Divers

🍴 Chef Georges Blanc, 82, lost his third Michelin star held since 1981. Michelin Guide announced the downgrade, as part of a trend affecting 22 starred restaurants in 2023. Blanc aims to make his Vonnas-based culinary "village gourmand" more accessible, despite the surprise demotion.

🏢 Rennes kicks off 2025 with 130 events at Couvent des Jacobins, with over 130,000 congress days booked and openings available in the second semester. Key events include the FSU's 11th congress in February with 800 participants, the Forum des Interconnectés in March with 1,200 attendees, the 9th BreizhCTF with 600 participants, the 4th Forum des Archivistes with 900 participants over 3 days planned since February 2023, and the salon Terre et Maires for 1,100 local elected officials and community agents in April. Rennes also hosts the 50th Jeux inter-organisations in May.

💰 Machefert Group faced financial difficulties, entering safeguard proceedings in early 2022, followed by judicial reorganization on April 29, 2024. Despite plans for repositioning five establishments and launching two innovative concepts, an official call for buyers was launched early in the year due to continued challenges. The group's status was made public on December 20, 2024, by a press release. General Manager Kevin Machefert committed to updating the market on any potential agreement.

🏗️ Reims, known for its unique heritage, refined gastronomy, and thriving hotel industry, is a leading tourist destination that combines exceptional craftmanship, high cuisine, culture, history, and champagne into a quintessential French lifestyle. The city, just 45 minutes from Paris by TGV, boasts remarkable sites like the Notre-Dame Cathedral, Palais du Tau, and the Saint-Remi Museum and Basilica, attracting thousands of visitors annually. Its UNESCO-listed landscapes range from the Montagne de Reims to legendary forests and vineyards.

💧 Groupe GM, hospitality product leader, now exclusive distributor of DRINK WATERS, a sustainable bottled water solution for hotels. DRINK WATERS bottles contain Alpine spring water and are infinitely reusable as water bottles, offering still and sparkling water in 330ml, 470ml, and 500ml. Options for standard or customized designs available. Contact: [www.groupegm.eu](http://www.groupegm.eu) – [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) – 01 45 75 35 94.

🚗 Relais & Châteaux, with over 580 locations worldwide since 1954, partners with Avis for car rentals for the next 3 years. Avis offers modern, hybrid, and electric vehicles and aligns with Relais & Châteaux's commitment to quality, customer satisfaction, and sustainable development. Benefits include discounts starting from 10% during the week and 15% on weekends, plus exclusive perks for "Always be Expected" program members.

🏥 During Tourism Jobs Week, March 17-23, HappyCulture highlighted hospitality and catering careers through its free and innovative training program, HappyCulture Académie, featuring fun, accessible videos. The initiative aims to increase visibility for tourism careers and modernize recruitment processes. HappyCulture Académie, launched in 2024, has over 2,000 YouTube subscribers and hosts over 180 educational videos with a total of 450,000 views, including recent additions showcasing restaurant careers.

🏖️ Naya Club, part of Voyamar, celebrates its 10th season in 2025, having launched in 2016. It has attracted nearly 30,000 travelers annually, totaling around 300,000 vacationers over the decade. Naya Club boasts a 97% satisfaction rate, offering holidays combining relaxation, cultural immersion, and quality entertainment. Tunisia is highlighted as the top destination for its sunny beaches, rich cultural heritage, and ideal proximity, being less than three hours by flight.

⛰ France Montagnes launched its new website, designed to inspire, inform, and help visitors plan their mountain stays in France. The site, available in French and English, offers an enhanced user experience with improved ergonomics and enriched content for planning vacations across all seasons, with a particular focus on the innovative "Montagne blanche" and "Montagne verte" content classification, moving away from traditional four-season models to better match geographic specificities and activities available at mountain resorts.