A strike by air traffic controllers is disrupting travel to, from and over France
Disruptions started hitting airports around France on Thursday and intensified Friday. The national civil aviation authority asked airlines to cancel 40% of flights Friday at Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Beauvais airports serving Paris, half of flights in Nice and 30% of flights in Marseille, Lyon and some other cities.
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CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Joyful Parisians take a historic plunge into the Seine after 100 years
For the first time in over a century, Parisians and tourists will be able to take a refreshing dip in the River Seine. The long-polluted waterway is finally opening up as a summertime swim spot following a 1.4 billion euro ($1.5 billion) cleanup project that made it suitable for Olympic competitions last year. Three new swimming sites on the Paris riverbank will open on Saturday – one close to Notre Dame Cathedral, another near the Eiffel Tower and a third in eastern Paris. Swimming in the Seine has been illegal since 1923, with a few exceptions, due to pollution and risks posed by river navigation. Taking a dip outside bathing areas is still banned for safety reasons. The Seine was one of the stars of the Paris Olympics in 2024, whether as the scene of the ambitious opening ceremony or the triathlon and marathon swimming competitions. That didn't go without challenging hurdles such as rainfall increasing levels of bacteria, which postponed some competitions. The city's authorities have given the green light for the public opening, with water quality results consistently in line with European regulations. 'It's a symbolic moment when we get our river back,' said sports coach and influencer Lucile Woodward, who will participate in the first amateur open water competition in the Seine on Sunday. Woodward, who enjoyed a dip alongside Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo just before the start of the Olympic Games, is confident things will go well. 'We're going to enjoy swimming in it, being there and setting an example,' she said. 'Once people will see that in the end there are hundreds of people who have fun and enjoy it, everyone will want to go!' 'For families, going to take a dip with the kids, making little splashes in Paris, it's extraordinary,' Woodward added. Olympic athletes competing in the river was a spectacular reward for the cost of the cleanup effort. In the run-up to the Games, authorities opened new disinfection units and created a huge storage basin meant to prevent as much bacteria-laden wastewater as possible from spilling directly into the Seine when it rains. Houseboats that previously emptied their sewage directly into the river were required to hook up to municipal sewer systems. Some homes upstream from Paris also saw their wastewater connected to treatment plants instead of the rainwater system flowing directly into the river. Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan said water is tested daily to confirm it's safe to swim. As on French beaches, different colored flags will inform visitors whether or not they can go in. 'Green means the water quality is good. Red means that it's not good or that there's too much current,' he said. Tests have been in line with European regulations since the beginning of June, with only two exceptions due to rain and boat-related pollution, Rabadan said. 'I can't make a bet on the numbers of days when we'll have to close this summer, but water quality seems better than last year,' he added. 'We're in a natural environment… so weather condition variations necessarily have an impact.' Last year, several athletes became ill after competing in the triathlon and open water races during the Olympics, though in most cases it was not clear if the river was to blame for their sickness. World Aquatics stressed the conditions met the sport's accepted thresholds. 'The legacy of these efforts is already evident, with the Seine now open for public swimming – a positive example of how sports can drive long-term community benefits,' the organization said in a statement to The Associated Press. Dan Angelescu, founder and CEO of Fluidion, a Paris and Los Angeles-based water monitoring tech company, has routinely and independently tested bacterial levels in the Seine for several years. Despite being in line with current regulations, the official water testing methodology has limitations and undercounts the bacteria, he said. 'What we see is that the water quality in the Seine is highly variable,' Angelescu said. 'There are only a few days in a swimming season where I would say water quality is acceptable for swimming.' 'All we can say is that we can raise a hand and say look: the science today does not support the current assessment of water safety used in the rivers around Paris, and we think that there is major risk that is not being captured at all,' he said. Some Parisians also have shown skepticism toward the idea of swimming in the Seine. The feeling is often reinforced by the water's murky color, floating litter and multiple tourist boats in some places. Enys Mahdjoub, a real estate agent, said he would not be afraid of swimming, but rather 'a bit disgusted. It's more the worry of getting dirty than anything else at the moment.' Until the end of August, swimming sites will be open for free at scheduled times to anyone with a minimum age of 10 or 14 years, depending on the location. Lifeguards will keep a watchful eye on those first dips. 'It's an opportunity, a dream come true,' said Clea Montanari, a project manager in Paris. 'It'd be a dream if the Seine becomes drinkable, that would be the ultimate goal, right? But already swimming in it is really good.'
