riviera stadium will be the venue for this exciting event.

Robyn Rihanna Fenty, better known simply as Rihanna, is a barbadian singer-songwriter who first appeared on the music scene way back in 2005. Her album, “Music of the Sun” featured songs with a distinct reggae flavor which did well in the charts. Over the years Rihanna changed her sound going from relaxed and smooth to a more mature pop/ R&b vibe. As her music gradually changed so did her own image. it was particularly her song “umbrella” which featured rapper Jay Z that really made people stop and take notice of her. The album also included the song “don’t Stop the Music” which has since be-

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come a staple for almost every dance and party playlist. The album didn’t just feature energetic dance tunes. “Hate That i Love you” which was a duet with fellow R&b artist ne-yo, is about how frustrating it can be to love someone who also drives you crazy.

She kept to her new edgy persona with her following effort “Rated R” and as the title implies it contained darker and mature songs namely “Rude boy” which is highly sexual. “Russian Roulette” is about the fear and pain that can come with loving someone almost too much and “Te Amo” in which Rihanna describes how a close female friend tells her in Spanish that she loves her and how Rihanna doesn’t feel the same kind of love in return. While some may regard her as a one trick pony this far from true.

While she is better known for her incredibly catchy dance tunes she has proven that she can perform sweet and sometimes sad lovesongs.

While the previously mentioned “Russian Roulette” was about a painful relationship no song better portrays such emotional agony as her song “Love the Way you Lie” which she perfor-

med with the famous rapper eminem. “Love the Way you Lie” stirs up every emotion possible.

From the very beginning when Rihanna sings the opening line it pulls hard on the heart string.

The song embodies exactly what it’s like to be in a toxic relationship where both parties are at fault.

The Anti World Tour will be the sixth since Rihanna’s diamonds World Tour back in 2013. it’s also in support of her album “Anti” which was released on 28th January this year.

The concert in nice will be opened by R&b artists The Weeknd and big Sean. This will be one of the biggest shows of the year so don’t miss out! 

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Bella figura!

Jiri Kylian is a guest at the Ballets de Monte-Carlo

or those with an unquenchable thirst for ballet, a treat is in store with three pieces by the great choreographer Jiri Kylian: “bella Figura”, “Gods and dogs” and “Châpeau” being performed in the Grimaldi Forum at the end of April.

The public has become accustomed to something special from the ballets de Monte-Carlo company and this time it is Kylian’s work showcasing quality, stunning effects and imaginative dance routines. As part of its 30th anniversary celebrations the company has been gifted an opportunity to perform the extraordinary creations of this Czech master of contemporary dance under his direction.

The man who over the years has become a close friend of the Monaco ballet troupe invites us to escape into an exhilarating world of aesthetic sensuality with “bella Figura”. in “Gods and dogs” he

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La Compagnie des Ballets de Monte-Carlo «en compagnie de Jiri Kylian»

28Th, 29Th, 30Th of aPril aT 8 Pm, 1sT of may aT 4 Pm

photo above

“BELLA FIGURA“ BY JIRI KYLIAN © Javier del Real photo on the right

“CHÂPEAU“ BY JIRI KYLIAN © Joris Jan Bos

confronts the individual with their role in society and with “Châpeau” proves how much he enjoys surprising his audience. With Kylian, the lightness of being inspite of deep existential questions is always present, insanity never being far away as an outlet to deal with life’s problems. 

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Exclusive-Interview with Band-leader Rudolf Schenker in May 2012 the Scorpions performed in Nice during their ‘farewell tour’…But there’s no longer any talk of goodbye. On the contrary: in 2015 they celebrated their 50th birthday and began a worldwide birthday tour!

You could almost say the Scorpions are bigger than ever. Petra Hall spoke to the 67 year old rocker, rudolf, who became a father of a baby boy six months ago, and is as energetic as ever.

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PETRA HALL Rudolf Schenker, thank goodness you broke your promise to retire after performing nice in 2012. After the big, global ‘farewell tour’ you’ve made a terrific comeback. Why did you change your mind?

RUDOLF SCHENKER: it’s very simple - our fans won’t let us go! The ‘farewell tour’ definetely wasn’t a marketing gimmick. in fact, we realised that we all could still have a lot of fun on stage. We are so full of energy that it wasn’t possible to walk away.

The fans, who include many young people, played an important role in terms of our decision. They never stop supporting us.

The scorPions come To monaco!

photos on the left THE LEGENDARY SCORPIONS ARE ALWAYS ON THE MOVE © D.R. photo on the right EVER YOUNG AND READY FOR FUN! © D.R.

How do you explain this?

At the moment we have 6.5million fans on Facebook, and most of them are between 16 and 28. The internet helps us to reach a new generation. As a medium, the internet is of course a very visual tool and our music is very youthful and emotional, it appeals to young people.

You used to perform nearly 200 concerts every year. Will you be repeating this in 2016? And will you also come to the French Riviera? yes! We will be on stage in Monaco this summer. but before, we start in March our German Tour (14th

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even in critical moments and difficult situations. people that support you, and also love what they do. They have to meld into the ‘Scorpions Family’. nowadays we fly more frequently with a private jet to save our energy. And we don’t perform for one and a half years without break, like we did in the 80s and 90s. We always have rest periods and use the energy we recuperate to create iconic concerts.

How big is your permanent team? it depends on where we perform; between 25 and 40 people, plus ground workers. We have a tour-manager, sound-manager and a sales manager, production crew of three to four cameramen, a video editor, videography professionals, roadies, etc....they all form part of the permanent team.

We’ve lost some great personalities from the rock scene like David Bowie and Lemmy Kilmister recently. How do you cope with things like that? i use meditation to deal with it. i am not too connected to the earth like most human beings. Today, many other things touch me. i met Lemmy right before his death. We congratulated each other on our stage anniversaries: He had his 40th and i had my 50th. it is scary! you can’t ignore all this loss. but you have to accept it; it is the natural flow of things. Life is like a river, just as we sing in our song of the same name.

As for the grief, it is dangerous to lament for a long time on the surface. it is better to grieve very deeply but for a short period. After that, you must directly carry on with living. naturally,you are always shocked when you receive bad news but afterwards you should start smiling again. This resilience is essential. yes, the trunk becomes inflexible at times, but the leaves re-grow again and will flutter in the wind every spring.

Thank you very much Rudolf! We’ll see you this August in Monte-Carlo!

March in Stuttgart), which is part of the 50th Anniversary World Tour. After that we head off around the world: uSA, Russia…Music helps to build bridges and friendships. We are already very excited about the concert at the Sporting d’été in Monaco on 2nd August.

The Scorpions was the first international band to play for nearly 20,000 people just days after the terrorist attack at a rock concert in Paris last November. Did you feel scared?

Well, naturally you feel more safe in the group. The fans supported us. Our concert in paris was like a counteroffensive against the hatred. With the help of the organiser, who we have trusted for 5 years, we reinforced the securities measures. We wanted to show our sadness about what had happened, and at the same time, signal that we can build a kind of bridge between different people, thanks to our music.

A lot of other groups cancelled their concerts. The fans very much appreciated our performance. We received many words of gratitude. even little Ritchie formed part of it.

The Scorpions give plenty of concerts of concerts. Sometimes there’s not a single day between them to relax. Very often there is a distance between the concerts of more than 1,000 km, a gigantic challenge and every time a logistic masterpiece. How do you handle all this?

This is only possible if there is a good core of people we work with. you need persons who you can trust,

“OuR COnCeRT in pARiS LAST nOVeMbeR WAS LiKe A COunTeROFFenSiVe AGAinST THe HATRed”

CLUB DES RÉSIDENTS ÉTRANGERS DE MONACO Résidence Le Mirabeau - 1, avenue Princesse Grâce, Monte-Carlo +377 97 98 01 77 info@crem.mc

www.crem.mc

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ToP marques for innovaTion Top Marques Monaco was founded 13 years ago by an experienced team with an international background.

The concept behind what is now one of the most prestigious auto shows in the world was to create an exhibition which goes beyond the static events of Paris, Frankfurt, Geneva and Detroit; where visitors can actually test drive the vehicles that catch their eye. onaco, the international capital of luxury, hosts arguably the most famous Grand prix in the world. So it was the obvious choice of venue for the live auto show, with test drives even taking place on the F1 circuit. during last year’s edition of Top Marques, approximately 1,300 test drives took place over the four days.

Anyone with a driving licence, and who is over 21, can request to test drive one of the cars, but it is ultimately down to the discretion of the manufacturers as to who they choose to take out.

Last year approximately 42,000 visitors attended the show. Organisers expect even more people to visit this year’s show, with an even greater number of presale tickets already having been sold to date than ever before.

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photo left PRINCE ALBERT ENJOYS HIS VISIT TO LAST YEAR’S TOP MARQUES © D.R.

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“i would estimate that up to 20 percent of the visitors are from the supercar industry, with the rest being car enthusiasts,” says Manoj bairstow, managing director of Top Marques Monaco. “We now have a huge following amongst supercar ‘spotters’ who come from around the world to see their favourite supercars – or just to hear them in the street. There is also a small percentage who come to Top Marques to actually buy a supercar,” he adds.

This gets me thinking about the attendees; i wonder how many of the fans are women, compared to the percentage of men. is it a show angled at ‘boys and their toys’, or does it attract an even number of both genders? Let’s not forget that televised car shows such as Top Gear have a large female following. “it is not really accurate to say the show attracts more men than women,” says bairstow. “perhaps it’s the

photo above THE LATEST MODEL OF DUTCH SUPERCARS: DONKERVOORT D8 GTO BILSTER EDITION © D.R.

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men that initiate the visit, but they like to bring their lady-friends with them – which is why we created a section for luxury products, including watches and jewellery, so that female visitors didn’t get frustrated that Top Marques was all about the cars! it is definitely a supercar show, but with elements now to keep everyone happy.”

The 2016 edition is set to be a belter, with at least half a dozen supercars poised to steal the show, including the icona Vulcano; a stunning supercar which has been made entirely out of titanium. Mazzanti Automobili from italy will also be bringing its latest evantra supercar to Top Marques, as well as the Falcarto, launched by Germany’s Halcon SuperSport, and the donkervoort d8 GTO, one of the fastest (street-legal) cars in the world, with an acceleration of 0-100 kmh in an incredible 2.8 seconds.

