Latest news with #FrenchRiviera
The Sun
6 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Lee Westwood ditches holiday on luxury yacht in Med with wife and caddie Helen for rainy Portrush in bid to win The Open
LEE Westwood was supposed to be soaking up the sun on a yacht in the French Riviera this week. Instead he was soaked to the skin at soggy Portrush - but still loving life as he made a sparkling start to his 28th Open. 4 4 Westwood, 52, shot a two under par 69 that he insisted should have been at least two or three shots better, although it still showed he is not ready to be written off as a has-been just yet. To be fair, no-one should have been questioning his commitment, after he earned his place at Portrush by shooting rounds of 70-67 to win the final qualifying event at Dundonald at the start of the month. Given his poor form in LIV events over the past couple of years, that was something of a surprise result - even to wife and caddie Helen, who had made holiday plans for them this week. She explained: 'The plan was for us to be sitting on the back of my friend's yacht, sunning ourselves in the Mediterranean as there is no LIV event this week. 'Instead we've been getting absolutely drenched, and I'm carrying a bag that feels twice as heavy as usual, because it's so wet and it's stuffed with extra towels, an extra top for Lee, and a snood for me. 'I remember it was just like this last time as well, when he finished fourth here in 2019. But you know what, I wouldn't change a thing. 'It's great to see him enjoying himself so much on the course, and playing as well as he did today.' Westwood was in buoyant mood, and clearly steel fells he can shed his tag as the ultimate nearly man in the Majors. The former world No 1 holds the unwanted distinction of clocking up more top three finishes than any other player without actually winning one - an excruciating nine in all. He said: 'I still think I can compete in this event. That's why I entered qualifying. I love the Open, and I love this course. 'And links golf, more than any form of the game, offers you more of a chance when you're someone of a 'certain' age. Tense moment as furious Jon Rahm confronts golf fan at The Open 'You just use your experience of knowing how much the ball will bounce, where it will skip a bit, and how to handle the weather conditions. 'And I played lovely today. I was four under through 12 and I could easily have been six or seven under. I gave myself a load of birdie chances. 'I gave a couple back, but it was still a nice start. "When you've been around as long as I have you don;t get too excited about seeing your name on the leaderboard on a Thursday, but it was still nice to see it on the big yellow boards they have here.' 4 Westwood admitted there were times when he also wondered whether a week on the Mediterranean might not have been a better idea. He added: 'I'd prefer not to get soaking wet. I was asked whether I'd rather have wind or rain yesterday, and I said wind for sure. So somebody heard me, didn't they? 'We had a bit of everything. But I don't mind hiding behind the umbrella and having to run a few in, hit four extra clubs on some yardages. 'I just really enjoyed myself, especially after missing the last two Opens. It's nice to take that walk down the 18th at an Open venue again. 'I've always said that for a British player, it's the greatest walk in golf, especially if you're in with a chance on Sunday. "It's the greatest championship in golf for me. 'I'm slightly biased because I'm British. I guess Americans might say the Masters or the US Open. For me, the Open Championship just has everything. 'And it's good to feel like I've come here with a genuine chance. I feel in control of my golf swing. "Yeah, it's as good as it's been for a while. And that takes in all aspects of tghe game. 'I hit the ball really well. Had loads of chances. Putted great. Short game was good when I needed it. "It was all around - it couldn't have been really any more than 69, I don't think." Westwood may not have been able to keep it at four under, but fellow Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick had little trouble in doing just that. His 67 included a 25 footer for eagle on the seventh, and an outrageous hole-out for birdie on the par three 16th, from a complete mis-hit. Fitzpatrick grinned: 'I played that hole great didn't I? "Well short off the green with my tee shot, awful clunk from the bunker, and it catches the hole and drops in for a two. 'They call that hole Calamity, and it could easily have been one in my case. But that's links golf for you. "Take the breaks when you get them, and grind away as much as possible elsewhere. 'My form has been trending nicely just recently. I needed it to, because I don't think I've ever felt as bad about my game as I did at The Players this year. "But I've turned it round, and my confidence levels are really good.' Matthew Jordan was a third Englishman to put his name on the leaderboard early on, and the Merseyside golfer is becoming a bit of an Open specialist. He finished in the top ten at Hoylake two years ago, and repeated the feat at Troon. He would dearly love to make it a hat-trick, and his three under par 68 was an excellent start.
