Latest news with #MonteCarloRally
National Geographic
22-05-2025
- National Geographic
What to do in the Côte d'Azur—from skiing to hiking
When sea and summit sit less than 55 miles apart, adventure is abundant, regardless of the season. It's the beaches that are most famous in the Côte d'Azur (a.k.a. the French Riviera): from the alabaster sands of Nice — only separated from the city by the Promenade des Anglais — to the U-shaped harbour of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Villefranche-sur-Mer's terracotta seaside facades. Fewer tourists venture inland, but the mountains hold the secret to the locals' quality of life. Skiing, snowshoeing and ice climbing dominate the winter calendar, and summer offers a heady selection of fair-weather activities: cycling, hiking, canyoning and rafting, in a mix more varied than a salade niçoise. If you're basing yourself in Nice, here's how to make the most of the region year-round. In the winter, visitors can ride sleds pulled by dogs in Auron ski resort. Photograph by Visit Nice Côte d'Azur Winter Best for: all kinds of skiing, mountaineering and ice climbing Nice has the best of both worlds. In 90 minutes — and for the princely sum of €14 (£11.70) return — you can be at the slopes thanks to the airport shuttle bus. A day ski pass costs half that of one for the Three Valleys', and it's not for want of quality: Isola 2000 and Auron have 75 and 85 miles of pistes respectively. Isola 2000 is great for families, with plenty of green and blue runs as well as slopeside lunches that don't break the bank, while a quarter of Auron's ski area is black runs. All the usual winter sports are also available at both, including snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding and dog sledding. Saint-Martin-Vésubie is the place to go for 'uphill' adventurers — those who value sweat over adrenaline. Many people come for cross-country skiing, but you can also try out ice climbing on an artificial frozen waterfall, which looks like dripping candle wax. To try the real thing, take an ice climbing or mountaineering course in Mercantour National Park. Some of Europe's highest-elevation cycling routes can be found around Nice — including the Col de Turini, soaring to heights of 1,607 m. Photograph by Visit Nice Côte d'Azur Spring Best for: road cycling and climbing Spring doesn't just herald Alpine flowers in bloom — it's also the season to grab a bike and tackle some of the region's legendary passes before temperatures soar. From a vantage point more than 3,000ft high at Col de Vence, you can see the Mediterranean coast all the way from Nice to Antibes. Even more of a calf burn is Col de Turini, which is over 5,000ft high. It's included in the Monte Carlo Rally each year and there are 34 switchbacks. It's also the best season for climbing. Junic rock in Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage is a popular spot, with more than 70 routes to choose from. The village looks so small from above that it could be made from origami. Further south, at Valdeblore, there's a via ferrata (iron path) along with traditional climbing routes. Located in Mercantour National Park, Vens Lake sits between elevations of 2,325 and 2,278 m. Photograph by Visit Nice Côte d'Azur Summer Best for: hiking and mountain biking High season on the Côte d'Azur might conjure up images of sunlounger wars, but there's a surefire way to get away from the crowds — by heading to the mountains. In summer, the high mountain passes are finally open, making challenges like Col de la Lombarde accessible. Once you know it's featured several times on the Tour de France itinerary a climb is to be expected, but this one's relentless: around 12 miles of solid uphill pedalling. If offroad is more your scene, an epic, seven-stage mountain bike route runs all the way from Auron (5,249ft) to Nice at sea level. Day hikes can be punctuated with deliciously refreshing dips in high altitude mountain lakes. The Gordolasque valley is one of the most wild and remote in Mercantour National Park. A 7.5 mile hike takes you to Lac Niré, a lake formed by glaciers, where you can stay overnight at Refuge de Nice. La Colmiane is France's longest zipline — 2,660 m of pure adrenaline, flying over the Alps of Mercantour National Park. Photograph by Visit Nice Côte d'Azur Autumn Best for: multi-day hiking, zip-lining and paragliding September — snow-free but the air no longer like hot breath — is the best time for long mountain plods. Mercantour National Park has hiking trails for every ability, punctuated by frequent wildlife sightings of ibex, chamois and marmots. If you have the luxury of time, the GR52 runs all the way from the mountains to the Mediterranean: around 130 miles from Entraunes to Menton, crossing the entire Alpes-Maritimes region. Another sea-to-summit hike, the Pagarine or Salt Route, runs from Nice to Cuneo, Italy, taking on average 10 days to complete. For shorter jaunts, the Saint-Martin-Vésubie is a great place to head for day hikes through cool pine forests, returning to sample local specialities in Niçoise restaurants (a 75-minute drive away) in the evening. As the leaves change colour, it's the perfect time to get a bird's-eye view over the mountains, either with an adrenaline kick from France's longest zip-line at La Colmiane (open year-round) or at a more leisurely speed, paragliding over glassy mountain lakes and peaks. Nice-Côte d'Azur Airport has year-round direct flights from Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and London. Direct TGV (high-speed) trains connect Paris and Nice in approximately six hours. Taking local TER train services avoids coastal traffic in peak season, and regular trains link Nice with Menton and Cannes. Car hire is available for multi-stop trips inland. For more information, visit This paid content article was created for Explore Nice Côte d'Azur. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs. To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
