France

CÔTE D’AZUR & PROVENCE

The city of Cannes, and most notably, its unwavering mayor, David Lisnard, have been working non-stop to fight for the livelihood of the community, not only for the health and safety of people, but also the survival of their businesses. Together with the tourism board of the Côte d’Azur, the city has prepared an extensive and creative tourism recovery plan!

“It’s May 18th and we still don’t have a protocol for bars, hotels and restaurants, it’s crazy!” 

It is with this statement that David Lisnard, Mayor of Cannes, opened a video press conference on Monday, 18 May to present a thorough and virus-proof tourism recovery plan for the city and it’s businesses.

The action plan allocates 13.4 million euros to relaunch the destination Cannes in complete safety, around two main axes: emergency aid up to 10.1 million euros for entrepreneurs, employees and seasonal workers to ensure the survival of the local economy, including 2 million euros of exemptions. 3.3 million euros will flow into national and international publicity campaigns to revive local tourism.

David Lisnard knows full well that a solid recovery plan can’t be limited to aid – it must be multi-faceted: “we must be realistic, aid is necessary, but nothing can replace a customer,” he said. Indeed, the balance sheet is chilling… the Palais des Festivals et Congrès, the strong arm of the tourism destination, has experienced “zéro activité” – a total and brutal halt in its activities due to the cancellations of MIPIM, MIPTV, Cannes Film Festival, Cannes Lions, and the latest, the Tax-Free World. The financial losses are staggering. Just for the period of March to May, the Palais has recorded a loss of nearly 289.8 million euros. And there will be no possibility of other events over the summer.

When adding in the shutdown of the hotels, restaurants and beach activities, it is estimated that the economic losses in Cannes from March to April amount to at least 500 million euros; a projected loss of 700 million euros for May to June and an additional 400 million euros for the remainder of the season. With his city facing a loss of over 1 billion euros, Mr Lisnard has grave concern for the future of his citizens. “This as an economic and social disaster that is bound to lead us to a human disaster,” said Lisnard, adding: “we have been fighting against since the end of February”.

Indeed, since the beginning of the crisis, the city of Cannes has been at the forefront, swiftly responding to the urgency of companies and businesses thanks to measures in favour of beach owners, kiosks, hotels, shopkeepers, fishermen, cultural associations, etc. You can read the mayor’s initial appeal to the government for a Marshall Plan for tourism here and his #HelpCommerce initiative to keep local shops going, here.

Cannes: our end of the world 

It is with the oxymoron of “local exoticism” that the Mayor unveiled the actions for the end of May, starting with campaigns to promote the area, the idea being “to invite the people of Cannes and more broadly the people of the Côte d’Azur and the French to discover or rediscover their city”.

Thus, in support of Cannes’ businesses, the call is for “local consumption” among craftsmen and shops. The entire city-centre has become pedestrian-only to allow extra space for shoppers and strollers and to provide extra room for socially distanced tables on patios. A citywide Happy Hour in bars and restaurants will be held throughout the city from 6 pm to 8 pm every evening during the summer. Parking fees have been eliminated for 18,000 spots in the streets of Cannes and La Bocca until the 1^st of July and the eight city-operated car parks (Palais, Suquet Forville, Laubeuf, Ferrage Meynadier, Vauban, République, Lamy and Roseraie) offer each vehicle 2 hours free during the week and three hours each weekend.

Reinventing summer events

Cannes invites you to numerous events that represent an alternative to the usual summer program, which will work despite distance and hygiene rules.

In May, a drive-in cinema in the Palm Beach car park from 20 – 24 May has already been sold out (in just two hours!). More of these will be announced.

June will see Cannes as an open-air museum with the “Cannes refait le mur” with huge images on the walls of buildings, as they do during the film festival (June 21 – August 31); There will be a photo exhibition along the Croisette with pictures by the well-known photographer, Nikos Aliagas (June 26 – August 31).

