The Louvre, the Grand Palais, the Villa Carmignac, the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit and La Seine Musicale: Cinéma Paradiso has already transformed many an iconic location into an unforgettable cinema. Ever since the start, the aim of the event, organised by arthouse cinema network mk2, has been to take cinema out of the traditional movie theaters and into the open.

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Until now, however, the Eiffel Tower had never been a part of Cinéma Paradiso’s network. Yet the organisation has announced this is about to change, as the Salle Gustave Eiffel – located on the Eiffel Tower’s first level – will host the movie festival from 24 until 27 September 2026. Perched at a height of 57 meters and equipped with grand glass walls, the event room offers stunning views over the French capital, blending first-class movies with a grandiose location.

“For over ten years, Cinéma Paradiso has been taking cinema beyond its walls and bringing it to venues that are part of the collective imagination. Following on from the Louvre, taking over the Eiffel Tower is a highly symbolic step: it brings this world-famous monument closer to the Parisians, brings it to life in a new way, and reaffirms mk2’s commitment to popular culture that is both sophisticated and accessible,” said Elisha Karmitz, managing director of the mk2 group, in an interview with the French media outlet Le Parisien.

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Cinéma Paradiso’s last edition, which took place from 1 to 4 July 2026, took place at another iconic Parisian location, the Louvre, and was attended by world-class directors Wes Anderson and Joachim Trier. The success of that event combined with the unique location of the September screening is likely to create high demand for the entirely free festival.

“The Eiffel Tower has a special relationship with the world of cinema, inspiring generations of filmmakers. Today, this connection is expressed in a new way: by offering visitors a unique cinematic experience right at the heart of the monument,” commented Patrick Branco Ruivo, Chief Executive of SETE, the firm that operates the Eiffel Tower.

However, film enthusiasts will need to wait a little longer before trying to get their hands on a ticket. Although the dates of Cinéma Paradiso have already been announced, the movies, guests, and other details of the event will be shared on 8 September 2026.

On that day, mk2 will also launch the ticket lottery. Those who are interested in attending can enter the lottery for free. A draw will then select the winners, who will be able to name their preferred screening from the planning in a registration form. Afterwards, tickets will be sent according to personal preferences and availability.

L’article Eiffel Tower to host free open-air cinema festival for the first time est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The district is known for its skyscrapers and office towers, as well as the world-famous Grande Arche, not so much as a tourist destination. Straddling Puteaux, Courbevoie and Nanterre in the Hauts-de-Seine department, the district sits at the western end of Paris’s historic axis, a mere 8 km and fifteen minutes by RER from the centre of the French capital.

La Défense’s historical significance and how it came to close a circle in French history that began in 1806 with Napoleon’s victory and the construction of the Arc de Triomphe at the opposite end of this same axis, escapes most of its visitors.

And who can blame them? Most are either business travellers or conference delegates, visible during the lengthy lunch hour at the Hilton restaurant or, at the end of the day, sipping cocktails at the rooftop bar of the Meliá, which, incidentally, offers a formidable panoramic view of the Paris tourists usually come for, namely, the Eiffel Tower rising above the trees, the Arc de Triomphe, Gehry’s Fondation Louis Vuitton, the Bois de Boulogne and, on a clear day, the Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre in the distance. Paris, from up there, is incredibly green.

Officially designated a site of “major architectural creation”, La Défense remains the only high-rise district in France and today counts around sixty skyscrapers. The tallest is The Link, which at 242 metres recently overtook Tour First to become the tallest building in France, and will soon house TotalEnergies’ new headquarters. Hekla, with its jagged, volcanic silhouette, is probably the most striking; and Tour Total is known for its “organ pipe” stack of polygonal volumes, catching the light differently through the day.

Unlike London’s business district, built at the city’s centre and known simply as “The City”, Paris’ rose on its outskirts and took its name from a statue.

