Day 2906 (Friday) 23rd May 2025

This is Cannes

and this is Place Massena in Nice.

 

It was another lovely day and we went into town to have lunch in the square.

We walked home along the seafront and there were plenty of tourists enjoying their lunch.

The Monaco Grand Prix started properly today and here is the programme… 

PROGRAMME OF MONACO GP 2025

GRAND PRIX PROGRAMME

THURSDAY 22 MAY 2025

07:00:Track closed

13:30 - 14:15:Formula 3 - Practice session + Start practice

15:00 - 15:45:Formula 2 - Practice session + Start practice

16:30 - 17:15:Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup - Practice session

19:30:Track open

FRIDAY 23 MAY 2025

07:30:Track closed

11:10 - 11:26:Formula 3 (Group A) - Qualifying session

11:34 - 11:50:Formula 3 (Group B) - Qualifying session

13:30 -14:30:Formula 1 - Free practice 1

15:10 - 15:26:Formula 2 (Group A) - Qualifying session

15:34 - 15:50:Formula 2 (Group B) - Qualifying session

17:00 -18:00:Formula 1 - Free practice 2

18:45 - 19:15:Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup - Qualifying session

19:35:Track open

SATURDAY 24 MAY 2025

07:00:Track closed

10:45 - 11:30:Formula 3 - Sprint Race (23 laps or 40 mn + 1 lap)

12:30 -13:30:Formula 1 - Free practice 3

14:15 - 15:05:Formula 2 - Sprint Race (30 laps or 45mn + 1 lap)

16:00 -17:00:Formula 1 - Qualifying session (Q1-Q2-Q3)

19:30:Track open

SUNDAY 25 MAY 2025

05:00:Track closed

08:10 - 09:00:Formule 3 - Course (27 tours ou 45 mn + 1 tour)

09:50 - 10:55:Formula 2 - Feature Race (42 laps or 60mn + 1 lap)

12:05 - 12:40:Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup - Race (17 laps or 30mn max.)

12:50 - 13:20:Formula 1 - Drivers' Parade

14:20 - 14:30:Formula 1 - Pit lane opent

14:46:National Anthem

15:00:Formula 1 - 82nd F1 Grand Prix de Monaco (78 laps or 120mn max.)

20:30:Track open

The Grand Prix of Monaco™ is THE mythical race, the hardest of the Formula 1 World Championship, one of the greatest and most challenging racing events on the sports calendar. It is the most prestigious motor race of the world, under exceptional conditions.

We are pleased to offer superb, highest quality, valuable opportunities to live and experience one of the most incredible weekends of racing in the calendar that culminates with the Formula 1 Grand prix™ on Sunday.

Here are the rest of the Interesting and Unusual French Facts

Environmental and Social Policies

In 2016, France was the first country to pass a law banning supermarkets from discarding unsold food, requiring them to donate it to charities.This initiative has reduced food waste and hunger, inspiring similar laws in other countries.

In the wild in France, there are an estimated 400–500 breeding pairs of golden eagles, 1,100 European grey wolves, and around 80 brown bears in the Pyrénées. (as of 2024).

France is among Europe’s largest hydroelectric power producers, supplying approximately 10-12% of the country’s total electricity generation.

Military and Political Influence

French is the official language of 29 countries and is spoken on every continent. It is the primary language in France, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, and several African nations.

French is the official language of the United Nations, the European Union, and the Olympic Games. It is also a significant diplomatic and cultural language.

Established in 1445, the French Army is one of the oldest standing armies in Europe.

During World War I, the French military developed camouflage techniques, and the word camouflage comes from the French language.

France was a founding member of the European Union, playing a key role in its establishment in 1993.

Quirky and Interesting Facts

Fascinating French Laws and Customs

There is a law in France that dictates the exact ingredients and method for making a traditional baguette.

In fashion, the term “haute couture” is legally protected in France, and strict rules govern which fashion houses can use the label.

In France, the “Radio Quota” law requires that at least 40% of the music played on private radio stations be of French expression to support French music and culture.