What to do in the Côte d'Azur—from skiing to hiking
When sea and summit sit less than 55 miles apart, adventure is abundant, regardless of the season. It's the beaches that are most famous in the Côte d'Azur (a.k.a. the French Riviera): from the alabaster sands of Nice — only separated from the city by the Promenade des Anglais — to the U-shaped harbour of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Villefranche-sur-Mer's terracotta seaside facades. Fewer tourists venture inland, but the mountains hold the secret to the locals' quality of life. Skiing, snowshoeing and ice climbing dominate the winter calendar, and summer offers a heady selection of fair-weather activities: cycling, hiking, canyoning and rafting, in a mix more varied than a salade niçoise. If you're basing yourself in Nice, here's how to make the most of the region year-round. Best for: all kinds of skiing, mountaineering and ice climbingNice has the best of both worlds. In 90 minutes — and for the princely sum of €14 (£11.70) return — you can be at the slopes thanks to the airport shuttle bus. A day ski pass costs half that of one for the Three Valleys', and it's not for want of quality: Isola 2000 and Auron have 75 and 85 miles of pistes respectively. Isola 2000 is great for families, with plenty of green and blue runs as well as slopeside lunches that don't break the bank, while a quarter of Auron's ski area is black runs. All the usual winter sports are also available at both, including snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, sledding and dog sledding. Saint-Martin-Vésubie is the place to go for 'uphill' adventurers — those who value sweat over adrenaline. Many people come for cross-country skiing, but you can also try out ice climbing on an artificial frozen waterfall, which looks like dripping candle wax. To try the real thing, take an ice climbing or mountaineering course in Mercantour National Park. Best for: road cycling and climbingSpring doesn't just herald Alpine flowers in bloom — it's also the season to grab a bike and tackle some of the region's legendary passes before temperatures soar. From a vantage point more than 3,000ft high at Col de Vence, you can see the Mediterranean coast all the way from Nice to Antibes. Even more of a calf burn is Col de Turini, which is over 5,000ft high. It's included in the Monte Carlo Rally each year and there are 34 switchbacks. It's also the best season for climbing. Junic rock in Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage is a popular spot, with more than 70 routes to choose from. The village looks so small from above that it could be made from origami. Further south, at Valdeblore, there's a via ferrata (iron path) along with traditional climbing routes. Best for: hiking and mountain bikingHigh season on the Côte d'Azur might conjure up images of sunlounger wars, but there's a surefire way to get away from the crowds — by heading to the mountains. In summer, the high mountain passes are finally open, making challenges like Col de la Lombarde accessible. Once you know it's featured several times on the Tour de France itinerary a climb is to be expected, but this one's relentless: around 12 miles of solid uphill pedalling. If offroad is more your scene, an epic, seven-stage mountain bike route runs all the way from Auron (5,249ft) to Nice at sea level. Day hikes can be punctuated with deliciously refreshing dips in high altitude mountain lakes. The Gordolasque valley is one of the most wild and remote in Mercantour National Park. A 7.5 mile hike takes you to Lac Niré, a lake formed by glaciers, where you can stay overnight at Refuge de Nice. Best for: multi-day hiking, zip-lining and paraglidingSeptember — snow-free but the air no longer like hot breath — is the best time for long mountain plods. Mercantour National Park has hiking trails for every ability, punctuated by frequent wildlife sightings of ibex, chamois and marmots. If you have the luxury of time, the GR52 runs all the way from the mountains to the Mediterranean: around 130 miles from Entraunes to Menton, crossing the entire Alpes-Maritimes region. Another sea-to-summit hike, the Pagarine or Salt Route, runs from Nice to Cuneo, Italy, taking on average 10 days to complete. For shorter jaunts, the Saint-Martin-Vésubie is a great place to head for day hikes through cool pine forests, returning to sample local specialities in Niçoise restaurants (a 75-minute drive away) in the evening. As the leaves change colour, it's the perfect time to get a bird's-eye view over the mountains, either with an adrenaline kick from France's longest zip-line at La Colmiane (open year-round) or at a more leisurely speed, paragliding over glassy mountain lakes and peaks. This paid content article was created for Explore Nice Côte d'Azur. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Telegraph
19-04-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Mini named the best British car ever