Unveiled in 1883, La Défense de Paris by sculptor Louis-Ernest Barrias, chosen over proposals by Rodin and Bartholdi, commemorates the city’s resistance during the siege of Paris in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. The monument depicts Paris as a woman dressed in the uniform of the National Guard, leaning against a cannon, sword in one hand and flag in the other. At her feet, a wounded young soldier loads a final cartridge into his rifle, while behind her stands a young girl, cold and destitute, embodying the suffering of the civilian population during the long winter siege.

The name spread first to the roundabout, then to the whole district.

Had the French won, France’s business district might be called La Victoire today.

Walking the esplanade, past glass towers, it is hard to imagine the same place seventy years ago, when the area, still pockmarked from wartime bombing, consisted of bidonville-like shanties, workshops, small factories, and a handful of farms. For decades, the statue stood in its centre, in near isolation.

It would take a war, and its aftermath, to transform the area. Inspired by the United States, de Gaulle decided Paris needed its own business district, one that would help launch France back onto the world stage after years of occupation and destruction.

Construction began in 1958, when the state created the planning body EPAD and began clearing the neighbourhood. The district’s oldest structure, the CNIT, a gigantic triangular concrete shell, dates from that year.

From the offices of Cœur Défense, Europe’s largest office complex by floor space with some 160,000 square metres of office space across two 40-storey towers, a guide explained how EPAD went on to expropriate roughly 9,250 housing units and relocate more than 25,000 residents, in stages, between 1960 and 1971. The guide’s grandparents were among them, happily relocated to Drancy, she told us, though most went elsewhere, into transit housing and HLM blocks built locally in Nanterre and its neighbouring towns.

Today the district is delimited by the Seine on one side and the Grande Arche at the end, in a direct line facing the Arc de Triomphe. Johann Otto von Spreckelsen, the visionary architect who won the competition launched by François Mitterrand in 1982, wanted his Arche to be a monument to humanity, not to military triumph.

Between Napoleon’s celebration of victory in 1806 and Spreckelsen’s structure in 1989 lies almost two centuries of French history, passing through empire, defeat, occupation, liberation and reconstruction.

More than three decades after the Grande Arche opened, the results are hard to ignore, and France, it seems, has won its victory after all. Roughly 40% of its companies are French, the rest foreign, and it’s now said to be the fourth most attractive business district in the world, behind two in New York and one in Tokyo, and, as of the latest ranking, the top business district in Europe, having just overtaken London. The numbers are staggering: 180,000 people commute in daily to fill the towers, while only 20,000 actually live there.

Yet office towers alone do not make a city district, and Paris is now investing heavily in turning La Défense into a destination in its own right. Once the eyes get accustomed to the high-rises, one is struck by the abundance of major artworks dotting the place: not one or two but 70 of them, among them Agam’s Fountain, Calder’s Spider, and Raymond Moretti’s rainbow-striped Chimney, a 32-metre ventilation shaft wrapped in coloured fibreglass tubes that looks like a giant Paul Smith design. 

Even the benches are part of a public art initiative run by the district’s public body. No two of them alike, and they are scattered all along the Esplanade, offering a place to rest and stare at the surrounding architecture.

The last stretch of the esplanade is watched over by Daniel Buren’s La Ronde: sixteen ten-metre masts flying colourful windsocks, giving it an unmistakable beachy air.

Tucked away from all of it, are some of the most charming hidden gardens; 23% of the site is now green. Increasingly, the district’s future is being framed in terms of urban sustainability. Paris La Défense aims to halve greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030 and eventually become the world’s first post-carbon business district. New parks, cycling infrastructure and one of Europe’s largest pedestrian zones are all part of that ambition.

The shift is partly born of necessity. La Défense has survived the 1973 oil shock, which froze construction for years, the 2008 financial crisis, which hit especially hard in a district built on banks and trading floors, and Covid, which turned it into a ghost town and highlighted the risks of relying too heavily on office workers alone.

