With more staff than guests, this ship isn't like other cruises
We ascend four storeys to the ship's top deck, where flutes of Henriot are fizzing and a piano sonata is playing. The west coast of Corsica slowly recedes as we pull away from shore. The captain watches the sea intently, then sounds a piercing whistle. On cue, sailors in natty navy-and-white uniforms begin cranking the winch and hauling the ropes until five magnificent sails are soaring at full mast. It's exquisitely choreographed, like watching poetry in motion – or a ballet with a glittering oceanic backdrop.
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7NEWS
7 hours ago
- 7NEWS
It girl Sofia Richie Grainge reveals her beauty routine and ‘holy grail' products
Sofia Richie Grainge is an 'it' girl for a reason. From the moment her Vogue beauty secrets video dropped, fans couldn't stop watching and screenshotting. The model, mum and reigning queen of quiet luxury is not only stylish and stunning, but funny, warm, and shockingly relatable. Whether she's talking about her skincare routine, showing off her Oura Ring, or referring to her new French bob hairstyle everyone in her household now lovingly calling her 'Bob,' Sofia has a unique ability to make even high-end beauty feel approachable. And her secret is a carefully curated lineup of makeup and skincare staples that blend luxury with practicality, and yes, some of them are surprisingly affordable. Here's everything she uses, loves and can't live without, so you too can have a beauty routine like Sofia Richie Grainge. 1. Avène Cicalfate+ Restorative Protective Cream, Amazon Australia, was $37.99, now $23.19 The ultimate French pharmacy staple, this cult-favourite cream is the base of Sofia's entire makeup look. 'It's like my holy grail,' she told Vogue. 'I always apply it under my makeup because I feel like my makeup is so pretty on top of this. The more you warm it up on your face, the glowier, more gorgeous it looks.' This skin barrier-strengthening formula is packed with soothing ingredients to calm redness, lock in hydration and prep your skin for foundation that actually looks like skin. 2. Summer Fridays Blush Butter Balm, $45, Mecca Creamy, buttery and impossibly blendable, Sofia calls this 'the perfect summer blush.' It melts into the skin and gives that barely-there flush that looks like you've just come back from a beach walk. The formula includes shea butter, cupuaçu butter and hyaluronic acid for a hydrating, long-lasting glow. 3. MERIT Shade Slick in Mapleton, $38, MERIT The lip oil she's 'so obsessed' with. Described as a warm blush tone, Mapleton is Sofia's go-to lip oil that adds hydration and a subtle hint of colour. Think: lip balm meets gloss meets skincare, in the chicest little tube. 4. Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer, $63, Lancôme With 24-hour hydration and a natural, skin-like finish, it's the secret to that polished but not overly made-up look. Sofia said: 'I find that it's silky and gives me good coverage, but it's not replacing my skin, it's just enhancing.' 'If I had to use only one makeup product, it would be concealer. ' 5. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Gel $69.60, Amazon Australia 'I've been using this for 10 years,' Sofia revealed. With its flexible hold and pigmented finish, it keeps brows groomed all day without going crunchy. The light-reflecting pearls add natural dimension, and it comes in seven versatile shades. 6. Chanel Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow $114, Myer If Sofia's makeup was a vibe, this palette would be it. Luxe, wearable and easy to blend, the compact includes four shades in a mix of matte, satin, iridescent and metallic finishes. The packaging alone is a moment. 7. Maybelline Lash Sensational Full Fan Effect Mascara, was $24.99, now $12.49 'This is the only mascara that works for me,' Sofia said. 'Otherwise, my mascara is running down my face constantly. This stays on all day, all night, doesn't run.' With a curved brush and jet-black formula, this drugstore fave gives full, fanned-out lashes without clumping or flaking.

