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AirlinePros: Leading American GSA Represented in France by Frédéric d’Hauthuille (Video)

August 26, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

In tourism, there are bosses who juggle multiple roles as others wear yellow jerseys.

Frédéric d’Hauthuille is one of them.

Not only is the founder and leader of Monde Authentique the driving force behind the Club des Créateurs de Voyages, but he also teaches at two tourism schools.

Do you think his commitments stop there?

“I am a partner and development director at Prodesti, which provides training to travel agents and the employees of tour operators.

And then, I speak of it less, but I hold the license for the French market of AirlinePros, which represents airlines.

I have worked within airlines since 1992 up to the launch of Monde Authentique. In 2022, AirlinePros contacted me“, we share Frédéric d’Hauthuille.

Achma Asokan, the cofounder of the company, then decides to broaden the activity beyond the United States, where she has quickly established herself as one of the leading General Sales Agents, or general sales agents, for airlines.

What is AirlinePros?

AirlinePros was launched in the late 1990s, led by James W. Foster and Achma Asokan.

Its teams are located in India, the United States and Namibia. The company has opened offices around the world, eventually operating in more than 40 countries.

“AirlinePros handles the representation of airlines, primarily in the United States and Canada. It counts 57 client airlines, therefore it represents 57 carriers.

In France, more than 50 airlines do not have a direct presence, but rather operate through a GSA, a general sales agent, hence a representative“, explains Frédéric d’Hauthuille.

For newcomers, a GSA ensures the commercial representation of airlines that do not have the means, or the desire, to be present in France by employing their own staff.

AirlinePros: “InterCaribbean will open routes from Pointe-à-Pitre and Fort-de-France”

"Les clients refusent de voyager sur une compagnie aérienne du Golfe" selon Frédéric d’Hauthuille - RP

This model is widespread across the world. There are several players, such as Global Airline Services in France, Aviareps, APG, or AirlinePros, who will adapt to the needs of airlines according to markets.

Some do not need to be represented in France, while others do not need to be represented in the United States.

“We have contracts with five airlines. The one occupying the most of my attention at the moment is InterCaribbean, based in the Turks and Caicos Islands, hence on a British territory, with British traffic rights.

InterCaribbean will open, in the coming months, routes from Pointe-à-Pitre and Fort-de-France.

We are laying out the strategy to be implemented with the airline’s headquarters on the Caribbean territories, and finding ways to route customers from mainland France onto the InterCaribbean network“, reveals Frédéric d’Hauthuille.

If the name InterCaribbean doesn’t ring a bell, it’s partly because the airline has regularly changed its name.

Created in 1991, it was then called InterIsland Airways. Then, in 2003, it was renamed Air Turks & Caicos. Five years later, it merged with SkyKing, before taking its final name in 2013.

It operates around ten aircraft, mainly ATRs and Embraer jets. And that’s not all.

AirlinePros has signed a contract with Sunrise Airways, a Haitian carrier operating two weekly flights between Pointe-à-Pitre and Haiti, and it offers “excellent connections to reach Miami.

Between July and September 13, this route will be operated with an A320, replacing the Embraer 145. This represents a 180% increase in capacity, a major challenge for the summer.”

“Customers refuse to travel on a Gulf airline”

The GSA also represents LIFT, a South African airline founded in 2020, as well as FastJet, a Zimbabwean carrier.

On the Prodesti side, Frédéric d’Hauthuille’s other hat, the first half-year was marked by a slowdown in trainings. In light of falling bookings, the leaders apparently paused some expenditures, starting with training.

“We have 35 trainings and we will launch French Polynesia, which met a demand from our client travel agencies. For 2027, we are preparing trainings on China and Indonesia” announces the head.

As for his latest role, that of head of Monde Authentique, after the turmoil triggered by the war in Iran, with passengers stranded all over the world, evacuations to be carried out, and then bookings thinning out, the summer will be quieter.

A few last-minute dossiers could nevertheless improve the statistics. “We have noticed since late May that more than half of our sales pertain to departures in June, July and August. There are still plenty of seats almost everywhere. I have never seen this in 40 years in the industry.

Most clients, from the first contact, tell us they will refuse to travel on a Gulf airline. There are many who do not want to depart towards the East, i.e., toward Asia“, he explains, rather unconcerned about 2027, as clients already envision the next year.