Since then, Paris has made little secret of its ambition to make the district more welcoming to visitors. The opening of the Paris La Défense Arena, Europe’s largest concert and event venue, has accelerated that transformation, bringing concerts, sporting events and entirely new crowds to an area once deserted after office hours.

It will remain a business district, but the ambition now is to have it both ways. Fifteen new restaurants opened here in the last year alone, proof of how quickly its character is evolving.

Le Collège de Paris, which opened a campus inside the Grande Arche in 2017 bringing together business, design and digital schools under one roof, is another sign of that evolution.

For travellers, the district’s functional design offers an unexpected perk. Because the offices empty out over weekends and holidays, La Défense quietly opens up to tourists. Its proximity to Paris, and excellent transport links, make it a smart choice for anyone who wants everything Paris offers without Paris prices. Hotels are reportedly around 30% cheaper than in the centre, a saving families in particular might appreciate, staying here and commuting into town each day. There’s also a direct train to Disneyland Paris.

Like a “mille-feuilles”, the district is built on three levels: the lowest for the métro, RER and underground transport; the middle for the highway and cars; and the upper platform, resting on both, entirely pedestrian. Walking from the Seine to the arena takes about 20 minutes for an able-bodied walker.

While La Défense may not justify an entire trip on its own, there are many reasons to spend a day here. Walk this axis end to end, and you’re really walking through three different ideas of what a monument owes its people: conquest, endurance, and, finally, humanity.

L’article Beyond the Eiffel Tower, a day in the other Paris est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

On 23 June 2026, a report called ‘Les points de blocage de la performance de la direction des services de la navigation aérienne et les moyens de les surmonter’ (‘The problems affecting the performance of the DSNA and how to overcome them’) was published by senator Vincent Capo-Canellas. The document is clear: France’s air traffic control is the worst in Europe, with 6.6 million minutes of flight delays in 2025, resulting in a loss of €800 million for airlines and significant inconvenience for passengers. By 2035, this could be up to €1.7 billion.

The report mentions that Eurocontrol, the pan-European civil-military organisation dedicated to supporting European aviation, believes France could become a weak spot within Europe’s airspace, a projection underlined by the fact that 30% of France’s air traffic controllers are set to retire between 2029 and 2035. With France acting as an important overflight country, the consequences are likely to lead to structural cancellations throughout the continent.

In a letter published on 2 July 2026, Ryanair uses the publication of the report as a lever to urge the French government to take action and to reform the DSNA.

“This French Senate report confirms what airlines and passengers have known for years – French ATC Europe’s weakest link: woefully mismanaged, understaffed, underproductive and still using technology that belongs in a museum. It is extraordinary that France is still using paper flight strips and outdated radio systems while its so-called modernisation programme is more than a decade behind schedule. This is not bad luck. This is not a funding problem. This is a management failure,” stated Ryanair’s Chief Operations Officer, Neal McMahon.

Some of the action points put forward by McMahon include uncapped controller recruitment to 2030, shorter training times, better rostering, improved productivity, and a dedicated budget that ensures ATC charges are reinvested in modern systems and capacity.

This aligns with the recommendations put forward by Senator Vincent Capo-Canellas in the report, who structured the measures that need to be taken into three themes.

1. To prevent France from becoming a major bottleneck within the European airspace, and given that the aviation sector self-funds the system, it is necessary to ease the budgetary and staffing constraints that weigh on air traffic control.
2. In return, the DSNA must make new, concrete commitments to enable French air traffic control to return to an acceptable level of performance, whilst ensuring complete transparency regarding the assessments of the effectiveness and efficiency of each of the measures taken with this aim in mind.
3. The DSNA must manage and address the issues of technical obsolescence that affect air traffic control.

The call for action published by Ryanair also mentions a guaranteed protection for overflights during French ATC strikes.

