NEWS

Lyon ranked 37 for quality of life

A study released this week by human resource company Mercer placed Lyon in the 37 position
on its 2006 list of cities with the highest quality of life. Zurich topped the list, and for the third
year in a row, Baghdad earned the lowest ranking of the 215 cities.

Nearly half of the 30 highest ranked cities are located in Western Europe, including Geneva,
Vienna, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, and Munich in the top ten. Paris came in at number 33 and
London at 39. The highest ranking US city was Honolulu at 27 and the lowest was Houston at 68.

Mercer's worldwide life quality survey results are based on 39 quality-of-life factors which range
from political stability to schools, and restaurants to the environment. The London-based company is the global leader for human resources and related financial advice and services, with more than 15,000 employees serving clients in over 190 cities and 41 countries and territories worldwide.

Top ten cities on Mercer's 2006 list:
Zurich, Switzerland
Geneva, Switzerland
Vancouver, Canada
Vienna, Austria
Auckland, New Zealand
Düsseldorf, Germany
Frankfurt, Germany
Munich, Germany
Bern, Switzerland
Sydney, Australia

Discover your street

The Ville de Lyon suggests a new way to tour the city and its neighborhoods. Eighteen walking tours have been planned throughout the city's nine districts for May 21 and June 18, beginning at 14h45.

The Sunday afternoon tours are designed for the newcomer to discover the city and the longtime
Lyonnais to learn more about their home. The theme is “ Dans ma rue ,” meaning in my street.
Guides lead the way through the city streets, telling its stories and pointing out sites of interest.

Registration for the tours is required. Call 04 72 10 30 30 for information or visit www.lyon.fr .
Tickets cost 5 EUR for adults, 3 EUR for students, and are free for those under 18 years of age,
unemployed, or handicapped. For some tours a TCL ticket will be needed.

 

Deadliest winter in 35 years for skiers

The death toll for people killed in French Alps avalanches this year is the highest in 35 years.
At least 50 skiers were killed in 2006, more than double last year's 25 fatalities. While there
has been significant snowfall this year, there have not been any major avalanches causing
fatalities, as in Chamonix in 1999 when 12 people were killed.

Some of the deaths have been attributed to unstable snow as a result of this winter's fluctuating
weather conditions. However, most of the blame is being placed on the rising trend of off-piste skiing.

Skiing off-piste, also called free-ride skiing, has been made easier thanks to advancements
in equipment. The result is that skiers have a false sense of security and skill level.
An estimated 50 percent of skiers at the Tignes and Val D'Isere resorts in France leave the
trails for uncharted areas.

Nearly half of this year's avalanche victims were skiing off-piste. The avalanches have killed
mountain climbers, a ski patroller and a mountain rescuer.

 

Duboeuf on trial for Beaujolais Nouveau scandal

Georges Duboeuf, the force behind Beaujolais Nouveau wines' incredible success, appeared
in court on April 4 on charges that 300,000 bottles were altered in 2004. The 72-year old's
company, Georges Duboeuf wines, has been accused of, “fraud and attempted fraud concerning
the origin and quality of wines.”

Known as the “King of the Beaujolais,” Duboeuf denies claims that grapes from other vineyards
were intentionally mixed with the 2004 harvest to cover poor quality of some prized vintages.
While Duboeuf admits there was an error in grape-sorting, he says the affected wine was not
made available for sale.

"The mistake was made; it was admitted to by the person responsible who has since resigned;
and so it has no consequence for production or the consumer," Duboeuf told AFP.

Charges are also pending for a former manager of a production site. If found guilty, he would serve a maximum of two years in jail and be fined EUR 37,500. Duboeuf may be fined up to EUR 187,500.