The Pyrotechnic festival has been cancelled, but July & August will still have a Light show – buildings such as the Palais des Festivals, the city hall, and others in Forville and the Suquet will be illuminated in the evenings with colourful images. The Plage Electrique festival held on the beach will transform into a “drive-in electro”. For the first time in France, American painter Kehinde Wiley will exhibit at Malmaison (July 10th – November 1st). “Terrace on air” is a program of music, dance and theatre readings on the terrace of the Palais des Festivals.

And to wrap it all up, a mega show in September with a synchronised drone display, like we recently saw in Shanghai.

Book a ‘Staycation’

“Why not instead of flying to Thailand this time, spend a few days in a luxury hotel on the Croisette and rediscover your home?” Mayor Lisnard proposes the idea of “l’exotisme cannois” with several incentives to book a ‘staycation’ at local hotels. The city has arranged with local hotels to offer the fourth night when three nights are booked (for the first 5,000 reservations) and numerous tourism packages are on offer, including spa deals, family offers, unusual and exotic leisure experiences or walks with local Greeters – ambassadors of the Côte d’Azur.

Business tourism

With the Palais, business tourism is one of the biggest sources of revenue for the city. Therefore it was important to include a recovery plan for business tourism as well. Knowing that large events will be prohibited throughout the summer season, a plan is in the works for the start of autumn. This includes a poster and media campaign from October to December 2020 in France and numerous European capitals.

#CannesNow

Along with many hashtags presented during this crisis, including #cannesrépart, #helpcommerce and #restonouvert, the city of Cannes welcomes locals and visitors alike to share your most beautiful images and memories with the hashtag #CannesNow.

Convinced more than ever that exoticism is within reach and that with beauty the Côte d’Azur has to offer, a 12-hour flight to some exotic destination is not necessary, David Lisnard intends “to seize the opportunity that this difficult period gives us to accelerate what we have started: to return to basics, rediscover our region and enjoy the pleasures of our magnificent territory… in complete safety”.

-MC, NR & AS

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Local Irish homoeopath, Julia Edgely, is an expert in all-natural beauty products. Whether concocting beauty treatments from fresh foods or testing the latest natural makeup product, she is a wealth of information on how to keep chemicals off our skin and out of our bloodstream. Here she shares some top local spots for finding ‘alternative beauty products’ and gives some DIY tips for making your own beauty treatments. She even reveals the recipe for her popular cacao face mask.

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Clean Beauty

The landscape of the beauty industry is changing and the new pastures are most definitely green. Soon to be estimated at $16 billion by next year, the ‘green beauty’ industry, as many call it, seems to have exploded onto the cosmetic scene. From my eight years of working with patients improving their health by making “the swap”, green beauty has actually been around for a long time but is only now coming into its own.

‘Clean,’ ‘green,’ ‘safe,’ ‘non-toxic’ are all synonyms for the same concept: cosmetic and personal care products that are based on natural, ethical ingredients with limited chemical additives that have been linked to health issues. Pathologies such as infertility, premature puberty, eczema, allergies and migraines have all been linked to ingredients we put on our skin. This has led to more frequent recommendations from governments and health agencies to limit exposure to certain cosmetic ingredients. 

By law, all products are required to display the composition on the packaging (aside from fragrance or perfume –  but don’t get me started on cosmetic politics!), so we really can see exactly what we put on our skin every day. To avoid the ‘bad guys’ I have put together an extensive list of potentially harmful additives, including humectants, preservatives and surfactants that are identifiable on an ingredients list and easy to memorize. You can find this list on juliaedgely.com/ingredients. Many of these ingredients are commonly used in our everyday cosmetics, regardless if it’s a drugstore item or a designer one.