Publié par Romain Pommier Journaliste – TourMaG.com
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Air France Launches Paris Stopover to Transform Layovers into Tourist Stays

August 26, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Air France et Extime Travel lancent officiellement « Paris Stopover » - Depositphotos.com @alexeynovikov

Costa Rica

Air France et Extime Travel viennent de lancer « Paris Stopover », une nouvelle offre destinée à transformer les longues correspondances à Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle en véritables séjours touristiques.

Le service, conçu et opéré par Extime Travel, la marque commerciale du Groupe ADP dédiée aux expériences touristiques, permet aux clients d’Air France de prolonger leur escale dans la capitale, à l’aller comme au retour, et de réserver un package comprenant hébergement, transferts et activités.

Le dispositif s’adresse aux passagers ayant réservé un billet Air France incluant une correspondance d’au moins 27 heures à Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle.

Ils peuvent choisir de prolonger leur escale pour une durée comprise entre une et quatre nuits, puis sélectionner leur expérience auprès d’Extime Travel.

L’offre est disponible quelle que soit la cabine de voyage, de l’Economy à La Première, en passant par les classes Premium et Business.

Les prestations peuvent être réservées jusqu’à 48 heures avant le départ, sous réserve de disponibilité.

Une offre clé en main pour les passagers en correspondance

« Paris Stopover » a été conçu pour proposer une prise en charge complète du séjour.

Chaque formule comprend des transferts, une ou plusieurs nuits dans des hôtels quatre ou cinq étoiles ainsi qu’un choix d’activités, à adapter en fonction de la durée de l’escale et des envies du voyageur.

Deux expériences sont proposées au lancement. « Paris Incontournables » permet de découvrir les principaux sites touristiques de la capitale, de la tour Eiffel au Louvre. Une seconde offre est consacrée à Disneyland Paris.

Extime Travel prévoit d’enrichir progressivement le catalogue avec de nouvelles expériences premium ainsi que des excursions culturelles, gastronomiques et festives.

Le groupe souhaite également développer des offres permettant de découvrir les territoires situés autour de l’aéroport Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle.

Un potentiel important auprès des voyageurs internationaux

L’enjeu est significatif pour Air France. La compagnie indique que 50% de ses clients arrivant à Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle sont en correspondance vers une autre destination.

La demande semble également présente chez les voyageurs concernés. Selon une étude de la Chaire Pégase publiée en avril 2026, 81% des passagers en correspondance à Paris se déclarent plutôt ou très intéressés par la possibilité de quitter l’aéroport pendant leur escale afin de découvrir Paris ou des attractions situées à proximité de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle.

L’intérêt est encore plus marqué chez certaines clientèles internationales, notamment brésilienne, avec 92,3% de voyageurs intéressés, et indienne, avec 90%. Ces deux marchés bénéficient, par ailleurs, depuis avril 2026 d’une exemption de visa de transit aéroportuaire en France, un élément susceptible de faciliter ce type de séjour.

Une nouvelle étape pour le hub de Paris-CDG

Le lancement de « Paris Stopover » s’inscrit dans le cadre de « Connect France », le partenariat stratégique signé en juin 2025 entre Air France-KLM et le Groupe ADP pour renforcer l’attractivité et la performance du hub de Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle.

L’offre doit contribuer à faire de Paris une étape à part entière dans le parcours des voyageurs en correspondance, alors que les grands hubs internationaux cherchent de plus en plus à transformer leurs passagers en visiteurs temporaires.

Air France et le Groupe ADP présentent ainsi « Paris Stopover » comme une nouvelle manière de valoriser le trafic de correspondance et de renforcer le rayonnement de la destination France. Les deux partenaires indiquent que Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle devient, avec ce dispositif, le premier grand hub européen à proposer une expérience touristique de ce type entre deux vols.

Publié par Amelia Brille Rédactrice TourMaG.com
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Electronic Invoicing: France Does Not Have the Most Complex Legislation [ABO]

August 24, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Maud Christophe, directrice du développement chez Voxel, à propos de la facturation électronique : "Nous avons déjà eu l’expérience au Mexique, en Italie" - Depositphotos.com, mrgao

IFTM prenez RDV avec TourMaG

The first of September could offer a glimpse into the administrative and economic chaos of a country unprepared for a reform.

Indeed, France is stepping into an era of modernization by shifting to electronic invoicing.

However, not every ticket will disappear, since this concerns transactions between businesses.

For the state, the objective is fairly straightforward: trace the VAT and bring in new revenues, while avoiding a portion of activity from slipping into a gray area.

