Paris

‘We were five people in my parents’ 2CV; we would set out at 3am and by 10am, around about Lyon, my father would need a break. My mother would set up a deckchair for him under a tree by the side of the road and he would sleep before driving the rest of the way to Toulon.”

On a recent road trip through France, I met up with Thierry Doillon, a vintage car fanatic who helped restore a 1950s petrol station on the Route Nationale 7. I wanted to talk about the heyday of this iconic road (so famous that singer-songwriter Charles Trenet released a song about it in 1955) and why it’s enjoying a renaissance with holidaymakers.

The RN7 stretches 996km (619 miles) from Paris to Menton on the Côte d’Azur, passing through Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Avignon, Lyon, Aix-en Provence, Fréjus and Nice. In summer 1936, the French government passed a law that mandated paid holiday, a move that kickstarted the exodus of northerners to the Med every August, and it became a true emblem of the French vacances. In the 50s and 60s, the route was awash with petrol stations, traffic jams, picnickers and roadside cafes.

Although the RN7 fell quieter when the Autoroute du Soleil (Motorway of the Sun) was completed in the early 1970s (the new toll road knocked a third off the journey time), it is now experiencing a resurgence thanks to the trend for slow tourism and discovering the road less travelled.

My road trip started on Paris’s Place d’Italie on a chilly September morning after an overnight stay at Hôtel Rosalie. Although my hired Citroën was capacious in comparison with Thierry’s 2CV of yesteryear, I could imagine the thrill he must have felt as a kid, embarking on an adventure that would take him to a land unrecognisable from the cold and grey of northern France, with the promise of warm sea, palm trees and glowing sunsets at its end.

Only a few kilometres from the centre of Paris, the roads started to widen and troops of Napoleonic plane trees lined up to guide this adventurer south. Historic highway it may be, but there’s a subtlety to the RN7 compared with the likes of America’s Route 66: instead of the shield-shaped “Historic Route” markers with “66” in large numbers, there are simple red-and-white bornes – round-topped concrete distance markers that dot every kilometre. There are faded ghost signs instead of screaming billboards, a mere whisper of the promise of parasols and pastis to come; Relais Routiers restaurants instead of roadkill cafes; and the soundtrack is Trenet’s 1955 whimsical hit (“L’amour joyeux est là qui fait risette, On est heureux Nationale 7”) rather than Chuck Berry or the Rolling Stones getting their kicks.

I imagine Thierry’s father despairing at my sluggishness, but nonetheless I made my first stop just 50km from Paris, in the village of Barbizon in the Fontainebleau forest. I stretched my legs in the shady wooded paths in the footsteps of the mid-18th-century artists who decamped here from the city to be inspired by nature.

Back on the road, I counted numerous art deco frontages of now-derelict mechanics along the route. “There were sometimes as many as 12 garages in a 6km stretch,” Thierry had told me. “Not just because the petrol tanks were so tiny back then, but because the cars broke down all the time!”

I drove through pretty riverside towns such as Charité-sur-Loire and Nevers and parked up at the Hôtel de Paris in Moulins, a charming town that’s intersected by the RN7. The historic hotel has played host to many French stars over the decades, from Coco Chanel to Edith Piaf, and was such a popular stopping point in the 50s that it used to have two daily lunch sittings – the first for those heading south from Paris, the second for those driving north from Lyon and the Riviera.

The next morning, I journeyed further back in time in La Pacaudière, a tiny village that bore witness to the importance of this north-to-south route centuries before it thronged with holidaymakers. Le Petit Louvre is a coaching inn in the village with a gargantuan, gleaming Burgundian roof that since the early 1500s has served variously as trading point, post office, prison and school, as well as hosting many passing bigwigs.

While residents in La Pacaudière are now free of traffic jams thanks to a bypass that avoids the village, those in the next village of Lapalisse hold a biennial traffic jam party called Embouteillage to celebrate the nostalgic bottlenecks of the 60s.

My next stop was Roanne, one of those French towns most Britons have never heard of that turns out to be a gastronomic gem, in this instance partly due to it being home to Michelin-starred chef Michel Troisgros. While he has a three-star gastronomic restaurant in the nearby village of Ouches, I stopped at little-sister restaurant Le Central, which is bang on the RN7 as it cuts through town in front of la gare.

The route’s history is intertwined with that of the Michelin Guide, which provided essential information and maps for millions of holidaymakers. Many legendary chefs and eateries are synonymous with the route – from Eugénie Brazier, the first woman to earn six Michelin stars, to Fernand Point with La Pyramide in Vienne, who achieved three Michelin stars in the 30s.

My lunch at Le Central started with a fish broth amuse bouche, continued with a hunk of white fish and confit peppers, and ended with a volcanic île flottante called Mont Fuji, all of which really kickstarted the gastronomic second half of my slow journey through France.

Not far after Roanne came the visual highlight of my trip: the Ozo petrol station which Thierry and his friends have restored to its former glory. He’d told me how the first guardian of the station had been a woman – AKA the godmother – who had lived in the tiny kiosk and been on hand 24/7 to help drivers at the pump.

Fully fuelled, my drive then took me to the Vallée de la Gastronomie, a stretch of central France that pulses with the heartbeat of artisans, chefs, producers and winemakers.

I met Pierre-Yves at Maison Mure in St Symphorien-de-Lay, an artisan boulanger, pâtissier and chocolatier who has created a cake that celebrates the Nationale 7, a light sponge sandwich in the shape of its road sign. I spent the night in a cottage at Domaine de Clairefontaine, a small hotel and bistronomic restaurant.

The next morning, I continued to Tain-l’Hermitage, visiting its Citè du Chocolat museum and hiking through the Hermitage vineyards that border the town. I stopped over at Maison Chabran in Pont-de-l’Isère, another good example of the many superlative family-run hotel-restaurants that dot the length of the RN7.

The culinary treats came one after the other as I made my way south, from roadside nougat in Montélimar to the historic rolling vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France’s first wine appellation. My journey reached its gastronomic zenith with an overnighter at the Michelin-starred La Mère Germaine, perched in the heart of the wine village, before I trundled to the coast, the greenery of la vraie France now behind me and the dusty roads, rocky outcrops of the Luberon and big hitters such as Orange’s Théâtre Ancien, Avignon’s papal palace and Aix-en-Provence’s Cézanne celebration ahead.

From plane trees to palm trees, from big rivers to the Mediterranean, the route was now edged by melon vendors and seafood stalls, with seemingly infinite blue sea in front. I spent the last night of my road trip in Fréjus, a town that combines ancient history with modern-day Med sparkle, staying in l’Aréna hotel. In 1799, Napoleon slept here en route from Egypt to his coup d’état in Paris.

I like to take the road less travelled when I can in France, but this time I had taken the road much travelled, then barely travelled, and now more travelled again. My out-of-season journey down the Route des Vacances was a memorable mix of quiet roads, nostalgia, superlative food and wine, and a variety of landscapes.

It can be difficult to choose which class to go for when booking Eurostar. Recently, I tried Plus, and while it was a pleasant experience, here’s why I think it’s not worth the money

Eurostar offers a fast and efficient way to get from London to the continent, and if you’re doing a day trip or a short break, it can be much more time-efficient than flying.

When you choose your Eurostar train time, you’ll usually be presented with three fare options: Standard, Plus, and Premier. Recently, I took two trips in the space of a week, one on Standard and one on Plus to see how the two classes compare. With Plus tickets often costing double, triple, or even quadruple the cost of a Standard ticket, is it worth the upgrade?