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riviera insider suBscriBers CAn COnTACT uS FOR TiCKeTS FOR TOp MARqueS RiVieRApReSS.FR

in addition to all the adrenaline-pumping, spine-tingling excitement that these vehicles of beauty bring to the event, Top Marques has a softer side. it also presents a platform for green technology. This includes cutting-edge innovations. “Top Marques is extremely proud of its green credentials – we try every year to shine the spotlight on a number of groundbreaking technologies that are respectful of the environment, an issue close to the heart of H.S.H prince Albert ii, under whose High patronage the show is honoured to stand,” said bairstow. in fact, for the 13th edition, Top Marques will be showcasing the first ever all-electric Fiat 500, which would look perfect, says its designer Massimiliano Grand, “coming out of a 165-foot yacht and being driven along the ports of the most exclusive locations around the world”.

Top Marques has a reputation for opening a window onto the future, and showcasing daring innovations of the future. So what else do they have in store this year?

“We are delighted that ArcaSpace, the new Mexican team behind the world’s first truly flying hover board, the Arcaboard, has chosen to launch its product at Top Marques this year,” says bairstow. “This groundbreaking and green technological innovation runs entirely on electric energy and launching it in Monaco mirrors the values of the principality as a beacon in the green movement.”

And there you have it; a showcase of innovation, driven by an infectious passion and enthusiasm. it’s hard not to get goose bumps at the very thought of it.

MANOJ BAIRSTOW, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF TOP MARQUES MONACO: ”20 PERCENT OF THE VISITORS ARE FROM THE SUPERCAR INDUSTRY, THE REST BEING CAR ENTHUSIASTS. WE ALSO CREATED A SECTION FOR LUXURY PRODUCTS SUCH AS JEWELLRY AND WATCHES © D.R.

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By now the Monte-Carlo rolex Masters is so popular that tickets for the four most exciting days at the climax of the tournament sold out months ago!

Those who want to see Djokovic, Nadal & Co in front of the incomparable Mediterranean backdrop might only squeeze in to see the first few rounds, starting on 9th april.

photo on top right ROGER FEDERER AND HIS WIFE (R) WERE RECEIVED

BY THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF MONACO LAST YEAR © Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters

monaco

Thrilling games, and a disTinguished audience…

Every April the tennis world flocks to Monaco

By AILA STÖCKMANN

t’s the incomparable mix of the top tennis players in the world, the charming courts of the Monte-Carlo Country Club (which remain unrivalled around the globe), the relaxed atmosphere under the reliable spring sunshine and the Monaco it-crowd’s cosmopolitan flair (where Gucci bags and tracksuits sit alongside each other) that make this tournament so special. under these conditions, the fact that a world class sport is taking place on this centre court, with ocean views, could almost be forgotten.

Obviously it isn’t, for this year once again most of the top names in men’s tennis come to the principality to play the first important european clay court tournament of the year – and, boy, can these guys play!

Those who have ever seen Roger Federer, with his innate elegance, competing here will probably wish the Swiss wonder will never put down his racket. Those who were able to witness the eight times in a row clay court-dominance of Rafael nadal, an unsurpassed series of victories, will be itching to see the performance of the Spaniard this year. Those who have never seen the player, who has for two years been unconquered champion of the world, and last year’s tournament winner, novak djokovic, playing live shouldn’t miss the performance. during the Serbian’s match, a certain Mr becker – who was the youngest Wimbledon champion of all time and is still a huge star today - will be amongst the audience.

The names of the 45 players on the main court will not be confirmed until 15th March, the deadline for the 110th edition of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.

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The world’s best players always get priority. Long before the deadline, number one tennis star djokovic, the eighttimes winner nadal, and the fourth in the world ranking Stan Wawrinka (who kissed the trophy as the winner two years ago) were already signed up.

At the time we went to press, tickets for the last six tournament days had already been sold out. Those who want to see any matches during the first two days should act fast to secure one of the last spots. 

MONTE-CARLO ROLEX MASTERS The

Monte-Carlo rolex Masters is a part of the “aTP Masters 1000”. This series of nine global tournaments follows the four Grand-Slam Tournaments (australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open) as well as the aTP World Tour Finals; the most important series in male tennis. Tickets: www.montecarlotennismasters.com Day-Tickets on the Centre Court (Court rainier iii) begin at 24 euro, tickets on the Side Court (Court des Princes) begin at 17 euro.

Info: www.montecarlorolexmasters.mc

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achieving new heighTs: Founder and CEO of Be & Become shares his secrets for driving leadership and business success

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Gilles Favro © Fabien Prauss

Gilles Favro has 25 years of international experience as a C-Level & Senior executive Coach, and more than 10 years of consulting expertise at the highest level in the areas of organizational development and transformation.

r favro, please can you explain to us what your coaching sessions are about?

My main job is the ongoing organisational development and transformation, design and process improvement, consulting and coaching for change. That means to drive change, to coach executives, and to coach teams. i’ve been working since 2007 with international cross-cultural teams, working on global projects including english, American and european staff and helping them to build a cohesive team to reach peak performance levels of working together effectively, with great team spirit. The top goal is to set a vision, which is shared across all levels of the team. because if the vision isn’t shared and understood by all the people working for the company then it makes it hard to align this vision. i also work with entrepreneurs and C-level managers (CeOs, CFOs etc) at the top level of management and i have three degrees in executive Team Coaching, Human Resources and international Hospitality. On top of that, i give lectures at several business schools and universities including SKeMA business School in Sophia-Antipolis. For four years i’ve been a lecturer in paris, at the university of paris and HeC paris executive education, in Leadership, Cross-cultural Management and executive Coaching.

how do you help motivate young people to succeed in an increasingly complicated world?

The first thing is passion. To be able to do what i do, you need a lot of passion and energy to convey to the young women and men and to get them motivated and inspired too. you also need to lead by example; to show what it is possible. There’s always a new way of trying things. We look at what makes a leader.

The second quality is mindset. There is a lot of research on mindset in the psychological field, which is about the ability to learn, to grow and to handle challenges if faced with a difficult situation. There’s also been a lot of research on the power of positive emotions from the university of pennsylvania, Stamford and Harvard. if you look at some of the top Fortune 500 companies, the most effective and successful ones were those where their staff interact positively during their work together. positive emotions produce and upwards spiral of results. by producing positive

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emotions the management could really engage and motivate a team. And then there is resilience. in the corporate world, this is very important. Competition is very fierce, and how people bounce back in the face of adversity is vital.

Throughout your career you’ve shown a strong interest in the psychological aspects of business. can you tell us a bit more? and what are your values?

My first principle is to learn, the second is to grow and the third is to teach transmission – passing on the legacy. Those are the core values for me, which if i look back on my career have been the main engine, the main force, for me to move, and is what i’m still passionate about today. i come from the corporate world, i’m not trained in psychology, but i became interested in psychology and wellbeing, health and resilience.

However, for more than 0 years, i have applied rigorous research grounded in solid scientific methodology, asessments and interventions. i decided to train in psychology, not clinical, but mainly Cognitive behavioural Therapy, and centred mindfulness, which i’ve been practicing since 1994 – long before mindfulness became trendy!

Today you help enterprises find new strategies and their identity. what is the key to this?

There’s no magic answer because i don’t believe in quick fixes. There are lots of books coming out every year on the top five leadership skills, or 10 ways to become a successful manager. i don’t believe in things like that – there are no magic tricks. i strongly believe you have to work a lot, focus on yourself, have a clear vision of what your goals are...and you have to work hard on this. The problem with today is everyone wants to obtain fast results, so they usually end up only with superficial results.

isn’t your title misleading because it seems that these days many people claim to be a ‘coach’? i totally agree – the word is used too much. i never introduce myself as a coach in english, apart from as an executive coach, which is very specific. Today we use the word ‘coach’ for everything, it’s completely misused. My job is to help empower people, executives and industries to perform at their best and develop their strengths.

what is your message to the young people and aspiring entrepreneurs of today? it’s very simple: be passionate about what you do, engage yourself in your dreams, have a really clear understanding of what they are and really go for them.

We spend a lot of time at work, sometimes more than half our lives or even an entire life. The only way to be truly satisfied with our lives, whether you’re a top-level CeO or in any kind of job, is to enjoy what you do. And those people who are genuinely passionate about their work will be the people who inspire others. 

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PromoTing financial skills for women With the Académie Femmes et Finance, CMB has managed to establish a first-rate idea to mark its jubilee

2016 is a very special year for the Compagnie Monégasque de Banque: the highly-regarded institution is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Numerous new initiatives have been created to commemorate the occasion. Particularly noteworthy amongst all these is the académie Femmes et Finance; a special birthday gift which captures the current zeitgeist - created for women who are enthusiastic to expand their skill-set. CMB’s chief executive, Werner Peyer, tells us more about this unique idea.

uppose you have a certain amount of money at your disposal. is it more secure to invest it into one single asset, or to place it into several? This is just one of the questions which the 20 participants of the Académie Femmes et Finance have to find an answer to during the one-year course.

How did CMb have the idea of launching this innovative project in Monaco? “The inception of the idea was the desire to involve our clients intensively during the 40th anniversary celebrations. We are proud of our jubilee and the bank is continuing to thrive. The number of clients has grown, particularly with respect to clients from Monaco and the French Riviera.” Werner peyer says. “They appreciate the quality of our service and our autonomy in particular – the fact that we are not part of a bigger group. Clients who opened their bank account at the CMb continue to like this bank for their trusted advice and to secure their capital for future generations” peyer says. “Moreover, they appreciate being assisted by staff that have been working for us for 30 years. in addition, we have five english-speaking consultants working with us.” back to the Finance Academy for Women. it’s primarily men who tend to manage their families’ financial assets; women rarely get involved. Hence, they don’t

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get the opportunity to develop skills or gain knowledge in this field. Several major studies by the un and the World bank showed that there are still significant differences between men and women regarding financial culture. The differences vary according to the countries. Generally speaking, Scandinavians possess the best financial skills among the 143 countries inspected, the united Kingdom takes the fourth place, followed by Germany, Switzerland and the uSA. France takes the 23rd place, China is within the bottom quarter of the table. in a typical marriage, the woman is usually younger and lives longer. Thus, she will inevitably come to a situation eventually where she has to be responsible for the assets. even in the case of divorce, she needs to be aware and informed about financial affairs. but how are women supposed to make the right decisions without being equipped with sufficient financial skills?

