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Auto Blog
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Bugatti Unveils New Atelier In Molsheim Ahead Of Tourbillon Production
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. View post: How The World's Best Hillclimb Racer Trains His Body to Race at 14,000 Feet Above Sea Level Bugatti doesn't just build cars — it builds temples to speed, craftsmanship, and engineering theater. And now, nestled in the historic grounds of Château Saint Jean, the French marque has unveiled its latest monument: a new, world-class production facility designed to usher in the age of the Tourbillon. This isn't just an upgrade. It's a statement. The new atelier blends contemporary architecture with Bugatti's natural surroundings in Molsheim, Alsace, where the brand has operated for over a century. Stretching 132 meters in length and cloaked in wild grass that crawls over 30% of its sloping roof, the building seems to rise gently from the landscape, mirroring the restraint and purpose behind Bugatti's latest hypercars — especially the newly revealed Bugatti Tourbillon. 0:04 / 0:09 Honda may move the next-generation Civic production from Mexico to the U.S. Watch More Source: Bugatti A New Era, Built From the Ground Up The workshop's sleek exterior — darkened walls paired with glowing glass panels — hides an interior designed with equal precision. Expansive eastern windows draw in the morning sun, while ceiling skylights flood the hall with daylight throughout the day. The result is more than just a pleasant workplace. It's an environment that inspires the roughly 50 craftspeople who will assemble some of the most complex machines on Earth. Inside, the new atelier doubles Bugatti's previous production capacity. The company has brought more of the manufacturing process in-house, streamlining everything from sub-component construction to final body-chassis integration. It's the most advanced setup in the company's 116-year history — and that history is front of mind as Bugatti transitions from the final, celebratory Chiron to the future-forward Tourbillon. 1 / 2 Zoom In Launch Gallery Design Meets Hospitality While the new facility focuses on engineering excellence, the former Macaron-shaped atelier has found a new calling: guest experience. The old building will become a showcase of Bugatti's legacy, offering visitors a glimpse into cabin assembly and design detail — a uniquely Bugatti blend of luxury hospitality and hypercar education. It's a fitting tribute to a space that helped birth record-breakers like the Chiron Super Sport and Mistral, the latter of which recently reclaimed the title of world's fastest convertible. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. 1 / 3 Zoom In Launch Gallery Molsheim's Future, Built Today 'We are currently steering the biggest Bentley design revolution in our history,' says Frederic Daul, Director of Operations at Bugatti — although to be fair, this is more than just a revolution. It's a redefinition. With the Tourbillon's mix of 1,000-hp V16 combustion and 800-hp electric assistance, and with production set to begin later this year, Bugatti is building both the car and the facility worthy of its next icon. Every brick and pane of glass in this atelier is part of that story. A new chapter in Molsheim is being written — one where timeless craftsmanship and cutting-edge tech collide under one beautifully sloped roof. About the Author Max Taylor View Profile
Telegraph
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Macron announces Dreyfus memorial day amid rising anti-Semitism
Emmanuel Macron warned France to beware the 'old demons' of anti-Semitism as he announced a national day of commemoration for Alfred Dreyfus on Saturday. The president said there would be a memorial ceremony every year on July 12, the date on which the Jewish army captain was exonerated of treason charges for which he had been sentenced to life imprisonment in 1894. The first ceremony will take place next year, exactly 120 years after the High Court of Appeal overturned the verdict passed on Dreyfus by a military court in one of the most notorious examples of anti-Semitism in the history of France. Dreyfus, from the Alsace region of eastern France, had been falsely accused of passing information on artillery equipment to Germany. The campaign to free him divided France. 'From now on, every July 12, there will be a commemoration ceremony for Dreyfus, for the victory of justice and truth against hatred and anti-Semitism,' Mr Macron wrote in a communique on Saturday. 'In this way, Alfred Dreyfus and those who fought through him for Liberty, Equality and Fraternity will continue to be the example that must inspire our conduct. 'We know that we must always be vigilant and persistent against these old anti-Semitic demons spawned by hatred. And today more than ever.' France has been experiencing a rising tide of anti-Semitism in recent years, particularly since the Hamas atrocities of Oct 7 2023 led to Israel invading Gaza. The announcement of the Dreyfus commemoration follows France's parliament backing a bill last month that promoted Dreyfus to the rank of brigadier general in an 'act of reparation' for his wrongful conviction. The officer's conviction amid a virulently anti-Semitic press campaign was based on a comparison of handwriting on a document found in a German military attaché's wastepaper basket. Lt Col Georges Picquart, the head of France's intelligence services, secretly reinvestigated the case, and found the handwriting on the incriminating message was that of another officer, Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy. But when Picquart presented his evidence to the general staff of the French army, he was kicked out of the military and jailed for a year. Esterhazy was acquitted, which inspired Emile Zola to write his famous 'J'accuse' pamphlet in which the author attacked the 'terrifying judicial error' and 'the hunt for 'dirty Jews' that is soiling our time'. The campaign to free Dreyfus split the country between Dreyfusards, led by Zola, and anti-Dreyfusards such as Maurice Barrès, the far-Right political leader. Dreyfus was brought back to France from the Devil's Island penal colony in French Guiana but was found guilty a second time. He was later pardoned but not cleared of the charges until his final exoneration on July 12 1906. 