I took the Eurostar Standard from London to Lille, which at just 90-minutes is the shortest journey from London St Pancras. I managed to pick up tickets for £35 one-way in a flash sale, so going to Lille was cheaper than visiting many UK cities by train.

Standard

Standard is a no-frills service. You get a luggage allowance of two bags up to 85cm long on routes to and from London, plus a small item such as a handbag and laptop bag. There are no weight or liquid limits like you’d find on planes, although you do need to heft your bags up and down the steep train steps, so keep that in mind before stocking up on wine at the supermarché.

There are two rows of two seats, which are comfier than most UK trains and have headrests and footrests. Impressively, Standard tickets are flexible up to an hour before departure, so if your travel plans change you can swap your ticket for no fee. You simply pay the difference for your new fare.

Seats come with a power outlet, and you technically get access to WiFi, although on all my journeys, this barely worked, so bring a book. Once settled in, we had some snacks and the journey flew by, and we stepped off the train into the centre of Lille ready for a city break.

Eurostar Plus

A few days later, I tried the Eurostar Plus, this time on a journey from London to Paris. The journey through St Pancras station is exactly the same, you don’t get access to a priority queue, lounge, or boarding, so you don’t really notice the difference until you board. Luggage allowances and rules around flexibility are also the same as Standard class.

The carriages are also very similar to Standard, except with one less seat in a row, so you have two seats on one side and single seats on the other. The single seats seemed popular with business travellers who quickly whipped out their laptops, although with the patchy WiFi, I’m not sure how much work they got done.

Unfortunately, I think I had bad luck with this train: half the toilets were out of order, and the other half were less than pleasant. I had to wobble my way up and down the aisles with a child in tow, trying to find a loo.

The main upgrade on Plus is that you get breakfast or a light meal, plus a choice of drinks, including wine and beer. Dishes are served cold, so they tend to be salads with chicken or fish or pasta dishes. My salmon and lentils were tasty enough, but about on par with what you’d get in Marks and Spencer at the station.

The staff on Eurostar Plus are also extremely friendly and helpful, and it was nice to sit back and be served a meal with wine and coffee on a well-presented tray. But is it worth the upgrade?

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However, I will admit that the Plus carriage did have a slightly calmer, more business-like vibe, so if you’re on the way to an important meeting, it might be worth the money. Likewise, if you’re traveling alone and don’t want to risk ending up with a chatty neighbour, the thought of booking a single seat might appeal.

Otherwise, take your own sandwich and save your Euros for when you arrive at your destination.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

One city has been crowned Europe’s chocolate capital in a new study analysing chocolate culture across the continent

When you think of chocolate, your mind might wander to the Belgian capital of Brussels, or perhaps the Swiss Alps, yet neither has claimed the top spot on Europe’s list of “chocolate capitals”. Instead, that coveted title belongs to the Italian city of Turin.

Ahead of the bustling summer tourist season, Avis examined European cities for their chocolate culture, taking into account the number of chocolatiers and shops listed on Yelp, chocolate-related attractions such as museums and factory tours, and consumer ratings.

Their research placed Turin firmly at the top, closely followed by Perugia, also in Italy, with Austria’s Salzburg taking third place.

Two British cities also featured on the list, with one securing fourth place and London coming in eighth.

Turin boasts 233 chocolatiers and five chocolate attractions; regarded as Europe’s historic chocolate capital since 1585, the city is the birthplace of gianduja and bicerin – iconic hazelnut-chocolate specialities.

There’s also the Pfatisch Chocolate Museum and factory tours from renowned brands such as Caffarel.

The city’s annual CioccolaTò festival further solidifies its standing as a must-visit destination for immersive chocolate experiences.

Taking to TripAdvisor, one recent visitor to the Pfatisch Chocolate Museum wrote: “Beautiful audio guided tour, interactive for families. The children had a great time with the interactive games.

“Very cosy and realistic environment recreated for the tour. Exhaustive on the subject. It involved all the senses.

“Small taste of the three chocolates (dark, milk, white) and finally the king Gianduiotto.”

Meanwhile, another visitor who enjoyed a trip to the Pfatish Museum remarked: “This place looks it belongs on a movie set. Everything looks so good and so perfect. Even if you don’t buy anything here, it is well worth a visit.”

Top 10 unexpected “chocolate capitals” of Europe

1. Turin, Italy
2. Perugia, Italy
3. Salzburg, Austria
4. York, UK
5. Antwerp, Belgium
6. Strasbourg, France
7. Krakow, Poland
8. London, UK
9. Amsterdam, Netherlands
10. Prague, Czechia

Most people take their first Disney trip as a child, but I visited for the first time as a middle-aged woman, and some parts of my trip were completely unexpected – here’s what first time visitors should know

Look for advice on your first trip to a Disney park and you’ll often be overwhelmed with dos and don’ts, and a lot of the advice is conflicting. Going into my first Disney trip to Disneyland Paris, I tried to do some research, but found there’s just so much information out there it can be difficult to know who to listen to.

However, there are a few simple things I wish I’d known before I went with my seven year old, and if you’re a first timer like me, you might find it useful to keep these things in mind when planning.

1. The days are long

We arrived late evening on our first day and found the park beautifully lit up and the atmosphere buzzing. As someone who is used to British theme parks that usually slam their doors shut at 6PM, I didn’t realise that everything opens so much later at Disneyland. Even after the night shows, people were wandering round the shops at nearly 11PM and seemingly not planning to go to bed anytime soon.

There are certainly upsides to this. You can squeeze lots of fun out of your day and plan to go on rides when it’s quieter. However, with younger kids you might want to plan some strategic naps otherwise they aren’t going to make it through to the night-time shows, which really are worth staying up for.

2. You find most of the fun stuff by accident

While I did have a vague plan for the things we wanted to see, some of the stuff we really loved we stumbled across completely accidentally. Wandering into the main Disneyland Park at just the right time meant we arrived just in time to see Mickey dance by on a parade float. While walking around the Studios Park, we found ourselves just in time to see Stitch Live, a super fun interactive show which my daughter is still talking about, which we hadn’t planned to see.

It’s tempting to overplan on these kinds of trips, but the park really is a magical place, and sometimes it’s best to just wander round and let the magic find you.

3. The shopping and dining are as impressive as the rides

Let’s face it, the facilities at many theme parks in the UK leave a lot of room for improvement. Food is limited to burgers and hot dogs, and the gift shops have a few overpriced toys and some branded merch.

Our hotel was close to Disney Village, which had a seriously impressive selection of shops, restaurants, bars, plus some familiar chains like Starbucks and McDonald’s. There were clothing shops with just Disney-branded items, a posh décor shop were you could get upmarket scented candles and bougie gifts, and even a giant LEGO store.

The restaurants we visited, including the new Regal View restaurant, were certainly much different to any other theme park dining I’ve ever experienced. There was not a chicken nugget or sticky table in sight as we enjoyed upmarket French cuisine. Even the kids meals were fresh, seasonal, and beautifully presented. It’s great to have these options especially if you’re visiting the park for a special occasion.

4. Premier Access is an upgrade worth paying for

If you have a short window of time to visit the parks, then Premier Access is definitely one upgrade to get. It meant we could get on most rides in under five minutes so could pack so much into a short space of time. You can also buy passes for individual rides, which would definitely be worth it if you have your heart set on one of the big attractions.