Sydney Morning Herald
15 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
First class across France for $93? Mais oui
Seats are placed in rows of three; a single on one side of the aisle and a pair on the other. Mine is 46 by the window on the right-hand side of the train; for the first part of the journey to Marseille, I'm facing backwards, but it doesn't worry me. The charcoal and red colour scheme is smart; the upholstered seats have a footrest, a mirror, bag or coat hook and a small shelf that converts to a full-size drop-down tray table for a laptop or meal. There's a drink holder, a USB port and a standard European socket plus a button to recline the seat that I keep hitting accidentally as it's on the inside of the armrest. The free on-board Wi-Fi is patchy, so I stick to 5G on my roaming plan. Baggage You must be able to carry all your luggage by yourself. After the station boarding gates, only ticket holders are allowed on the platform. You can take either two suitcases, or one suitcase and one special item (eg a bike or skis), plus one item of hand luggage. Your hand luggage can measure a maximum of 4cm x 30cm x 15cm; your suitcase can measure a maximum of 70cm x 90cm x 50cm. Fees from €50 apply for excess baggage. Food + drink As a private group, we're allocated a host who delivers drinks, meals and snacks to our seats, airline-style. The standard is excellent (apart from typically bad French coffee) and the packaging recyclable. Our cold lunch is chicken with couscous, a mustardy potato salad, a bread roll and a cherry and almond cake. There is also a vegetarian option. Soft drinks are offered throughout the journey and snacks include really good butter cookies with chocolate. If you're travelling independently, meals and drinks can be pre-ordered online and picked up via the priority queue in the bistro car. One more thing Given this trip takes almost six hours, I would recommend forking out for the more spacious first-class seats. Loading The price From €52 ($93) one way for first class, meals extra. See If you want to book a private carriage and host for a group, email The verdict I can't really fault this trip as an affordable, comfortable and sustainable (a tiny fraction of the carbon emissions of flying) way to get across France, straight from the centre of Nice into the centre of Paris. Flying would be quicker, but travelling by train is less stressful and the time goes by quickly. Our rating out of five ★★★★★

The Age
15 hours ago
- The Age
First class across France for $93? Mais oui
Seats are placed in rows of three; a single on one side of the aisle and a pair on the other. Mine is 46 by the window on the right-hand side of the train; for the first part of the journey to Marseille, I'm facing backwards, but it doesn't worry me. The charcoal and red colour scheme is smart; the upholstered seats have a footrest, a mirror, bag or coat hook and a small shelf that converts to a full-size drop-down tray table for a laptop or meal. There's a drink holder, a USB port and a standard European socket plus a button to recline the seat that I keep hitting accidentally as it's on the inside of the armrest. The free on-board Wi-Fi is patchy, so I stick to 5G on my roaming plan. Baggage You must be able to carry all your luggage by yourself. After the station boarding gates, only ticket holders are allowed on the platform. You can take either two suitcases, or one suitcase and one special item (eg a bike or skis), plus one item of hand luggage. Your hand luggage can measure a maximum of 4cm x 30cm x 15cm; your suitcase can measure a maximum of 70cm x 90cm x 50cm. Fees from €50 apply for excess baggage. Food + drink As a private group, we're allocated a host who delivers drinks, meals and snacks to our seats, airline-style. The standard is excellent (apart from typically bad French coffee) and the packaging recyclable. Our cold lunch is chicken with couscous, a mustardy potato salad, a bread roll and a cherry and almond cake. There is also a vegetarian option. Soft drinks are offered throughout the journey and snacks include really good butter cookies with chocolate. If you're travelling independently, meals and drinks can be pre-ordered online and picked up via the priority queue in the bistro car. One more thing Given this trip takes almost six hours, I would recommend forking out for the more spacious first-class seats. Loading The price From €52 ($93) one way for first class, meals extra. See If you want to book a private carriage and host for a group, email The verdict I can't really fault this trip as an affordable, comfortable and sustainable (a tiny fraction of the carbon emissions of flying) way to get across France, straight from the centre of Nice into the centre of Paris. Flying would be quicker, but travelling by train is less stressful and the time goes by quickly. Our rating out of five ★★★★★