Day 3274 (Tuesday) 26th May 2026

This is an interesting view of Villefranche-sur-Mer

and this is Cannes.

 

Today is our 20th wedding anniversary – happy anniversary to us, I can’t believe it’s been 20 years. We went to Place Garibaldi in Nice for lunch in a restaurant we’ve never been to before and we had a new view of Garibaldi.

It was lovely and sunny and we had to sit in the shade, summer is definitely here. 

Huw had the ravioli a la daube (beef) and I had the ribs with potatoes.

It was a great spot for people-watching as it’s so busy and the Grand Tour bus of Nice and Villefranche went past a few times.

Later on Huw is going to make Limoncello Spritz because Ken’s wife gave us a bottle of limoncello the other day.

The Limoncello Spritz is a delightful combination of limoncello, prosecco, and club soda that will transport you to an Italian lemon grove.  Add some mint and lemon slices for colour, and you’ve got a simple cocktail that is also easy on the eyes.

The Perfect Cocktail For Lemon Lovers

I absolutely adore lemon flavoured food and drink, especially in summer.  The bright, sunny flavour that lemon imparts on anything it surrounds, is delightful.

If you love lemon, then the Limoncello Spritz is for you.

It’s light, refreshing, very easy to make, making it the perfect cocktail for summer gatherings.

What is in a Limoncello Spritz?

Well, like most spritzes, there is prosecco, club soda and ice.  And of course limoncello!  We added some mint and lemon slices to this spritz, but feel free to get creative with garnishes.

Here are some fun facts on limoncello:

It is an Italian liqueur that hails from the Amalfi coast and is usually served as an apperitivo (before  a meal), or a digestivo (after a meal) to aid digestion.

It is typically served chilled in small ceramic glasses and is meant to be sipped slowly, and savoured.

Many Italians make their own limoncello by combining lemon peels, sugar and vodka or other neutral tasting alcohol.  

How To Make The Limoncello Spritz

First, gather your ingredients, and fill a glass with ice.  We love using wine glasses for spritzes, but you could use a pint, highball, or rocks glass as well.

Using a jigger or measuring cup, fill the glass with 2 oz of limoncello, 3 oz prosecco and 1 oz of club soda.

Give the drink a quick stir and then add your garnishes.

That’s all – you’re ready to serve!

Didn’t I say this was easy?

A delicious and refreshing cocktail that combines prosecco, club soda, and of course, limoncello.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

▢2 oz limoncello

▢3 oz prosecco

▢1 oz club soda

▢1 cup ice

▢1 sprig mint (optional - for garnish)

▢3 slices lemon (optional - for garnish)

Instructions 

Add ice to a glass of your choice.

Add the limoncello, followed by the prosecco and club soda.

Stir the ingredients.

Add garnishes of mint and lemon, if desired.

France swelters under record May temperatures as heatwave continues

A man sits by a fountain at the Thabor park in Rennes, western France on May 25th, 2026, as French weather service Météo-France placed western France under yellow alert amid an unusually early heatwave. (Photo by Sebastien Salom-Gomis / AFP)

France remained in the grip of its earliest heatwave on record on Tuesday. Forecasters have warned that temperatures could climb close to 40C later this week in parts of the country.

A total of 27 départements in France were placed under official heatwave alerts on Tuesday, May 26th, with eight in the west of the country placed on the higher orange alert level.

The warnings mainly affect western France, Paris and the surrounding Île-de-France region, as well as parts of eastern France including Rhône and Isère.

The départements on orange alert are Finistère, Ille-et-Vilaine, Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Manche, Mayenne, Morbihan and Vendée.

According to weather forecaster Météo France, temperatures are expected to rise above 30C across almost the entire country, driven by a “heat dome”, a high-pressure weather system trapping hot air moving north from Africa.

The hottest cities on Tuesday include Lyon, Montélimar and Bordeaux, where temperatures could reach 36C. Paris is forecast to hit 35C, alongside Rennes, Brest, Tours, Rouen and Auxerre.

The weather forecast for Tuesday afternoon ion France. Image Météo France.

Toulouse and La Rochelle are expected to see highs of 34C, while Strasbourg could reach 32C. Mediterranean cities are likely to remain slightly cooler, with forecasts of 30C in Nice and 28C in Marseille. 

Weather agencies warned that records could be broken on Tuesday after Monday became the hottest May day ever recorded in several parts of France.

The heatwave is expected to remain intense through Wednesday, with very high temperatures continuing into Thursday and Friday. Cooler Atlantic air could bring some relief starting next weekend, particularly on Sunday, although temperatures are still expected to remain above seasonal norms.

Some weather models suggest temperatures in central and southwestern France could approach 40C later this week, unusually high for late May.

Thunderstorms could develop towards the end of the week, especially around the Paris region, potentially bringing temperatures down slightly, although forecasters say the longer-term outlook remains uncertain.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is due to chair an interministerial meeting on Thursday to review the government’s plan of action for the heatwave.

Meanwhile, French government spokesperson Maud Bregeon said authorities had recorded seven deaths linked to the heatwave in recent days, including at least five drownings.

Officials said the figures would need to be confirmed once the heatwave has ended.