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5. You’ll need a day to recover

My editor, who has visited the parks many times, warned me that I’d be exhausted after my trip describing it as ‘Disney tired’. She wasn’t wrong. The combination of 25,000 steps a day, constant stimulation, and being in crowds for hours and hours at a time left me extremely fatigued.

If you’ve got an extra day of annual leave going spare, you might want to book the day off after coming home, or at least get a nap on the Eurostar, because I honestly felt jet-lagged after arriving home. But of course, it was well worth it.

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

The recently revised food pyramid may put fruit as a medium priority, but there is nothing the Trump administration likes more than the apple of discord.

Every news cycle, the president seems intent on introducing something new for Americans to argue about: the wisdom (and legality) of war in Iraq; the term “affordability”; the efficacy of mail-in ballots (which the president recently used); the meaning of birthright; the legitimacy of a vice president who has been publicly admonished by two popes for writing a book about his conversion to Catholicism — heck, we’re still arguing about that new food pyramid.

But there is one recent development upon which we really should all agree — erecting a gold statue of President Trump in the middle of his proposed presidential library is a No Good, Very Bad Idea.

On Tuesday, the president’s son Eric posted a first-look video for said library, which will reside on the waterfront in Miami. While questions were raised about the inclusion of the Boeing 747-8 the president controversially accepted as a gift from Qatar and the apparent lack of space in the sky-scraping library for, you know, books, it was the enormous gold statue of Trump towering over the stage in a proposed auditorium that drew the most immediate attention.

That Trump chose to reveal this little (well, actually quite big) beauty mere days after millions of Americans across the country participated in a coordinated No Kings march can be taken as either breathtaking irony or, more probably, a rage-baiting metaphoric middle finger.

As he has been recently wont to do, California Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly responded on his press office X account with photos of gold statuary depicting former chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong, North Korea’s Kim Il-Sung and Turkmenistan’s Saparmurat Niyazov and the observation that “The gold statue in Trump’s new library (of himself) looks awfully familiar to a few others from around the world.”

Trump’s obsession with gold will no doubt obsess future generations of historians, artists, psychoanalysts and Wikipedia editors — the guerrilla art group Secret Handshake on Monday put up a gold toilet statue on the National Mall mocking the president’s plans to renovate the Lincoln bathroom during a time of war and strife, as tribute, according to the statue’s plaque, “to an unwavering visionary who looked down, saw a problem and painted it gold.”

But even allowing for personal taste, a big golden statue of Trump is a terrible idea. For him.

In times of trouble and/or leadership changes, statues are often the first to go — as Trump knows well, since he’s working to replace the Confederate generals displaced after the Black Lives Matter movement and recently erected, near the White House, a replica of the Christopher Columbus statue thrown into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor during 2020 protests.

After hearing the Declaration of Independence read publicly for the first time, members of the Sons of Liberty tore down a statue of King George III from Bowling Green; during the French Revolution, the kings all across Paris came down; ditto Napoleon when he fell out of favor. In Russia, tsarist monuments were replaced by statues of Communist leaders, which in turn were torn down — statues of Stalin also fell in Hungary, Georgia and Albania. More recently, a statue of Saddam Hussein famously met the same fate.

As Robert Frost might have put it: Something there is that doesn’t love a statue of a divisive leader. Especially if it’s gold.

OK, I added that last bit.

There are plenty of famous and popular gold statues — Thailand’s Golden Buddha; the Golden Madonna of Essen in Germany; Jeanne d’Arc in Paris; Prometheus at Rockefeller Center in New York; even Tutankhamun’s death mask and solid gold coffin, which travel the world. But, as perhaps you have noticed, they trend toward the religious, mythic or historic, i.e. dead.

In the lavish memorial erected by his grieving widow, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert is golden, but few world leaders are permanently gilded, and certainly not before their deaths. (London’s golden statue of King Charles II was erected during his lifetime but originally in bronze — the gold was added later. It also depicts Charles in Roman garb, so I suppose the Trump statue could be worse — at least we don’t see his naked knees.)

In the United States, golden statuary is rare and usually metaphoric — the Oregon Pioneer, the Golden Driller, the Spirit of Communication. Gold remains captivating, an aspirational symbol of success (“gold standard”) and wealth (“golden touch”), but it can also bring with it an air of mockery (“golden boy”) and warning. The original golden touch belonged to King Midas, who loved it until he accidentally killed his daughter by turning her into a gold statue.

Displays of it, particularly in architecture or public art, are often perceived as tacky, kitschy or, heaven forbid, nouveau riche. Trump is fine being perceived as all of these things; he has long embraced the gleaming excesses of Versailles — the golden elevator will also be featured in the new proposed library.

His personal taste is his right and is shared by many.

In terms of statuary, however, “golden” is most typically associated with “idol,” figures that are erected specifically to be worshiped — the Golden Calf that made God and Moses so angry comes to mind — and Americans, historically, have not been big fans of idolatry.

Hence the separation of church and state, a three-branch government and a president with a limited term. The early colonists were very much anti-idol worshippers and even modern Catholics, as Vice President Vance surely knows, have long been criticized by their Protestant counterparts for a love of statuary, reliquaries and other iconography that some have argued fall into idolatry.

Trump clearly has no problem with idolatry, as long as he is the idol in question — he has long characterized his supporters as people who will love him no matter what he does. So no one should be surprised that his son would anchor the Trump presidential library with an enormous golden statue of his father — Trump is not a man to be satisfied with bronze or, heaven forbid, a marble bust.

No doubt, any criticism of that statue will be met with derision from Trump supporters. In its many guises, idolatry has survived, despite regular and often cataclysmic proof of its dangers, for centuries and many people will consider a much-larger-than-life golden statue of a president to be perfectly splendid.

But someone might want to mention to the president that flashing a big gold statue of himself while cities are still doing cleanup from enormous No Kings marches might seem funny to some. But to others … well, Versailles was once a dazzling royal residence.

Until it wasn’t.

Céline Dion is officially coming back to the stage.

The singer announced on Instagram that she will return to the stage this fall, performing 10 shows at the Paris La Défense Arena. In 2022, Dion canceled her North America tour due to muscle spasms. She was later diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, an autoimmune neurological disorder, which prevented her from performing.

The concert announcement comes after speculation last week by fans in Paris who spotted posters around the city referencing Dion’s songs, including “Power of Love” and “Pour Que tu M’aimes Encore.”

Dion, who turned 58 on Monday, called this news “the best gift” of her life.

“I’m so happy. I’m so ready to do this. I’m feeling good. I’m strong,” Dion said. “I’m feeling excited, obviously. Of course, a little nervous, but most of all, I am grateful to all of you. I can’t wait to see you again.”

While Dion performed at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympics in Paris and at an Elie Saab fashion show in Saudi Arabia, she has not headlined her own concert since her Courage World Tour in 2020. In her video, Dion thanked her fans, who supported her in the “most difficult times.”

“Over these last few years, every day that’s gone by, I felt your prayers and support, your kindness and love,” Dion said. “You’ve helped me in ways that I can’t even describe, and I’m truly so fortunate to have your support. I’ve missed you so much.”

Dion will perform twice a week — on Wednesdays and Saturdays — from Sept. 12 to Oct. 14. In a press statement, Frédéric Longuépée, president of La Défense Arena, called Dion’s residency a major milestone for the venue, which opened in 2017.

Fans can register for presale tickets until April 2, and general ticket sales will go on sale April 10.