“We would like to fill a gap with the Académie Femmes et Finance,” the Swiss chief executive explains. “it’s a kind of innovation, with an educational target. This is why we’re offering this free course, conducted in French, to our female clients, their daughters and friends. it takes place from 26th March 2016 until March 2017 at the Hôtel Méridien beach plaza in Monaco. The programme has already been so

photo above CMB’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE WERNER PEYER (CENTRE) WITH THE TEACHING STAFF OF THE ACADÉMIE FEMMES ET FINANCE, ALL COMPETENT FINANCIAL EXPERTS FROM WITHIN THE BANK © D.R.

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enthusiastically received that all of the places are already taken up. At the end, every participant will get a diploma. The training staff are all competent financial experts from within the bank and the lessons cover a variety of subjects: the specific language used by banks is also part of it, as well as reading bank statements. We will probably also offer a course in english next year.”

To Werner peyer and leader of the project, Marie-Hélène parisi, this initiative represents an intention to help make women responsible, authoritative and critically-minded when it comes to financial issues. if they have a good knowledge of financial issues, nobody can hoodwink them.

And how do the men see this? “Many men are grateful to us for initiating the programme and have congratulated us on having the idea to create the finance academy for women” Werner peyer proudly, but modestly, adds. 

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Business

Business PiTch… Monaco’s football club has more than just sport on the brain Premier league Football Club, aS Monaco FC, has founded its own business club. Why? read on to discover more about this unique venture.

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t the end of last year the as monaco Business club was founded. how has it developed since then?

According to the Management, very well! 200 businessmen from Monaco and the surrounding area were present at the opening night, a ceremony where the club and its founding ideas were presented. A percentage of the participants have subsequently become members.

why is it worth becoming a member since you have already been offering a ‘hospitality’ service for the matches, which is primarily aimed at businessmen?

The AS Monaco business Club complements the option that already exists. in the context of the Hospitality service, our clients have access to the private lounge or to one of the salons – the Club, the Salon Honneur or the pub Rouge et blanc – each provided with catering. These are places where they generally encounter their employees or clients. The possibility to meet other entrepreneurs is limited. This is exactly the purpose of the business Club: offering special occasions for meetings, networking, and mutual exchange for business. For this purpose, several events have been planned this season. in January, at a new year’s reception at the Monte-Carlo bay Hotel, alongside with the vice-president of the AS, Vadim Vasilyev (photo), the club members got to meet the former player for the French national team, Claude Makélélé

who has recently been nominated as Technical director of AS Monaco. Moreover, an after-work meeting, golf and football tournaments, pétanque and other events are being planned.

are meetings with the as monaco players part of the programme?

Information Hospitality Service: www.asmonaco.com

In case you are interested in the AS Monaco Business Club contact: businessclub@ asmonaco.com

So far the club’s vice-president, Vadim Vasilyev, has always participated. but it is possible that a member of the team or a member of the coaching staff might drop by too.

how do you become a member of the as monaco Business club? you just have to become a client of AS Monaco, which means you need to make use of the Hospitality programme during the games in Stade Louis ii.

who are the existing members?

Our sponsors, partners, and generally, the principality’s most important economic operators.

and what if you aren’t a fan of football?

That doesn’t matter, according to the management.

The business club doesn’t meet during football matches, but organises social evenings with a rather festive ambiance. They can be either a cocktail party or other sporting events, with the purpose of facilitating contacts between business people during casual occasions. 

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JEAN-PHILIPPE GIOANNI CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT © Fabien Prauss

ReFund OF FRenCH SOCiAL SeCuRiTy COnTRibuTiOnS n 27th July 2015 the Conseil d’etat (highest administrative jurisdiction in France) confirmed the european Court of Justice decision from 26th February 2015 concerning French social security charges. France cannot levy social security contributions (CSG/CRdS), equal to 15.5%, if people are affiliated to the social security system of another country in the eu, european economic Area, or Switzerland. These charges will be treated by the eu as French social security charges, linked to the financing of the French social security system. non-residents or residents who are considered affiliated to another country’s system must file a claim in order to obtain a refund of social security contributions on rental income, pensions, investment income or capital gains. For example, someone who sold their property and paid a 34.5% capital gains tax on the real estate in France can now ask for the refund of the 15.5% social security contributions; the capital gains tax on real estate is from now on about 19%. but you must be careful, because reimbursements can only be claimed before 31th december of the year following the taxation; for example, refund of charges paid in 2014 can be claimed only until the end of 2016. The claim can be made either in writing or via the personal space at the “impots.gouv.fr” tax website and it must be sent accompanied by a copy of the “avis d’imposition” as well as proof of being affiliated to the social security system in another country. 

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Agreement signed to fight fraud Start of further cooperation between Monaco and the EU

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pieRRe MOSCOViCi, COMMiSSiOneR FOR euROpeAn eCOnOMiC And FinAnCiAL AFFAiRS (R) And JeAn CASTeLLini, MiniSTeR OF FinAnCe And eCOnOMy FOR THe pRinCipALiTy OF MOnACO, HAVe ReCenTLy SiGned An AGReeMenT in THe FiGHT AGAinST TAX eVASiOn And FRAud © Centre de presse Manuel Vitali

n the fight against tax evasion and fraud an agreement between the principality of Monaco and the european union was signed on February 22nd in the presence of He Mr Serge Telle, Minister of State, Jean Castellini, Minister of Finance and economy for the principality of Monaco and pierre Moscovici, Commissioner for european economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs.

The agreement allows for the exchange of information between Monaco and the european union regarding the bank accounts of their respective nationals.

According to pierre Moscovici the agreement is part of an on-going process towards greater tax transparency. it also serves as an example of Monaco’s policy to combat international tax avoidance and evasion.

The agreement will not be ratified until 2018. The european Commission says the procedure described in the agreement complies with the new G20 global standard on automatic exchange of information developed by the OeCd (Organisation for economic Cooperation and development). The eu has recently signed similar agreements with Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Andorra and San Marino. 

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rivierazeiT & riviera insider: in the presence of one hundred business partners and personalities from public life on the Côte d’azur, riviera Press presented its rebranded magazines at Monaco’s exclusive CreM club (Club des Résidents Etrangers à Monaco). Our various loyal partners, such as Michaël Zingraf, Domaine de l’anglade, Le Mas Candille, Soavie, asteria and Caprice du Chef helped to ensure the evening was a great success. The eyecatching, bold photography of Olivier valsecchi from the gallery Opium added a further touch of elegance to the evening.

A metamorphosis!

01 Henri Fissore, Ambassador at the Monegasque Ministry of State, and the German Municipal Counsellor of nice, dr. Christiane Amiel, in charge of european Affairs, honored publisher Sébastien Fraisse and editor-in-chief petra Hall with their presence 02 Georges dao (l.), one of the most important business personalities of the Riviera economy with Sébastien Fraisse 03 baron Andreas von Loringhoven and his wife Laja have been long-time friends of our publications and came especially from Mouans-Sartoux 04 no escape from the photocall: neige Zhao-Vallée, Chanel Joaillerie Monaco (l.), and Sylvie Lalquelle, boutique Loro piana 05 Monaco Telecom sent two colleagues: Laure Fagard (r.) and dessislava dabova 06 Magali Jacquet-Lagreze, director of Communications of the bank CFM indosuez Wealth and Sébastien Fraisse 07 barbara Kimmig, owner of the Hotel Rivoli in nice 08 Have been working well together for many years: director of Monaco’s press Centre, François Chantrait and petra Hall 09 Michaël Zingraf, successfully working in the luxury property industry on the Côte d’Azur for 35 years 10 Human Resources Manager of datacorp, Géraldine Meunier, and Cyril Heller 11 Friends who share the same birthday: Jutta Kleinschmidt, the only female winner of the Rally paris-dakar and petra Hall 12 The big winner: Karl H. Vanis, president of the German international Club of Monaco, has won a weekend for two in the five star Hotel Le Mas Candille in Mougins. Carole Rouvier (r.) of Mas Candille and Karine balagny, Marketing department of our publishing company Riviera press presented him with the prize

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01 Charlotte Colin (l.) and Amélie delange of Michaël Zingraf Real estate 02 Relocation entrepreneur Michel Lemoine and his wife with Karine balagny, Marketing department of Riviera press 03 Security first: Florent Ferrete, Marketing Manager of Algiz Security 04 Hervé Zorgniotti is director of Communications of the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco 05 Christa and Thomas Mund-Hoym, bureau européen d’Assurances, with RivieraZeit editor, Aila Stöckmann (r.) 06 Sabine Renner, Marketing director and Marie-Claire boudaud, Communcations director, both from Grand Hyatt Cannes, Hotel Martinez, with Laura Vandenbossche (from left) 07 Laetitia Jacquez, Marketing Cap 3000 (l.), and Karine balagny 08 Sylvie Rossal de Caro and Michel Gomiz, in charge of communications and pR for Riviera press 09 Marion duraffourd, Marketing Manager of Aston Martin, Monaco, accompanied by a good humoured friend 10 brigitte pellero, director of the Agency bp/public Relations of Odéon Spa Sisley, Valérie dalmayrac, director of Odéon Spa Sisley Monaco, Martine Akermann, president of Child Care Monaco, Laura Mullot and paquita Colado, Customer Manager of Odéon Spa Sisley (from left) 11 Men and business: Cedric Tassier, Abn AMRO private banking, Cyril Heller, Sales director of Asteria, and Sébastien Fraisse (from left)

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yachT & co. paradise for sailors and hobby captains is what the 26th edition of the second-hand boat show in Mandelieu-La napoule has to offer. With over 350 boats from 4m to 26m on show from April 14th to 18th this second-hand boat show is spread out over 2 kilometres of quay near the castle at La napoule. From motor boats to sailing yachts, large and small, there is something for everyone at the show dubbed Les nouvelles Vagues du nautisme, making it a must-see event. it’s not just all on the water as there are numerous stands lining the quay, selling everything owners need from boat accessories to clothes and insurance. experts are on hand to give advice, with more than a bargain or two here to be snapped up. besides the main attraction there are plenty of other water-sport related activities going on. For example, the adventurous can test drive a jet ski.

