Flight delays, cancellations as French air traffic controller strike continues
A strike by French air traffic controllers entered its second day on Friday, causing further flight delays and cancellations at the start of Europe's peak travel season.
Civil aviation agency DGAC told airlines to cancel 40% of flights at the three main Paris airports on Friday because of the strike, which the air traffic controllers say is over staff shortages and ageing equipment.
Up to half of flights at France's other airports, mostly in the south, were also affected, DGAC added.
French transport minister Philippe Tabarot called the strike unacceptable. "The idea is to disturb as many people as possible," he said in an interview with CNews.
Read moreMore than 1,500 flights cancelled as French strike disrupts summer getaways
Read more on FRANCE 24 EnglishRead also:More than 1,500 flights cancelled as French strike disrupts summer getawaysFrance asks airlines to reduce flights due to planned air traffic controller strike
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Naomi Caufield/Camp Château Camp Château may be the original, but others are now popping up around France following the same premise: for women only, with an emphasis on curating your own experience in an enchanting French setting. Less than three hours from Paris, Château du Tremblay has been in Louis d'Armaillé's family since it was built in the mid-14th century. With partner Lua Andersen, the pair has their first women's-only summer camps planned for later this year. 'We're going to offer a lot of creative activities: painting, cooking classes, French lessons, and crafts where you can decorate your own picture frames, hair clips, hairbrushes—small items you can bring home as memories,' said Andersen. What's more, the family has its own vineyard, so plenty of wine tastings and tours will also be on the schedule. Anderson, who is currently juggling setting up the camps with a corporate job in Paris, says the château is where she reconnects with nature and recharges her batteries on weekends—and wants others to feel its magic. 'It's a place where you can do a lot of things you would never do in your everyday life,' she added. Like Camp Château, Château du Tremblay's summer camps will last five days. Guests will sleep in one of the property's 17 bedrooms in groups of two or three, though single rooms will also be possible. If there was one corner of France primed for such an experience, it's the lavender-scented landscapes of Provence. In an aristocratic residence near Cassis on the Mediterranean coast, Camp Joli is prepping itself for its second season. Among the inaugural attendees last year was Meagan Rose, who visited with a group of content creators in September 2024. 'I had no idea what to expect. I just knew I was going to stay in this beautiful castle, and it truly changed my life,' she said. 'Every day, you had the opportunity to choose your own journey, whether you wanted to sign up for every activity or sit back and relax by the pool all day,' she added. Horseback riding, baking bread, excursions to local villages, and a watercolor painting class were some of the electives Rose participated in. Her best memories, however, are the friendships she created. 'I genuinely believe I've found lifelong friends through this, and I'm still in touch with these girls to this day. I'm so grateful I got to experience it,' she said. Arguably what's also driving the popularity of these camps is value for money. Six days, five nights at Camp Château in 2026 costs €2,400 ($2,800), a price that includes accommodations, meals, snacks, beverages, three-plus electives per day, and two-plus excursions. 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