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EJ Johnson flashes tummy in bra-top and sarong in Saint-Tropez on vacation with father Magic Johnson
Earvin 'EJ' Johnson III was spotted relaxing barefoot on a bench while looking out at the harbor in the French Riviera coastal town of Saint-Tropez on Wednesday. The 33-year-old nepo baby - who shed 180lbs following gastric sleeve surgery in 2014 -flashed his tummy in a white bra-top and yellow sarong while clutching his heels and a tiny purse. EJ is currently enjoying a lavish family vacation with his famous father, NBA legend Earvin 'Magic' Johnson Jr. The 65-year-old retired point guard's 30-year-old adopted daughter Elisa Johnson shared a cute video on Wednesday of him grooving along to Diana Ross ' 1976 disco hit Love Hangover as they dined al fresco. On July 2, Magic posted epic drone footage of himself walking a treadmill while aboard a mega-yacht - which reportedly costs $1.4M/week to charter to places like Monaco, Croatia, Portofino, Capri, and Cannes. 'Happy birthday to my son EJ!' Johnson gushed on June 4. 'Thank you for making the world a better place. Your mom and I love you and are very happy that you're making a difference in the lives of so many people!' In 2022, the billionaire baller told Variety of his son publicly coming out as gay in 2013: 'I had to accept who he was and who he wanted to be. He actually helped me get there because he was so proud. [My wife] Cookie said, "Look in the mirror." I said, "You're right." Because I'm proud of who I am. And he got it from me.' Magic knows a thing or two about 'coming out' publicly having bravely announced his HIV diagnosis when he retired from the sport in 1991 while his wife Earlitha 'Cookie' Kelly was two months pregnant with EJ (they both tested negative). Johnson recalled to CBS Mornings in 2021: 'I wanted to make sure that she was going to be okay, the baby was going to be okay, and then I can move forward with making sure I was going to be okay.' The 6ft9in athlete and the 66-year-old philanthropist will impressively celebrate 34 years of wedded bliss on September 14. Magic previously fathered 44-year-old son Andre Johnson with babymama Melissa Mitchell. Cookie will be honored as a 2025 ETAF Champion during The Elizabeth Taylor Night of Compassion: Meeting the Moment gala, which will be held September 18 at The Beverly Hills Hotel where there's a 'purple glam' dress code. The 65-year-old retired point guard's 30-year-old adopted daughter Elisa Johnson (L) shared a cute video on Wednesday of him grooving along to Diana Ross' 1976 disco hit Love Hangover as they dined al fresco Johnson gushed on June 4: 'Happy birthday to my son EJ! Thank you for making the world a better place. Your mom and I love you and are very happy that you're making a difference in the lives of so many people!' In 2022, the billionaire baller told Variety of his son publicly coming out as gay in 2013: 'I had to accept who he was and who he wanted to be. He actually helped me get there because he was so proud. [My wife] Cookie said, "Look in the mirror." I said, "You're right." Because I'm proud of who I am. And he got it from me' (posted June 4) The 66-year-old philanthropist will be honored as a 2025 ETAF Champion during The Elizabeth Taylor Night of Compassion: Meeting the Moment gala, which will be held September 18 at The Beverly Hills Hotel Meanwhile, the Beverly Hills-born socialite's last onscreen gig was portraying Melo in three episodes of Gloria Calderón Kellett's rom-com series With Love, which aired from 2021-2023 on Amazon Prime Video. EJ also voiced the young version of Michael Collins in the animated sitcom The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, which aired from 2022-2023 on Disney+. Johnson first found fame starring in Doron Ofir and David Leepson's reality show #RichKids of Beverly Hills, which aired for four seasons spanning 2014-2016 on the E! Network, immediately followed by his short-lived spin-off EJNYC. Curiously, the flamboyant NYU grad hasn't posted anything on his Instagram account, where he has 680K followers, since 2023.
Arab News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
French court overturns town's burkini ban after woman threatened with fines
LONDON: The Marseilles administrative court has reversed a burkini ban on a French Riviera beach after police threatened fines against a teenager and her family for wearing the Muslim swimsuit, The Times reported on Thursday. The seaside town of Carry-le-Rouet had implemented the ban in June 2024, but it was found by the court to be a 'serious and illegal breach of fundamental freedoms' following the incident. The ban was largely irrelevant until July 2, when an 18-year-old Muslim woman from the city of Marseille went to the town's beach. Two municipal officers spotted her in the sea and ordered her out using whistles. Her family asked what she had done wrong, and the officers said the woman's garment was 'not acceptable,' according to her brother Islan. The police called for reinforcements. Five gendarmes who arrived later threatened the 18-year-old with fines unless she and her family left the beach. Islan said the family then left the area. 'My sister has taken it badly,' he added. 'She is afraid to go out now, does not communicate with other people and avoids talking about what happened.' The incident led to the Human Rights League seeking a court order overturning the town's burkini ban. Over the past decade, about 20 towns and cities on the French coast, including Cannes, have tried to ban the Muslim swimsuit on secular grounds, though almost all the bans were denied or later overturned. In 2004, France banned Muslim headscarves in schools after MPs decided that the garment violates the secular values of the state education system. Niqabs and burqas were outlawed in public in 2011 based on concerns that criminals could conceal their identities using the religious garbs.