'Unfortunately, the legacy of the heirs of the anti-Dreyfusards, anti-republicans and anti-Semites of the early and mid-20th century has never died out,' Mr Macron said on Saturday. France is home to the largest Jewish community in Europe, which suffered nearly 1,600 anti-Semitic acts in 2024. The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France said it was a 'historic number'. A total of 504 anti-Semitic acts were recorded in France between January and May 2025, according to the Ministry of the Interior. After the French hard Left made gains in elections last year, Moshe Sebbag, a rabbi for the Synagogue de la Victoire, said he was advising Jews to leave France for Israel. Hard Left reluctant to condemn Hamas 'It seems France has no future for Jews,' he said after a political bloc including Jean-Luc Mélenchon's France Unbowed won National Assembly elections. France Unbowed is highly critical of Israel and was reluctant to condemn Hamas for the Oct 7 terror attack, which has led to accusations of anti-Semitism. The hard-Right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, has sought to expunge its history of anti-Semitism. Jean-Marie Le Pen, its founder, was a Holocaust denier with numerous convictions for anti-Semitism. In March this year, Jordan Bardella, the party's president, visited Israel for a two-day conference on fighting anti-Semitism in a sign of National Rally's shift.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mathis Amougou joins Strasbourg from Chelsea
RC Strasbourg Alsace have announced the arrival of Mathis Amougou (19) from Chelsea FC. The France U20 international reportedly joins on a permanent transfer, having signed a contract that will keep him in the East of France until 2030. Amougou was snapped up by Chelsea during the winter transfer window after an impressive six months in Ligue 1 with his formative side AS Saint-Étienne. The midfielder ticks all the boxes for a BlueCo player: young and with significant potential for growth. Advertisement This transfer between the two sister clubs had been expected, and the Frenchman will likely be tasked with filling the void left by Andrey Santos (21) returning to Chelsea following his season-long loan, and Habib Diarra (21), who was picked up by Sunderland AFC. Chelsea have reportedly placed a buy-back clause in their agreement with Le Racing, with his development likely to be closely watched by a club who are not afraid to test talent in the top tier of French football. GFFN | Nick Hartland
France 24
12-07-2025
- General
- France 24
Stocamine: French toxic waste site threatens Europe's key water source
For more than 25 years, thousands of tonnes of toxic waste have lain buried beneath the old industrial town of Wittelsheim in France 's northeastern region of Alsace. Some 42,000 tonnes of toxic waste currently lie buried 500 metres below the site, which contains 125km of tunnels. On June 17, a Strasbourg court ruled that there was not sufficient time to remove toxic waste safely from the former potash mine, known as Stocamine, at the site. The court argued that the risk that the galleries could deteriorate or collapse made removal of the waste extremely dangerous. A press release from the Strasbourg court on May 15 stated that the studies presented in the file demonstrated that the site would only be accessible in 'sufficiently safe conditions until 2027/2028'. After examining all the possible options in terms of environmental risks, the public rapporteur ordered that the waste should be permanently sealed underground, and that it be smothered in thick concrete walls to prevent it from leaking out. But scientists and advocacy groups fear that the toxic waste risks seeping into Alsace's water table, one of the most important groundwater resources in Europe. Swiss geologist Marcos Buser, tasked with guiding studies and decision-making about the future of the mine's toxic waste storage in a 2011 committee of experts on Stocamine, predicts that if water seeps into the mining sites, 'pollution in the form of a contaminant plume could extend several kilometres long into the water table, hundreds of metres wide and 30-40 metres high". 10:33 Buser added, "In 20, 30, 50 years, people will say: they were crazy not to remove this waste when they could have done so." The geologist stressed that it is still possible to remove the chemicals. He believes the real reason French authorities don't want to do so is due to undeclared chemical waste inside the mine. The committee had already recommended and approved a partial destocking of heavy metals such as mercury in 2011. This took place between 2014 and 2017 as a compromise between non-retrieval and full retrieval of the deposited inventory. According to Buser, during that period of between 2014 and 2017, engineers and Stocamine employees discovered that about 20 percent of the big chemical waste bags that were torn contained chemicals that didn't match their labels – that they were falsely declared waste. Buser thinks that economic considerations led to the acceptance of the undeclared chemicals. 