BUSINESS CITIES

A business trip to New Yorka meeting at Seoul, Abidjan or Casablanca ? We take a look at the major business cities to help you make the most of every business trip. Objectives: understand these business destinations and their economic advantages, hoteliers, events or technology. (see more)

Reports, interviews, good addresses for a business lunch or a snack between two meetings: everything you need to know about the major business hubs... Not just to be efficient during your business trip, but also to take advantage of the range of products and services on offer... bleisure of these metropolises, discovering the must-see spots as well as the more confidential finds...

Special report - Brussels: Europe's star pupil

A skilful change of direction. Brussels has gone from being a traditional industry to a cutting-edge 4.0 industry. Centres of excellence dedicated to health, new technologies and the media are springing up all over the city, often on former industrial wastelands. As a result, Brussels is taking on a new face, particularly around the canal, which is becoming the centre of the city's cultural life. Even the European Quarter is overcoming its bad reputation as a soulless place where, not so long ago, you only met businessmen and Eurocrats in a hurry, to become a pleasant place to live. So it's easy to see why the number of French people moving to Brussels has not fallen. In fact, it seems to be on the increase. Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant

Special report - Lisbon: high-tech reconquista

Lisbon is on a roll! The Portuguese capital, which bore the full brunt of the 2008 crisis, has since cleaned up its economy by taking a new route: that of creativity and start-ups. Young entrepreneurs brimming with ideas - many of them French - have set about rethinking the codes of professional life in order to give the city a new lease of life. As a result, Lisbon is undergoing a major transformation. Former palaces are being transformed into confidential five-star hotels, and major business hotels are opening their doors. An attractive city for tourists, Lisbon invites international events thanks to the diversity of its infrastructure and the many activities on offer, from culture and gastronomy to the sea and mountains. So there's only one step from business to leisure. A very small one. Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant

Special report - Seattle: the Pacific Northwest spirit

Seattle, once a small village of fishermen and gold miners on their way to Alaska, has become a true city of innovation. A technology hub supported by giants such as Amazon and Microsoft; a city where thirty-somethings compete in creativity.

Special report - Berlin: High-tech über alles

History likes to overturn codes. So Berlin, despite its dark past, has become a symbol of tolerance and freedom, a festive and studious capital. Berlin's power of seduction is not only exercised on German professionals, but also on those from all over the world. The result: the population has grown steadily in recent years. Rents are rising, but so is the skilled workforce, encouraging the emergence of start-ups. From a rebellious city, Berlin is becoming a technological city with a new look, particularly in terms of hotels, where the current trend is towards originality. We sometimes forget that a flight from Paris to Berlin is the equivalent in time to a flight from Paris to Nice: one hour and forty-five minutes to reach the new Berlin-Brandenburg airport, hopefully by 2020. Report: Cécile Balavoine - Photos: Ludovic Maisant

Special report - China: out with industry, in with digital everything

From an industrial city where factories formed a thick, polluting belt, Beijing has, in just five years, become an all-digital, innovation-driven city. Little by little, the air is even becoming more breathable. New apps now punctuate life in the capital, which is nevertheless tightening its restrictions by banning all access to Western social networks and multiplying the number of surveillance cameras on every street corner. The urbanisation of this sprawling megalopolis is expanding, to the point where it will no doubt soon join its satellite cities such as Tianjin, the "port of Beijing", some one hundred kilometres to the south-east. A former French concession, Tianjin is now a business-friendly free trade zone where more and more major international groups - including Airbus - are setting up operations in huge economic development zones. As a result, its hotel industry is changing and diversifying. In Beijing, the hotel industry is doing extremely well, with prestigious openings and major renovations. Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant

Special report - New York: Manhattan on the move

New York is constantly undergoing a metamorphosis. In recent years, dozens of new towers have sprung up, symbols of its economic power. In keeping with the 'green' trend, NYC is becoming ever cleaner. The banks of its two rivers have been transformed into vast parks where people can breathe deeply; cycle paths now criss-cross the avenues, while gardens and beehives have sprung up on the rooftops. As a result, tourism is on the up. This creates new jobs, more wealth and more hotel rooms. In ten years, the number of hotels in New York has more than doubled. As has the number of airlines offering flights to the city that never sleeps. Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos Ludovic Maisant