Yet, in France such maneuvers can sometimes be chaotic.

While they should all be ready, within about six weeks, to receive their invoices electronically, only 2 million businesses, out of France’s 11 million, would actually be operational according to La Tribune.

And even though the State has acknowledged the looming chaos, it has also stated its intention to be supportive toward players who show good faith and face technical or organizational difficulties in meeting the requirements.

Conversely, penalties could be steep for companies that fail to provide evidence of their challenges in converting to the reform, with fines potentially reaching €15 per invoice not properly transmitted.

Invoicing: “Time lost is cash flow lost”

In light of the urgency of the situation and the mandatory transition that seems misunderstood, we have decided to give a voice to the head of a company that has already lived through several “first Septembers” around the world.

“Voxel has been around for 28 years. We are based in Spain, with clients all over the world.

We began by aiming to solve the problems faced by tourism players who wanted to maximize automation in receiving their invoices and matching them, by creating a network linking hoteliers on one side and tour operators and travel agencies on the other, so they could exchange invoices automatically and electronically, summarizes Maud Christophe, director of development at Voxel.

We connect to the company’s PMS and its accounting system to extract invoice details, validate them, and then send the invoice to the client, she adds.

To read: Electronic invoicing: everything you need to know!

Electronic invoicing: “We’ve already had experience in Mexico, in Italy”

After almost three decades in operation, the company has witnessed electronic invoicing reforms across the globe!

Therefore, for the head of the company, and with the September 1 deadline approaching, there is no need to panic just yet, even if some players in tourism are lagging behind, particularly those that hadn’t started digitizing yet.

Because before France, the next country to adopt this new era is… Chile! Behind it, other Latin American countries will follow.

“In Europe, Italy was a pioneer, as it implemented this reform in 2019 to address VAT controls and combat corruption. In 2026, Poland and Belgium followed in January-February, then France in September, and Germany will follow in 2027, summarizes Maud Christophe.

Progressively, we see that many countries are moving toward this for varied reasons.

The implementation of electronic invoicing in Italy was not neutral.

To understand it, one only has to look at the European VAT Gap indicator, which measures the gap in VAT compliance. It represents the difference between revenues that would be collected if all taxpayers complied with tax rules and revenues actually collected, according to the European Commission site.

In Italy, it dropped from over 19% to 15%. In France, it would be only 5.6%.

Beyond this indicator and, in France, even though the obligation is set by the government, digitalization should still bring benefits to tourism industries by allowing them to stay up-to-date with their cash flow.

Indeed, at present, “as soon as there is a problem in a paper or manual process, the hotelier sends the invoice to the travel agency, which takes two to three weeks to process it. So if, for example, the booking number is missing, they will email or call the hotel to have the invoice resent.

All of this stretches out over time. That lost time equals less cash flow“, explains Maud Christophe.

She continues: “We already had experience in Mexico, in Italy, etc. Each country obviously has its own specifics, but it is not something completely new for us.

There is a lot of worry, but France does not have the most complex legislation on the subject. And we are here to accompany and reassure tourism professionals.

Of course, the major players in the sector have already started ahead; it might be a bit more challenging for smaller ones. And indeed, for tourism professionals who still work in a very manual and not very digital way, this reform requires them to move toward digitization, in addition to updating themselves on this new obligation,“, analyzes the development director.

Invoicing: “For SMEs, there isn’t a big change”

Facturation électronique : "Pour les PME, il n’y a pas de grand changement" selon Maud Christophe (Voxel) - Crédit photo : Voxel

Thus, starting on September 1, 2026, all enterprises must be capable of receiving electronic invoices.

In addition, large enterprises and mid-sized firms will also need to be able to issue them.

Small businesses, which account for nearly the entire tourism industry with a few exceptions, will have a grace period to issue invoices until the next term.

To read: Tourism businesses: what does 2026 have in store for you tax-wise?

“For SMEs, there isn’t a major change. The first step is that they will be required to select an approved platform to receive invoices. For those who have not done so, they still have until September 1 to do it.

This approved platform will therefore fetch all invoices from the major clients of travel agencies. They will continue to receive paper invoices or emails from their smaller suppliers“, adds Maud Christophe.

The SMEs can then potentially integrate these invoices into their accounting system or retrieve them from the approved platform.

In short, French VAT-liable companies must use an approved platform to receive their invoices by early September. Voxel is, of course, part of this category.