'The managers of Stocamine simply accepted any waste to keep the company alive," according to an investigation published in 2023 by Investigative Journalism for Europe. The geologist, who has worked in various destocking projects, such as the Sainte-Ursanne case in Switzerland, said that removing chemicals from the mine in Alsace is possible and that the current decision of permanent confinement is unacceptable while safe access to the mine is still possible 'It also concerns Switzerland, Germany' Alsace Nature and the Collectivité européenne d'Alsace (CEA) have since appealed the Strasbourg court's decision to the Nancy court, where the case is now pending. Both groups told FRANCE 24 that they are not backing down from their fight to have the waste removed from the site. In an email, CEA President Frédéric Bierry said that several mechanisms are still available for making appeals, including referral to European courts – specifically the European Court of Human Rights or the Court of Justice of the European Union – on the basis of the right to a healthy environment. Alsace Nature, the advocacy group that previously filed an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights – rejected under the emergency procedure – says its complaint remains under review and maintains that the Stocamine case goes well beyond a regional issue. 'It goes much further,' said the group's director Stéphane Giraud, pointing to cross-border risks. 'It concerns Switzerland, Germany and several million [people] who live off this water table.' Giraud warns that the long-term consequences of waste confinement are unpredictable, affecting not just water quality but the entire environmental and economic fabric of the region. As to health risks for Stocamine employees, no link has been officially established. 'We don't know what's really in the mine,' Giraud said, adding that workers live 'in a world of mining", which makes the risks difficult to confront. Even those opposed to burying the waste permanently are hesitant to speak publicly. 'It's a bit of a betrayal of their lives,' Giraud explained, noting that the mine was once a celebrated social model in the Haut-Rhin region. In 1997, the French government authorised the conversion of the mine into a waste repository to keep the economy of the town going, as it was suffering after the decline of potash mining. The project was presented as a job-creating initiative for former miners, but only 24 jobs were created and a 2002 underground fire in block 15 of the structure put an end to the reception of new waste, further eroding public trust in the facility. FRANCE 24 contacted Céline Schumpp, Secretary General of Les Mines de Potasse d'Alsace (MDPA), the company which succeeded Stocamine, for further comment on its position regarding the permanent sealing of the site. She referred to documents already available on the company's website, the Conseil d'Etat's decision on 2024, a report from Cour de Comptes – France's top court for auditing public funds – on the case and stated that, 'MDPA does not comment on court decisions; it enforces them.' The company maintains that due to the ongoing convergence of the mine leading to the gradual collapse of its tunnels, there is no longer a safe window to completely remove the waste and therefore
The Sun
11-07-2025
- The Sun
The tiny European town that people say is like a real-life Disney village
NO, this isn't the fictional town from Beauty and the Beast, it's a real and charming village that you can actually visit. With brightly coloured timber houses and window boxes full of flowers, Riquewihr in France has been compared to looking like something from a Disney film. 4 4 Riquewihr is a village in the Alsace region known for having a blend of French and German culture resulting in picture perfect communes. These have half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets, and vineyards. Unlike surrounding towns like Colmar, Riquewihr is much quieter when it comes to high season. While it doesn't have the canals that Colmar does, the town of Riquewihr has been called just as beautiful by visitors. One visitors wrote on Tripadvisor: "This town is so cute you'll think it was made for a Disney movie. we were here at Christmas and it gets EVEN CUTER with the decorations. you won't believe it. i think it's the cutest of all the Alsatian towns." Another added: "Picturesque would be an understatement. It's a fairy tale village that doesn't seem real." You'll find the town between the Vosges mountains and the Alsatian vineyards, which only adds to its beauty. During spring and summer, the village is decorated with colourful flowers. And for Christmas it looks like an advent calendar, set up with seasonal markets and lights hanging between the houses. Venturing around the village, you could take a picture around every corner and admire the 82 foot high Dolder Tower, which is the village's iconic monument. The beautiful French town with Venice style canals 4 As it's surrounded by vineyards it would be a shame to not try the wine. There are lots of organised vineyard tours around the village, and plenty of wine cellars that sit underneath Riquewihr. Scattered around the village are restaurants, cafes, and shops selling traditional Alsatian pottery, linens, and souvenirs. Another similar village is Eguisheim which has more than once been named as One of the Most Beautiful Villages in France since 2003. Travel Blogger Full Suitcase wrote: "Visiting this pretty little town is like taking a trip back in time. "As you walk its picturesque cobbled streets admiring colourful houses, with pointed roofs and timber-framed facades, you feel like you stepped into a real-life fairytale." For those wanting to visit both Riquewihr and Eguisheim - the villages are just 10 miles apart. Here's another hidden waterfall village that looks like a fairytale and has been named one of the most beautiful in Europe. And check out the world's most beautiful village that has classic car tours, fairytale vibes and cheap Ryanair flights. 4
