Europe

Discretion seems to have become a virtue in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, which became a member of the European Union in 2004. This is a small country of barely two million inhabitants that has hardly made any waves since gaining independence nearly twenty years ago. Of all the countries in Central and Eastern Europe, Slovenia...

The main road that cuts through the pine forest gives access to buildings that are buried deep in nature, the whole being located around fifteen kilometres from Antibes, in a very strong smell of conifers where cicadas rustle. "Sophia Antipolis is 1,300 companies and 30,000 employees united by the same desire to...

How did the idea of completely restoring Le Negresco come about? Nicole Spitz - Negresco will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2012. So it was a fantastic opportunity to bring it into the 21st century. We undertook a complete renovation in line with our eco-palace approach, with the agreement of Madame Augier, the famous owner, who decided to...

How would you define Euroméditerranée? Paul Colombani - Euromed, managed by the Établissement public d'aménagement Euroméditerranée (EPAEM), is a project of national interest that was launched in 1995, at a time when the French government was beginning to feel the need for a Mediterranean capital. This vast project is financed to the tune of 50 % by the French government and in part by the city of Marseille,...

Today, Euromed is brimming with projects, some underway, others nearing completion. Like the CMA CGM tower, the first of Marseille's future skyline, served since March by the Quais d'Arenc tram station. This is a central point in the district, and other skyscrapers by Jean Nouvel, Yves Lion and Baptiste Piétri will soon be springing up.

How does the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille intend to continue to stand out on the world stage? Jean-Claude Terrier - By diversifying the products we receive. In addition to crude oil, we are adding refined petroleum products, biofuels and, above all, liquefied natural gas, with a terminal currently in the start-up phase and a future one currently under appraisal....

Is one hundred and eighty million euros invested in hotels in Cannes a huge amount? Michel Chevillon - Despite the crisis, we have continued to invest. Admittedly, we don't have any new hotels, but the refurbishments are phenomenal. In three years, 1,000 of the 5,500 rooms in our hotel portfolio have been renovated. How have these investments been able to...

Even if, of course, all the purely 'business' ingredients are present. "It's a very accessible city where business travellers can find all the skills and talent they're looking for", continues Carole Zerah. And with good reason: in 2008, no fewer than 440 trade fairs and 900 congresses were held in Paris. The capital is...

The completion of the major urban project launched in 1996 has revolutionised the image of the city and, further afield, of an urban community of 6060,000 inhabitants extending as far as Mérignac, Bègles and Pessac. The three tramway lines, the development of the quays, the grooming of the facades in the historic centre and the regeneration of the Bastide district, on the outskirts of...

Thanks to its photogenic curves, impressive volumes and Calatrava's signature, the incredible Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències project has revolutionised Valencia's image and put the city firmly on the leisure tourism map, as well as the business tourism map. So it's hardly surprising that many...

No wealth tax "It's not easy to move here. You have to buy a flat and relocate your whole family. It's only profitable for a small minority of really wealthy people", explains Mr Prévost, a tax expert at Logistica. But for the anonymous as well as for the big bosses of French distribution, the former...

Of course, Istanbul is a city where the places where economic decisions are taken are strangely scattered. Of course, the large modern buildings crammed with class A offices tend to grow in the Maslak and Levent districts. But Taksim Square and its surrounding districts (Beyoglu, Harbiye...) remain...

France's second-largest business district after La Défense": this is how the Greater Lyon urban community describes the Part-Dieu district, located on the left bank of the Rhône in the heart of the third arrondissement of the capital of Gaul. With its 1.5 million square metres of tertiary sector activity, 40,000 jobs, 1125...