It should be noted that the reform will come with an additional cost at a time when the business models of some players are under pressure. “Travel agencies tell us they paid nothing before to receive their invoices and they wonder: why, tomorrow, should I pay? This is completely legitimate, notes the development director of Voxel.

I advise them to pursue complete digitization of their activities, because today people are employed to manually enter invoices into the accounting system and then reconcile them. All of this carries a very high cost for a business.

With full digitalization, it is possible to have staff truly dedicated to higher-value tasks, she concludes.

Atout France Has Been Hacked: Cyberattack Hits French Tourism Agency

August 16, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

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Atout France dans la lignée de Belambra, Maeva et Gîtes de France - Depositphotos retouchée par l'IA

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CroisiEurope

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tttt The list is long and shows no signs of stopping.
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tttt After the historic wave of hacks that hit tourism in May, revealing a relatively basic vulnerability among several major players in the sector, cyberattacks continue in the tourism industry, without ever stopping.
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tttt And this time, it is the turn of a public institution to have its vulnerabilities laid bare.
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tttt Atout France therefore suffered an attack by a malicious individual who could have extracted, according to their statements, data from approximately 400,000 user accounts.
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tttt Samples, as a gesture of good faith, as is customary on the dark web, have been shared.
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Atout France Following in the Footsteps of Belambra, Maeva, and Gîtes de France

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tttt The hacker claims to have exploited an access-control flaw, i.e., an IDOR (Insecure Direct Object Reference) vulnerability, according to frenchbreaches, as was the case for Belambra, Gîtes de France or Maeva.
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tttt “In French, one could translate that as having a direct reference to an unsecured object.
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tttt That is to say that if a profile, a file or an invoice is stored directly within an application, simply entering the direct address could allow access, even without the proper authorization.
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tttt We are not facing an extraordinarily sophisticated technical exploit, but rather a misunderstanding of security at the human level,” we were told by Christophe Mazzola, founder of the Cyber Academy, in a previous article.
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tttt Beyond this weakness, the consequences can be dire for companies or individuals.
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tttt Regarding Atout France, about 400,000 user accounts would thus be compromised. The attacker(s) would have access to names, first names, roles, emails, phone numbers, billing postal addresses, organizations, member numbers…
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tttt A multitude of information that could feed, in the future, phishing campaigns or other highly targeted malicious actions. Vigilance will therefore need to be doubled in case of emails purportedly sent by Atout France in the days and months to come.
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Pacha Tours and Trenitalia France Also Hacked

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tttt Do not believe that, after the historic wave of hacks that the tourism industry experienced, hackers have lost interest in the sector; quite the opposite.
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tttt Taking advantage, no doubt, of the sector’s cybersecurity weaknesses, the trophies have been many.
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tttt There was, at the end of June, Pacha Tours. The hackers claimed to have extracted 2 GB of data thanks to “a code-injection technique used to modify or retrieve data in SQL databases (tables with rows and columns, ndlr)“, according to Cloudflare.
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tttt Thus, on both the Pacha Tours site and its pro space, the compromised data would concern 31,087 unique individuals, 4,413 unique emails, 3,705 unique phones, 132 cleartext passport numbers, 10,153 PNR codes, and 1,096 B2B agency accesses with passwords in clear text, according to the attackers.
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tttt But that’s not all, because Trenitalia France also suffered a similar misfortune.
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tttt The malicious actors gained unauthorized access to certain personal data of customers related to ticket purchases. This attack has been confirmed by the operator.
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tttt An email campaign was sent to the company’s customers.
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tttt It reveals that the information in the pirates’ possession includes: civil and identification data (buyer and passenger names, passenger date of birth); contact data (email address, phone number); travel data (information associated with the transport ticket, such as itinerary, travel date and time, ticket number); type of offer or service linked to the transport ticket and data needed to benefit from these offers.
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tttt Moreover, the attackers claim to have extracted data from 60,568 user accounts, as well as metadata from Smartbox agreements or e-signature documents.
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tttt “We really need to roll up our sleeves and get to work, because this kind of data leak, in Europe, we are truly among the few who know this story.
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tttt I work a lot in the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Belgium; there, this isn’t as common. France is acting as the delinquent student,” Christophe Mazzola explained to us.
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easyJet France: Strike Confirmed for July and August

August 9, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Grève easyJet France : "des annulations massives de vol" à prévoir dès juillet et en août - Depositphotos, Boarding2Now

CroisiEurope

The tension seems to have reached its peak in the cabins of French aircraft.