Special report - The Netherlands: a golden age of high-tech

Cosmopolitan and multilingual, Amsterdam is a particularly welcoming place for start-ups. As are all the cities in the Randstad, a conurbation of seven million inhabitants that includes The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht. As the economic centre of the Netherlands, Amsterdam is gradually shedding its reputation as a frivolous, party capital to establish itself as a cultural capital with first-rate institutions such as the Rijksmuseum and the Concertgebouw. For its part, Utrecht, with its air of a wise medieval city, has achieved excellence in experimentation. As the country's leading university town, it relies on a young, skilled workforce to launch revolutionary ideas. Reported by Cécile Balavoine. Photos by Ludovic Maisant.

Moscow: the new Russian spirit

Moscow is changing. Trees galore, pedestrianised streets and an improved urban network have suddenly given the city a gentle way of life. Its image of coldness and rigidity is fading, and Moscow is becoming a European capital like any other.

Special report - Singapore: smart city

Singapore is now the world's third-largest financial centre, according to a London think tank. This power gives it the means to become a true smart city, a city of the future where robots will soon be mankind's best friend.

Special report - Miami: business in the sun

The launch of Art Basel Miami in 2002, followed by Design Miami and the Design District, has contributed to the city's transformation. Over the years, former warehouse districts such as Wynwood have become trendy, welcoming artists' studios and galleries. Others, like South Beach, have built luxurious glass towers overlooking the beach. The big names in architecture, from Jean Nouvel to Franck Gehry, have made Miami their new playground. More than ever, this cosmopolitan city is attracting South Americans, of course, but also Europeans. And the French community is growing all the time. So is tourism, which is also boosting the hotel sector. Welcome to the southernmost city in the United States! Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant.

Special report - Tel Aviv: the genesis of a start-up nation

Tel Aviv is a whirlwind of energy. Bars, cafés, restaurants and hotels blossom every month in a joyous, festive atmosphere. Israel's business capital is a breeding ground for start-ups and young talent, with many people in their thirties cultivating a relaxed way of life and a desire for novelty.

Special report - Bangkok: resolutely high-tech

A sprawling city, Bangkok is asserting itself in height and width, prestige and power. New architectural icons are changing the skyline, while underground metro lines are being built. The Sukhumvit district, the last bobo landmark, is blossoming with trendy boutiques, coworking spaces and an emblematic mall, the EMQuartier. The hotel industry, meanwhile, continues to move upmarket, while the number of terrace bars at the top of establishments continues to multiply. Bangkok is pulsating, but exhausting. So it's off to Ayutthaya, Thailand's ancient capital, for a plunge into greenery and the past. Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant

Special report - Paris: the influence of the City of Light

A new way of working, new hotels, new business districts, new metro lines, a planned new terminal at CDG, as well as new museums, new start-ups and new incubators... Paris is undergoing a complete overhaul and going through the trials and tribulations of life as a world city without ever letting itself be overwhelmed. The capital is poised to become the host city for the 2024 Olympics, and is also joining the ranks of technological metropolises, competing with London and even New York. As an economic and cultural capital, it is determined to retain the title it has held for many years: that of the world's leading tourist city. Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant

Dossier - Boston: New England, a new deal

Is Boston chic and puritanical? No doubt, because it is proud of its culture and its 300-year history. But it's also youth-oriented, because it's home to some 200,000 souls who are almost never counted among the city's inhabitants: students at major universities such as Harvard, Northeastern and MIT. The presence of this creative and enterprising elite has led to the emergence of a host of start-ups. At the same time, new districts are gradually becoming high-tech clusters. In just a few years, Seaport, a former disused port area, has become a business district with 21st century working methods, shared between incubators and coworking spaces. Nestling between the sea and the countryside, Boston attracts a dynamic and increasingly affluent population. To get the full flavour of its attractions, you also need to explore the surrounding area, heading north to the Rockport peninsula, an artists' paradise. Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant

Special report - Brazil: Sao Paulo / Rio de Janeiro

"We hate Sao Paulo, but we love it. We love Rio, but we get tired of it", say the Paulistans. It's easy to see the rivalry between the two cities. One, stifling and grey; the other, touristy and festive. But you have to look beyond the clichés. As the country's economic powerhouse, Sao Paulo is full of hidden beauties. Above all, it is shedding its reputation as an urban jungle. Neighbourhoods are being revitalised, with a new generation of high-tech youngsters. Rio, for its part, is preparing for the summer's big event: the Olympic Games. It's the perfect opportunity to rejuvenate the city by rehabilitating derelict areas, where the "marvellous city" is banking on a booming creative industry. The only downside is that both cities have to keep a tight rein on insecurity. Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant

Special report - San Francisco: at the roots of tomorrow's world

San Francisco, with just 850,000 inhabitants, is a real powerhouse. An ecological power, since the Californian metropolis manages to reuse 80% of its waste, and is aiming for "zero waste" by 2020. It is also an economic power, with its city centre increasingly sought after by major groups and start-ups. At the same time, this is helping to relieve some of the pressure on Silicon Valley, whose dazzling success has led to soaring property prices in the region. The Bay Area is rich and innovative, but it's also beautiful. And very close to nature. Organic farms supply alternative restaurants and cafés, and hotels are going green. Green, but above all in the spirit it conveys. A very unexpected "flower power". Report Cécile Balavoine -Photos Ludovic Maisant

Special report - Tokyo: open to the world

Five years before the opening of the Olympic Games, the countdown has already begun. So Tokyo is getting busy! Hotels are being built in batches and neglected districts are being developed.

Milan: a creative capital for Italy

Milan is a capital city. The capital of Lombardy, one of the richest regions in Europe, but also and above all the capital of Italy's economic and financial life, home to the major national and international companies that have moved into the new business districts, changing the profile of the city.

Special report - London: let's swing again!

The years of crisis that drove the City to despair seem so long ago. London is forging ahead with a skyline designed by some of the greatest names in international architecture. The British capital is rehabilitating its neglected districts and injecting billions of pounds into its infrastructure. It has even managed to establish itself as a hub for the contemporary art market, almost on a par with New York and Paris! London is no longer just a financial centre; it has also invested in high technology... As a result, the number of hotels is growing and multiplying. The same is true of the gastronomic scene, which has never seen so many stars. It's easy to see why this dynamic trend is encouraging more and more French people to head for the other side of the Channel. Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant

Special report - Jakarta: Indonesia in the big league

It's impossible to ignore the fact that Jakarta is now a major business destination. With its staggering growth rate and growing middle class, the Indonesian capital is undergoing a major transformation. In the next few years, Soekarno-Hatta international airport will have a new runway, a new terminal and an express train to link it to the city centre. Under this positive influence, trendy restaurants and bars, art galleries and designer boutiques are springing up all over the place in up-and-coming districts. But Jakarta is above all a megalopolis. Congested and exhausting. So if you want to discover the peace and wonders of Java, head for Yogyakarta, to see the fabulous UNESCO-listed temples. Report Cécile Balavoine Photos Ludovic Maisant

Special report - Scandinavia: Stockholm - Oslo - Copenhagen: capitals of dreams...

Icy yet warm, powerful yet human-scale, as strict as they are extravagant, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo, the three Scandinavian capitals, are a model for Europe.

Special report - New York: to the other side of the East River

A new record: at the beginning of 2014, New York had never had so many inhabitants or so many jobs. At a time when the global economy is in the doldrums, the Big Apple is sparkling. All the boroughs, from Manhattan to Brooklyn and Queens, are rolling up their sleeves to create new business sectors. New media and cutting-edge technologies are in pole position, earning New York its recent nickname of Silicon Alley. And new sectors mean new ways of working: in super-creative, alternative community spaces. As for the hotel industry, the classic approach continues, as Midtown remains in the spotlight with openings all along the avenues. But as summer approaches, it's time to say goodbye to the skyscrapers and head for the Hudson Valley... Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant

Special report - China: discovering Shanghai and Hangzhou

After inaugurating an experimental free trade zone, Shanghai, China's economic capital, is opening more and more hotels, museums and trendy venues. It is also taking a closer interest in the environment, encouraging the use of clean vehicles and the construction of green buildings, although pollution peaks still plague its daily life. Luckily, 180km south of the megalopolis, bamboo forests and UNESCO-listed landscapes offer a breath of fresh air. At the centre of this 'green' China, Hangzhou, capital of silk and green tea, is also the city of Chinese private enterprise. This 'town' of almost nine million inhabitants is quietly prospering thanks to its non-polluting, ultra-innovative industries.

