Like a medieval duel, but on the water: Contestants use lances to try to knock each other out of their boats. Since 1666, water-jousting events have been held yearly in the port city of Sète, southern France.
After a two-year break on account of the coronavirus pandemic, the traditional fisherman’s jousting event has returned. It’s considered the most important event of its kind – the the sport’s world championships. Each year, thousands of spectators and fans flock to the city to take part in the spectacle. The competition rules haven’t changed since 1666!
This week’s top stories of the week include: 0:16 This teenager’s invention could change the world of electric cars 02:59 France is paying it’s drivers to get on their bikes 04:22 The psychological phenomenon that is hampering our response to climate change 05:33 Paris’s Riverside Booksellers are thriving once more
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In the town of Saumur in France’s Loire Valley, the riders of the Cadre Noir represent excellence in the world of French equestrianism. The military-style academy trains elite riders who take part in top international competitions. Its expertise has been recognised by UNESCO, which listed it as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2011. FRANCE 24 takes you behind the scenes of the stables.
The Cadre Noir is a corps of ecuyers, or instructors, at the French military riding academy École Nationale d’Équitation at Saumur in western France, founded in 1828. It also performs as an equestrian display team. Its name comes from the black uniforms that are still in use today.
Tours is a university town between France’s Cher and Loire rivers. Once a Gallic-Roman settlement, today it’s a university town and a traditional gateway for exploring the chateaux of the Loire Valley region. Major landmarks include the cathedral, Saint-Gatien, whose flamboyant Gothic facade is flanked by towers with 12th-century bases and Renaissance tops.
This month, the world’s greatest couturiers will descend on New York and Paris for Fashion Week. For the occasion we bring you stories about la mode and the people behind it. Read about Lee Miller (“A Fashion Model in Combat Boots”), Condé Nast (“The Man Behind the Empire”), and how young, urban creatives in France and America have adopted le bleu de travail – the French worker’s jacket. Also in this issue, travel to the South of France and the Camargo Foundation, which was created in 1971 by American filmmaker Jerome Hill; read our editorial on the Uberization of the world, and meet Belgian “food alchemist” Pascal Baudar, who spends most of his time in the hills around Los Angeles looking for his next meal: plants, fruit, seeds, grains, and even insects!
The Bay of Villefranche, reputed as one of the five most beautiful bays in the world, is embraced by the Cap of Nice to its west and Cap Ferrat to the east. The village of Villefranche sur Mer, perched on the bay, is located just over the hill from Nice (5 minutes away) and 10 minutes away from Monaco.
The charming Old Town of Villefranche cascades down the hillside to the sea, and the bay’s sandy one-kilometer long beach offers great recreation throughout the year.
Toulouse, capital of France’s southern Occitanie region, is bisected by the Garonne River and sits near the Spanish border. It’s known as La Ville Rose (‘The Pink City’) due to the terra-cotta bricks used in many of its buildings. Its 17th-century Canal du Midi links the Garonne to the Mediterranean Sea, and can be traveled by boat, bike or on foot.
Eze is a beautiful hilltop medieval village in the south of France, between Monaco and Nice. The village is famous for its spectacular views, impressive architecture, and stunning geographical location above the French Riviera.
Vieux Lyon sits on the River Saône quayside, overlooked by Renaissance-era mansions with hidden courtyards and terracotta-tiled roofs. The medieval Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste is noted for its ornate astronomical clock, while the Movies & Miniature Museum showcases scale models by miniaturist Dan Ohlmann. Hilly, medieval streets lead to fine-dining restaurants and stylish bars selling Beaujolais wines.
A one-hour cruise of Nice, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villefranche-sur-Mer in August, 2022.
Saint-Jean Cap Ferrat is an exceptional site and one of the most loveliest places on the Mediterranean coast.
The peninsula is situated next to Nice and Villefranche sur Mer and extends out to Cap Ferrat. Its tranquillity and warm climate make it a favourite holiday destination amongst European aristocracy and international millionnaires.
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