Dion discussed her battle with stiff-person syndrome in her 2024 documentary, “I Am: Celine Dion.” In the film, the singer explained how SPS causes a vocal strain that makes it difficult for her to perform. Before her 2022 diagnosis, she had already experienced symptoms for 17 years.

While SPS has no known cure, Dion did not lose motivation to continue performing.

“If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl, but I won’t stop,” Dion said.

The city has seen a huge influx of new restaurants open in the first few months of 2026. From street food to Michelin-starred dining, there’s something for every foodie

Some people travel for culture, some for sandy beaches and sunshine, and others for culinary experiences. If you’re passionate about discovering exceptional dining spots, there’s one overlooked destination that deserves a place on your bucket list.

In the first months of the year, this Swedish destination has welcomed 20 new eateries to complement its already celebrated Michelin-starred establishments. Beyond its thriving food scene, this city also boasts a theme park, a warm café culture and genuinely beautiful streets perfect for exploring.

This remarkable city is Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest urban centre. Frequently overshadowed by its better-known counterparts Stockholm or Malmö, it absolutely shouldn’t be.

The city boasts five restaurants with a single Michelin star and one holding two stars. These establishments serve everything from Japanese cuisine to spectacular seafood dishes.

If you’re prepared to splash out on a truly memorable dining experience, the two-starred establishment Signum must feature on your itinerary.

The menu concentrates on seafood and fish complemented with produce grown in the on-site gardens.

All the ingredients are from Scandinavia, and a meal here will comprise 18 exquisitely crafted courses, all featuring seasonal produce.

If you’re the type who prefers to meander through the city, sampling local delicacies along the way, then you should schedule your visit for May.

Gothenburg is set to transform its iconic 19th-century fish market into a brand new seafood festival. The entire building, including its floating outdoor terrace, will be converted into a seafood extravaganza, with top-notch vendors showcasing their offerings, reports the Express.

Also launching in May is Vassen Market, a sprawling 6,500 square metre waterfront haven featuring street food, cocktails, live music, art pop-ups and even skateboarding.

Constructed entirely from recycled containers and encircled by verdant pocket parks, it’s the ultimate spot for a leisurely weekend stroll.

Later in the year, the Slakthuset district will play host to a three-day neighbourhood festival brimming with music, food and local beverages. Scheduled for July, this event perfectly encapsulates the relaxed community spirit of the city.

For those who prefer thrill rides over wine tasting, Gothenburg’s Liseberg is a must-visit. Opened in 1923, this theme park is the largest in Scandinavia and draws visitors from far and wide.

Boasting 42 attractions, there’s something to suit everyone’s tastes, promising an exhilarating day out. Just remember to don your most comfortable walking shoes, as the park spans a whopping 42 acres.

CHESSY, France — A 118-foot mountain of ice rose over the suburban Paris countryside this weekend as Disney opened its Arendelle kingdom to the world — Elsa’s palace glowing at the summit, a “Frozen” Nordic fishing village below, and the company’s new chief executive standing before a crowd of celebrities.

World of Frozen, an immersive land themed to the blockbuster animated franchise, opened Sunday as a centerpiece of a $2.2-billion transformation at Disneyland Paris.

The transformation renames one of Disneyland Paris’ two parks from Walt Disney Studios Park to Disney Adventure World. The inauguration drew Penélope Cruz, Naomi Campbell and Teyana Taylor.

It is the largest expansion in the 34-year history of Disneyland Paris, and one node in a roughly $60-billion global build-out of Disney’s parks, resorts and cruise lines.

A new CEO’s first stage

It is also the first major international stage for Josh D’Amaro, who took over as Disney’s CEO on March 18 — 11 days before the French gates opened — after nearly three decades in the company’s theme parks division.

The parks-and-experiences business reportedly generated 57% of the company’s $17.5 billion in segment operating income last year, the force that observers say propelled D’Amaro from parks chief to the corner office.

“The Walt Disney Co. was built on one man’s dream, and for more than 100 years we’ve shared that dream with the world,” D’Amaro told the inauguration crowd.

“Storytelling is fundamental to everything that we do, whether that’s on screen or stage, in our theme parks, on our cruise ships, or even at home.”

He called the opening “a transformational moment” and paid tribute to the creative team behind the attraction, including “Frozen” writer-director Jennifer Lee — who are all now at work on “Frozen 3.”

An Associated Press journalist accompanied D’Amaro on the “Frozen” ride Saturday night.

The carriage splashed through water to childlike cheers from riders and laughter from the new CEO as they glided past Elsa singing in the dark. Some stepped off lightly wet.

The evening’s emotional peak came when Lou, an 11-year-old whose wish was granted through Make-A-Wish France, took the stage to sing a few notes of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?”

A next-generation robotic Olaf walked out to join her. It was the 25,000th wish fulfilled for a sick child at Disneyland Paris since 1992.

A French reversal

On Friday, D’Amaro had stood alongside Emmanuel Macron at the resort.

The French president used the visit to claim the park as a national economic asset, calling Disneyland Paris “the leading tourist destination in Europe” and describing it as “a genuine ecosystem of success.”

Macron said the latest expansion would create 1,000 additional direct jobs.

“Since the beginning, that’s 13 billion euros invested on this territory,” Macron said, a figure equivalent to about $15 billion.

Disneyland Paris says it has recorded more than 445 million visits since 1992, accounting for 6.1% of France’s national tourism revenue.

Macron’s presence underscored a remarkable reversal.

When the park opened as Euro Disney in 1992, French intellectuals derided it as a “cultural Chernobyl.” The president at the time, Francois Mitterrand, dryly derided the new attraction as “not exactly my cup of tea.”

Now a French president was standing in front of cameras calling it an engine of national prosperity.

European roots

“‘Frozen,’ of course, has its roots in European storytelling,” said Michel den Dulk of Walt Disney Imagineering.

“It’s very loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen. So to have a northern European, charming wooden little village here in Disneyland Paris — it just made sense.”

The new Tangled family ride, too, draws from European folklore — the Brothers Grimm’s Rapunzel.

The land re-creates Arendelle around a lagoon, its timber buildings painted in muted Scandinavian pastels, facades adorned with rosemaling, a traditional Norwegian decorative art.

At the center is Frozen Ever After, a boat ride featuring state-of-the-art animatronics and immersive projection effects.

Guests can meet Anna and Elsa inside Arendelle Castle, have a conversation with a responsive baby troll named Mossy who talks back, and watch a lagoon celebration called the Snow Flower Festival — featuring an original song.

Visitors praised the scale of the mountain and the detail of the village, even after delays and minor glitches.

“Despite the wait, it was well worth it. The attention to detail is incredible, and the perspective of the ice mountain is breathtaking,” said Daniel Weber, 41, an architect from Munich, Germany, after the ride Sunday.

“You forget you’re outside Paris. For a few minutes, it really feels like Arendelle,” said Léa Moreau, 27, a graphic designer from Lille, France.

Beyond World of Frozen, the rebranded park brings a vast new lake called Adventure Bay, a Tangled family ride, 15 new dining locations — including the posh Regal View Restaurant — and a nighttime spectacular called Disney Cascade of Lights featuring more than 380 drones.

A Lion King land, already under construction, will follow.

More than 90% of the second park’s offerings will have been redesigned since it opened in 2002, and Disney says the footprint will roughly double once the full transformation is complete.

