Riviera Reporter
Riviera Reporter
THE FRENCH RIVIERA'S ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWS MAGAZINE
THE FRENCH RIVIERA'S ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWS MAGAZINE

Travel


Air Travel, Rail, Sea, Destination Reports.


Stockholm at Christmas

Get into the holiday spirit with a short pre-Christmas break to Stockholm

Nancy Heslin | Dec 06, 2015
After discovering the sport of SwimRun – in a nutshell, running in your wetsuit across islands in Stockholm’s Archipelago and plunging into the 10°C Baltic Sea to swim in your running shoes to the next inlet – I found myself making several journeys…
Apricale

Liguria like a local: Apricale

Chrissie McClatchie | Oct 08, 2015
For this next instalment (see Liguria like a local: Dolceacqua) in my series on the wonderful villages hidden in the hills of Liguria, I enlisted the help of my trusty partner in crime – and fellow Italophile – Michaela, who can always be relied…
Bison in Africa

Tanzania: The greatest show on earth

Caren Trafford | Sep 08, 2015
How do you find a birthday present for a man who has everything and has been everywhere? It took months of planning but as our pilot began the descent towards the small sandy runway, a strip across the African bush, I knew I had found the answer.…
Sestri Levante

Liguria like a local: Sestri Levante

Elizabeth Gabay | Aug 22, 2015
To me, Liguria splits in two at Genoa. To the west, along the coastal stretch known as the Riviera Ligure di Ponente (the coast of the setting sun), it’s an easily accessible day trip from Nice and comfortably familiar. Head east of Genoa, however,…
Artic Circle

Beyond the Arctic Circle: In search of the polar bear

Caren Trafford | Jul 09, 2015
I love wildlife programmes but I never believed that the photographs and videos – those close-ups of polar bears as they frolicked on pure white ice floes or ambled with their cubs across huge expanses of white snow – could be taken by someone other…
Andrew Gradon Passport

Andrew Gradon, airport scammer - we got him!

Riviera Reporter | Jun 07, 2015
If you’ve been a regular Reporter reader in recent years, the name Andrew Gradon should mean something. He was the British conman whose sob story fooled unwary travellers at airports around Europe, including Nice. Many handed him cash, which he…
Hitchhiking

A journey of a thousand miles through France begins with … a reservation

Lisa Pepin | Sep 30, 2014
Even though it’s one of the most visited regions on the planet, the South of France is a geographical oddity in the minds of would-be travellers – “just a couple of hours” from any part of France. As a tourist attraction with a Provençal farm (Les…
Guests at Airbnb

DIY B&B with Airbnb

Nancy Heslin | Aug 06, 2014
Airbnb has over 2000 listings in Nice but is there a hidden cost for a bargain bed? As I write, Airbnb Inc – the website that “connects people with rooms to share with people who need a place to stay” – is in front of New York’s Supreme Court…
Durmitor Massif

Discovering the little gem that is Montenegro

Nick Kent | Jan 02, 2014
The Full Monte. For a pocket-sized country, Montenegro punches way above its weight as a tourist destination. The astonishing folds of the Durmitor mountain range in the north of Montenegro But first things first, do you have an accurate idea of…
Passenger Rights App

Passenger rights in the palm of your hand

Riviera Reporter | Aug 16, 2013
The European Commission has a free passenger rights app for air and rail travel. Now if you’re stranded at the airport you can instantly know your rights. Meanwhile, the EU’s recently-proposed new rules regarding flight delays, rerouting,…
Heathrow Row

The Heathrow row: to expand or not?

Mike Meade | Jul 25, 2013
After Paris, London is the leading destination from Nice and we have the choice of four London airports to fly into on scheduled routes: London City, Gatwick, Luton and Heathrow. Depending on your final destination and factoring in the time and cost…
Nice Airport T2

Aircraft: Why are we weighting?