While the inter-union of France’s cabin crew threatens a large-scale social movement across all carriers operating in our country, at easyJet the strike is no longer merely a threat. It is set to become a reality.

Last week, we explained that within the orange-liveried company, the flight attendants were lamenting a “catastrophic situation.”

The cause? Scheduling instability. “I have been on duty since 2008, so I know this problem well and how it has evolved, but I have never seen anything like this. The situation is unprecedented. People have no fixed schedule. They are changed for almost anything, sent to the four corners of Europe“, lamented William Bourdon, secretary of the SNPNC-FO section.

A last-chance meeting took place this Thursday, July 23, 2026 with management. It ended in failure.

Grève easyJet France : “des annulations massives de vol”

In a statement, the SNPNC places the responsibility for the coming social action squarely on… management.

“Management has also lied about night flights, which were not supposed to occur and are now multiplying nonetheless. The way navigators’ lives are organized has become impossible.

These malfunctions, which management refused to address seriously, render the situation untenable for crews today and jeopardize passenger safety. (…) The proposals put forward proved markedly insufficient and aimed only at buying time“, states the document.

In light of this assessment, it is not only the SNPNC-FO, but all of the airline’s PNC unions—including UNPNC-CFDT—who filed a strike notice.

A letter has been sent to management to inform them of the decision taken at the end of this last meeting.

Thus, the SNPNC-FO and the other representative organizations for the stewards and air stewards have decided to exercise this right and urge the employees they represent to stop working.

Grève easyJet France : des vols annulés dès la fin du mois de juillet !

As required by law, employees whose absence would directly affect flight operations must inform the employer of their “intention to participate in the strike no later than forty-eight hours before“, as well as the rules governing passenger information.

Given this framework, the unions did not set any date in their strike notice.

They will therefore inform management in accordance with the law, i.e., 48 hours before the start of the walkouts. The letter likewise specifies the unions’ demands aimed at addressing scheduling instability.

They demand the immediate implementation of concrete measures guaranteeing scheduling stability, with a maximum of three changes per month per employee, excluding operational events not attributable to the company, the immediate cessation of layovers without explicit authorization from the employee concerned, and the actual return to voluntary work.

They also request the introduction of a specific night-flight allowance and an immediate revision of onboard procedures.

The signatory unions say they remain at the disposal of management if the latter truly wants to move things forward. This social movement was hardly in doubt, given that the vast majority of SNPNC members had expressed support for this solution.

If no date has been mentioned, there is little doubt that the strike could take place in the coming days and even in August. It will inevitably lead to massive flight cancellations, we are told.

The ball is in easyJet France management’s court.

Réaction de la direction d’easyJet :

“We are very disappointed that one of the unions representing our cabin crew based in France has announced a potential action despite our proposals to adjust and address their concerns.

While negotiations are already planned for September, we urge the unions to abandon this counterproductive move at a time that is so important for our customers,” the company stated.”

Publié par Romain Pommier Journaliste – TourMaG.com
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AI-Powered Drone Could Revolutionize Sea Rescue in France by Summer 2027

August 6, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

“If you’re in trouble, we will drop a buoy,” proclaims from the air an AI-powered drone, hovering a few arm’s lengths off the shore at Valras-Plage (Hérault) in southern France, where this device designed to detect drowning risks is currently being tested. The three heatwaves that have swept France since May have driven up drowning figures. In two and a half months, 274 people have died in the sea, in rivers, or in private pools, not counting non-fatal drownings that could leave serious after-effects.

Near Béziers, along the Mediterranean coast, Instadrone, a company specializing in the use of drones in industrial settings, aims to broaden its activity to monitoring bathing areas. It has thus received backing from the intercommunal authority and from the Valras station, which are financing the ongoing tests. Those tests should pave the way for the necessary authorizations within about a month, with a view to a full rollout by the summer of 2027.

An autonomous drone to detect the early signs of distress

“Dropping lifebuoys with a drone has been done for five years in the Landes region. But it was always in manual mode. We are bringing full automation,” explained to AFP by Instadrone’s founder, Cédric Botella, at the foot of the main lifeguard post, just steps from the station’s casino. The device appears as a large metal box, inside which a drone is ready to take off at any moment, day or night, notably thanks to its thermal camera.

In patrol mode, its mission is to “cover the 2.5 km stretch of beach by flying behind the breakwater, flying along the shoreline, without flying over swimmers but directing its cameras toward them, while avoiding filming people on the beach”, adds Mr. Botella, a former judicial police officer who has turned to entrepreneurship.