“It is also unacceptable that French ATC strikes continue to cause unnecessary disruption to overflights between two non-French countries. France already protects domestic flights during ATC strikes through minimum service rules, yet passengers flying over France, for example between Ireland and Spain, or the UK and Italy are still unfairly delayed or cancelled. The French Govt and the EU Commission must now protect overflights during French ATC strikes, while respecting the right of French ATC unions to strike. (…) The time for excuses is over. The time for reform is now,” wrote Neal McMahon.

When French air traffic controllers go on strike, this regularly creates a wave of chaos throughout the European airspace. In the past, Ryanair and easyJet have already called on the EU to intervene and ensure a continued service.

L’article Ryanair uses French Senate report to call for air traffic control reform est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

With temperatures exceeding 40°C, authorities in Paris, which regularly tops rankings of the most visited city in Europe, have had to announce early closing times for the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.

The Eiffel Tower is usually open into the early hours in summertime, but visitors hoping to experience a romantic evening or sunset at one of the best-known and loved monuments in the world were unable to do so on Tuesday, 23 June, after the tower’s management declared an exceptional early closure at 4 pm, with last entries just after midday.

The change to usual service continued on Wednesday, and the tower’s website published a “Weather Alert” explaining: “Due to the high temperatures forecast, the Eiffel Tower will be adjusting its operations. Wednesday, June 24, Thursday, June 25 and Friday, June 26: the Eiffel Tower will exceptionally close at 4:00 PM. Last entry at 12:15 PM. Restaurants: Last entry at 1:30 p.m.”

Due to the tower’s popularity, it is common for visitors to book entries in advance. Prepaid visitors would be reimbursed, the website promised, noting: “Visitors with tickets for a visit from noon (for the stairs) and 12:30 PM (for the elevators), please check your email inbox. Your visit will be automatically refunded.”

The website also reminded readers to take precautions in the severe heat. “Remember to protect yourself from the sun and stay hydrated,” it said, adding: “Water fountains are available in the walkways leading to the plaza.”

Over at the Louvre, home to Leonardo da Vinci’s world-famous Mona Lisa, management followed suit on Tuesday, closing the museum early at 4 pm until at least Saturday, and explaining that the museum is “vulnerable and is not sufficiently adapted to climate change.” Last admissions are at 2 pm. Again, purchased tickets for individual visitors and groups of visitors with reservations for time slots after that time will be automatically refunded to the account used for payment, the Louvre website said.

Chers visiteurs,

En raison de la canicule et pour vous garantir des conditions de visite agréables aux heures les plus chaudes de la journée, le musée du Louvre fermera exceptionnellement ses portes de manière anticipée à 16h au lieu de 18h du mercredi 24 juin au samedi 27… pic.twitter.com/nYB8Z1Ng93

— Musée du Louvre (@MuseeLouvre) June 23, 2026

It’s not the first time the Louvre has had to close its doors at short notice. In 2025, the museum closed suddenly on multiple occasions, as staff walked out due to the pressure of high visitor numbers, infrastructure issues, and a jewellery heist, which also prompted shutdowns.

Elsewhere in France, high-profile attractions are taking similar measures to those in the capital. Mont Saint Michel, the country’s most visited spot outside the capital, has warned visitors to postpone their visits during the hot weather alert, since the picturesque Norman island has steep, narrow medieval streets and 360 steps.

Even beachside destinations are alerting visitors to the dangerous conditions. The Dune du Pilat on Arcachon Bay in the Gironde has warned the heatwave “requires everyone to exercise the utmost caution,” and lists “essential actions” which include avoiding climbing the Dune during the hottest hours since “on the ridge there is no shade or water source, the sand becomes scorching hot, and the effort is greater in the heat.”

The Dune authorities also recommend regular hydration and protective clothing, and note that there is an orange alert for forest fires, so parking is prohibited along the access roads and in the forest area.

Eurostar is running a reduced service between London and Paris, and travel in general across Europe is impacted by the heat, with many national trains cancelled due to the risk to infrastructure.