Mike Meade | Jul 11, 2013
Flying is a weighty issue. The lighter the aircraft, the better it flies and – more importantly for airlines – the less fuel it needs to stay in the air, and the less we have to pay for tickets. The arrival of the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Nice…
Monte Mongoie

Meet the neighbours, in Liguria

Nick Kent | Apr 15, 2013
If you fancy going somewhere really exotic and different for a minibreak, try Liguria. The Italian province that borders the Alpes-Maritimes is a world away from Côte d’Azur, especially if you venture a little way inland.Although the coast boasts a…
Bjorn Kjos

Bjorn Kjos, the new face of Norwegian Airlines

Nick Kent | Apr 06, 2013
First there was Stelios, then Michael O’Leary, and now a craggy-faced Norwegian called Bjorn Kjos (pictured) is set to be the new hero of the low-cost flier.Norwegian Airlines was created in 1993, rising from the ashes of bankrupt airline Busy Bee,…
Nice Airport Terminal 2

Airport Nice-Côte d'Azur. Looking up!

Mike Meade | Mar 28, 2013
Recent times have been tough for the travel business and for airports worldwide that depend on it. Nice-Côte d'Azur is bucking the trend. Leaving behind the airline traffic slump due to the recession of 2009 and which only started to reverse from…
Play your cards right!

Beware of bank card charges when travelling

Riviera Reporter | Mar 19, 2013
As usual at this time of the year we’ve been hearing complaints about what some people see as rip-offs when they’ve used their bank cards while on holiday outside of France. The banks, of course, look for any opportunity to make a bit of extra…
e-passport

Take the Fast Track at airports

Riviera Reporter | Feb 26, 2013
If you fly out of Nice at least ten times a year, request a “Premier” card which gives you access to the dedicated rapid security checks at T1 or T2. No more queuing for security thanks to this fast-track initiative by Nice airport Marketing…
Gatwick Lounge

British Airways, Gatwick at its best

Stella Cox | Feb 11, 2013
Many of you will recall the days when flying was exotic; you dressed in your best clothes, you got to the airport maybe just an hour before take-off, the security line was frequently empty, the flight cost you a fortune. 9/11 changed all that. Today…
Nice Station

Unhappy with the SNCF?

Riviera Reporter | Jan 31, 2013
Despite some clear improvements in service, the SNCF still attracts quite a lot of hostile comment. As we noted earlier, it’s now offering a Garantie voyage to passengers using the TGV, Intercity trains and international services. This covers such…
Pan Am pilots and staff

Pan Am: Remembering the great days

Patrick Middleton | Jan 21, 2013
The first four days of November saw a remarkable coming together of former Pan Am employees in Monaco. I sat down at the Meridien Beach in Monaco with three 747 captains, two old-time cabin crew and a couple of familiar faces to me – those of Max…
Dominique Thillaud

Dominique Thillaud: New man at the helm at Nice-Côte d’Azur airports

Riviera Reporter | Jan 04, 2013
After more than 40 years of service, 25 of them as General Director, Nice Airport’s Hervé de Place retired in September. Under his tenure, Nice-Cote d’Azur evolved from a single terminal, single runway airport into France’s second platform with…
Paris

Paris: From Monet to the Michelin Man

Nancy Heslin | Oct 11, 2012
In an ongoing series on short breaks from Nice, Nancy Heslin visited the nation’s capital for a dose of culture The City of Light has always been known for three things: a “mauvaise image” when it comes to welcoming tourists, extravagant prices and…
Voluntourism

Voluntourism - Romania

Nancy Heslin | Oct 10, 2012
Nancy Heslin participated in the first Canadian housing build in Piteşti, Romania, with Habitat for Humanity International. Here she came across faces and places that will not soon be forgotten. Voluntourism – or responsible tourism for the socially…
Helsinki

Helsinki: Nokia, Koskenkorva and The Last Tango in Europe

Nancy Wilson | Jun 06, 2012
In our ongoing series on Short Breaks, Nancy Wilson visits Helsinki, Finland - a three hour flight from Nice Credit: Anneli Hongisto Let's start off with a little trivia: what country has the longest day of sunlight and is home to Santa's village? A…
Palermo

Benvenuti al Palermu

Nancy Wilson | May 22, 2012
Continuing her series on short breaks, Nancy Wilson visits Palermo in Sicily My last island experience was Corfu. Beforehand I had visions of dancing Greeks downing ouzo to cries of "Opa! Opa!". That’s not what I found: my memory of Corfu is of…
Transavia