There will also be Flyboard demonstrations, parasailing for beginners and electrically powered Jets for the children. A highlight for animal lovers will undoubtedly be the demo by a rescue dog when a speedboat enters the harbour...

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Les Nouvelles Vagues du Nautisme: second-hand boat show in Mandelieu-La Napoule

Living on the h French F Riviera.

Everything you need to know about living in, or moving to the French Riviera in English.

Visit angloinfo.com/riviera

And if you are feeling peckish, an array of food stalls will be providing refreshments. Meanwhile, for those who are not entirely at ease on the water and prefer wheels, then head for the higher esplanade to check out the CoupĂŠ, Cabriolet and SuV show. ď ¸

angloinfo.frenchriviera nchriviera @Ai_Riviera AngloInfo

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France events until 10th April Toulon “DÉLICES D'ARTISTES" EXHIBITION exhibition where local artists create works made from chocolate. This includes a wall made entirely out of chocolate. Musée d'Art, from Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00am – 6:00pm. www.toulon.fr until 30th April nice PAPER TIGER WHISKY SOAP THEATRE This exhibition focuses on Jazz - Scat (vocal jazz) and the dada movement and their relation to each other. Tel. 04 92 07 73 73. www.villa-arson.org 5th – 14th March nice FOIRE DE NICE The nice international Fair consists of several hundred exhibitors in all areas: food, crafts, entertainment, fashion, decoration, furnishing, household equipment, beauty, health, associations, and insurance. Takes place at Acropolis expositions and begins at 10:00am.

Tel. 04 93 92 83 00. www.nicexpo.org 5th March to 13th June nice MARC CHAGALL ET LA MUSIQUE EXHIBITION This exhibition includes works that can only be found in nice. The auditorium contains the harpsichord that he painted in 1980, and there is also a room dedicated to King david. Tel. 04 93 53 87 20. www.musee-chagall.fr 12th -13th March monTe-carlo CLUB VIVANOVA LUXURY LIFESTYLE CHARITY GALA DINNER This dinner is in alliance with the Foundation of prince Albert ii of Monaco. A five course meal will be served along with a variety of five internationally acclaimed wines. Tickets are €150 per person and is fully inclusive. begins at 8:00pm. Takes place at the Fairmont Monte Carlo. Reservations are necessary: booking@clubvivanova.com www.clubvivanova.com 15th March hyÈres GRUPO COMPAY SEGUNDO The Cuban musical group Grupo Compay Segundo continues the work of the

late Compay Segundoby performing his songs in concert. Tickets are € 35.00.

The concert begins at 8:30pm and takes place at the Casino des palmiers. www.infoconcert.com 15th March nice SALIF KEITA CONCERT The Acoustic Tour will consist of Salif Keita accompanied by two singers, a kora player and an nGoni player. begins at 8:30pm and takes place at the Theatre Lino Ventura. www.infoconcert.com cannes REGINE IN CONCERT belgian born French singer Regine will perform at the Claude debussy Theatre. begins at 8:30pm. www.infoconcert.com cannes THE KITCHEN REVUE BALLET Written by Czechoslovakian native, Martinů, this is an unusual but creative ballet in which the performers dance with kitchen utensils. Tel. 04 92 98 62 77.

Tickets: public price: € 15 - Subscriber: € 13.50 - youth rate (- 26 years): € 5. www.orchestre-cannes.com nice YAEL NAIM CONCERT Composer, singer and pianist will perform live on stage. Tickets are from € 15.80 to € 23.80. Takes place at the Theatre Lino Ventura. it starts at 8:30pm. www.infoconcert.com 16th March Toulon AURELIE CABREL CONCERT French singer Aurelie Cabrel returns to the stage after releasing her new album “A la même Chaine”. begins at 8:30pm. Takes place at the Zenith Omega arena. Tel. 04 94 22 66 77. www.allevents.in 16th, 18th, 20th, 22nd and 24th March marseille MADAMA BUTTERFLY An opera by Giacomo puccini. A tale of unrequited love told in three acts. An outstanding cast ensures that this opera is always on the company’s programme. All performances begin at 8:00pm except for on 20th March which begins at 2:30pm. Tel. 04 91 55 11 10 or 04 91 55 20 43. www.marseille.fr 17th March nice THE COOKERS CONCERT The jazz band that consists of a saxophonist, a pianist, a bassist, a drummer and trumpeters will perform at the nice nord Forum. begins at 8:30pm.

Tickets are from € 15.80 to € 20.80. www.infoconcert.com 18th March nice KENDJI GIRAC CONCERT Winner of The Voice France has led Kendji to continue down the path of music. begins at 8:00pm and takes place at the palais nikaïa. Tickets are from € 39.00 to € 55.00. www.infoconcert.com frejus CLASSICAL MUSIC CONCERT Together Wolfgang doerner (directing) and Anne queffelec (piano) along with the Regional Orchestra of Cannes perform the works of Mozart and dvorak.

Takes place at Théâtre Le Forum - Salle Gounod and begins at 8:00pm. Tel. 04 94 95 55 55. www.aggloscenes.com 18th March – 10th April sainT-mandrier-sur-mer GEORGES NGUYEN EXHIBITION There will an exhibition of paintings by George nguyen at the Galerie Rancilio. it begins at 6:30pm. Tel. 04.94.63.51.91. www.visitvar.fr 19th March nice MIOSSEC CONCERT French singer – songwriter Christophe Miossec will perform at espace Miramar. begins at 8:30pm. Tickets are € 16.80. www.infoconcert.com 20th March cannes ETERNAL DREAM – CONCERT A concert dedicated to Mozart with Wolfgang doerner directing and Anne queffelec on the piano. The performance will include Concerto no. 27 for piano and Orchestra in b flat major, K 595. Takes place at the Theatre Croisette at 4:00pm. Tel. 04 92 98 62 77. www.palaisdesfestivals.com cannes AURORA BOREALIS-SACRED MUSIC OF THE ARCTIC CIRCLE This concert includes music inspired by the northern Lights and the area of the Artic Circle and will be performed by p.Vasks, O.Gjeilo, A.pärt, S.nicolay along with the vocal group La Sestina. it begins at 4:00pm at the eglise notredame de bon Voyage. entry is free. Tel. 06 08 69 14 69. www.orgues-cannes.org 23rd March marseille MADAME CHRYSANTHEME An opera told in four acts and one prologue. it is based on the novel of the same title by pierre Loti which tells the

story of a naval officer who was temporarily married to a geisha while he was stationed in nagasaki, Japan.

Concert begins at 8:00pm. www.opera.marseille.fr 25th March nice STANLEY CLARKE This American jazz musician will perform on stage with the electric bass and the double bass at the Théâtre Lino Ventura. begins at 8:30pm. Tickets from € 15.80 to € 23.80. www.infoconcert.com Beaulieu-sur-mer HELENE SEGARA CONCERT Regarded as one of the most beautiful singers of the French Riviera, Helene Segara performs in concert with her new show “everything Starts now”.

There will also be a pre-show dinner available for € 25. Takes place at the Casino de beaulieu sur Mer at 9:00 pm.

Tickets are € 40. Reservations are necessary. Tel. 04 92 00 60 00 (concert) and 04 92 00 60 00 (dinner). www.casinodebeaulieusurmer.com 26th March nice JAIN CONCERT Singer – songwriter from Toulouse Jain will perform her music that is a blend of folk – rock in concert. Takes place at the Théâtre Lino Ventura. it starts at 8:30pm. Tel. 04 97 00 10 70. www.tlv-nice.org 26th - 27th March valBonne-soPhia-anTiPolis 24TH FÊTE DES JARDINS This festival brings together lovers of Mediterranean plants and gardens. it is organised by the Société des Gens de Jardins Méditerranéens d’Antibes. Tel. 06 87 38 53 44. www.jardinsud.com 1st - 30th April anTiBes ANTIBES YACHT SHOW This show is a professional event dedicated to celebrating the yachting industry, captains and crews. it includes seminars and many activities. it begins at 10:00am.Tel. 04 22 10 60 10. www.antibescelebratesyachting.com 8th - 16th April nice OKTETT, OCEANA AND VOLUNTARIES – BALLETS Three separate ballets choreographed by uwe Scholz, Lucinda Childs and Glen Tetley and performed by ballet nice Méditerranée. Takes place at the Opera nice Cote d'Azur. Tel. 04 92 17 40 40. www.opera-nice.org

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9th April sainT-TroPez CLUB VIVANOVA GOURMET ROSE WINE LUNCH Christophe Vallet, owner of the Hotel La Ferme d'Augustin, offers an exceptional menu using the finest ingredients from the locality and his own garden. There will also be an after–lunch party in some of the best nightclubs of the French Riviera. Tickets are €50 per person for hotel guests and €80 for nonresident guests. €270 per night one night stay, €235 per night for two nights stay. booking@clubvivanova.com. www.clubvivanova.com 10th April nice FLASHDANCE - THE MUSICAL Over 30 artists will perform the musical hits from the movie Flashdance on stage. Together they will tell the story of Alex the welder who dreams of becoming a professional dancer full time.

Takes place at the palais nikaïa. Tel. 04 92 29 3129. www.nikaia.fr 14th - 18th April mandelieu–la naPoule BOAT SHOW every year 70 exhibitors carefully select and prepare their boats for presentation. There are also stalls selling products and services related to boat maintenance, a photography exhibition and more. www.salondubateau.fr 16th April - 2nd May anTiBes 44TH ANTIBES ANTIQUES FAIR Held in the heart of Old Antibes this fair has attracted exhibitors for years. Just walking along the streets will convince you that it has lost none of its charm.