L’article Tourist attractions in France shut down due to extreme heat est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Some European beach resorts have been associated with topless sunbathing for many years but authorities across the country, from the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, up to the English Channel, are increasingly cracking down on men who walk about town naked from the waist up.

Narbonne in the southwest is one such municipality, where the council has brought in a ban on toplessness, explaining in an announcement that the measure is intended to “preserve public tranquillity, respect for the living environment and the attractiveness of the city centre during the summer season.”

45°C (113°F) is possible Monday/Tuesday in parts of western France. That’s hotter than the current forecast for Phoenix, Arizona.

France is enduring one of the country’s worst heatwaves ever, due to its unprecedented duration, intensity, and extreme temperature anomalies. pic.twitter.com/5jl9thFAKZ

— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) June 22, 2026

Anyone flouting the dress code risks a penalty of up to €150, with police responsible for this enforcement. The town’s mayor told the BBC that around 15 people have already fallen foul of the rules.

Nearby Nice introduced a similar policy years ago in 1999, limiting toplessness to the beach with fines of €35. Deauville and La Grande-Motte are following suit, with Deauville increasing its financial penalties for indecent dress almost 10 times, from €17 to €150.

In 2025, Les Sables d’Olonne on the Vendée departement’s Atlantic coast, long renowned as an elegant bathing resort, introduced €150 fines and appealed to visitors to “behave themselves” and put some clothes on, with a poster campaign declaring: “200 years of Sablon elegance should not end in Y-fronts on our streets.”

The trend reflects increasing divergences between those who believe in French tolerance and “laissez-faire” and those who want to impose more “traditional values.” Recent years have seen fierce debate in France about women who wear full-body coverings such as “burqinis” on the beach, resulting in surreal situations where French police have ordered women to undress on the shoreline.

The new rules and fines being introduced also go hand-in-hand with increasing anti-tourism sentiment and a drive by authorities to help tourists better “fit in” with locals, by obeying social norms. It is no coincidence that the rules are being seen in France, the world’s most visited country, and Spain – a close runner up – where anti-tourism protests have been rife.

Interestingly, of 102 million international visitors in France last year, 28% of men think toplessness is okay, a Perspectus Global survey found, so some conflict about the resort rules could be coming. Yet however people feel about the measures, unless they wish to lose some of their summer holiday budget on a toplessness fine, popping on a T-shirt is probably a good idea (and will help prevent sunburn in those extreme temperatures too!).

L’article France introduces €150 fines for going topless in holiday hotspots this summer est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The Pont Neuf might well be one of Paris’ most famous monuments, although thanks to its central location, many tourists cross without even noticing. Despite its name, which means as much as ‘New Bridge’, it is actually the oldest bridge in Paris, dating back to the start of the 17^th century.

In order to celebrate the bridge and its powerful heritage, earlier in 2026, it became clear that a large-scale art installation by street artist JR, often referred to as the French Banksy, was in the making. The project, called La Caverne du Pont Neuf or the Pont Neuf Cavern, was meant to be an homage to the work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. In 1985, the artistic duo used some 13 kilometres of rope and 12 tonnes of chains to wrap the bridge in a golden-like texture.

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The installation was meant to open on 6 June and those who happened to pass by the Pont Neuf over the last few weeks undoubtedly noticed the preparation works. Measuring some 120 by 20 by 18 meters, using 8,900 square meters worth of printed polyester fabric, and consisting of 10 interconnected modules, it is no surprise that the piece of art wasn’t installed in a day.

However, on 3 June, disaster struck and part of the structure was damaged due to strong winds. Reparations had to be carried out and the Pont Neuf Cavern was finally able to open its doors to the public on Monday 15 June 2026 at 6:00 pm.

A visit of the Pont Neuf Cavern already starts on the outside. While JR designed the piece of art in Paris, the fabric used for the installation was made at Air Toiles Concept in Brittany. The French company based in Plougoumelen specialises in textile and inflatable structures and JR’s design even led them to buy new large-format printers and open a second workshop. After the Cavern closes, the fabric will be reused and/or recycled.

