Just out Southern French Alpes winter 2023-2024

From rubbish comes rhythm, trash turned into tunes. At La Halle de la Machine in Toulouse, I watch Ignacio Herrero, one of La Halle’s staff members, make music out of recycled bits of junk. This hangar-like space in the southern district of Montaudran is best known as the home for the giant animatronic Minotaur Asterion and its equally enormous spider companion Ariane. However, exhibits demonstrated by staff also include a makeshift orchestra: old klaxons turned into an organ, a huge pinwheel of abandoned guitars, a cascade of battered drum cymbals, an accordion powered by a contraption that in a previous life operated windscreen wipers. The ingenuity, innovation and whimsy of it all are enchanting – music and engineering harmoniously coming together in a way that would have had Heath Robinson bursting into song.

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Flaine is a French purpose-built resort whose creator didn’t feel the need to reflect the grandeur of the mountains in jagged shapes or classic chalets. It was born in the Swinging Sixties, designed by Hungarian architect Marcel Breuer who called the US home. He was a master of the geometric Bauhaus style and had created UNESCO’s grand Paris HQ. An entire ski town was a new challenge, which he met by producing a resort like no other.

When it comes to trends, expedition cruises are the gift that keeps on giving. New Zealand’s fascinating wildlife and ecosystem, the US’s plethora of iconic national parks, and Madagascar’s paradisical diving and hiking sites — these are just some of the exhilarating expedition cruises new for 2024 and beyond. We whittle down nine of our favourites.

Trevor Noah has spent a lot of time on the road lately. Since wrapping up his tenure as host of The Daily Show last year, the comedian has been hopping between continents to perform standup in some of the world’s greatest and most fascinating cities, from Berlin and Tokyo to Glasgow and Paris. His travels have also, unsurprisingly, given him more material to work with—much of which he explores in his new Netflix special, Trevor Noah: Where Was I, released on December 19. Condé Nast Traveler recently caught up with Noah—who also has a new Spotify podcast, What Now? with Trevor Noah, in the pipeline and will be returning as host of the 66th annual Grammy Awards in February—to talk national anthems, South African curries, and why travel has the power to shift our perspectives.

Good morning from Skift. It’s Tuesday, December 19. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

The latest signs of a major transformation at India's flagship airline are taking shape.

France is bracing for airport chaos on Monday as air traffic controllers go on strike.

If you’re a scrolling fiend (or have ever skimmed a rack of French postcards), you’ll be familiar with the photogenic landscapes of Provence. This southeastern province of France is where you’ll find fields of lavender and sunflowers, world-class rosé wineries, and the glamorous Côte d’Azur beach resorts. Close to the beach and vineyards, these luxurious Airbnbs in Provence give you the best of both worlds.

Looking for the perfect winter holiday? From festive light displays to powdery ski slopes, Europe has no shortage of enticing options.

In some parts of Europe, high prices and Christmas markets go hand in hand. But in others, this year’s soaring costs have come as a shock.

Global market research company Euromonitor International has released its annual rankings of city destinations based on tourism, sustainability and economic performance. Europe dominates the field. Paris was crowned the most attractive city destination in the world in the Top 100 City Destinations Index 2023, with seven European destinations landing in the top 10 and the continent owning 63 spots in the top 100 overall. Nadejda Popova, Senior Manager (Loyalty) at Euromonitor International, said: “Paris has retained the title of the world's leading city following exceptional performance across the Tourism Policy and Attractiveness, Tourism Infrastructure and Tourism Performance pillars.” Paris was followed by Dubai in second place, Madrid in third, Tokyo in fourth and Amsterdam in fifth. The top 10 was rounded out by Berlin (6), Rome (7), New York (8), Barcleona (9) and London (10).