From 10:30am - 19:30pm. Tel. 04 93 34 65 65. www.salon-antiquaires-antibes.com 17th April nice BENEFIT CONCERT For a Smile is a charity concert where the proceeds go to the Foundation Lenval. performances by pop bands: Medi, Kaotik, The Kitchies and Holy House starting at 7:00pm - 11:00pm. Tickets will be sold on the day at the site of the concert; Théâtre de Verdure. www.tdv-nice.org fayence VINTAGE CARS EXHIBITION This exhibition includes cars from the 1940’s to the 1990’s. Takes place in the parking lot of La brèche from 9:30am – 12:30pm. entry is free. www.visitvar.fr

19th - 23rd April anTiBes LA BOHÈME - OPERA Told in four acts, this opera tells the story of seamstress Mimi and poet Rodolfo and their love for one another. The duration is three hours with an intermission. Tel. 04 83 76 13 00. www.anthea-antibes.fr 23rd April monTe-carlo ROBBIE REGAN CELEBRITY DINNER Gourmet dinner with a selection of fine wines, an Haute Couture fashion show and an audience with Robbie Regan, ex-WbO World bantamweight boxing Champion of the world, and special guests. dress code is black Tie. begins at 8:00pm – 12:00am. Tickets are €120.

Reservations: www.clubvivanova-robbieregan.com/tickets. www.clubvivanova.com 23rd - 27th April nice CIRQUE DU SOLEIL Cirque du Soleil is back with the story of Varekai which is written and directed by dominic Champagne. it tells an enchanting story that involves a deep forest which hides a magical world where anything is possible.

Tel. 04 92 29 31 11. www.plateforme.fnacspectacles.com 24th April mouans–sarTouX HONEY FESTIVAL This festival is a great day out for all the family.

There will be beekeepers selling their products and talks on beekeeping and honey extraction and much more. it's educational and entertaining! www.seecannes.com 27th April cagnes-sur-mer KENNY GARRETT CONCERT The Grammy winning, American alto saxophonist will perform at the Cape Cinema beginning at 9:00pm. Tickets are € 39.50. www.infoconcert.com 30th April nice THE RUSSIAN ARMY CHOIRS (SONGS AND DANCES FROM ST PETERSBURG) This fantastic show includes performances by talented singers and dancers who perform wearing spectacular costumes made by the wonderful costume designers.

Takes place at the Acropolis and begins at 8:30pm. www.infoconcert.com

Italy events 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st March 14th April sanremo CLASSICAL CONCERTS Concerts featuring music by Mozart, Vivaldi, boccherini and Mendelssohn will be performed by the Orchestra Sinfonica Sanremo at the Teatro dell'Opera. www.sinfonicasanremo.it 5th and 12th March savona CHAMBER CONCERTS Mario Ancillotti and Claudio brizi perform pieces by bach (5th March). Saleem Ashkar performs pieces by beethoven on the piano (12th March). both concerts take place at the Teatro Chiabrera at 9:00pm. www.teatrochiabrera.it 6th, 13th and 20th March-3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th April genoa MUSIC APERTIVO-CHAMBER AND VOCAL MUSIC CONCERT This chamber music and vocal concert includes music to suit everyone’s tastes such as jazz and choral. begins at 11:00am at the Teatro Carlo Felice. www.carlofelicegenova.it 13th March sanremo “SANREMO IN FIORE” A festival that includes a parade of floats decorated with flowers and this year’s theme is fairytales. begins at 10:00am on the beach promenade. www.carnevalesanremo.it dolceacqua WINE TASTING AND FRESCOE TOUR Visit the frescoes in the San bernardo Church followed by wine tasting with at the enoteca Regionale della Liguria.

Meeting point is at the tourist office at 3:00pm.

Reservations are necessary.

Tel. 0184 229507 alassio GRAN FONDO CYCLING RACE "Gran Fondo" 106 km long cycling road race. begins at 9:30am at Via dante Alighieri. www.granfondoguide.com 17th March-14th April genoa ORCHESTRAL CONCERTS Concerts of the symphony orchestra of the Teatro Carlo. begins at 8:30pm at the Teatro Carlo Felice. www.carlofelicegenova.it

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17th, 20th, 23rd, 24th and 29th March genoa ROBERTO DEVEREAUX OPERA A performance of the opera “Roberto devereux” by G. donizetti. begins at 8:30pm (17th, 24th, 29th) at the Teatro Carlo Felice. Or 3:30pm (20th, 23rd). www.carlofelicegenova.it 18th March genoa SYMPHONIC CONCERT Stanislav Kochanovsky will direct the Orchestra of the Teatro Carlo Felice in a performance of Haydn’s Symphony in G major, Hob. i: 94 "The Surprise", brahms’ Variations in b flat major, Op. 56th on a Theme by Haydn and elgar’s enigma Variations Op.36. The concert begins at 8:30pm at the Teatro Carlo Felice. www.carlofelicegenova.it 19th March sanremo “CLASSICISSIMA MILANO” CYCLING MARATHON “Classicissima Milano-Sanremo” is the world-famous international professional cycling marathon that is 293 km long, from Milan to Sanremo. begins at 4.30pm on the beach promenade Lungomare Calvino. www.classicissima.it 19th March genoa FRANCESCO DE GREGORI CONCERT italian singer – songwriter Francesco de Gregori performs covers of bob dylan songs. begins at 9:00pm at the Teatro Carlo Felice. www.carlofelicegenova.it 2nd – 3rd April genoa GUIDED TOURS Two open days in the "palazzi dei Rolli" of Strada nuova with special opening times and guided tours (on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Strada nuova - in the World Heritage List of uneSCO).

6th - 9th April sanremo RALLY SANREMO - CAR RALLY "Rally Sanremo" is a car rally that takes place in the hinterland of Sanremo and takes all day.

The rally starts from piazzale dapporto to Lungomare Calvino. www.acisanremo.it 12th, 13th, 16th, 17th, 19th and 20th April genoa ANDREA CHENIER OPERA "Andrea Chénier" by u. Giordano. Takes place at the Teatro Carlo Felice. begins at 8:30pm (12th, 19th, 20th) and at 3:30pm (13th, 16th, 17th). www.carlofelicegenova.it

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Concerts and shows

Wednesday 2nd at 2:00pm and 5:30pm, Friday 4th and Saturday 5th at 8:00pm, Sunday 6th March at 3:30pm, Grimaldi Forum Monaco: "Peter Pan On Ice" by The Russian Ice Stars. Information: + 377 99 99 30 00

Wednesday 2nd and Saturday 5th March at 2:30pm and 4:30pm, Théâtre des Muses: "Quantum or the terrible tale of Lulu Schrödinger" a fantastic musical tale for children by Julie Cordier with Elodie Vom Hofe. Information: + 377 97 98 10 93 Wednesday 2nd March at 5:00pm, Médiathèque de Monaco (Bibliothèque Louis Notari): Discussion about contemporary Iranian literature. Tea will also be served.

Information: + 377 93 15 29 40

Thursday 10th March at 8:30pm, Espace Léo Ferré: Concert by Caravan Palace. Information: +377 93 10 12 10

Friday 11th March at 7:00pm, Médiathèque de Monaco: Ciné club: "Ernest et Célestine" with Benjamin Renner, Stéphane Aubier and Vin­ cent Patar. Information: + 377 93 15 29 40 Saturday 12th March at 1:30pm, Espace Léo Ferré: "Mayflower Country Show" (country courses and internships) at 7:30pm, Eve­ ning Country Ball and Wheelchair dancers Show. Information: 06 60 18 34 46

Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th, Friday 18th at 8:30pm, Saturday 19th at 6:30pm and 9:00pm, Sunday 20th March at 4:30pm, Théâtre des Muses: "Quand souffle le Vent du Nord" (When the North Wind Blows) from the novel

by Daniel Glattauer. Information: + 377 97 98 10 93 Wednesday 16th March at 6:00pm, Théâtre des Variétés: Spring concert performed by the students of the Académie Rainier III. Information: + 377 93 15 28 91

Thursday 3rd and Friday 4th at 8:30pm, Saturday 5th at 6:00pm and 9:00pm and Sunday 6th March at 4:30pm, Théâtre des Muses: "Beethoven ce Manouche"(Beethoven the Gypsy) a musical by Jeremy Bourges.

Information: + 377 97 98 10 93

Wednesday 16th March at 8:00pm, Auditorium Rainier III: Gala concert by the Orchestre des Carabiniers du Prince in participation with Charlie Siem. Information: info@kiwanisclubmonaco.com

Friday 4th March at 7:00pm, Eglise Saint Nicolas ­ Foyer Paroissial: Ciné ­ Club: Film screening of "L’apôtre"(The Apostle) by Cheyenne Carron follo­ wed by a debate on "Islam and Christianity". Information: 06 80 86 21 93

Thursday 17th March at 8:30pm, Théâtre Princesse Grace: "Dernier Coup de Ciseaux"(Last Stroke of the Scissors) by Paul Pörtner.

Information: + 377 93 25 32 27

Thursday 3rd March at 8:30pm, Théâtre Princesse Grace: "Savoir ­ Vivre"(Good Manners) by Pierre Desproges with Catherine Matisse and Michel Didym. Information: + 377 93 25 32 27

Sunday 6th March at 11:00am, Opéra de Monte ­ Carlo ­ Salle Garnier: Symphony concert by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte ­ Carlo directed

by David Lefèvre who is also on violin with Sorin Orcinschi, double bass. On the programme: Rossini, Bottesini and Tchaikovsky. Information: + 377 98 06 28 28

Sunday 6th March at 4:00pm, Eglise Saint ­ Charles: Spiritual concert by l’ensemble Cacherto Grosso with Alexandre Guerchovitch and Eric Thoreux, violins, Thomas Ducloy, cello, Véronique Audard, clarinette and Slava Guerchovitch, piano. On the programme: Vivaldi, Bach and Handel.