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Joyful Parisians take a historic plunge into the Seine after 100 years
For the first time in over a century, Parisians and tourists will be able to take a refreshing dip in the River Seine. The long-polluted waterway is finally opening up as a summertime swim spot following a 1.4 billion euro ($1.5 billion) cleanup project that made it suitable for Olympic competitions last year. Three new swimming sites on the Paris riverbank will open on Saturday – one close to Notre Dame Cathedral, another near the Eiffel Tower and a third in eastern Paris. Swimming in the Seine has been illegal since 1923, with a few exceptions, due to pollution and risks posed by river navigation. Taking a dip outside bathing areas is still banned for safety reasons. The Seine was one of the stars of the Paris Olympics in 2024, whether as the scene of the ambitious opening ceremony or the triathlon and marathon swimming competitions. That didn't go without challenging hurdles such as rainfall increasing levels of bacteria, which postponed some competitions. The city's authorities have given the green light for the public opening, with water quality results consistently in line with European regulations. 'It's a symbolic moment when we get our river back,' said sports coach and influencer Lucile Woodward, who will participate in the first amateur open water competition in the Seine on Sunday. Woodward, who enjoyed a dip alongside Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo just before the start of the Olympic Games, is confident things will go well. 'We're going to enjoy swimming in it, being there and setting an example,' she said. 'Once people will see that in the end there are hundreds of people who have fun and enjoy it, everyone will want to go!' 'For families, going to take a dip with the kids, making little splashes in Paris, it's extraordinary,' Woodward added. Olympic athletes competing in the river was a spectacular reward for the cost of the cleanup effort. In the run-up to the Games, authorities opened new disinfection units and created a huge storage basin meant to prevent as much bacteria-laden wastewater as possible from spilling directly into the Seine when it rains. Houseboats that previously emptied their sewage directly into the river were required to hook up to municipal sewer systems. Some homes upstream from Paris also saw their wastewater connected to treatment plants instead of the rainwater system flowing directly into the river. Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan said water is tested daily to confirm it's safe to swim. As on French beaches, different colored flags will inform visitors whether or not they can go in. 'Green means the water quality is good. Red means that it's not good or that there's too much current,' he said. Tests have been in line with European regulations since the beginning of June, with only two exceptions due to rain and boat-related pollution, Rabadan said. 'I can't make a bet on the numbers of days when we'll have to close this summer, but water quality seems better than last year,' he added. 'We're in a natural environment… so weather condition variations necessarily have an impact.' Last year, several athletes became ill after competing in the triathlon and open water races during the Olympics, though in most cases it was not clear if the river was to blame for their sickness. World Aquatics stressed the conditions met the sport's accepted thresholds. 'The legacy of these efforts is already evident, with the Seine now open for public swimming – a positive example of how sports can drive long-term community benefits,' the organization said in a statement to The Associated Press. Dan Angelescu, founder and CEO of Fluidion, a Paris and Los Angeles-based water monitoring tech company, has routinely and independently tested bacterial levels in the Seine for several years. Despite being in line with current regulations, the official water testing methodology has limitations and undercounts the bacteria, he said. 'What we see is that the water quality in the Seine is highly variable,' Angelescu said. 'There are only a few days in a swimming season where I would say water quality is acceptable for swimming.' 'All we can say is that we can raise a hand and say look: the science today does not support the current assessment of water safety used in the rivers around Paris, and we think that there is major risk that is not being captured at all,' he said. Some Parisians also have shown skepticism toward the idea of swimming in the Seine. The feeling is often reinforced by the water's murky color, floating litter and multiple tourist boats in some places. Enys Mahdjoub, a real estate agent, said he would not be afraid of swimming, but rather 'a bit disgusted. It's more the worry of getting dirty than anything else at the moment.' Until the end of August, swimming sites will be open for free at scheduled times to anyone with a minimum age of 10 or 14 years, depending on the location. Lifeguards will keep a watchful eye on those first dips. 'It's an opportunity, a dream come true,' said Clea Montanari, a project manager in Paris. 'It'd be a dream if the Seine becomes drinkable, that would be the ultimate goal, right? But already swimming in it is really good.'