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However, the real interest of the Cavern lies inside. Contrary to Christo and Jeanne-Claude in 1985, JR chose to immerse the Pont Neuf and its visitors in darkness. The fabric was designed and printed in such a way as to create the illusion of a stone, textured cave and that feeling is being underlined by an olfactory experience, created by expert Sarah Bouasse. By using geosmin and isoborneol, she created a smell reminiscent of dampness and of dry earth being hit by rain.

“You enter into the darkness and emerge into the light on the other side,” JR said about the Pont Neuf Cavern.

The sound installation put together by Thomas Bangalter, known as one half of the electronic duo Daft Punk, uses all kinds of  rumbles and echoes to elevate the illusion. Tourists and locals who want to make the most of their visit can use the augmented-reality experience developed by tech company Snap. Meanwhile, the traditional Pont Neuf cobbles underneath their feet create the perfect cavern-like flooring.

The free immersive experience Pont Neuf Cavern will be open 24/7 until 28 June 2026, with a maximum of 700 visitors allowed inside at once.

L’article Free Pont Neuf Cavern attraction by French Banksy opens in Paris est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The country saw a 53% increase in business visitors, ahead of Japan (+12.3%), the United States (+11.7%), and the United Kingdom (+5.6%).

Booking.com for Business cites figures showing that France welcomed an additional 11.6 million corporate travellers in absolute terms compared with 2024. This was more than three times the increase recorded in the US (+3.7 million), putting it far ahead of the UK, which gained just 365,000 additional business visitors.

The reasons behind France’s rise are varied. These include its strategic location at the heart of Europe, its excellent rail and air connections, its business-friendly infrastructure, the upgrades carried out ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and the government’s efforts to maintain the country’s position as a major economic player.

France has also benefited from the repositioning of financial services post-Brexit, growth in its technology sector, and the return of face-to-face meetings and networking events after years of disruption related to the pandemic. Although digital alternatives have multiplied, none of them can compete entirely with the charm of centuries-old towns and villages, cultural richness, French wines, luxury hospitality, and a touch of decorum.

A separate survey published last month ranked France first for European attractiveness for the seventh consecutive year, with 852 investment projects recorded in 2025, ahead of the UK (730) and Germany (548). The study tracks foreign investment projects as well as the perception of countries among international business leaders.

Beyond corporate travel, France also maintained its position as the world’s most visited country in 2025, welcoming 102 million international visitors, according to UN World Tourism Organisation data. It remained ahead of Spain (93.8 million), the United States (72.4 million) and Italy (60.6 million).

Although global tourism forecasts for 2026 have been revised downwards due to geopolitical tensions, flight disruptions, and rising costs, the sector is still expected to contribute $12 trillion to the global economy – representing 9.9% of global GDP – with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasting 3.2% growth.

Its April 2026 sentiment poll notes that “industry pessimism now outweighs optimism as broader geopolitical conflicts are increasingly shaping travel routes, safety considerations, and meeting decisions worldwide”. More than three-quarters (76%) of respondents said geopolitical tensions are having a moderate or significant impact on their organisation’s business travel and meetings decisions, while nearly three in ten now expect corporate travel volumes to fall in 2026.

Although the US remains the world leader in business travel expenditure, spending hundreds of billions of dollars annually on corporate trips, its growth rate lagged behind Europe’s in 2025.

Additionally, 40% of respondents said they were less likely than six months earlier to host multinational meetings in the US amid uncertainty linked to decisions taken by the Trump administration. Some international organisers are therefore considering alternative destinations in Europe and Asia.

This shift matters economically. Corporate travellers generally spend more than leisure visitors, supporting premium hotels, restaurants and event venues such as the Paris Convention Centre and the Palais des Congrès, as well as creating local jobs.

