Tour de France 2024

 

For all you cyclist enthusiasts, the new Tour de France route for 2024 has just been revealed with a couple of surprises.

Next year, the Grand Depart (Stage 1) will take place in Florence on June 29th and will end in Nice on July 21st.

This will be the first time that the route of the race will be outside of Paris. With the Olympic Games being held in the capital of France next year, an alternative conclusion to the world-famous race has been introduced.

Since the Champs-Elysees will be blocked off a few days before the Olympics are to begin on July 26th, instead, the climatic Stage 21 of the race will be a 34 km individual trial time along the curving route between Monaco toward the city of Nice on July 21st.

From the start line in Florence, the peloton will head to Rimini on the Adriatic coast for Stage 1. From there it will be Cesenatico to Bologna for Stage 2, and Plaisance to Turin for Stage 3. Stage 4 will also begin in Italy, in Pinerolo to be exact, before crossing into France for the first time in the 2024 edition.

The cyclists will then reach their most northern point in Troyes, before turning west and eventually south to Le Lioran in the Massif Central then to Pau and along the border with Spain.

The Tour will enter the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region for the first time in the race at the end of Stage 17, with a climb up Superdévoluy. Then from Gap to Barcelonnette, which will be one of the most challenging areas of the entire event as the peloton will push above 2,000 metres three times.

Isola 2000 will get a visit from the Tour on Friday 19th July, for the end of the 19th stage, but “nothing will be settled yet as the stage for a major rematch will be set over the 133km between Nice and the Col de la Couillole, with the Col de Turini and the Col de la Colmiane”, which will be tackled by the riders for the penultimate stage.

This will be a very technical ending to the race with riders needing to provide all their strength and efforts for their uphill time training capabilities and then continue to follow through from there with the finish of the race being in Place Masséna in Nice.

Winter 2023 Holiday Ski Chalet Rentals

 

France has been breaking tourism records throughout the country since Covid19 lockdown restrictions were lifted.

This past summer was no exception in the Cote d’Azur and we have also been taking care of holiday ski chalet rental inquiries coming in since late spring 2023.

Preplanning is the name of the game in travel these days with those booking early then being able to relax and plan extracurricular activities to make the most out of their ski vacation in the Rhone Alps this season.

It cannot be expressed enough that from the winter bookings already coming in, the ski season will be booming well into 2024.

Any trip planning comes with stressful moments, we want to alleviate as much of that as possible for you so the basics information to let us know about are: specific dates (give or take a day or two), number of guests, and most importantly a budget range you want to stay within in order to get the best selection of rentals available.

We are fortunate to have in our portfolio almost 220 rental properties throughout the Rhone Alps, including all the popular travel hot spots, and we also have more private and quiet hidden gems in other areas as well. 

Our property collections are both modern and traditional in architectural design and are suitable for anyone’s requirements. We have everything from 2 bedroom apartments close to the slopes to the grandest of luxury chalet rentals with indoor pools, fitness rooms, etc.

With that, here is a small collection of property rental selections to give you an idea of what is out there.

Courchevel

Area: 650m²
7 bedroom(s)
15 sleeping(s)

This superb luxury chalet with a swimming pool is nestled in the wooded cocoon of the Chenus area in Courchevel 1850. Premium services, an exceptional wellness space, and direct access to the slopes will make up the program for your stay.

Price from 50.000€ to 150.000€ per week depending on length of stay and rental dates.

Saint-Martin-de-Belleville

Area: 467 m2
Bedroom(s): 6
Sleeps 15 Guests

New prestige chalet nestled in the heart of the village of Saint Martin-de-Belleville. The chalet offers an exclusive location close to the slopes, high-quality services, and a breathtaking view of the Belleville Valley.

Weekly rates from 14,750 EUR to 35,050 EUR depending on the length of stay and dates.

Meribel

Area: 250 m2

Bedroom(s): 5

Sleeps 12 Guests

An authentic chalet rental in Meribel that is able to comfortably accommodate up to 8 adults and 4 children.