Disney’s streaming has swung from deep losses to profitability, but the parks remain the company’s most dependable earnings engine — and D’Amaro is the man who ran them.

“We continue to dream bigger and bring stories to life in brand new ways,” D’Amaro told the crowd.

Pyrotechnics lighted up Arendelle Village.

The ice palace on the mountain turned blue.

And 34 years after Euro Disney became a punchline, a brand-new kingdom opened in the fields east of Paris — for the first time in forever.

Adamson writes for the Associated Press.

Interior minister says ‘vigilance at high level’, after police arrest suspect before setting off explosive device outside US bank’s headquarters.

French authorities have opened an investigation into a foiled ⁠attack targeting Bank of America’s Paris headquarters after police detained one suspect who was allegedly attempting to ignite an explosive device outside the building.

In a social media post on Saturday, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the swift intervention by police had “thwarted a violent terrorist attack” in the French capital the previous night.

French newspaper Le Parisien cited a police source as saying the suspect was arrested at about 3:25am local time (02:25 GMT) outside the bank’s local headquarters in the city’s 8th arrondissement as he tried to light a device consisting of a five-litre (1.3-gallon) container filled with an unidentified liquid and an explosive charge made up of about 650 grams (23 ounces) of powder.

The suspect was taken into custody, while a second individual who was present fled the scene and remains at large. The device was taken to the Paris police’s forensics lab for full analysis.

The National Terrorism Prosecution Office told the Reuters news agency the suspected offences included attempted destruction by fire or other dangerous means in connection with a “terrorist plot”, as well as ⁠the making, possession ⁠and transport of an incendiary or explosive device with intent ⁠to carry out dangerous damage.

The probe ⁠also includes a ⁠charge of participation in a “terrorist” criminal association, covering potential ‌links to accomplices or a broader network, it said.

“Vigilance remains at a very high level,” said Nunez on X, thanking “security and intelligence forces, who are fully mobilised under my authority” in what he called the “current international context”, seemingly with reference to the escalating situation in parts of the Middle East amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Earlier in the week, Nunez had said that authorities had stepped up the personal protection of some figures from the Iranian opposition and increased security around sites that risked being targeted, including sites linked to US interests and to the Jewish community.

A spokesperson for Bank of America told Reuters the organisation was “aware of the situation” and “communicating with the authorities”.

BRIDE-TO-BE Venezuela Fury, 16, looked amazing in her gold dress and tiara as she celebrated her hen do with mum Paris ahead of her wedding.

The teen has enjoyed a whirlwind engagement after it was revealed her boyfriend Noah Price, 17, got down on one knee at her 16th birthday party and popped the question.

The young couple have not yet announced a date for their wedding, but as the hen do was last night, this could be a big hint their big day is getting closer.

Venezuela, who appears in the Fury family’s hit Netflix reality series At Home With The Furys, pulled out all the stops as she stepped out for her bachelorette party.

The teen was dressed in a stunning metallic dress, and matching strappy heels.

Venezuela wore her hair up on top of her head with a tiara and bridal veil.

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She also made sure to flash her huge engagement ring as she made her way into her hen do, which was held at Morecambe Football Club

As Venezuela walked into her party, she told The Daily Mail: “I can’t wait. I’m really looking forward to married life. I’m very happy and excited.”

The youngster was joined by her glam mum Paris, 36, who looked incredible in her white bodycon dress.

The mother-of-eight showed off her stunning figure in the skintight dress.

It has been reported that Venezuela had an estimated 300 guests at the hen party.

According to the Mail, party goers were treated to a huge buffet, Karaoke and a DJ.

When it was announced last September that the teenager had got engaged, there was some backlash from fans, due to her age.

Venezuela has since been forced to hit back at trolls who have said that she is too young to marry.

Earlier this month the teen’s mum Paris, who has seven other children, shared her thoughts on the upcoming wedding.

“I didn’t feel old enough for this, but Venezuela is over-the-moon happy,” she told The Mirror.

“The two of them are in their own little bubble. And, look, I got married myself at 18.”

Although Paris is delighted for Venezuela and Noah, she insisted it is “too soon” for the pair to start having children – saying they want to travel first.

The mother-of-eight also admitted that she’s worried about herself when her eldest child eventually moves out.

She said: “I’ll feel like I’ve lost my arm. It’s going to hit me hard.

“Right now, Tyson’s in training camp in Thailand, the kids are in school, and Venezuela and I… basically co‐parent!

“But I do let her have her space. The weekends are her time. I know she’ll be fine, getting on with an exciting new life. It’s me I’m worried about.”

It comes as bride-to-be Venezuela recently revealed she is already packing up items to move into a house with her fiance Noah, who is a boxer and an East Midlands belt holder.

In a Q&A with fans on Instagram, the teenager confirmed she would be staying with her parents until she is married.

Venezuela told followers: “I’m trying to get everything booked for May/June time, but I’m not sure when it will be.

“I will be in my mam and dad’s home til I’m married.”

In order to get ready to set up her marital home, Venezuela has been buying home items ready and showed off the results from a haul.

Paris also recently opened up about her feelings surrounding Venezuela’s engagement, which has sparked controversy among fans regarding her age.

But speaking to The Sun, the matriarch insisted she’s “really pleased” for her daughter, adding: “I got engaged at 17, so even though I feel she’s young, I did it.

“I wouldn’t change a thing.

“So if that’s what she wants to do, then 100 per cent, me and her dad support her.”

Paris also dropped some hints about Venezuela’s upcoming wedding as she says the teen isn’t “rushing to plan weddings” – in sharp contrast to her daughter’s Instagram remarks.

“She’s not rushing to plan weddings or get married,” she said.

“We have very different tastes.

“She has said she wants a smaller wedding, so if that’s what she wants, I’ll go along with it.”

I thought I had all the time in the world, but it turns out I needed even more.

For over a year, I’ve been writing articles about the new Entry/Exit system introduced at European borders. This system, which mandates UK travellers to provide biometric data when entering or exiting the Schengen area, began its phased implementation in October 2025.

It’s expected to be fully operational across all airports by 10 April 2026. I’ve extensively covered the rollout and its potential to cause delays for travellers. However, when my partner and I flew back from Paris last month, it completely slipped my mind.

We were returning to London, and since we both prefer lounging in the airport rather than outside, we had some time to spare. We enjoyed a drink, a meal, and then decided it was time to meander towards our gate.

We had been awaiting the gate announcement, and as soon as it was made, we set off to locate it. Imagine my astonishment when we turned the corner to find a queue of people waiting for gate access.

I had entirely forgotten about the additional security checks. Even though I believed we had ample time, that time was now rapidly slipping away.

Only one kiosk was open, with a queue of at least 30 people, and the clock was ticking down to our flight’s departure. As we stood there, another 40 individuals joined the queue behind us, yet still, only one kiosk was operational.

Passengers were slowly allowed through, with groups permitted to approach the kiosk together to have their passports verified, fingers and faces scanned, before being sent on their way.

The process was painfully slow. The queue barely seemed to budge, and more people continued to join behind us. From the snippets of conversations I caught, everyone appeared as taken aback — and stressed — as I was.

I heard more than one person mutter something along the lines of “surely they won’t let us miss our flight?” Another responded: “I wouldn’t put it past them to be honest.”

Fortunately, my partner and I had started relatively close to the front, so we managed to reach the gate just in time. As for the people behind us, I have no clue.