Special report - Switzerland: Geneva, Basel, Zurich: rivals or complements?

Each more bucolic than the next, with its mountain pastures, rivers and lakes, Switzerland's largest cities boast a real quality of life.

Dubai: delusions of grandeur

While the world's tallest tower towers over 900 skyscrapers in the middle of the desert, and shopping centres are springing up all over the place, Dubai is gradually adopting a more bourgeois bohemian spirit.

Special report - Hamburg: eco-responsible business

Tenth among Europe's most visited cities, Hamburg is growing in confidence. On the strength of its success as a tourist destination, the Hanseatic city is increasing the number of its hotel rooms and building a strong brand image. A port city, media city, city of innovation and creativity, it is also a sustainable metropolis, elected European Green Capital in 2011. Its ecological successes have not slowed down since it relinquished its title to Nantes. Today, Europe's largest urban regeneration project, Hafen City, has created a new green lung for the "metropolis on the Elbe". Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant

Montreal: cosmopolitan, gastronomic and cultural

As it approaches its 375th anniversary in 2015, the city of Montreal is showing itself to be ever more cosmopolitan, gastronomic and cultural.

Special report - India: a future of major works

BOMBAY: Bombay is a sprawling city, one of the five largest in the world in terms of population. The gigantic Bandra Kurla Complex business district, which is growing in step with the projects of the great architects, is becoming the new symbol of India's economic capital. The Bollywood film industry is being transformed, the hotels are becoming more sublime, and the historic districts in the south of the island are becoming more "bobo", with an increasing number of art galleries and hip boutiques. All in all, a joyous chaos. And it's working. BANGALORE: In Bangalore, the former "Garden City" that has metamorphosed into the Hindi version of Silicon Valley in the space of two decades, it's time for major works, necessary to continue the success story of a metropolis that is often congested by huge traffic jams. But this showcase of India's techno-logical know-how has the resources and forward-looking ideas to continue attracting high-tech business travellers. Reported by Cécile Balavoine, Florian Guillemin - Photos Bruno Pérousse, Florian Guillemin

Special report - Hong Kong: the flagship island

"The best of both worlds: Hong Kong is benefiting from both China's economic expansion and the stability offered by the Anglo-Saxon legal system. But it is also its strategic position, at the epicentre of a market of 3.5 billion people, that makes the city-state a dream location for investors. And the number of investors is growing all the time, in an ever wider range of fields, including wine and contemporary art. To welcome them, the city already offered some of the finest palaces in the world. Today, trendy boutique hotels line the bay. Report by Cécile Balavoine - Photos by Ludovic Maisant

Special report - Seoul: design destiny

The metamorphosis is striking: from a colourless, almost tasteless city in the 80s, Seoul has become a fashionable megalopolis.

Special report - China: now heading west

Beijing is undergoing a metamorphosis. Since the 2008 Olympic Games, the two-thousand-year-old capital has never been the same. It is becoming more "bobo", riding the lifestyle wave and the green trend. In terms of hotels, the range is widening, with the most select names now rubbing shoulders with designer boutique-hotels. In Wuhan, a former small town in central China on the way to becoming one of the country's most business-minded metropolises, the phenomenon is the same in miniature. This Francophile city is booming, and the opening of a direct air link with Paris only confirms its steady progress. Further west, at Chongqing airport, a new terminal is already planned to accommodate a growing flow of business travellers. With a population of 32 million, Chongqing claims to be the world's largest metropolitan area and has the highest growth rate in China. A real challenge in a country with infinite prospects. Reported by Cécile Balavoine, Florian Guillemin - Photos Bruno Pérousse

Special report - Buenos Aires: new-found optimism after the dark years

Although it took Argentina a long time to emerge from the crisis of 2001, Buenos Aires is now pulling out all the stops. Its aim: to become a capital that is as creative as it is competitive on the international stage. The very first city to be recognised as a City of Design by UNESCO is focusing on fashion, the audiovisual sector, the arts and publishing... The city's appearance is being modernised, thanks in particular to the new Puerto Madero district, where multinationals are setting up shop in gleaming towers along the renovated docks. It was also here that the trend for luxury boutique hotels was born, a phenomenon that was still non-existent at the beginning of the millennium. Today, the Portègne hotel industry - a term used to describe the inhabitants of this port city on the banks of the Rio del Plata estuary - has grown in substance and substance. The backdrop to this real modernity is women, who are playing an increasingly important role in the economic and social fabric. Starting with the country's first female president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Text Cécile Balavoine - Photos Ludovic Maisant