Information: + 377 98 06 28 28 Tuesday 8th March at 12:15pm, Médiathèque de Monaco: Picnic Music: Screening of McLaughlin, De Lucia, Coryell performing Meeting of the Spirits. Information: + 377 93 15 64 48

Tuesday 8th March at 8:30pm, Théâtre des Variétés: Tout l'Art du Cinéma – Cycle (The Cycle of Cinema Art) "Les films de notre vie"(The films of our lives): Film screening of "Annie Hall" by Woody Allen, orga­ nised by the Archives Audiovisuelles de Monaco. Information: + 377 97 98 43 26

Thursday 10th and Friday 11th at 8:30pm, Saturday 12th at 9:00pm and Sunday 13th March at 4:30pm, Théâtre des Muses: "Coup de Foudre"(Love at First Sight) by Laureline Collavizza. Possible perfor­ mances: Wednesday 9th at 8:30pm and Saturday 12th March at 6:30pm. Infor­ mation: + 377 97 98 10 93 Thursday 10th March at 8:30pm, Théâtre Princesse Grace: "Chère Elena"(Dear Elena) by Ludmilla Razoumovskaïa with Myriam Boyer, Gau­ thier Battoue, Julien Crampon, François Deblock alternating with Alexis Gilot and Jeanne Ruff. Information: + 377 93 25 32 27

Thursday 17th March, Ecole Supérieure d’Arts Plastiques, Pavillon Bosio: Celtic harp concert in celebration of Saint Patrick’s Day. Information: + 377 93 15 28 91

Friday 18th (gala), Tuesday 22nd and Friday 25th (youth evening) at 8:00pm and Sunday 20th March at 3:00pm, Opéra de Monte ­ Carlo ­ Salle Garnier: "Le Joueur"(The Player) by Sergueï Prokofiev with Dmitri Oulianov, Oksana Dyka and Micha Didyk, the choir of the Opéra de Monte ­ Carlo and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte ­ Carlo directed by Mikhaïl Tatarnikov, organised by l'Opéra de Monte ­ Carlo. Information: + 377 98 06 28 28 Friday 18th March at 7:00pm, Médiathèque de Monaco: Jazz concert by Andrea Bazzicalupo’s Great Debaters Quartet.

Information: + 377 93 15 29 40

Saturday 19th March at 4:00pm, Eglise Sainte ­ Dévote: Journée Internationale d’Orgue (International Day of the Organ) with Manuel To­ madin, organised by the Association In Tempore Organi.

Information: 06 83 58 06 38 Saturday 19th March at 6:30pm, Chapelle des Carmes: Journée Internationale d'Orgue (International Day of the Organ) with Marc Gia­ cone organised by the Association In Tempore Organi.

Information: 06 83 58 06 38

Saturday 19th March at 8:00pm, Théâtre des Variétés: "ABC de la Chanson Française"(The French ABC Song) by the Compagnie Musi­ cale Yveline Garnier with Ariane Alban, Lionel Bussard, Patrick Mendez and Sté­ phane Eliot. Information: 06 43 91 93 32 Tuesday 22nd March, at 12:15pm Médiathèque de Monaco: Picnic Music: Portishead at Roseland, New York on the big screen.

Information: + 377 93 15 64 48

Tuesday 22nd March at 2:00pm, Opéra de Monte ­ Carlo ­ Salle Garnier: Concert performed by the music class from the Académie Rainier III. Information: + 377 93 15 28 91

Tuesday 22nd March at 8:30pm, Théâtre des Variétés: Tout l'Art du Cinéma ­ Cycle (The Cycle of Cinema Art)"Les films de notre vie"(Films of our lives): Film screening of "Le Dernier Empereur"(The Last Empe­ ror) by Bernardo Bertolucci, organised by the Archives Audiovisuelles de Mo­ naco. Information: + 377 97 98 43 26 Wednesday 23rd and Saturday 26th March, at 2:30pm and 4:30pm, Théâtre des Muses: "Poucette"(Thumbelina) is a show for children by Véronique Balme.

Information: + 377 97 98 10 93

Thursday 24th, Friday 25th, Saturday 26th at 8:30pm and Sunday 27 March at 4:30pm, Théâtre des Muses: "The Divalala", director: Freddy Viau. Information: + 377 97 98 10 93 Friday 25th March at 8:30pm, Grimaldi Forum Monaco ­ Salle Prince Pierre: "La Porte à Côté"(The Side Door) is a production by Fabrice Roger­Lacan with Édouard Baer and Léa Drucker. Information: + 377 93 25 32 27

Saturday 26th March at 8:30pm, Auditorium Rainier III ­ Salle Yakov Kreizberg: As part of Festival Printemps des Arts de Monte ­ Carlo and the Série Grande Sai­ son de l’Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte ­ Carlo, (Monte – Carlo Spring Fes­ tival of Arts and the Grand Season of the Philharmonique Orchestra of Monte – Carlo) there will be a symphony concert directed Gianluigi Gelmetti. On the pro­ gramme: Gustav Mahler. Information: + 377 98 06 28 28 Saturday 26th March at 8:30pm, Théâtre des Variétés: Concert by Olivia Dorato in aid of the Fondation Flavien.

Information: 06 26 97 03 26

Tuesday 29th March at 8:30pm, Théâtre des Variétés: Tout l'Art du Cinéma (Art of Cinema) ­ "Portrait d'artiste"(Portrait of an Artist): Film screening of "L’Hypothèse du Mokélé MBembé"(The Mokele Mbembe Hy­ pothesis) by Marie Voignier, organised by the Archives Audiovisuelles de Monaco in collaboration with the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco and the Éclat. In­ formation: + 377 97 98 43 26 Wednesday 30th March at 7:00pm, Médiathèque de Monaco (Sonothèque José Notari): Ciné club: "Chronicle" by Josh Trank. Information: + 377 93 30 64 48 Thursday 31st March, Friday 1st at 8:30pm, Saturday 2nd at 5:30pm and 9:00pm and Sunday 3rd April at 4:30pm, Théâtre des Muses: "Album de Famille", Show songs by the Cie du Sans Souci.

Information: + 377 97 98 10 93

Thursday 31st March at 8:30pm, Théâtre Princesse Grace: "Georges et Georges" by Eric­Emmanuel Schmitt with Davy Sardou, Alexandre Brasseur, Christelle Reboul, Véronique Boulanger, Zoé Nonn and Thierry Lopez.

Information: + 377 93 25 32 27

Saturday 19th March at 8:30pm, Opéra de Monte ­ Carlo ­ Salle Garnier: Film screening of "Gustav Mahler, l’autopsie d’un génie"(Gustav Mahler, autopsy of a genius) followed by a concert with Maria Riccarda Wesseling, mezzo­so­ prano and Peter Nilsson, piano. On the programme: Gustav and Alma Mahler.

Exhibitions

Events

From Tuesday 1st to Saturday 5th March, Théâtre des Variétés: 13th Monte ­ Carlo Comedy Film Festival. Sunday 6th March, Grimaldi Forum Monaco: Gala Evening. Information: 06 60 61 40 11 Thursday 17th and Friday 18th March, from 10:00am to 6:00pm, Musée Océanographique: Philosphers, artists and anthropologists lead a discussion on “Demain la Mé­ diterranée, comment habiter le monde autrement” (Different ways to inha­ bit the world) organised by the Association Monégasque pour la Connaissance des Arts. Information: + 377 97 70 65 27

Musée Océanographique: Exhibition on "Requins, l’expo sensation"(Sharks, a sensational exhibi­ tion). Information: + 377 93 15 36 00

Everyday, from 10:00am to 6:00pm, NMNM, Villa Paloma: Duane Hanson, an exhibition initiated by the Serpentine Galleries, until 28th August, Oscar Murillo, Meet me! Mr Superman, 2013­2015.

Video room, until 30th May Roland Flexner. Project Space, until 17th April. Information: +377 98 98 48 60 Until Sunday 20th March, NMNM, Villa Sauber: "LAB, Les coulisses du musée d’art de Monaco"(Backstage at the Art Museum of Monaco). Information: +377 98 98 91 26

From Thursday 24th March to Friday 13th May, Médiathèque de Mo­ naco (Bibliothèque Louis Notari): Photography exhibition on "Les Ballets de Monte ­ Carlo"

by Alice Blangero. Information: + 377 93 15 29 40 From Saturday 19th March to Sunday 10th April, from 2:00pm to 8:00pm (except on Monday), Auditorium Rainier III: Monographic exhibition on Gustav Mahler.

Sports

Saturday 19th March at 8:30pm, Carlo ­ Salle des Etoiles: Rose Ball. Information: + 377 98 06 36 36

From Wednesday 23rd to Saturday 26th, at 8:30pm, Grimaldi Forum: "The Serenity of Humour 2016", comedy festival organised by Monaco Live Productions in partnership with Rire et Chansons and in support of l'AMADE Monaco.

Wednesday 23rd: Roland Magdane; Thursday 24th: Virginie Hocq; Friday 25th: Noëlle Perna; Saturday 26th: D'Jal, Information: + 377 99 99 30 00

From Saturday 19th March to Sunday 10th April: Festival Printemps des Arts de Monte ­ Carlo.

(Monte – Carlo Spring Festival of Art s).

Information: + 377 93 25 58 04

Friday 4th March at 5:00pm, Mayson de France: Conference on "Monaco sous le Second Empire"(Monaco during the Second Empire) by David Chanteranne. Information: +377 93 25 21 64 Monday 7th March, from 8:00pm at 10:00pm, Eglise Saint ­ Charles ­ Salle Paroissiale: As part of the course "La vie chrétienne au rythme des sacrements"(Christian life by the sacraments), there will be a confe­ rence on "Les sacrements de guérison"(the sacrament of Healing) by Father François Potez, from the Paris diocese.

Information: 06 80 86 21 93 Thursday 10th March at 6:00pm, NMNM (Villa Sauber): As part of the exhibition "Le Lab" there will be a discussion on "Le musée illustré"(The Illustrated Museum) with Jochen Gerner, author and illustrator. Information: + 377 98 98 91 26

Tuesday 15th March at 7:30pm, Théâtre des Variétés: To mark the 750th anniversary of Dante’s birth there will be a recital on "de l’opérette au musical"(musical operetta) with Adriano Bassi, piano and Angelica Cirillo, soprano, organised by the Società Dante Alighieri de Monaco. Information: + 377 97 70 89 47 Wednesday 16th March at 6:30pm, Médiathèque de Monaco: book ­ signing and meeting with writer Susie Morgenstern.

Information: + 377 93 15 29 40

Thursday 17th March at 7:00pm, Théâtre des Variétés: Les Rencontres Philosophiques de Monaco: "Aime ton prochain comme toi­même"(Love your neighbour as you do yourself), on love and poli­ tics with philosophers, Marc Crépon, Corine Pelluchon and Frédéric Worm.

Saturday 12th March, Stade Louis II: France Football Championship Division 1: Monaco ­ Reims.