“If it detects erratic behavior, such as someone who ‘blocks the flow’, it will approach and send them an audio message saying that help is on the way. If needed, it will drop a buoy that inflates automatically on contact with water”, continues Botella.

Other scenario: a lifeguard spots someone in difficulty, or someone alerts them. In that case, the lifeguard, who will be trained in this new technique, will take control of the drone and send it to the exact location to assess the situation. Finally, “if during a midnight swim there is an incident, there will be an emergency number that will allow us to trigger the drone immediately and locate the person”, he also notes.

A reinforcement for lifeguards, including off-season

In cruising mode, the system costs around 2,000 euros per month for the community that adopts it, according to the entrepreneur, who hopes for its generalization. “Life has no price”, remarks the mayor of Valras-Plage, Daniel Ballester, who strongly backs the initiative and came to observe the latest tests.

“It won’t replace humans, but it opens up new ways to stay operational,” adds the official, who hopes to extend coastal monitoring to morning and evening hours and to times of the year when beaches are not watched by rescuers.

In May, the early arrival of a heat wave in France had drawn an unusual influx of visitors to the Mediterranean and Atlantic shores while beaches were not yet monitored, posing safety challenges.

Returning to France After a Long Trip: Why the Homecoming Is Often Harder Than Expected

August 2, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Four years ago, they dropped everything: the apartment, the steady job, the car. They headed to Australia for what was meant to be the first big journey of their lives. Thibaut and Pauline, 25 and 26, didn’t know each other yet when they left France. A few weeks later, they fell in love and began traveling together.

At first, they stayed because they loved Australia and wanted to keep exploring the country. But when their visa could no longer be renewed, the return became unavoidable: “We told ourselves, it’s the end of Australia, a page is turning. We are going to travel for six months in Southeast Asia before returning to France.”

But as the deadline drew closer, concerns emerged: “What scares us is re-acclimating to the French system, explains Pauline. We are bilingual, we don’t want to lose our English and we are used to the Anglophone system, with a great openness in companies. Here, we focus more on our experience and our personality than on our diplomas. And I earn a better living.”

Finalement, au lieu de rentrer, le couple a postulé à un Programme Vacances-Travail (PVT) en Nouvelle-Zélande.

“Nous n’évitons pas à 100 % de rentrer en France, mais nous n’essayons pas d’y retourner non plus. Si nous ne trouvons pas de sponsor pour obtenir un visa en Nouvelle-Zélande, nous pensons déjà au Canada”, raconte le couple. Avec la distance, les aspects qui leur plaisent moins en France se sont accentués. Ils s’inquiètent du coût des loyers, de la qualité de vie, mais aussi du sentiment d’insécurité. Malgré les atouts qu’ils reconnaissent au pays, une part d’eux appréhende toujours l’idée d’y revenir.

Travel, Identity Change and Acclimatization

Pour de nombreux voyageurs, le retour est loin d’être une simple formalité. Après plusieurs années à l’étranger, retrouver sa vie d’avant peut s’avérer plus difficile qu’on ne l’imagine. Floriane, 32 ans, en a fait l’expérience.

Après plusieurs séjours à l’étranger pendant ses études, puis près de deux ans en Australie et un PVT en Nouvelle-Zélande, Floriane décide de rentrer en France en juin 2025 : “Je me suis dit : j’ai 31 ans, ça fait trois ans que je ne vis plus en France, je ne cotise pas pour la retraite, mon CV ressemble un peu à n’importe quoi… ce sont toutes ces questions qui m’ont fait revenir.” Pourtant, une fois en France, les doutes s’intensifient. Lorsqu’elle retrouve ses amis, le décalage est brutal : “Certains de mes proches me disaient : “On vient d’acheter l’appart” ou “On attend le bébé”. J’étais contente pour eux, mais je me prenais un coup de poignard à chaque fois, à me dire : “Mais merde, qu’est-ce que j’ai foutu ?”.

Peu à peu, elle remet en question ses choix, à commencer par son métier de journaliste. Mais ses doutes dépassent le cadre professionnel : ai-je bien fait de rentrer ? Dois-je repartir ? Mais où, et pourquoi ? Des interrogations qu’elle traverse seule, son expérience étant difficile à partager avec son entourage.