The final execution by guillotine in France occurred on September 10, 1977. The death penalty was abolished in 1981 during François Mitterrand’s presidency.

By law, French restaurants must provide free tap water if requested.

Quirky French Sporting Facts

Pierre de Coubertin is the father of the modern Olympic Games. In 1894, he founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and two years later, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens.

France played cricket during the 1900 Paris Olympic Games, and they actually made it to the final—though it was also the only match of the tournament.

Just Fontaine holds the record for the most goals in a single FIFA World Cup, scoring 13 goals during the 1958 World Cup in Sweden. No player has beaten this record in any tournament since.

Pétanque is so popular that there are over 300,000 registered players in France. Apparently, in some villages, there are more pétanque clubs than inhabitants.

The Tour de France is a cycling race that covers 3,500 kilometres (2,200 miles) through 21 day-long stages over 23 to 24 days, attracting around 1 billion TV viewers.

French skier Simon Billy set a world speed skiing record of 255.5 km/h (158.9 mph) in 2023 at Vars.

French tennis player Nicolas Mahut holds the record for the longest tennis match in history, competing against John Isner for 11 hours and 5 minutes at Wimbledon in 2010.

Quirky Eiffel Tower Facts

The Eiffel Tower is just over 1,000 feet tall, has 1,665 steps to the top (unless you take the lift), and is covered in 20,000 light bulbs.

The Eiffel Tower was initially meant to be temporary, with plans to dismantle after 20 years. Construction began in January 1887 and was completed on March 31, 1889.

The Eiffel Tower’s height can vary by up to 15 centimetres due to temperature changes as the iron expands and contracts with heat and cold.

Every day from 1900 to 1914, the “Canon de midi” (noon cannon) would sound from the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, allowing Parisians to set their watches to the correct time.

Erika Eiffel famously “married” the Eiffel Tower in 2007. She has Objectophilia, a condition in which people develop romantic feelings for objects.

In the 1920s, con artist Victor Lustig convinced businessmen that he was selling the Eiffel Tower for scrap metal and pulled off the scam twice.

Fascinating Facts About Paris

Beneath Paris, the Catacombs contain the remains of more than 6 million people, making it one of the largest underground cemeteries worldwide.

The tunnels inside the Catacombs are a labyrinth. In 1793, a man named Philibert Aspairt got lost inside, and his body was found 11 years later.

Hidden beneath the Catacombs is a small underground lake used by workers to navigate tunnels. It’s off-limits to the public.

The Champs-Élysées stretches about 1.9 kilometres (1.2 miles) in length and is 70 metres (230 feet) wide, making it one of the most impressive avenues in Europe.

The shortest street in Paris, Rue des Degrés, is just 5.75 metres long.

The Luxor Obelisk in Place de la Concorde, Paris, is a 3,300-year-old monument gifted to France by Egypt in 1831.

Point Zero, or Kilometre Zero, is a location in Paris from which all road distances in France are measured, marked by a brass star in the ground.

Driving in Paris can be chaotic, but surprisingly, there is only one stop road sign in the entire city. The capital relies on right-of-way rules at intersections.

Rungis International Market in Paris is one of the largest wholesale food markets in the world. It covers an area of over 234 hectares (578 acres).

The Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes in Paris, established in 1794, is one of the oldest public zoos in the world.

Final Fun and Random Facts about France

France has more roundabouts than any other country in the world, with over 50,000 of them.

France produces over 10 billion baguettes each year, which amounts to nearly 320 baguettes every second.

A Town Called “Y” - Located in the Somme department, the town of Y is the shortest place name in France! Residents are humorously called “Ypsiloniens.”

The music of My Way, the classic song and jazz standard by Frank Sinatra, was originally written by French singer Claude François and released in France in 1967, under the title “Comme d’Habitude”.

The most popular names given to babies in France for 2024 were Aydem, Mahël, and Aaron for boys and Léna, Ambre, and Jade for girls.