Information: + 377 92 05 74 73

Sunday 13th March: The marathon "Monaco Run 2016", The Riviera Classic (Vintimille ­ Mo­ naco) and the 10Km of Monte ­Carlo, organised by the Fédération Mo­ négasque d'Athlétisme. Information: + 377 92 05 40 66

Thursday 17th March, from 8:00pm to 10:00pm, Eglise Saint ­ Charles ­ Salle Paroissiale: Conference on "Je cherche Ton visage: les reliques de la Passion (I seek Your face: the remains of the Passion) by Abbot Pierre Dumoulin, Doc­ tor of Theology and graduate from the Institut Biblique.

Information: 06 80 86 21 93

Saturday 26th March at 8:00pm, Stade Louis II ­ Salle Omnisports Gas­ ton Médecin: Pro Basketball Championship: Monaco ­ Dijon.

Information: + 377 92 05 40 10 Tuesday 29th March at 8:00pm, Stade Louis II ­ Salle Omnisports Gas­ ton Médecin: Pro Basketball Championship: Monaco ­ Orléans.

Information: + 377 92 05 40 10

Marie­Claude Beaud, Director of the New National Museum of Monaco

Are there any common threads between the three projects?

Not really. That said, the film by Oscar Murillo reveals the world of the artist, which is at once both wistful and joyful, so it is a counterpoint to the static ar­ chetypes and imperceptibility of Duane Hanson.

Thursday 3rd March at 6:00pm, NMNM (Villa Sauber): As part of the exhibition "Le Lab" there will be a discussion with Marie ­ Charlotte Calafat, assistant to the collections department and library resources of the Centre de Conservation et de Ressources at MuCEM. Information: + 377 98 98 91 26

Wednesday 16th March, from 8:00pm to 10:00pm, Eglise Saint ­ Charles ­ Salle Paroissiale: As part of the course "Les sacrements dans l’Art religieux"(The sacra­ ments in religious art), a conference on "Les sacrements de guérison"(the sacraments of Healing) by Abbot Alain Goinot, episcopal delegate for religious art. Information: 06 80 86 21 93

Saturday 5th March at 8:00pm, Stade Louis II ­ Salle Omnisports Gas­ ton Médecin: Pro Basketball Championship: Monaco ­ Strasbourg.

Information: + 377 92 05 40 10

There are 3 exhibits 1 at Villa Paloma, what inspired this decision?

The idea was to give a new dynamic to Villa Paloma; it became apparent to us that the two exhibition spaces could have alternative tempos; one could be shor­ ter, for displaying other projects, while the first two floors could be dedicated to Duane Hanson. So the Videoroom (where ‘meet me! Mr. Superman’ by Oscar Murillo is showing) and the Project Space (where the work of Roland Flexner is exhibited) will be refreshed in May and April respectively with the work of Tho­ mas Demand in the Project Space, and ‘Vostok’, a film by Brazilian artist, Leticia Ramos, which has recently been acquired by the museum.

Lectures

The Project Space itself is a truly independent area. I wanted to show the work of Roland Flexner, an artist born in Nice in 1944, who lived in New York since the early 80s. His work has been shown in many museums around the world and is finally being exhibited a little in Europe.

What characterises the work of Duane Hanson?

The hyper­realistic work of Duane Hanson challenges us to contemplate two boundaries of the human experience: our physical presence in relation to other objects and other bodies; and the personal stories that we all carry in our heads.

In addition, Hanson sought to represent the character of the man in the street, in order to achieve a “hard realism”. The subjects represent the American middle or lower classes and the members of society who are often ignored. Making re­ ference to the Pop Art movement of the time, his creations transform the banality and emptiness of everyday life into iconographic material.

Friday 18th March at 6:00pm, Nouveau Musée National: As part of the exhibition "Le Lab" there will be a meeting/discussion on "Dessiner avec les yeux"(Drawing with the eyes) with artist Michel Pay­ sant. Information: + 377 98 98 91 26 Monday 21st March at 6:30pm, Théâtre des Variétés: "Francis Bacon et Monaco" by Martin Harrison, a conference organised by the Fondation Prince Pierre de Monaco.

Information: + 377 98 98 85 15

Thursday 24th March at 5:00pm, Ecole Supérieure d’Arts Plastiques, Pavillon Bosio: Conference on "La scénographie d’exposition en Italie. 1920­1950"(The exhibition of Scenery in Italy. 1920 – 1950) by Jérôme Glicenstein (for subscribers). Information: + 377 93 30 18 39 Wednesday 30th March, from 8:00pm to10:00pm, Eglise Saint ­ Charles ­ Salle Paroissiale: Conference on "Incarnation, Résurrection, Réincarnation" by Abbot Thierry Dassé, director of the diocesan service for permanent training in the Nice diocese, in participation with Lama Sempa of the Institut Karmapa. Information: 06 80 86 21 93

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we recommend

 FReSH FiSH On THe CAp

Jacques Gantié’s

fresh fish on The caP The Traditional restaurant de Bacon re-opened its doors on 1st March ontrary to what its name may suggest, the restaurant de bacon specialises in fish, crayfish and bouillabaisse and that’s what it has become famous for all over France. The onestarred establishment got its name from its location, the boulevard de bacon on the Cap d’Antibes.

The family-run enterprise’s glorious history began more than 60 years ago, on rocky ground just 800 metres away from La Salis beach on the eastside of the peninsula. Alphonsine Sordello - today a grandmother - ran the then-little diner.

Over the next 20 years, she established it as the number one place for fish soup. Since 1978, the family had head chef Serge philippin on their side. He enhanced their traditional recipes and ensured only freshly caught fish was dished up. One year on, the restaurant received its Michelin star, which it still proudly carries today. The loyal head chef, on the other hand, has gone into retire-

c

ment four years ago, after over 30 years in the kitchen.

Locals and tourists, celebrities and lesser-known holidaymakers, regulars and first-timers - they are all in love with the authentic restaurant for its stunning views over Antibes’ old town, over the sea all the way to nice and, up until late spring, the hinterland’s snow-covered peaks.

And, last but not least: Guests are also drawn in by the Sordellos’ warm welcome.

Following its annual winter break, the de bacon re-opened for the season on 1st March. On offer from Tuesday evening to Sunday: a daily menu at 55 euro (only lunchtime, except Sundays and public holidays) and one at 85 euro, as well.  Restaurant de Bacon Boulevard de Bacon 06160 Cap d’Antibes Telephone: 04 93 61 50 02 www.restaurantdebacon.com

ReSTAuRAnT ReCOMMAndAnTiOnS Jacques Gantié is the author of the only regional restaurant guide, Guide Gantié, which is available in French in hard copy and electronically in english. it contains hundreds of great insider tips..

TABLE D’EXCEPTION

GRANDE TABLE

TABLE DE QUALITÉ

COUP DE CŒUR

LeS CHÊNeS verTS Good news at Les Chênes Verts! paul bajade is back again! Last year he wanted to hand this restaurant over to somebody else, but then postponed his retirement - for the bonheur of his clients. in white-walled rooms decorated with bernard buffet paintings, there is plenty to tempt your palette. The king of truffles, Tuber melanosporum, from the Aups countryside can be enjoyed with scrambled or soft-boiled eggs and a slice of truffle-bread, olive oil

and sea salt, sweetbreads and cèpes in a risotto, chicken supreme with fennel and truffles… and to finish red berry fruits with a truffle caramel. William, maître de salle since the 1980s is as british as paul is provencal, and ensures an impeccable service.

Menus €58, €70 and €145 (special truffle menu), Wine by the bottle 34 euro Tourtour (VAR) Route de Villecroze Tel: 04 94 70 55 06

For reservations from the UK 0844/499 33 99, from France 04.93.21.48.85 0820 00 SIXT 0,10 e TTC / MN

London Calling!

(Sixt welcomes you at Gatwick and Heathrow Airport London.

Readers of Riviera Insider receive up to 20% discount*) www.sixt.co.uk | www.sixt.fr *refer to discount code CD 9958391

Vivez l’émotion.

riviera

riviera shoPs

CAN NOW OPEN ON SUNDAYS THE CHANGE is already in effect in paris where the new “international tourist zones” permit shops to open on Sundays until late. now the green light has been given for similar zones on the French Riviera. The new opening hours apply to special areas of nice, Cannes, Saint-Laurent-du-Var and Cagnes-sur-Mer. The tourist zones and late Sunday night shopping hours are all part of the plans drawn up under the 2015 Macron Law, named after economy Minister, emmanuel Macron. The aim of this reform is to help improve the French economy and boost its growth. The reasoning behind it was to encourage tourists to spend more money. The criteria to qualify as an “international tourist zone” (iTZ) includes having a “global reputation for commercial, cultural or leisure reasons”, “being served by national and international transport links” and also being reliant on a large number of tourists. While businesses and shopaholics are in favor of these changes, which have not yet been brought into effect in

the Riviera, not everyone is so thrilled. One such person is the Mayor of paris, Anne Hidalgo, who condemned the reform and is now determined to overturn it. She wrote a sharply-worded letter to Macron where she criticized what she called his "fantasy of turning paris into a city dedicated to consumerism" and “ignorance of the commercial fabric of paris that pulls in tourists from around the world.” She also said that the “tourist zones” will put the 15,000 smaller independently-owned stores that are already open on Sundays out of business.

Worker’s unions are also strongly against the changes. Some of paris' most famous stores, such as Galeries Lafayette and printemps, are remaining closed during the controversy. 

acTivisTs resume

MARINELAND DEMONSTRATIONS IN FEBRUARY, 260 people protested outside the doors of Marineland, symbolically placing a black and white cross on the ground. They were there to protest against the

reopening of the park, which has been mired in controversy for a long time, but has seen particularly fierce criticism following the death of an orca last October. As we reported before there have been serious allegations made by protestsors against Marineland in Antibes over the standard of care for its animals. Activists from Sea Shepherd international are planning taking the organisation to court. numerous other animal welfare groups have joined forces to lambast Marineland, including Sans Voix pACA, the organisers of the latest protest. A spokesperson for the group, emmanuelle Sultani, said that they are against the park’s reopening and claimed that the animals are 'slaves used to make money'. The protestors don’t intend to give up the fight, and are planning on returning on 27 March, a week after the park is set to reopen. Marineland said in a statement that the criticism against them was unfounded and that “the park's activities are strictly controlled by several european and international organizations and regulations.” They added that with the help of the Marineland

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Foundation and the parques Reunidos, they “lead many programmes for research and conservation.” 

carPooling

ON THE CÔTE D'AZUR A NEW CARPOOLING application for people living on the French Riviera has been officially launched.

