Divers

🏖️ Grandvalira Resorts in Andorra surpassed 173,800 visitors by September 15 during the summer season, showing a slight increase from the previous year despite sporadic rain affecting attendance. The Tristaina Solar Viewpoint emerged as a standout attraction with 60,000 visitors. Notably, new afternoon passes and extended hours at Mon(t) Magic Family Park and Mountain Park were well-received. The Tristaina viewpoint will remain open until November 3, accessible by the Creussans chairlift and weekend gondola.

🏛 Patrivia, a platform for booking visits to heritage sites like castles and museums, closed after 8 years. Launched in 2016, it raised €1 million in 2020 to digitalize lesser-known heritage spots. It featured over 500 sites and offered an unlimited "Pass Patrimoine". In 2020, Patrivia promoted domestic tourism with the "Cet été, je visite la France" campaign. Co-founder Christian Clarke de Dromantin cited inadequate funds for growth as the reason for the shutdown.

📚 Cultural and literary icons such as Voltaire, Diderot, and Rousseau, revolutionaries like Danton and Marat, and writers like Racine, Sand, and Camus have historically frequented the French cultural district that is home to major publishing houses like Gallimard, Le Seuil, and Grasset. The hotel Pont Royal and its director-novelist Frédéric Le Gallois continue this tradition with the monthly literary event "Les Rencontres du Pont Royal," featuring journalist and writer Olivier Barrot. Participants enjoy exceptional dinners paired with exquisite wines from L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, along with a gifted book from the celebrated author for a memorable experience. After hosting Jérôme Garcin in September, the hotel anticipates new illustrious guests.

🏖️ In Switzerland's Tessin region, Ascona-Locarno, on the shores of Lake Maggiore, blends Swiss identity with Italian "dolce vita." The area is known for its palm-lined shores, Ascona—"the pearl of Lake Maggiore"—and Locarno, with its Sanctuary, museums, and relaxing vibe. Key attractions include Ascona's historic center, "borgo," Piazza G. Motta, and the nearby Brissago Islands with their botanical park housing 2,000 subtropical plant species. Visitors can easily access the park by boat.

🏡 The Peninsula New York, an iconic Fifth Avenue luxury hotel, unveiled its complete interior renovation in January 2024, including 219 rooms and suites, communal spaces, and gourmet restaurants. The renovation, led by the award-winning New York studio Bill Rooney, also revitalized The Lobby, Reception, The Palm Court, and introduced the reinvented Pen Top rooftop lounge. Originating in 1904, the hotel's refresh embraces the Roaring Twenties' elegance, blending it with simple, delicate refinement. General Manager Samir Ibrahim emphasizes the renovation signifies a new era, enhancing their standing as a paragon of luxury in Manhattan.

🍴 Les Grandes Tables du Monde, an association of nearly 200 Michelin-starred restaurants in 23 countries, celebrates its 70th anniversary by launching L'Itinéraire, a new exclusive loyalty program. The program is a private digital community designed for international gourmets, offering unique privileges and intense culinary experiences. Members gain privileged access to tastings, private tours, champagne receptions, chef's tables, and priority booking for events and dining reservations across the globe. L'Itinéraire features five levels of loyalty unlocked by visiting member restaurants.

🎄 65% of French shoppers make their Christmas purchases between October and November, signaling the importance of launching marketing campaigns during this period. The hospitality and restaurant sectors see this as a golden opportunity with customers seeking unique experiences and gifts like gastronomic meals or exceptional stays, often in the form of gift boxes or vouchers. With 78% of French consumers shopping online for Christmas, Console SecretBox, the leading e-commerce solution for direct, commission-free gift boxes and vouchers, advises businesses to prepare online sales, ensuring immediate availability and maximizing visibility. Campaigns should start now to anticipate demand, increase conversions, and take advantage of targeted email, SMS, social media posts, and keyword purchases. Contact Console Secretbox experts for Christmas marketing campaign preparation.

🍵 Matcha, a green tea powder, originated from China and became a central element in Japanese tea ceremonies during the Muromachi era. Cultivated primarily in regions like Uji, Japan, the tea plants are shaded before harvesting to increase chlorophyll and enhance flavor. Harvesting occurs from May to June, with immediate processing to maintain freshness, involving steaming and grinding using stone mills. Recognized by its bright green color, fine texture, and a balance of flavor and sweetness, high-quality matcha is rich in antioxidants, catechins like EGCG, L-theanine, and moderate caffeine levels. It can boost energy, mental clarity, and calorie burning, and reduce skin aging effects. Although matcha cultivation at home is possible, it requires specific conditions and processing equipment. To ensure freshness, matcha should be stored in a cool, dark place, sealed, and dry, and consumed within three to six months. Despite its health benefits, excessive consumption can lead to side effects due to caffeine and possible heavy metal contamination. Matcha's popularity has extended into beauty products and athlete diets for its anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties. It also supports meditation and mindfulness due to its calming L-theanine content. Modern matcha-infused recipes include lattes, cakes, cookies, and cheesecakes.

🚬 The European Commission issued a smoke-free environment recommendation on September 17, 2024, urging EU member states to expand anti-smoking policies to include main outdoor areas. The GHR (Groupement des Hôtelleries et Restaurations de France) opposes any ban on smoking on outdoor cafe and restaurant terraces, citing the importance of these spaces for conviviality between smokers and non-smokers. The hospitality industry complies with indoor and enclosed terrace smoking bans for health reasons.

💰 Belay Avocats, JLL, Versant Avocats, GALM, Mazars, N9 Notaires, and Artélia involved in corporate and transactional operations. Legal audit by Belay Avocats' Géraldine Eberhardt and Julia Elkael. Social audit by Versant Avocats' Louise Thiebaut and Fanny Perhirin. Tax audit by GALM's Pierre Appremont and Pierre Pérol. Financial audit by Mazars' Baptiste Kalasz, Natacha Dépit, Romain Josserand. Notarial audit by N9 Notaires' Pierre Dailliez. Technical audit by Artélia's Wandrille Boivin and Mustapha Ghalem.