This wasn’t even peak season, and it more than doubled the time it took to board our plane. We were flying at the end of February — very much the off-peak period. I can only envisage the chaos as the rollout completes across all of Europe, and summer travel commences.

Travelling during peak season is already stressful, and if my experience is anything to go by, it’s about to become even more so. All I can suggest is even if you think you have enough time at the airport, add more.

Valerie Perrine, the Las Vegas showgirl turned Oscar-nominated actor best known for playing Lenny Bruce’s wayward wife Honey Harlow in “Lenny” and Lex Luthor’s secretary Eve Teschmacher in the 1978 and 1980 “Superman” films, died Monday morning. She was 82.

Perrine’s death was confirmed by Stacey Souther, her close friend and the director of the 2019 documentary “Valerie,” which followed the star’s debilitating battle with Parkinson’s disease.

“It is with deep sadness that I share the heartbreaking news that Valerie has passed away,” Souther announced on social media. “She faced Parkinson’s disease with incredible courage and compassion, never once complaining. She was a true inspiration who lived life to the fullest — and what a magnificent life it was. The world feels less beautiful without her in it.

“I love you, Valerie. I’ll see you on the other side.”

Souther also shared a GoFundMe link and a note that Perrine’s final wish was to be laid to rest at the Hollywood Hills Forest Lawn Cemetery. “After more than 15 years of fighting Parkinson’s, her finances are exhausted.”

Perrine was born Sept. 3, 1943, in Galveston, Texas, to parents Renee and Kenneth, a dancer and a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel. A military brat growing up, Perrine moved frequently and spent time in Japan, Paris and Scottsdale, Ariz.

She attended the University of Arizona, but her academic aspirations were short-lived. She skipped town, trading her textbooks for a feather headdress and G-string in Las Vegas. Soon she was a lead dancer in the star-spangled Lido de Paris show at the Stardust Hotel. She told the New York Times in 1974 that she spent some of her $800 weekly paycheck on experimenting with drugs: acid, mescaline, peyote, cocaine — you name it, she tried it.

Eight years after her foray into Vegas showbiz, her movie career kicked off unexpectedly during a visit to Hollywood. An agent at a friend’s dinner party took a liking to her, she told the Los Angeles Times in 2013. He asked if she had any publicity photos. The only one she had was in her topless Lido costume.

The sexy picture made its way to the desk of Monique James, the head of new talent at Universal. “She called me in and asked if I had ever acted before and I said ‘no,’” Perrine said. “She arranged a screen test.”

Paul Monash, the producer of “Slaughterhouse-Five,” which was based on Kurt Vonnegut’s acclaimed novel about World War II and time travel, directed the screen test. “They told me to wear a bikini because they wanted to see what my body looked like. I didn’t have a bikini. I wore my G-string and that was it.”

“I had been working in Vegas all the time and had been on the beach in St. Tropez, so being [naked] didn’t mean anything to me,” she told The Times. “It was my attitude that sparked his interest and the way I read the line, ‘Oh, you’re a moon child.’ He hired me.”

Dustin Hoffman as Lenny Bruce, left, and Valerie Perrine as Honey Harlow in a scene from the 1974 movie, “Lenny.”

(United Archives via Getty Images)

Soon after, she portrayed the love interest of NASCAR driver Junior Johnson opposite Jeff Bridges in the 1973 sports drama “The Last American Hero.” Perrine and Bridges dated briefly while working on the film. The same year she became the first woman to bare her breasts on television in the PBS telefilm “Steambath.”

Bridges described Perrine in the 2019 documentary “Valerie” as having a “real sense of fun and play.”

“She was excited about life and excited where she was and it’s a contagious feeling,” he said. “Growing up in a military family and traveling all over the world made her a really interesting person and as an actress, she had the ability to bring all of that into her performances.”

In 1974, she tapped into her showgirl background to portray the drug-addled stripper Honey Harlow opposite Dustin Hoffman as Lenny Bruce in the biopic “Lenny.” Her performance garnered rave reviews. She nabbed the lead actress award at the Cannes Film Festival, BAFTA named her most promising newcomer and she was nominated for an Oscar.

Perrine was perhaps best known for her portrayal of Eve Teschmacher, Lex Luthor’s secretary and love interest in the 1978 “Superman” starring Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando. She played the role again in 1980’s “Superman II.”

She also starred in the 1980 disco flick “Can’t Stop the Music” alongside the Village People and Caitlyn Jenner. The movie flopped and Perrine was so mortified by the film’s poor reception that she moved to Europe. She didn’t officially retire from acting until around 2010, and by 2015 she had gone public with her Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.

The 2019 documentary short “Valerie,” directed by Souther, dropped the veil on Perrine’s battle with the illness, with her loss of bodily autonomy captured in the film. She said “the shakes” caused her to struggle and the level of care she required made her feel like a baby.

Still intact, though, were her sharp wit and self-deprecating sense of humor. In the film a doctor explains that there are times when physicians aren’t able to pin down a diagnosis or there are multiple diagnoses.

“The doctors don’t know what’s going on with me,” Perrine says. “They can’t figure it out.”

“What do you think it is?” the doctor asks Perrine.

“Karma,” she quips.

Gregoire headed a list uniting the traditional left, the Greens and the Communists to victory in French capital.

The Socialist Party’s Emmanuel Gregoire has won the Paris mayoral race, as the results of nationwide municipal elections showed gains for the traditional left and right, and a major win for the far right in the city of Nice.

Sunday’s run-off votes in more than 1,500 communes saw Gregoire on course to become mayor of the French capital, with exit polls showing that the far-right National Rally (RN) fell short of taking control of the key southern cities of Marseille and Toulon.

Gregoire, who headed a list uniting the traditional left, the Greens and the Communists, clinched the prized mayoralty with an estimated 51 to 53 percent of the vote, according to pollsters, seeing off Conservative rival Rachida Dati, who conceded defeat.

The 48-year-old son of a teacher and civil servant is stepping into the spotlight after previously serving as deputy to outgoing mayor and fellow Socialist Anne Hidalgo. During his bid, he had promised that Paris would stand as a “city of refuge” and a “bastion against the right and the far right”.

In Marseille, the second-largest city in the country, Socialist Mayor Benoit Payan was on track to be re-elected with 56.3 percent of the vote, according to an Elabe poll for BFM TV. RN’s chances of winning the coveted prize took a hit after the withdrawal of a hard-left candidate from France Unbowed (LFI) aimed at uniting left-wing voters.

Socialist Party chief Olivier Faure hailed the wins in Paris and Marseille, positioning his party as a bulwark against the far right. “Only the left can prevent France from this regression,” he said.

In Toulon, an Elebe poll showed centre-right candidate Josée Massi leading at 53.5 percent, with RN candidate Laure Lavalette conceding defeat. Yet, senior RN officials rejected suggestions that the party’s loss indicated it had hit a “glass ceiling” ahead of next year’s presidential election.

“The National Rally and its candidates have achieved tonight, in this municipal election, the biggest breakthrough in its entire history,” RN chief Jordan Bardella said, alluding to wins in local constituencies where it previously had no presence.

In the first round, Bardella’s anti-immigration party won re-election in the southern city of Perpignan, and it won in smaller cities, too. And on Sunday, exit polls indicated that Eric Ciotti, a former mainstream conservative who is now an ally of the RN, won in Nice, France’s fifth-biggest city.

Former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was re-elected mayor in his northern city of Le Havre, according to the TF1 and LCI broadcasters, delivering a better-than-expected performance that boosts his hopes of running for president in 2027.