The Sun
a day ago
- The Sun
The tiny French peninsula where you can spot pink flamingos in the wild – and there are barely any tourists
Plus, it has four islands and incredible beaches THINK PINK The tiny French peninsula where you can spot pink flamingos in the wild – and there are barely any tourists THERE'S a peninsula in France that's barely touched by tourists and is home to hundreds of pink flamingos. Hyères, also known as the Giens Peninsula, is on the French Riviera and in certain places, is very quiet - even during peak summer season. 4 The French peninsula is home to hundreds of pink flamingos Credit: Alamy 4 Hyeres is on French Riviera but is much lesser-known than other spots Credit: Alamy Along the peninsula is the Les Salins de Hyères, which translates to The Saltworks of Hyères. It's a protected wildlife reserve for birds, in particular flamingos. The pink birds are found in the Hyères salt marshes year-round, but there are lots more in the spring and summer months after migrating from Camargue. Other birds are found there too, like herons, avocets, cormorants and black-winged stilts. You can visit the marshes quite easily by travelling on the "Route du Sel", the Salt Road, either on foot or by bike, Another option is by car, parking up and walking, taking the "Levée de Saint-Nicolas" trail. Other sites in Hyères are the Old Town, which in French is called Vieille Ville. There you'll find castle ruins, art studios and a classic town squares filled with charming cafes. It's estimated that 200,000 tourists visit Hyères per year, meanwhile Nice has over five million visitors. As you can imagine, being part of the French Riviera, the peninsula is home to lots of beaches. Europe's best beach hotel revealed - with seafront swimming pool and huge gardens 4 Hyères has a charming Old Town with outdoor cafes Credit: Alamy A little-known one is called Plage du Port Helene - it's not a tourist spot and is actually more popular with the locals instead. Other popular beaches include Almanarre, which is popular for anyone doing watersports. La Badine is known for shallow waters and is perfect for families. Or Darboussières is a pebble beach, great for snorkelling and hiking. The peninsula also has islands including Porquerolles which the largest of the four French islands that form the Hyères Islands. That being said, it's only 7 km long and 3km wide and again, hasn't been visited much by British tourists. Being so small, there's not much to do on the island that's covered in olive groves, vineyards and cycle paths. Cars are banned on the island, so any holidaymakers will either have to explore by foot, or rent out a bike. Back in 2015, one of the island's beaches called Plage de Notre Dame, was named the most beautiful in Europe. Here's an underrated French city that has a 'bit of everything' with picturesque beaches and new cheap hotels. Plus, the world's most beautiful village is just two hours from the UK – with classic car tours & fairytale lavender fields.
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2Ftl-comfy-flip-flops-tout-a6354c006f1d492a81fd6da1a3efc351.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Travel + Leisure
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Travel + Leisure
Travelers Swear by These Comfy $14 Flip-flops With Arch Support That Let Them Walk 20,000+ Steps Pain-free
Wearing sneakers in the summer is a quick recipe for sweaty feet, but they're usually the go-to travel shoes for most people. But a supportive and comfy pair of sandals will let your feet breathe and keep them cushioned during long days on your feet, and let you show off your fresh pedicure. Travelers and theme park goers have seemingly found the pair of flip-flops for summer trips—and they're currently on sale for $14 at Amazon's fashion store. They're made with arch support for ultimate comfort, so much so that one shopper said they feel like 'walking on clouds.' Shoppers are loving these flip-flops so much, more than 8,000 have been purchased this month already—and we can see why. They have a yoga mat-inspired footbed for extra arch support and 'marshmallow'-like comfort. Some reviewers are even ditching their sneakers for these flip-flops, including one traveler who said they were even more comfortable than their tennis shoes, even when walking 20,000 steps a day across a variety of terrains. Another fan who wore the shoes across the French and Italian Rivieras said they didn't have any foot pain in them, even after walking on uneven cobblestones, trails, stairs, and hills. In addition to arch support, the sandals have a hard rubber outsole for extra traction, which is especially helpful for preventing slips near wet pool decks or beach boardwalks. One cruise-goer said they are the most anti-slip flip-flops they've owned. They even tried to slide across the deck (just to test them), and their feet stayed right in place. They're also easy to pack thanks to the flexible material and flat design, so you can slide them into your carry-on without taking up much space (unlike a bulky pair of espadrilles). The flip-flops come in are 27 colors and patterns, including neutrals like all black, and bolder, statement-making colors like royal blue. The versatile design makes it easy to dress them up or down, whether that's with an elegant summer dress and jewelry or flowy linen pants and a T-shirt. Shop KuaiLu's flip-flops while they're still on sale for $14 at Amazon and check out more comfy sandal options for less than $20 below. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