The Transavia Model

Mike Meade | May 17, 2012
There are low cost airlines - and then there are low cost airlines. Since the birth of no-frills services over 20 years ago, discount carriers have gradually tweaked their offers to accommodate the needs of niche markets within the low cost model.…
Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Mike Meade | May 13, 2012
Mike Meade on that other city in Holland I wasn’t expecting anything like Amsterdam but that’s not what I got. I was expecting a dingy port yet that’s not what I got either. What I did get was an attractive pristine city with a refreshingly modern…
British Airways Patrick Malval

British Airways, the legacy option

Mike Meade | May 12, 2012
British Airways has been flying to and from Nice since 1946. Now 66 years later, more Gatwick flights are added to their Nice-London routes. British Airways' French Director, Patrick Malval presenting the company to journalists in NIceAll airlines…
Amsterdam

Amsterdam - Canals, Cannabis and Culture

Mike Meade | May 11, 2012
Mike Meade explores the Netherlands’ principle city The chain smoking Flemish balladeer Jacques Brel once sang of decrepitude, booze and whores “dans le Port d’Amsterdam”. Things don’t seem to have changed much over the years. It’s still a seedy…
Goteborg

Gimme lakes! Gimme islands! Göteborg

Mike Meade | May 09, 2012
Sweden's second city isn't a place you'd normally think of for a short getaway but Mike Meade gave it a try. Because the Riviera is a popular holiday destination with a large expat population Nice-Riviera airport is directly linked to the hometowns…
Prague

From the Prom’ to Prague

Mike Meade | May 07, 2012
Closer to Nice than London, Prague is a fascinating destination. Mike Meade recently visited the capital of Bohemia and the Czech Republic Prague offers a refreshing change of scenery from other European destinations. A visit to this relaxed Central…
Default Image

DVT : Flying without dying

Patrick Middleton | Mar 26, 2012
Patrick Middleton (who’s had it) takes a realistic look at Deep Vein Thrombosis The scare over DVT, as Deep Vein Thrombosis is usually called, has blown up over the few years. Discussion has sometimes had a wildly alarmist tone, summed up by my…
Default Image

Travelling by rail in Europe

Mike Preston | Feb 27, 2012
A sad reality of long distance rail travel in Europe is that low cost airlines mean that it is usually more expensive than flying, although by the time you factor in the costs of getting to and from airports, checking in (RyanAir charge you for…
Sleigh

Rovaniemi, Finland: The City of Eight Seasons

Nancy Heslin | Jan 10, 2012
Nancy Heslin has never really warmed to the holiday season and in a bid to leave snow and frostbiting temperatures in her past, she left Canada nearly ten years ago. But after a recent visit to Rovaniemi, Finland, official home to Santa Claus and on…
Cruise ship

Cruising for the uninitiated

Valda Lynen | Jan 10, 2012
As a cruise virgin I decided that I couldn’t go on criticising an activity that I had never experienced. So recently I took a cruise starting from Amsterdam and sailing up the Norwegian coast to North Cape in the Arctic Circle. The French call these…
Nice airport

WiFi for free at NIce airport

Riviera Reporter | Jan 10, 2012
On October 1 2009, Nice became the first major airport in France to offer free WiFi access to passengers. If you're travelling with a laptop or smart phone with WiFi capabilities you can connect for 30 minutes after accepting the terms of use.…
airplane

Afraid of flying?

Riviera Reporter | Jan 10, 2012
No, we’re not talking about your aircraft suddenly falling out of the sky. Despite a number of high profile accidents recently, flying has never been safer. Recent figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show that there were…

Barcelona - attitude and architecture

Nancy Wilson | Jan 10, 2012
In our series on short breaks from Nice, Nancy Wilson visits Barcelona Over the past year, article after article on Barcelona has popped up in the press - from the Sunday Times to the Trib - mostly by journalists looking for that ultra-hip angle to…

To Tozuer with Tunisair

Nancy Wilson | Jan 10, 2012
Nancy Wilson reports on new direct destination from Nice: Tozuer, Tunisia For those, like myself, who wish to explore Arab culture and language without finding it totally opaque, Tunisia makes for a great stepping stone. Hospitable and humble,…
Violinist

Destination Dublin, with Ryanair

Mike Meade | Jan 10, 2012
O'Leary's Way. Mike Meade explores County Wicklow and learns about flying with Ryanair. This was my first time flying Ryanair and I have always imagined it would be low-cost, no-frills, travel misery. Well, the cost was low and the frills were none…
To be notified of latest articles:
"Like" our Page on Facebook