The main aim of the new application is to connect travellers together in a social network so they can co-ordinate ride-shares in their vehicles.

The target audience is students, daily commuters and people wanting to attend things such as sporting events and music concerts. users can gain rewards such as vouchers and fuel cards. The application is free for users and the company Wever takes no commission.

There are already over 3,000 subscribers. The company plans to roll out its services to other areas such as the Var, bouches-du-Rhône and the Loire. Wever was founded in July 2015 after winning the Challenge Jeunes, a start-up competition for young people. Wever can be downloaded on Google play for Android devices. 

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news

A 5 residential care home AT THE PORT OF MONACO

Come and experience the sweetness and serenity of a blissful life on the Riviera, in our residential care home. Enjoy the exceptional climate, panoramic sea views, quality furnishings and fine cuisine.

Our attentive caregivers are at your service 24/7.

Résidence Fontdivina | Chemin Romain | 06420 Beausoleil 04 97 17 75 00 | www.fontdivina.fr

renaissance for The inTernaTional cluB … and also the Riviera Business Club is doing well henever one speaks about social and networking clubs in the region the name George Kasiliyake always comes up. The local businessman in the events & catering trade has been living in Southern France for 16 years. “i have always been in love with this country, but when i arrived here i did not know anyone. being a british & Sri Lankan citizen i decided to create the Commonwealth Club of the Riviera which was restricted to people of the former british Colonies”, George says. “As time went by i thought it would be nice to have a club open to everybody.

That’s why i started the international Club of the Riviera. Thanks to a program of successful events the association soon became one of the most active on the Riviera and after some time we had over 150 members joining us.”

He continues: “At the end of last year the club was closed down and at the request of the overwhelming majority of the members a new, more streamlined club under the name of The international Club of the Côte d’Azur was formed. The goal is the same: to bring together people from all over the world who live on the French Riviera, to make new friends and network through imaginative and fun events throughout the year. This association will have a new president and board. but it will always be my special project and i will continue to create and run great events.”

And the Riviera business Club?

“Well, since its creation in 1997 under the name of the british Chamber of Commerce and later, from 2010 onwards, as the Riviera business Club, RbC, it was the leading business networking place of the region. in 2011 due to various reasons the RbC with its 100+ members nearly ceased to exist. At the beginning of 2013 a couple of senior members asked me whether i would like to take over the club and bring it back to it's past glory. i said yes without any hesitation”, the businessman remembers.

“We had only a handful of members left and i decided that it needed a big event to bring the club

w

back to its feet. So we revived the business person of the year Awards. And it worked. The event was sold out with more than 140 people attending the Gala dinner and Awards Ceremony. The RbC was back in action! The following year the event was even bigger and we were rewarded when the Chambre de Commerce et d’industrie nice Côte d’Azur came on board to support us. There are two categories – The business person of the year 2016 and The Start up of the year 2016. These are now the most prestigious business awards in the pACA region with this year’s Gala dinner & Award Ceremony Award taking place at 7.30 p.m. on Friday the 2nd december 2016 at the Marriott Riviera – La porte de Monaco.” nominations close on 30th September.

An eminent panel of five judges, chaired by dorothy Foster of the Skema business School, evaluates and shortlists the nominees and selects the best five from each category. They will then be personally interviewed by the panel with the winners being announced at the Gala dinner on the 2nd of december.

George proudly says: “The RbC is now the only club which caters to the local Anglophone business community. With many events, workshops & networking cocktails planned throughout the year the RbC is again a lively group of local and expat members of the local business community helping each other to promote activities and keep ahead in a difficult business climate.”

The yearly membership subscription is 40 euro for an individual, 70 euro for a couple and 100 euro for a corporate membership.

For more information: Riviera business Club, tel. 07 58 44 18 37, email info@rivierabusinessclub.fr or visit www.rivierabusinessclub.fr international Club of the Côte d’Azur, tel. 06 05 84 42 31, email info@internationalclub.cda.com or visit internationalclubcda.com 

riviera

Talk aBouT Town

COMES TO NICE! TALK ABOUT TOWN are interactive debates and events created by Anna Fill, founder of The Riviera Woman online magazine: www.therivierawoman.com. “The subject of the debate will be 'Where do you call home?' which was inspired by the fact that when i speak or listen to expats, i always hear them say: 'When i go home...' and very often these are people who already live in this region permanently,” says Anna Fill. “So the debate discusses the subject of 'home' and what it actually means. We will find out what makes people choose to live away from their homeland, work, sunshine, lifestyle, food, wine, love? We will hear all about it and so much more. The event is about giving a voice to everyone. The more people engage the more interesting the evening becomes,” Anna continues. “We are also interested to hear from local people their views on foreigners living here.

On the flip side, talking with locals who have worked and lived abroad and then returned have another perspective.

The event will feature a panel of four people, professionals who have a great deal of contact with expats and can speak with authority about their experiences living in a foreign country. Audience participation will make the event lively, interactive and a great deal of fun. We can confirm three members of our panel, burton Gintell, president of The American Club of the Riviera, editor-in-chief of Riviera insider (former Riviera Times), petra Hall, and Simon Verity, Financial planner”, confirms Anna Fill.

The date for the debate is Wednesday 27th April Venue: Forum Jorge François, 9 rue Cronstadt, nice, start at 7pm. Ticket payable at the door is €15 and will include Apero, and light refreshments after the event.

Full details will appear on the website: www.talkabout.town.

we never inTend To saBoTage ourselves, BuT we do!

By Personal Development Coach, Theresa Destrebecq hings are going great for you, then all of a sudden WHAM. you hit a wall and everything goes downhill fast. There are three main reasons why we self-sabotage.

T

1) we have a pattern of playing the victim Many victims don’t realize that they are playing the victim, but they are. it’s not a conscious choice - it’s a habit. They blame their lack of success on someone else. it’s always someone else’s fault. This victim mentality actually has a plus side, though. it gives them attention. it feels good to be coddled, supported, and built up again and again.

2) we don’t actually want what we think we want We live in a world of should. Whe-

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WE ARE GIVING AWAY:

ther it be from the media, our politics, our parents, or even our friends. These “shoulds” make us feel compelled to take on goals, or projects, or jobs that don’t really fit with who we are or what we want. in the end, we self-sabotage because we don’t really want what we think we “should.” it’s not such a bad thing, actually.

3) we fear failure This is often the crux of self-sabotage. Many times it’s hard to separate “i failed” from “i am a failure.” We often confuse the two without realising it, but “i failed” is about a single incident, whereas “i am a failure” is who you are as a person. instead of walking the thin line between the two, we either don’t start at all, or we self-sabotage before the going gets tough. it’s easier to fail to try, than to try and fail. 

TickeTs for The suPercar eXhiBiTion “ToP marques monaco” (info: page 60)

TickeTs

looking for a counTry home! his beautiful cat is urgently looking for a home in the country where he can be the only cat. Zazou has a wonderful character when interacting with humans, but he is extremely jealous and doesn’t like sharing his humans with other felines. He loves to be on a lap or cuddled up close to his owner.

Zazou is around four - five years

T

old, very cuddly, affectionate, outgoing and has the most gorgeous green eyes. He is neutered and has tested negative for Feline Leukemia and Feline AidS. As you can see, he loves donkeys and ponies. He would probably be very good around other farm animals, just not cats! Contact Leslie on 06 18 94 35 76 or Leschatsdumercantour.com 

for Two concerTs

By The ensemBle Baroque de nice (info: page 50)

To participate, go to www.riviera-press.fr Click on

“riviera insider”.

Under the heading “News” go to “Contests” to see how it works!

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communiTy

 eXpAT FOCuS

riviera

inTroducing a series of informal inTerviews wiTh PeoPle in your communiTy kids, because snacks i thought were good, they wouldn’t touch! So a lot of things wound up in the bin. but i came up with some great recipes and before i knew it, people started asking where they could buy my food and if i could teach them how to make it. One year ago, i started my first cooking workshops and i love it! it’s fantastic.

The first few classes were hard to fill, but now within 24 hours, all the classes sell out.

Jessica Verity is a professional chef who spent twelve years in the mega-yachting industry.

Along with her yacht captain husband, they now live in Roquefort-lesPins. ut when they started a family, life at sea was no longer an option. “you can never go back to boats after you have children,” she said matter-offactly. Her husband is regularly away at sea two months at a time.

Jessica has always been healthconscious, but cooking for two children was a bit of an adjustment from the budget-less world of caviar and foie-gras. but over the last few years, Jessica has found balance between haute cuisine and healthy food for her family. now, she blogs about cooking healthy food and teaches hands-on cooking workshops from her kitchen in Roquefort les pins. but it all started with an eight-week cleanse.

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your blog talks about finding balance with healthy eating. what do you mean by that?

Life is about balance. i started my blog about getting healthy and eating well, but i didn’t want to be tied to just healthy food. Many people stay very strict about their diet, but what’s the point of extending your life, if you’re going to be unhappy living it? We’re in the South of France, after all! So i titled my blog, ‘Wheatgrass and Wine’ for that reason. Most nights are healthy, and then if you want to occasionally indulge in foie-gras and wine, it’s fine. i’m not an extremist. i don’t have it in my dnA! So i think it’s important to let loose and have some fun!

jessica, how did you get started?

what’s your ‘insider’ tip?

i was so busy with two kids on my own and i had gotten a little lax with buying the easy, pre-made foods for the kids. So i decided i needed to get strict and go off processed foods for eight weeks. i blogged about our transition, with all the difficulties and issues i had. it wasn’t easy, especially with my

buy your food from village markets! if you can eat from just local producers, it’s better for your health, the local community and the environment. We are very lucky in this area to have so much fresh, local foods and it’s much healthier than food picked months ago and shipped across the world. 

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Articles do not represent the opinion of the editor. The publishing house is not responsible for the correct contents of ads. © 2016 - by Riviera press s.a.r.l.

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