Special report - New York: to the other side of the East River

Special report - Madrid: winning back business

Madrid is in with the times. The Spanish capital, the country's economic powerhouse, is growing in confidence. At every level. It is perfecting its infrastructure, renovating its faded buildings, rehabilitating entire districts, planting thousands of trees, creating a veritable green lung like Madrid Río - built on the old ring road, now underground - and inventing daring, highly contemporary architecture. Madrid launched itself onto the international scene of major metropolises with the opening of its new airport terminal in 2006, propelling the Barajas hub to fourth place in Europe. As the city becomes increasingly trendy, the hotel industry has moved upmarket, with a steady stream of four- and five-star hotels. And few capitals can boast six Unesco-listed sites within an hour's train journey. Madrid can. It has Segovia, El Escorial and Toledo. The city of three cultures and El Greco. Discover it without delay. Text Cécile Balavoine - Photos Ludovic Maisant

Special report - London's great east: challenges for a real future

London is in the spotlight. After the wedding of the century, preparations for the Olympic Games, the Queen's Jubilee and Dickens Year are keeping the city on its toes, bringing a breath of fresh air after the financial storm. As for the hotels, everything is ready. The four and five star hotels, brand new or just facelifted, are already in the starting blocks. As for infrastructure, the capital is investing billions of pounds to adorn itself with a new Olympic Park, architectural icons, ultra-efficient transport and, more broadly, the living, leisure and business districts of the future. To the east, of course. Where everything is new, but above all more creative and innovative. But that doesn't mean you can't head south for a weekend of relaxation and (re)discovery of Brighton, a city with old-fashioned charm that's so delicious. Text Cécile Balavoine - Photos Bruno Pérousse

Special report - Singapore - Bangkok: the rush to Southeast Asia

Singapore, once known for its no-no's - no chewing gum, no gambling, no photography... - Singapore is taking liberties and proving it with the opening of the already famous Marina Bay Sands, an extravagant 57-storey, 2,561-room resort with... a casino.

Special report - Chicago: business in a city of art

For a long time, Chicago prospered in the shadow of its neighbour New York. But the economic crisis, which has hit Wall Street hard, has probably given the Illinois metropolis a new lease of life. Having weathered the storm better than other American cities thanks to its formidable economic fabric and its position as an air and rail hub, Chicago has also managed to forge a new image for itself, one that is more clearly in tune with the times. The "city that works", as its outgoing mayor Richard Daley likes to say, has also become the city that enjoys the pleasures of life. There are 23 Michelin-starred restaurants, a host of some of the most glamorous establishments in the United States, such as the Trump Hotel & Tower, and an unrivalled cultural life. And because Chicago cultivates its pride in being an American city, it boasts some of the most beautiful buildings in the world. Without a doubt, this city, so pragmatic in its appearances, also knows how to make you dream... Text Luc Citrinot - Photos Bruno Pérousse

Special report - Berlin: creative change

The German capital is going from strength to strength. In 2010, for the first time, the threshold of 20 million visitors was exceeded. Because Berlin is moving, vibrating, changing and creating. In the East especially, galleries and alternative workplaces are opening one after the other. In every district, there is a flowering of design hotels with crazy concepts. On Potsdamer Platz, the symbol of renewal, cinema, music, the major arts and the applied arts join forces with the business world. It's a creative fusion that's very representative of today's Berlin.

Special report - Toronto: a new major player

A large North American city that has long been considered banal, Toronto is suddenly emerging from its anonymity.

Special report - The Maghreb of tomorrow: Tunis, Algiers, Casablanca

Perhaps because of its lack of gas and oil resources, Tunis has been able to set an example of successful economic diversification, relying on its technopoles and service platforms. Algiers, the capital of a country rich in hydrocarbons, is also a symbol of change, industrial revival and new trade relations with Europe. With its major projects - metro, tramway, business centres - it is trying to catch up with its North African sisters. Like Casablanca, whose Casanearshore brings together call centres and the headquarters of IT and financial groups, and which has also won over the aeronautics industry and hopes to attract companies working in renewable energy in the future. Text Cécile Balavoine - Photos Ludovic Maisant

Moscow: under the banner of renewal

Moscow, the economic heart of Russia, is diversifying and enhancing its image. For example, with its new business district, Moscow City.