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2Fgonex-packing-cubes-helped-tout-1cadeb83d31c44498c81a0b27b81a83f.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Travel + Leisure
2 hours ago
- Travel + Leisure
I Spent a Week in Europe With Just a Carry-on—and This $20 Flight Attendant-approved Hack Made It Possible
As someone who typically prefers to travel with just a carry-on bag, I've tried pretty much every packing hack to fit as much as possible into my suitcase. A glance inside will uncover shirts wound around hair tools, socks stuffed into shoes, and dresses tightly rolled into every crevice. I've become so confident in my ability to stuff a suitcase that I've typically been skeptical of packing cubes—that is, until my last Europe trip. You see, when I was recently packing for a near-week-long London trip, my usual methods weren't cutting it. Despite planning out my outfits for every day and night of the trip, my carry-on suitcase was overflowing. I decided to try packing with the Gonex Compression Packing Cubes, which are flight attendant-approved and on sale, and much to my delight, everything that I'd laid out to pack now fit in my carry-on. Apart from their space-saving magic, I'm impressed by how easy Gonex packing cubes are to use. They open from the top, allowing you to stuff in as many clothes as possible (which, trust me, I did), and close it like a pouch. Then, you simply push down on the cubes and use an extra zipper to manually compress them. All together, it's extremely satisfying to witness in action. I have the pink packing cubes, but this four-piece set comes in 19 styles total, including more neutral colors and a fun floral pattern that I'm tempted to order myself. They're sold in three sets depending on your packing needs: A four-piece packing cubes set, a five-piece set, and a six-piece set that includes four packing cubes, a toiletry bag, and a shoe bag. I opted for the four-piece set that includes one 17.3-inch by 13-inch extra-large pouch, plus the large, medium, and small packing cubes. The brand recommends that you pack larger items like jeans and sweaters into the larger cubes, while the smaller sizes can be used for socks and underwear. All four cubes are designed to fit together into your carry-on like a puzzle. However, my personal favorite way to use them is to start with the extra-large cube and work my way down if I feel I need more space. I've found that the largest cube fits perfectly into one side of my go-to Away Bigger Carry-on. The Gonex packing cubes have close to 1,500 five-star ratings at Amazon, with reviewers praising their high quality and durability. They're made with waterproof, lightweight nylon to alleviate some of your common travel conundrums: if liquid leaks into your bag, you don't have to worry about it getting on your clothes, and the cubes won't make your suitcase heavier. Each pouch also has a durable handle to make it easier to pull in and out of your suitcase. I was also excited to discover that my clothes didn't wrinkle any more than usual inside the packing cubes, since they are packed so tightly together. I recently put the packing cubes to the test once again—here's what my suitcase looked like before using them: Travel + Leisure / Rebecca Shinners But, once I packed everything into the Gonex packing cubes, I was left with more empty space. This ended up being the perfect spot to tuck my shoes so I wouldn't have to worry about them getting dirt on my clothes. And just imagine how much more I was able to fit into my suitcase once I convinced my puppy to move. Travel + Leisure / Rebecca Shinners I was so impressed with the packing cubes that I raved about them to my family and friends, and my brother already ordered them in blue for his next trip. Amazon reviewers have called them everything from their 'favorite packing necessity' to 'rockstars," and many of their fans are flight attendants. One wrote, "They are great space savers and make it possible for me to pack for a four-day trip to frigid destinations without having to bring an extra bag." Chiming in, a second flight attendant shared, "I routinely pack for a week in the medium bag only. If I used all four bags, I could pack enough to last months." Another reviewer said the cubes were 'worth every penny' after using them to pack everything they needed for two weeks in Europe in a carry-on bag, and a traveler added, 'The compression feature allowed me to overpack and still get everything neatly tucked into my suitcase." They made sure to note that the zippers still worked smoothly, no matter how much they overstuffed the pouches. It's safe to say that I'm no longer a packing cube skeptic. After my London trip, I'm now more confident than ever in my ability to pack just a carry-on for my upcoming trips. I even just booked an economy ticket to Paris to avoid checked bag fees. Whether you're looking to skip checking a bag like me or just want to fit more into your suitcase, you won't regret ordering the Gonex Compression Packing Cubes for your next trip. Read on for more carry-on packing essentials from Amazon. At the time of publishing, the price started at $20. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