The Mini has been named the greatest British car ever made. Judges looked at each car in terms of their engineering pedigree, design, commercial success, significance in automotive history along with their heartfelt emotion and reduced the list of 75 down to 50. The Mini topped the Auto Express list as the undisputed champion, with judges saying: 'Put simply, we reckon no other British- built vehicle better represents the relevant, innovative and pioneering UK automotive industry quite like the world's original small car.' Phil McNamara, editor at large, Auto Express, said: 'What's the best British car of all time? 'Jaguar has made some crackers, and we can't forget motors from pinnacle manufacturers such as Land Rover, Aston Martin, McLaren, Bentley and Rolls-Royce. 'However, there was only ever going to be one winner of our Top 50 Brit cars rundown. After a short and somewhat snappy group discussion in the boardroom at AE Towers, the Mini was crowned undisputed champion.' During the late fifties, designer Alec Issigonis was tasked by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) with delivering a sub-three-metre compact car that could carry a family of four. The Mini's popularity soared when celebrities and racing drivers, including John Cooper, got behind the wheel and the modern car is nearly 90cm longer than the original. Mr Cooper modified a Mini before driving it to victory at the Monte Carlo Rally four times and his name is on the three-door hatchback, along with the firm's superminis and family SUVs. Mr McNamara added: 'While more than 5.3 million original Minis were built at the firm's Oxford site between 1959 and 2000 (1.6 million sold in the UK), the modern MINI as we know it (launched in 2001) has cemented itself as a cult classic. Plans to build the new electric Mini in the UK may have been paused, but in excess of 1,000 cars are currently built in Cowley daily, equivalent to one every 67 seconds. 'There really can be little doubt – the Mini (not forgetting the modern-day MINI) truly is the best car this green and pleasant land has ever built. Long may it continue.' The Jaguar E-Type came in second, with the Land Rover Series/Defender in third.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Yahoo
If You Could Teleport Yourself And Your Car Anywhere For A Day, Where Would You Go?
You are sat in the depths of winter doldrums, a mystical state of being where everything seems to be slower and more depressing. As you sit in your leather easy chair watching another awful YouTube video about cars you can't afford, waiting for the weather to warm, an all-knowing and all-powerful being appears in front of you taking the form of a young William Shatner, despite not possessing corporeal form. In voiceless boom coming from within your own brain, the being screams 'I can transport you and your wheels outta here, bud. Where do you want to jet off to?' After the being, who insists you call him Jeff, explains the rules; one person and one car can be transported one place for a 24 hour period, you'll be brought back to where you were when you left, the car has to be yours, the place has to be somewhere you can legally drive, no costs incurred during the trip will be paid by Jeff on your behalf. Knowing all that, where would you go? Mars? You don't have 24 hours worth of oxygen and the car would have to be electric. Be reasonable. Given the opportunity, I'm taking my Porsche to the south of France. Specifically the Col de Turini, a 19-mile mountain pass in the French alps on the western side of the Italian border. It is one of the most incredible roads in the world for driving enthusiasts, featuring hundreds of corners, curves, and short straights to go with plenty of elevation change. It has been featured as part of the Monte Carlo Rally for decades, and I want to spend my incredible driving day there. So, let's hear it. Jeff appears in your living room and offers you 24 hours of bliss. Where are you going, what are you taking, and why? Sound off in the comments below. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Monte Carlo Rally master Ogier takes 10th win on WRC opener
Sebastien Ogier has taken a record-extending 10th victory on the Monte Carlo Rally, the opening round of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship. Driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, the eight-time WRC champ (above) secured victory by 18.5s over his Toyota Gazoo Racing teammate Elfyn Evans after a short, but tense final leg through the French Alps. Sunday's trio of all-asphalt stages threatened to shake up the order. Ogier and Evans opted to carry four studded Hankook tires and only two super-soft slicks – an approach that proved effective on the icy roads of the 8.68-mile Avancon/Notre-Dame du Laus opener, but left them vulnerable on the drier penultimate test, 11.81-mile Digne-les-Bains/Chaudon-Norante. There, third-placed Adrien Fourmaux shone with a full-slicks setup on his Hyundai i20 N Rally1, outpacing the leading Toyotas by 3.9s and 17.8s, respectively, and briefly threatening to turn the podium order upside down. Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux almost gate-crashed Toyota's Monte Carlo Rally 1-2 on Sunday's closing leg. Red Bull Content Pool Fourmaux, making his Hyundai WRC debut after switching from M-Sport Ford, had hoped for drier conditions on the rally-ending Wolf Power Stage to maximize his slick-tire advantage. Instead, the icy Col de Turini leveled the playing field, leaving him on the same mixed-tire setup as Ogier and Evans. Ogier capitalized with another stage win, while Evans held off Fourmaux's late charge by just 7.5s, despite a heart-stopping brush with a rock face. 