Philippe, a centre-right politician who served as prime minister under centrist President Emmanuel Macron, made a speech with a clear national message, saying his victory showed that “there were reasons to be hopeful” in the values of France and that the extremes can be beaten.

Turnout at 5pm local time (16:00 GMT) was just higher than 48 percent in France’s mainland, more than than in the 2020 vote held during the COVID-19 pandemic, but four points lower than in 2014, according to the Ministry of Interior.

Disneyland Paris is opening World of Frozen later this month and we got a first look at the brand new Frozen Ever After ride, as well as where you can meet the princesses and see Olaf

Disneyland Paris is set to open its huge new World of Frozen land later this month – and I was lucky to get a sneak peek beforehand.

When Anna and Elsa open up the gates on March 29 in Walt Disney Studios Park (which will rebrand as Disney Adventure World on the same day), visitors will be treated to a host of exciting offerings in Arendelle.

That includes brand new ride Frozen Ever After (you can read my verdict on this one below), as well as meet and greets with both Anna and Elsa, interactions with a very impressive Olaf animatronic, and plenty more fun including a chance to hang out with Oaken ahead of his Big Summer Blowout, and chatting to the villagers to hear various fun tales from around the land.

There’s also a new restaurant, shows and heaps of Easter eggs for all Frozen fans. Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know about the new land – including my review of the new ride, and tips on where to actually meet the characters…

The new Frozen themed ride

For the first time (in forever), Disneyland Paris has a Frozen themed ride. ‘Frozen Ever After’ is a gentle boat ride where you sail through the Kingdom of Arendelle and head towards Elsa’s ice castle.

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It’s definitely a family-friendly ride but be warned there are a few drops along the way that caught me off guard – including one particularly steep section which was a little more thrilling than I had expected! The ride has all of the makings of that Disney magic; beautiful sets, impressive animatronics, and all of the iconic songs that have become such a staple in most families’ households (whether parents like it or not).

I think overall it’s going to be a hit; it’s got enough of the original Frozen magic for the kids, but for parents it’s got a bit more thrill and fun to it as well. The queue itself also features plenty of little surprises and sets full of hidden gems that will no doubt keep kids entertained while they wait for their turn to board the boats.

Where to meet the characters

If you want to meet Anna and Elsa, you’re going to have to book in for the experience. I think the system could actually work out better for families; no need to spend hours in a queue, and you can actually plan your day around the meet and greet if it’s going to be very important for your kids to meet the Arendelle royals.

If you do manage to bag a slot, the overall experience is pretty intimate feeling. There’s a waiting hall adorned with paintings of Anna, Elsa and their parents, as well as a few paintings you might recognise from ‘For the First Time in Forever’. You wander along the halls of the royal palace before turning a corner into a private room where Anna and Elsa are ready and waiting to greet you. It’s a lovely experience overall, and as you’re the only ones in the room with the princesses and photographer, it means families will get some proper quality time with them all.

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If you don’t book a slot, there are plenty of other character interactions throughout the land. Oaken can be found wandering around the land – and a simple ‘Yoohoo!’ call grabs his attention – or you can keep an eye out for the adorable baby troll Mossie who’s more than willing to have a natter. The Arendelle villagers are also around to chat to kids and share their favourite tales from the kingdom.

Even though I knew he was an AI-powered animatronic, he looked absolutely real – it’s a real feat of engineering. kids around us were in complete awe. Although it’s not a traditional ‘meet and greet’ with photos, you can watch him interact with a villager and the crowd, so it makes for a fun show. He’ll make his appearances throughout the day, so keep your eyes peeled!

New show and general atmosphere

The overall atmosphere at World of Frozen is just a lot of fun. A Celebration in Arendelle is a fun new show that takes place on the waters of the land’s bay, featuring Anna, Elsa, Olaf and Kristoff – another chance to get a glimpse of your favourites – with plenty of music and enchantment.

I was pretty blown away by the design of World of Frozen too; from the moment you walk up, you feel like you’re instantly transported into the films. The Nordic-inspired buildings, food and the instrumental takes on the film’s iconic soundtrack all come with a dose of that Disney magic, not to mention there’s so much attention to detail.

READ MORE: All the new rides and lands coming to UK theme parks in 2026 – full list

There are photo opps everywhere, but two main areas were a hit with the crowd when I was there; the first was the large ice-inspired fountain right by the entrance to the kingdom, and the second was in front of the entrance to ‘Frozen Ever After’, as you can get a picture with a mountainous backdrop that features Elsa’s ice castle too.

The food

World of Frozen has a brand new restaurant, the Nordic Crown Tavern. This quick service restaurant has a menu inspired by Scandinavian cuisine, featuring the likes of salmon, meatballs, quinoa and mashed potato.

Prices range from €12-€20 depending on what you choose, but the portions were pretty generous. I went for the vegan meatballs and mashed potato combination, and I was genuinely impressed at the quality – it left me feeling full up for most of the afternoon, but not so full that I couldn’t get a cheeky ice cream or two later!

The restaurant itself is full of charm, with portraits of the characters and paintings throughout, as well as hidden features (there’s a little cat that you can try and spot from the queue for the food), and it definitely felt like an extension of the rest of the land.

It’s only one part of Disney Adventure World

World of Frozen is undoubtedly the new land that’s got everyone excited, but it’s actually just one part of a much wider expansion for the theme park. Walt Disney Studios Park may be what Kristoff and friends would deem a ‘Fixer Upper’, but it’s being completed transformed into Disney Adventure World. That comes with heaps of fun new additions alongside the opening of World of Frozen.

This will include ‘Adventure Way’ where you’ll find another new ride; Raiponze Tangled Spin, a little bit like the teacups, inspired by the scene in Tangled where Flynn and Rapunzel sing ‘I See the Light’. There are also plenty of food stalls, fun interactions with the likes of Mickey, Peter Pan and Mary Poppins, and even a dance show featuring Rapunzel herself.

This is all laid out around a large lake which becomes the setting for the brand new ‘Cascade of Lights’ show at night. I won’t spoil too much, but let’s just say the drones, pyrotechnics and music were absolutely spectacular.

• Package prices start from £129pp per night, based on a Disney Hotel Cheyenne & Ticket package for 2 adults and 2 kids staying four nights/five days, between July 31-August 28. Subject to availability. You can find out more and book at disneylandparis.com.

Thousands in Paris protest military operations in the Middle East. One of more than 85 coordinated protests across France. The rally opposed US and Israeli military operations in Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine.

WE ARE just a couple of weeks away from the new Disneyland Paris World of Frozen opening and fans are in for a real treat.

Officially opening on March 29, the World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris was first announced back in 2018 – and Sun Travel has been lucky enough to see it today, before the gates officially open.

The land features a life-sized 36-metre North Mountain with Elsa’s Ice Palace, a Frozen Ever After boat ride and A Celebration in Arendelle show on the water.

There is also a Nordic-themed restaurant, as well as themed shopping experiences and character meet and greets.

Upon entering the Kingdom of Arendelle, I’m greeted by towering Nordic-style houses and a magical Frozen soundtrack.

Am I actually in Arendelle? Because it sure feels like it.

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This weekend I got a sneak peek at the new land and let me tell you, there’s a lot to share.

The Frozen Ever After ride

The main attraction of the new land is the musical Frozen Ever After boat ride.

With no height restrictions, the family-friendly ride heads on a journey through well-known scenes from the Frozen franchise.