Paris welcomed 18 million visitors in 2025, boosted by both business travel and the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, damaged by fire in 2019. France is now seeking to expand its capacity further and aims to reach €100 billion in annual tourism revenue by 2030, compared with the €77.5 billion recorded in 2025.

Despite the rise of virtual meetings, corporate travel is expected to surpass its 2019 pre-pandemic levels in 2026.

L’article France surges ahead in business travel growth as corporate visitors reach record numbers est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

More than 1,700 passengers and crew had initially been asked to remain onboard as a precaution after dozens of people reported gastrointestinal symptoms. The ship, carrying 1,233 passengers, mainly from the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as 514 crew members, arrived in the French port on 13 May and was held there pending the outcome of medical tests.

At the peak of the situation, around 80 individuals experienced stomach-related symptoms, with the highest number of cases reported while the ship was docked in Brest earlier in the week.

Mild viral infection confirmed, norovirus ruled out

French health authorities have since clarified that the situation is under control. The illness affecting passengers has been identified as a mild viral infection with no serious consequences reported.

Initial concerns pointed to a possible outbreak of norovirus, a highly contagious form of gastroenteritis commonly associated with cruise ships. However, tests ruled this out, and further investigations are ongoing. Food poisoning has not been excluded as a possible cause.

Passengers showing symptoms have been instructed to isolate in their cabins, while those without symptoms have now been allowed to leave the vessel.

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Death of elderly passenger unrelated

The incident was further complicated by the death of an elderly passenger during the voyage. Authorities confirmed that the 92-year-old man died of a heart attack before the ship reached Brest, and that his death is unrelated to the gastrointestinal illnesses reported onboard.

Earlier reports had raised concerns about a possible link between the death and the outbreak, but this has since been dismissed.

No link to hantavirus cases on other vessels

The situation also prompted comparisons with a separate health incident involving the MV Hondius, where a suspected hantavirus cluster had been reported after a voyage departing Argentina. French health officials stressed that there is no connection between the two cases.

While gastrointestinal infections such as gastroenteritis are relatively common and typically mild, hantavirus is rare and significantly more severe.

During the confinement period in Bordeaux, enhanced sanitation measures were implemented across the ship. These included intensified cleaning protocols, assisted service in dining areas, and reinforced hygiene guidance for passengers and crew, such as regular handwashing and prompt reporting of symptoms.

In a statement, the cruise operator said it had implemented health and safety protocols in line with public health procedures and was working closely with local authorities.

The Ambition, which departed from the Shetland Islands on 6 May and called at Belfast and Liverpool before arriving in France, is expected to resume its itinerary towards Spain once clearance is granted.

L’article Cruise ship passengers allowed to disembark in Bordeaux after health scare onboard est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Since the introduction of the three-starred Michelin ranking in 1926, the stars have become a globally recognised distinction within the culinary landscape. Every year, a list of national ceremonies elects the best restaurants in the industry, by appointing both newly-starred locations and previously-loved classics.

This year, France’s Guide Michelin awarded chef Yannick Alléno with his 18^th star, just months after the opening of Monsieur Dior in Paris. Not only is such a rapid award a rare sight, but Alléno also became the most-starred chef in the world in 2026, surpassing French chef Alain Ducasse.

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“Receiving this distinction from the MICHELIN Guide for the restaurant Monsieur Dior at 30 Montaigne and offering Maison Dior its first star is an immense pride. Since the opening, the teams have carried this project with an energy and talent that honor both our houses. Our responsibility is to prepare the future. To train, to transmit, to inspire confidence. Stars illuminate the path, but it is the women and men who build it. These stars belong to the team. They reward their talent, their creativity, and their commitment to always go further. Today, I am proud that the Group consolidates its place among the great institutions of French gastronomy internationally”, Yannick Alléno commented after receiving his first star for Monsieur Dior.