'What a weekend,' reflected Ogier, who was born and raised close to the Monte Carlo Rally stages and whose first win on the WRC's most famous event came during its short tenure in the now-defunct International Rally Championship days in 2009. 'I don't know where to start. I think I've had my lucky star with me this weekend – my uncle, who we lost one year ago. I am sure he was bringing me everything and this one is for him. 'I have no idea if it is my last [Monte Carlo Rally] now,' added the 41-year-old Frenchman, who's once again elected to run only a part-time WRC program in 2025. 'It would be a good place to stop.' Sebastien Ogier celebrates his 10th Monte Carlo Rally win with co-driver Vincent Landais, but could it be the eight-time champ's last start on the WRC classic? Red Bull Content Pool The final-day drama extended far beyond the podium battle, with Sunday's treacherous conditions wreaking havoc further down the field. Toyota's Sami Pajari and Takamoto Katsuta both slid off the road on the icy opening stage, while Gregoire Munster's M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 met a similar fate on the very next stage. Behind the third-placed Fourmaux, Hyundai's Ott Tanak ceded fourth position to full-time WRC returnee Kalle Rovanpera's GR Yaris on the final day due to Tanak's own tire misjudgment. The pair finished just 4.7s apart, with both drivers now eager to bounce back on next month's Rally Sweden as previous winners of the WRC's only true snow-and-ice event. Thierry Neuville, the reigning WRC champ and defending Monte Carlo Rally winner, salvaged sixth place after a tumultuous event. A combination of broken suspension on his Hyundai in a Friday crash, a deflated tire and an unexplained electrical issue added up to cost him more than five minutes, thwarting his hopes of a repeat win. M-Sport Ford's Josh McErlean impressed with a solid seventh-place finish in his Puma Rally1, the Irishman building experience and doing exactly what his team had asked of him on his Rally1 debut. M-Sport Ford's Josh McErlean took a mistake-free seventh overall on his Rally1 debut. Red Bull Content Pool In WRC2, the second tier of international rallying, Yohan Rossel's 2025 title aspirations were giving an early boost as he wrapped up an emphatic class victory. A year ago, the Citroen C3 Rally2 driver edged out Pepe Lopez by just 4.0s in a nail-biting finish. This time, however, the Frenchman was in a class of his own – cruising to victory with a staggering near-three-minute margin over his nearest points-scoring rival. Partnered with co-driver Arnaud Dunand, PH Sport's Rossel was fastest of the points-chasers on 15 of the event's 17 stages and led the field from start to finish. Nikolay Gryazin had taken the fight to him in his WRC2-spec Skoda Fabia RS, but hadn't included the Monte as one of his seven points-counting events. That left Rossel leading a French 1-2-3 finish among the registered drivers, with Eric Camilli heading in second in his Hyundai i20 N Rally 2 and younger brother Leo Rossel grabbing third in a second PH Sport Citroen. 'Thanks to all my team,' said a magnanimous Yohan. 'It was not the driver that won this weekend, it was the co-driver, the team, the strategy and the tire choice.' Citroen's Yohan Rossel repeated his 2024 WRC2 class win on the Monte, but in considerably more dominant form. Red Bull Content Pool Round 2 of the WRC takes place on the snow and ice of northeast Sweden, Feb. 13-16. Based in Umea, Rally Sweden includes some of the fastest stages of the season, thanks to studded tires and snow banks that drivers 'wall ride' to stay on course. Ogier is choosing to skip an event he's won three times, yet tolerates rather than enjoys, which presents a golden opportunity for some of the other leading crews to start putting their mark on the 2025 points race. WRC Monte Carlo Rally, final positions after Sunday/Leg Three, SS18 1 Sebastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 3h19m06.1s 2 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +18.5s 3 Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +26.0s 4 Kalle Rovanpera/Jonne Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +54.3s 5 Ott Tanak/Martin Jarveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +59.0s 6 Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +5m44.2s 7 Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy (Ford Puma Rally1) +10m15.1s 8 Yohan Rossel/Arnaud Dunand (Citroen C3 – WRC2 winner) +10m26.8s 9 Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov (Skoda Fabia RS – WRC2 non-points) +11m40.7s 10 Eric Camilli/Thibault de la Haye (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) +13m14.6s WRC Drivers' Championship after 1 of 14 rounds 1 Ogier 33 points 2 Evans 26 3 Fourmaux 20 4 Rovanpera 18 5 Tanak 11 WRC Manufacturers' Championship after 1 of 14 rounds 1 Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 60 points 2 Hyundai Word Rally Team 36 3 M-Sport Ford 11 Check out the official home of the FIA World Rally Championship. And for the ultimate WRC experience, sign up for a subscription to watch all stages of every rally live and on demand, whenever and wherever. Story originally appeared on Racer