Bien vivre son retour en France est possible, à condition de l’anticiper. Le piège est de penser que revenir dans son pays d’origine ne nécessite aucun ajustement. Pour Matthieu Fouché, il faut anticiper ce changement sur le plan mental : « n arrive dans un nouveau pays, l’environnement est tellement différent qu’il y a forcément des modifications identitaires, explique-t-il. Cela entraîne souvent le sentiment d’évoluer positivement : apprendre de nouvelles choses, devenir quelqu’un que l’on apprécie à ce moment-là.”

Le retour implique alors un nouveau bouleversement, parfois appelé en psychologie « choc culturel inversé » : le fait de revenir dans un lieu censé être familier, mais qui semble soudain étranger. “Souvent, de retour d’ expatriation, on ne se rend pas compte de ce qu’il va se passer, explique Pascale Chazelle, coach certifiée dans l’accompagnement des conjoints expatriés. Il y a souvent une période de questionnement et une nécessité de se réinventer : les valeurs ont changé, la relation avec la famille ou les amis aussi, et se pose la question de qui je suis et quels sont mes projets.”

Living Well Upon Returning to France

Living well upon returning to France is possible, provided it is anticipated. The trap is to think that returning to one’s homeland requires no adjustment. For Matthieu Fouché, one must anticipate this mental shift: “When you’re preparing to go to a new country, you expect it to be difficult, that you’ll have to make an effort to meet people. And, well, you should have a bit of that same mental preparation before returning to France.”

This work can also involve introspection. Pascale Chazelle particularly recommends listing the skills gained abroad, to become aware of the evolutions you’ve undergone and to integrate this new identity.

After several years in Australia and Asia, Damien and Fanny, 31, decide to return. After a month of happiness at seeing their loved ones again, the blues arrive: “We were looking forward to our return to France, and yet after a month, ouch. Small depression,” recounts Damien. It’s the first time I’ve ever experienced this in my life. It hurts, I hadn’t seen it coming.

Alors, le couple prend une décision : faire les saisons en France. “C’était une manière pour nous de garder un peu ce côté backpacker, ajoute le jeune homme. Nous avons enchaîné les saisons dans le Sud-Ouest, puis fait une saison en Savoie et actuellement nous sommes du côté de Saint-Malo. Après cet été, je pense que nous allons essayer de nous poser définitivement.”

Si Damien et Fanny ont pu compter l’un sur l’autre, et sont aujourd’hui heureux d’être rentrés, certains voyageurs se retrouvent confrontés à l’incompréhension de leur entourage, renforçant leur sentiment d’isolement. Matthieu Fouché et Pascale Chazelle conseillent alors de se rapprocher de personnes ayant vécu des expériences similaires.

Cependant si le coup de blues s’installe dans le temps avec un réel impact sur la vie quotidienne, une difficulté à établir des liens avec les autres, une tristesse qui se rapproche des symptômes dépressifs, il convient de se faire accompagner par un psychologue.

Le retour en France n’est donc pas forcément un renoncement, mais peut devenir une nouvelle étape. Et si, malgré tout, l’envie de repartir se fait sentir, l’aéroport ne sera jamais bien loin.

Trenitalia France Opens Sales for Summer 2026

July 31, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Trenitalia France ouvre les ventes pour la saison estivale - Depositphotos.com @teamtime

IFTM prenez RDV avec TourMaG

Starting tomorrow March 4, 2026 at 8:00 a.m., Trenitalia France opens sales for the 2026 summer season on its three corridors: Paris–Lyon, Paris–Marseille and Paris–Milan.

Tickets will be available for the next six months, allowing travelers to anticipate their summer journeys to 11 destinations in France and Italy.

As with every opening, the earliest buyers benefit from the most attractive fares. Introductory prices start at €23 on Paris–Lyon, €27 on Paris–Marseille and €35 on Paris–Milan.

Tickets that can be exchanged, offering greater flexibility in case of unforeseen events, a strong selling point as the peak season approaches.

“The opening of sales is a key moment for travelers as well as for railway operators. It allows anticipating major summer travel and gives everyone the opportunity to book early to benefit from the best fares and choose their schedules,”, notes Marco Caposciutti, president of Trenitalia France.

Regarding the three lines

On the Paris–Lyon axis, the operator highlights a dense offering with 14 return journeys on weekdays. This frequency accommodates both business travel and last-minute getaways.

After a first summer deemed a success, with more than 200,000 travelers carried between June and August 2025, the Paris–Marseille line kicks off its second summer season. Four return trips daily are scheduled, with stops at Lyon Saint-Exupéry, Avignon TGV and Aix-en-Provence TGV.