Weekly rates from 11,000 EUR to 25,800 EUR depending on the length of stay and rental dates.

 

Megeve

A wonderful holiday ski chalet rental in Megeve offering 370 m2 of living area with 6 bedrooms and able to sleep up to 12 guests.

Weekly rates from 12,500 EUR to 65,500 EUR depending on the length of stay and rental dates.

Connect with us today to book your ideal winter holiday chalet rental.

Bad Bunny Showcases Monaco

 

As an internationally known travel destination, celebrities often come and go from this part of Europe. Still, it appears one in particular, the superstar singer, Bad Bunny, made good use of his time when he was here during the recent Monaco Grand Prix as showcased in his latest music video aptly titled, “Monaco”.

The video initially begins in New York City’s most famous restaurant, Carbone, where the singer, Bad Bunny meets Al Pacino before the video then starts showing shots of the Principality of Monaco.

Under a multitude of dance beats, one begins to quickly recognize iconic Monaco hot spots, including those from the inside and outside of the beautiful Monte-Carlo Casino and even the famous Fairmont Hairpin, make an appearance between images of him on a superyacht with a plethora of female models against the backdrop of Monaco.

As a Puerto Rican superstar, he has consistently captivated audiences and pushed boundaries around the world with his distinctive blend of contemporary sounds and Latino beats, all of which have earned him numerous awards.

His latest album, ‘Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana,’ (no one knows what will happen tomorrow), which ‘Monaco’ is a part of, was released earlier this month on October 13th to already outstanding reviews and sales as the album debuted with a staggering 145.9 million streams on its first day, making it the biggest debut of 2023. 

The Monaco song’s lyrics, merge music and his love for a luxurious lifestyle including the world of fast cars. In the chorus, he effortlessly raps a clever reference to Formula 1 drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez, which adds a twist to the song, with Checo making a cameo appearance in the video and Bad Bunny trying on Verstappen’s racing helmet.

When the music video ends at the five-minute-mark, viewers are then taken “behind the scenes” to show how many of the Tik Tok-style shots of Monaco were shot, while between yachts, the Casino, the Monaco Grand Prix, and the large private villa which is located in the hills of Cannes.

Monaco’s presence in this music video not only highlights the allure of the Principality but also showcases its significance as a global destination for music, entertainment, and full-on luxury living.

Book: All in Monte Carlo

 

As a local, many of us are well aware of the good and bad of what life is really like in the Principality of Monaco.
 

Now, a new fascinating book has recently been published under the title, All in Monte Carlo, which in ways confirms what a number of local people already believe pertaining to the luxurious lifestyle in the Principality, a place where not everything that glitters is considered gold.

Inspired by true events and written under the pen name of Anne Shilling - for the most obvious of reasons. All in Monte Carlo takes you on an intriguing journey where revenge is served in ways never imagined by the four main female characters, all of whom become interconnected such as life is in Monte Carlo where everyone is truly about one degree of separation from each other and no background is left uncovered.

These strong, resourceful women, each from different beginnings and careers utilize both their intuition and personal ambitions to keep them focused and on track in high society when dealing with the men, the money, and the drama that ensues in a part of the world where appearances are everything.

All in Monte Carlo captivates you through what can be the turmoil in each of the characters’ daily lives with the various hotspot locations and even the architecture is described to a T, which can be followed by the illustrated map, offering a mind’s eye view whether you live in the area, or have previously visited Monaco.

From someone who lives in the area, the content of the book is very relatable and confirms any notions one may have about the Principality. Each of the characters in the book not only provides an insider look but it keeps you guessing who they might be based on in real life, or even a combination of people, and more especially the salacious scandals of what each of the characters is dealing with in their lives and how things will ultimately end.

This book is a definite read for everyone, whether you live in or near Monte Carlo, have been a visitor, or are planning a trip to Monaco.

All in Monte Carlo is available on Amazon and other major online retailers.