Starting at the Royal Docks, you head through the village and forest meeting Sven and Olaf on the way, then you glide past Troll Valley and up The North Mountain (and then down the other side!).

But don’t worry, the drop isn’t dramatic…yet.

The boat journey continues on past a magical moment with Anna and Kristoff, before being halted at the doors of Elsa’s Ice Palace.

Swiftly, the doors open to reveal Elsa singing from her balcony.

This is where the ride gets really special as you are propelled backwards through her glistening palace.

The air turns cold as fog emerges and the ice monster Marshmallow appears, with a blast of his icy breath you’re spun back around and plummet down the remainder of the mountain.

But don’t forget to smile, as this is the photo moment before parking back up at the Royal Docks.

Meeting Olaf

A few months back during the first peek at World of Frozen, videos circulated on social media of the interactive Olaf, quickly gaining millions of views.

Olaf is powered by AI but you wouldn’t know as he walks and talks just as you would expect him to if he had stepped out of the film.

He makes an appearance on the new boat show, but it’s not yet been confirmed where else he will appear around Arendelle.

A Celebration in Arendelle

Of course, World of Frozen wouldn’t be complete without its own show.

The land is set during the Snowflower Festival and as a result, the daily show features your favourite characters as they sing and dance and celebrate the festival together.

It’s a magical moment to sing your heart out to Let It Go.

You can expect a water display, snow and fireworks.

Royal Encounters

Head to the Royal Palace to meet Anna and Elsa who are welcoming guests for a private experience.

In a waiting area, there are several paintings that feature in the film including a reimagined version of Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s famous painting The Swing.

Then there is the room where you get your Royal Encounter, which features the royal orb and sceptre as well as the clock young Anna leans against in the song ‘Do You Want to Build a Snowman?’

You won’t get a moment where you are closer to the two sisters and can take a photo to remember your time in Arendelle.

You can meet other characters too of course, back in the Kingdom including Mossie the troll and Oaken (from the trading post and sauna).

Arendelle Boutique

Inside Arendelle Boutique, which is next to the Clock Tower, guests will discover the world of Bjorn and Thea who are a couple of toymakers whose wooden creations are loved by Elsa and Anna.

There’s even a wooden Arendelle Castle with Anna, Elsa and Olaf.

And for visitors who really want to feel as if they are one of the people who live in the Kingdom, they can grab Nordic-inspired dresses with floral patterns.

A great activity for little ones is sending a postcard from the village mailbox, which is next to the shop.

Fjord View Shop

Similar to the Arendelle Boutique, the Fjord View Shop sells exclusive merch, but one particularly special thing is the troll toys.

Inside this shop there is a real hidden gem too, you can adopt your very own Runa troll, who is interactive.

When you leave the shop with Runa, she also interacts with different parts of the World of Frozen.

Nordic Crowns Tavern

When it comes to having a bite to eat and a tipple, you can head to the Nordic Crowns Tavern, which is set just steps away from Arendelle’s harbour.

The outside of the Tavern is inspired by the UNESCO-listed Bryggen district in Bergen, Norway, which is known for its wooden buildings.

Two buildings meet at the entrance to the Tavern, one painted green for Anna and one painted blue and purple for Elsa.

Inside, visitors are greeted by cosy wooden paneling with nautical touches such as maritime charts and paintings of the rolling fjords.

And of course, there are two portraits of the princesses in the main hall.

The menu is inspired by Norwegian and more widely, Scandinavian cuisine with dishes featuring salmon and meatballs.

For dessert, I enjoyed my very own white chocolate and berry snowflake, but you can also opt for a swirl of tutti frutti ice cream in Frozen’s famous blue or vanilla ice cream sprinkled with snowflakes and edible flowers.

Disney Cascade of Lights

While not exclusive to just Frozen, the new Disney Cascade of Lights is Disneyland Paris‘ second night-time show.

Set over Adventure Bay, the show features fountains, lights, projections, pyrotechnics and drones.

The show features firm Disney favourites including Mulan, Moana, Hercules and the Zootopia police force.

In other theme park news, an English seaside theme park has scrapped entry fees and has a huge new ‘showstopper ride’.

Plus, there’s a European theme park you won’t have heard and it has revealed a huge £78million expansion plan.

Forget Paris and Venice for an intimate getaway, as there’s another city that has been ranked as the most romantic in Europe, with rooftop bars to catch the sunset and a serene boating lake

Europe’s most romantic city has been named, but it’s not where you might think.

Paris, France, has long been hailed as the ‘city of love’, with proposals in the masses, while Venice, Italy, offers sunset gondola rides along the canals. Yet, according to one new ranking, they’ve both been overshadowed as the most romantic cities in Europe.

Instead, the sun-soaked capital of Spain, Madrid, has taken the crown with its historic charm and intimate settings. There are cosy restaurants, rooftop bars, luxury hotels, along with majestic landmarks, vibrant street art, and passionate flamenco performances, all making for a truly spectacular getaway.

Some of the most notable places to visit include hiring a rowing boat on the serene, picturesque lake at El Retiro Park, or taking a leisurely stroll around the enchanting El Capricho Park or the beautiful Sabatini Gardens at the Royal Palace. The city offers some of the best spots to catch the sunset, including the restaurant Azotea del Círculo, which offers panoramic views from its rooftop terrace, and the gardens in Cerro del Tío Pío, perfect for a sunset stroll.

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However, one popular area that has been hailed as the ‘best sunset spot in Madrid’ is the ancient Egyptian temple, Templo de Debod. Catching the sunset last year, one traveller shared on TripAdvisor: “The magic hour to visit is sunset!.. The temple’s ancient stones turn a rich orange, and the reflective pools surrounding it create a mirror effect that is a photographer’s dream.”

For a break away from exploring the city, there’s the Arab baths at Hammam Al Ándalus for a relaxing soak and a step back in time among its historic buildings, or lively flamenco shows at Corral de la Morería. Couples can enjoy a glass of wine and tapas at the Mercado de San Miguel, a fresh food market, or ride the cable car, the Teleférico de Madrid, which crosses the river.

But a stroll around the city is enough to leave you enchanted, with vibrant graffiti decorating its quaint streets lined with tapas bars and coffee shops, and magnificent architecture. From the iconic Plaza Mayor, Plaza de la Villa, and Puerta del Sol square, to the Royal Palace and the Prado Museum, it’s easy to spend hours exploring this bustling yet charming city.

Madrid was named the most romantic European city following research by Icelandair. The airline analysed data from various European cities, comparing their location, nightlife, single population, inclusivity and happiness, along with Tripadvisor romance ratings and sunset visibility, with Madrid topping the list.

The list proves even more valuable, as Icelandair found that 1 in 10 Brits, in a study of 3,000 people, said travel is the best way to meet a partner. Meanwhile, 1 in 5 Brits said they’ve fallen in love while flying, and further research found that most holiday romances occur while volunteering abroad, during a work trip, or while solo travelling.

Most romantic European cities

1. Madrid, Spain
2. Prague, Czech Republic
3. Lisbon, Portugal
4. Barcelona, Spain
5. Zurich, Switzerland
6. Amsterdam, Netherlands
7. Helsinki, Finland
8. Vienna, Austria
9. Copenhagen, Denmark
10. Rome, Italy
11. Athens, Greece
12. Geneva, Switzerland
13. Oslo, Norway
14. Berlin, Germany
15. Reykjavik, Iceland

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