Special report - Marseille / Nice / Cannes: business in the sun

For a long time not as prestigious as the grandes dames of the Côte d'Azur, Marseille is now taking its turn. Hotel projects are springing up all over the place, and the port is playing the luxury card and banking on the cruise business. A major business district, Euromed, is springing up on its outskirts, with a skyline that calls on the most famous architects. A real business booster. The same goes for Mice. Although Nice and Cannes have long been stars in this field. Nice is rejuvenating its Acropolis, Cannes is dusting off its Palais des Festivals. Nice is adding new hotels. Cannes is expanding its own... Text Cécile Balavoine - Photos Bruno Pérousse

Special report - Shanghai / Guangzhou: Chinese omnipotence

Two cities, two styles... Shanghai and Guangzhou are also two major events: the 2010 World Expo for one, the 16th Asian Games for the other.

Special report - South Africa: the World Cup effect

The air of madness that hangs over South Africa's stadiums is also the era of a nation freed from its past demons. This is Africa with a new look - new infrastructure, brand new hotels - and it even intends to put the figures that stick to its head to one side, with increased security, particularly in Johannesburg. South Africa is also a growing Mice destination, with large-calibre convention centres, such as in Durban, where the long-awaited King Shaka airport will soon be inaugurated. So South Africa is making a name for itself in business tourism, with the city of Cape Town once again at the forefront. Text Cécile Balavoine - Photos Ludovic Maisant

Special report - Japan, South Korea: business trends

The golden recession is over. Tokyo is waking up. For the second consecutive quarter, Japanese growth has resumed, and with it, the occupancy rate of major hotels. Good vibes from Mount Fuji? Japanese corporate spirit? To get an idea, take advantage of Air France's new Premium Voyageur class, launched in November to Osaka and Tokyo, then to Seoul, which in 2010 will proudly bear the title of "World Design Capital". And with good reason. Seoul is moving, changing and even breaking economic records. Text Cécile Balavoine - Photos Ludovic Maisant, Bruno Pérousse

Special report - Paris: tomorrow, right away

In the 16th century, it was said that Paris was worth a mass. In the 21st century, it's only logical that Greater Paris should be worthy of a mass. It took place on 29 April 2009 at the Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine, at the inauguration of the exhibition devoted to the results of the "Consultation internationale de recherche et développement sur le Grand Paris", to which ten teams of architects and urban planners contributed.

Special report - São paulo, Brasilia: the business side of Brazil

Brazil's capital cities - São Paulo and Brasilia - are sometimes overlooked in favour of places with a more colourful imagination, a little more samba...

Dubai / Qatar / Abu Dhabi: oil and then what?

Following Dubai's example, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, initially major oil producers, are diversifying their economies.

Special report - Hong Kong: liberalism in spite of everything

For the fifteenth year running, Hong Kong has been named "the world's most liberal economy". More and more French people are making Hong Kong their home. Hong Kong is also one of the best cities in the world for hotels, with around twenty luxury establishments. To reinforce these prestigious assets, the government is making one improvement after another. Could the secret of this prosperity lie in the art of feng shui, which is omnipresent in the city, particularly among business leaders? Text Cécile Balavoine - Photos Ludovic Maisant

Dossier - Los Angeles: show off and business

In 2007, Hollywood produced as many films and TV series as there are days in the year. On Hollywood Boulevard, new buildings are being constructed and refurbished. This is common practice in L.A.: every ten years, the letters of the "Hollywood Sign" are repainted, and people give themselves an injection of botulinum toxin. But along with the cult of beauty comes the cult of inner happiness, which has even become an academic discipline at Ucla. This is where lawyers, doctors, managers and, of course, film-makers are trained. The city of stars attracts all kinds of talent. Some of them have come from France to conquer a stage lined with palm trees and glitter. Text Cécile Balavoine - Photos Ludovic Maisant

Montréal: resolutely tomorrow

Montréal may be a French-speaking city, but it is above all an American city, where the entrepreneurial spirit reigns and where private and public investors do not hesitate to cooperate to make the city of ice shine.