Internationally speaking, not many have heard of Yannick Alléno. This is no coincidence, as he chooses to stay under the radar, especially regarding his private life. Yet over the course of his career, Alléno has attracted culinary attention for his work, especially his sauces, extraction techniques, fermentation, and cryoconcentration. Moreover, throughout his career, he has mentored over 40 chefs who later received (a) star(s) for their own restaurants, earning him the Michelin Chef Mentor Award in 2024.

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In 2026, Yannick Alléno has 21 different restaurants across the globe, while 10 of them currently have at least one Michelin star. Remarkably, the chef oversees two three-starred restaurants – Alléno Paris and Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc – as well as three-starred restaurants under one roof – Alléno Paris, L’Abysse Paris, and Pavyllon Paris at Pavillon Ledoyen.

Alléno’s starred restaurants:

• Alléno Paris***, Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris
• Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc***, Cheval Blanc, Courchevel
• L’Abysse Paris**, Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris
• L’Abysse Monte-Carlo**, Hôtel Hermitage, Monaco
• La Table de Pavie**, Hôtel de Pavie, Saint-Émilion
• STAY**, One&Only The Palm, Dubai
• Pavyllon Paris*, Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris
• Pavyllon Monte-Carlo*, Hôtel Hermitage, Monaco
• Pavyllon London*, Four Seasons, London
• Monsieur Dior*, 30 Montaigne, Paris

Despite his already impressive track record, Yannick Alléno is not about to slow down.

“I pursued this profession to give others pleasure and happiness. I love opening a good bottle of wine with friends, and, like everyone, I’ll make a roast chicken or put a leg of lamb in the oven. I’m just beginning my career,” Alléno told CNN Travel.

Over the course of 2026, the French chef has several new projects in the pipeline. Not only is he in charge of the newly opened COMO Le Beauvallon in Saint-Tropez, but he has also been appointed as the executive chef of the new Orient Express Corinthian. Aboard the world’s largest sailing yacht, Alléno will be overseeing no less than five restaurants.

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Under its current guise, the group has been around for over two decades, bearing the name of its founding members since its creation in 2004, despite talk at the time of the original merger of a new, more neutral moniker, such as French European Airlines.

With consolidation rife in aviation—and accelerating as airlines face rising costs amid the Middle East fuel crisis—SAS is not the only airline that Air France-KLM has its eyes on. The long-awaited privatisation of TAP could also see the group win out over rival Lufthansa to embrace the Portuguese carrier into the fold. With two takeovers in mind then, plus a 19.9% stake in Scandinavia’s SAS already, as well as stakes in several other airlines, including Air Corsica, Kenya Airways and WestJet, a name with international associations would better reflect the group’s makeup.

A spokesperson said, “It is perfectly logical to hold the discussion about a new name, given that we plan to add new brands to the Air France-KLM Group. After all, the current name only reflects our two historical brands.”

The name “the Blue Group” is being mooted, according to people with knowledge of the issue who spoke to De Telegraaf. The colour is already a main element in the image of both Air France, KLM, and SAS.CEO Ben Smith is said to be in favour of a change of identity, though insiders have reported that other members of senior management are not enamoured with any name change or loss of Air France-KLM branding, calling it “a heavy step.”

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Some are sceptical about the name change being a precursor to operational changes that would see the group run from Paris, with sub-brands losing autonomy. Annual reporting also shows this has effectively already happened to KLM subsidiary AirTrade, a package operator for KLM and Transavia, now owned and run by the Paris holding. In 2025, KLM’s Adriaan den Heijer was subsumed into the Paris holding group as chief commercial officer, alongside COO Oltion Carkaxhija.

The new “unbranded” name could follow the lead of British Airways and Iberia’s  International Airlines Group (IAG) in eliminating associations with dominant carrier energy, though it remains unclear how Portuguese authorities would view any such move, since retention of national interests has been such a key part of acquisition negotiations.

L’article Air France-KLM set to change its name to The Blue Group est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.