The easiest way to avoid these chemicals is to buy natural cosmetics, referred to as Alternative Beauty Choices (ABC). Here on the Côte d’Azur, we are lucky to have access to fantastic choices. Here is a guide to finding ABCs on the Cote D’Azur:

Local Bio Stores

An advantage of living in France is the availability of good health stores with great foods, natural household items and now personal care products as well. But careful attention is still needed as some items in bio stores contain the ingredients on my avoid list. This is an example of how a label can be misleading. Just because an item notes organic on the packaging, it does not necessarily mean it is 100% organic. Always read the composition on the packaging.

Bazar Bio

Want to completely revamp your beauty routine? Check out the Bazar Bio, an online store with a concept office in Nice centre (4, Place Wilson). On site you can sample fantastic brands of strictly natural skincare, body care, hair care and make-up. Helena and her staff are wonderfully informed to help you choose what items are best for you. They speak English so it will be easy to get the help you need. Tell them Julia sent you!

Staying ‘Eco friendly’

When looking into new natural products, it quickly becomes apparent that many brand offerings are foreign and developed overseas. Make sure to not only think of your skin but also the planet by keeping a mind-set of the carbon footprint. Absolution, which is based in Paris, is an amazing French brand that ticks all the boxes: recycled packaging, effective products with amazing ingredients – an ideal ABC brand, in my opinion.

DIY and Kitchen Cosmetics

Some people prefer to go back to basics, only putting on our skin what we find in our kitchen. In fact, our kitchen has so much to offer our skin. My facial cleansing routine falls into this category. Just remember – when trying new products, always perform a patch test 24 hours before use, to test for any allergic reaction.

In Southern France, pure olive oil is abundant. This highly emollient olive nectar is perfect as a facial cleanser, makeup remover and hair mask. The omega 6 fatty acids found in olive oil deeply nourish and protect your skin.

Rose has long been cherished for its soothing and beautifying properties and it is rooted deep in the traditions of Grasse. A bottle of rose water works amazingly well as a dry skin toner, a scalp refresher in between washes and as a perfume. Add a dash of apple cider vinegar to your bottle to add a fermented element, which has been shown to increase its effectiveness.

Honey not only tastes amazing, but it is also full of nutrients and antibacterial properties. It is perfect as a hydrating face mask, a facial wash especially for acne sufferers, as a softening hair mask and in a foot soak to help cracked heels.

I leave you with my hugely popular DIY Chocolate Face Mask. This easy recipe effectively increases circulation to your face, improves hydration, elasticity and smells divine. Make it this evening and pamper yourself knowing what you are enjoying is not only better for your skin but also your health and the planet.

Cacao Facemask
1 teaspoon Chickpea flour
1 teaspoon raw Cacao powder (not cocoa powder)
1 tablespoon rose water (or enough to make a sticky paste)

Spread on clean skin and leave to work for 30-40 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Your skin may seem extremely red for up to 1 hour after removing the mask. This is a normal response to increased circulation.

– Julia Edgely

You can see Julia’s reviews of natural makeup products on her Instagram page, JuliaHomeopath.

MONACO

Thanks to the light impact of the coronavirus in Monaco, the Principality has been able to plan for a nearly full return to business, within the parameters of safety distancing measures. ‘Phase 3’ will see the reopening of restaurants, bars, museums and casinos on June 2nd. Here is a list of what will be opening and the rules to follow.

On Wednesday, 20 May at the Ministry of State, Government Councillors, including Ministers Didier Gamerdinger (Social Affairs and Health) and Jean Castellini (Finance and Economy) announced the implementation of phase 3 of the Monegasque deconfinement after the health situation was deemed satisfactory.

Since the outbreak of the virus, Monaco has registered only 97 confirmed cases (not all Monegasque residents), 90 of whom have fully recovered. Only one person has died of the virus, an older gentleman who was the very first confirmed case. Currently, there is only one patient still in intensive care at CHPG and two patients are being treated with home care. Only one new case has been reported since the deconfinement on 4 May.

Extensive testing has been set-up, allowing every resident to be tested. The Grimaldi Forum has become a Covid-19 testing centre, organised by surname letter to keep the flow of people orderly and appropriately distanced.

Phase 3

On 2 June, several economic sectors will resume their activity subject to the implementation of the barrier measures and physical distancing. State services will be making controls of businesses to ensure compliance.

The following businesses will be allowed to reopen:

Restaurants

• Wearing the mask is mandatory for employees
• Reservation required
• Tables of 4 to 6 place settings maximum depending on the distance between them.
• 1.5 m distance between tables or physical separations
• Menu displayed or digital version on smartphones
• Individual table condiments
• Moderate musical atmosphere
• Valet parking is permitted on condition that the contact surfaces are disinfected each time.

Bars

• Customers must be seated
• Tables for 4 to 6 people maximum
• No karaoke or live music

Museums and exhibition halls

• Imperative to regulate access with a one-way visit plan and the fluidity of the visitor.

Beaches 

• Currently accessible in dynamic mode, will allow tanning as long as they respect 1.5 m between towels and mattresses, even within the same family.

Casinos and gaming halls

• Must respect distances and provide sufficient space between slot machines as well as separations at the gaming tables
• The cleaning of dice and tokens must be systematic.

Congress centres

Some artistic activities with reduced gauge such as the Fort Antoine show.

Individual sports including competitive swimming. Team and contact sports will require a particular approach on a discipline-by-discipline basis between the federations concerned and the Direction de l’Action Sanitaire.

The following will NOT reopen on 2 June and no date will be set before an even more favourable evolution of the health situation:

Cinemas (except in the open-air), discotheques, sports halls and collective spas. Leisure pools will be examined on a case-by-case basis.

 The ministers concluded the meeting with the reminder that “state support to companies through the CTTR (reinforced temporary total unemployment) and aid granted to companies would not be subject to a sudden and unilateral halt, and would, in particular, be addressed during consultations in the framework of the monitoring committee with the National Council”.

MONACO

Originally scheduled for this weekend, the 78^th Monaco Grand Prix would have seen the Principality swelled with visitors – racing teams, entourages, spectators and tourists alike, all buzzing with excitement. Instead, the small country is in phase two of lockdown, still with its borders under tight control. But it doesn’t mean that the spirit of the race will not be felt! In fact, the track is prepared for one of F1’s fastest drivers to take a spin.

As part of the filming of a short film starring the Monegasque F1 champion Charles Leclerc at the wheel, the street track of the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix will be closed to traffic and pedestrians on Sunday 24 May 2020 between 6:45 and 9 am.

The following spots are affected:

• Boulevard Albert 1^er
• Sainte Devote Passage
• Avenue d’Ostende
• Place du Casino
• Avenue des Spélugues
• Louis II Tunnel
• Boulevard Louis II
• United States Dock
• Avenue JF Kennedy
• Route de la Piscine
• Scorpion fish turn

The government issued a notice thanking residents for their understanding, and in compensation invite them to watch the rare spectacle from their balconies ‘overlooking the circuit to enjoy the show!’ It’s certainly a good reason to get up that early on a Sunday.

And the race goes on… digitally

The Monaco Virtual GP is the sixth round of the “We Race On” project launched by Formula 1 around two months ago, to run The FDA (Ferrari Driver Academy) Hublot E-sports races on the dates when the original Grand Prix should have taken place. Charles Leclerc has taken part in four of these games and has always finished on the podium. He actually won in Vietnam and China and was third in the Dutch race and then second in the last round at the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit. His brother Arthur has only taken part in the Vietnam event, finishing fourth, but he has shone in the virtual FIA Formula 2 series, winning two races in Bahrain.

This Sunday 24 May at 7 pm CET, the Pro Exhibition Race will feature the real drivers and celebrities battling it out over 39 laps. The simulator cars have identical set-up and performance and a limit to how much damage the cars can sustain. The event can be seen on Formula 1 YouTube, Facebook and Twitch channels, as well as Ferrari and FDAFans Facebook pages.