The Paris–Milan international connection offers two return journeys daily. It directly links the French capital to the Lombard capital while crossing the Alps.

The operator notes, however, that infrastructure works scheduled on the transalpine line will cause several service interruptions during the summer. Travelers are invited to regularly check updated traffic information.

Tickets will be marketed via the Trenitalia France website and app, as well as at physical ticket offices and on in-station kiosks. The company accepts notably Chèques-Vacances Connect at the ticket counter and by phone, a measure aimed at supporting purchasing power.

Another promotional mechanism highlighted: the referral offer, which allows both the referrer and the referee to benefit from a 10% discount.

Published by Amelia Brille TourMaG.com Writer
See all articles by Amelia Brille

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Trenitalia France Plans High-Speed Train Maintenance Center in Île-de-France

July 30, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

L’exploitation du centre devrait générer environ 100 emplois, directs et indirects - DeposiPhotos.com, teptong

IFTM prenez RDV avec TourMaG

Trenitalia France a signé avec SNCF Réseau un contrat de location de 35 ans pour une zone ferroviaire située à Maisons-Alfort Pompadour, en Île-de-France.

Le futur centre permettra d’assurer la maintenance de la flotte à grande vitesse de Trenitalia France.

L’infrastructure sera conçue pour fonctionner en continu, 24 heures sur 24, et comprendra trois voies permettant l’entretien simultané de trois trains. Elle intégrera également des installations dédiées au lavage, au nettoyage et au remisage.

À pleine capacité, le site pourra accueillir jusqu’à 25 trains. Il contribuera à l’organisation opérationnelle des activités de maintenance et accompagnera le développement de l’offre ferroviaire sur le marché français.

Le centre prendra également en charge les futurs services à grande vitesse Frecciarossa entre Paris et Londres via l’Eurotunnel.

A project aligned with FS Italiane’s European strategy

This project is part of the international development plan of the FS Italiane group, aimed at strengthening its presence on the main high-speed corridors in Europe.

The site’s placement in Île-de-France serves as a base for the group’s international activities, notably on rail links between major European cities.

The construction and operation of the center are expected to generate around 100 jobs, direct and indirect, including activities carried out with partner companies in the fields of maintenance and operational support.

A Few Hours from France: This Country Lets You Observe Giant Sharks Up Close

July 29, 2026 by Amara Nambinga

Do you dream of seeing sharks up close? For that, you don’t need to travel to the other side of the world. Each year, an astonishing spectacle unfolds off the coast of Ireland. In a few bays, one of the planet’s largest fish ventures so close to shore that it can be observed from a boat or from the cliffs, offering a rare—and safe—experience for nature lovers.

Why Ireland has become a refuge for basking sharks

With a length of up to 10 meters, the basking shark is the second-largest fish in the world, behind the whale shark. And, despite its impressive appearance, it poses no danger to humans. Like the whale shark and the big-mouthed shark, it feeds solely on plankton and tiny copepods that it filters by swimming with its mouth open at the surface.

Between April and early July, then again in August and September, hundreds of basking sharks move to the west and southwest coasts of Ireland. The plankton blooms there are particularly abundant, favored by the shallow continental shelf. This concentration of food draws the animals into bays near the beaches, a phenomenon unprecedented on a global scale.

For biologist Chelsea Gray, a researcher with the Irish Basking Shark Group (IBSG), this proximity is what makes the country’s situation so unique. “Basking sharks are global citizens”, she told the BBC, adding that “Ireland is really unique, because they come so close to the shore”. A feature that allows them to be spotted both from the cliffs and during sea excursions.

Cette situation contraste fortement avec leur histoire. Dans les années 1950 et 1960, Achill Island – la plus grande île du pays, située à l’ouest – était le principal centre mondial de pêche et de transformation du requin pèlerin. Son immense foie, pouvant peser jusqu’à une tonne, était exploité pour produire de l’huile utilisée dans les cosmétiques, les lubrifiants industriels ou encore certains traitements médicaux. Ses nageoires étaient également recherchées pour la soupe d’ailerons de requin. La surpêche pratiquée en Irlande, mais aussi en Norvège, au Japon ou au Canada, a conduit l’espèce au bord de l’effondrement à la fin du XXe siècle.

A highly supervised encounter to protect an endangered species

Globally, the species remains threatened and has been listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List since 2018. But since the last basking shark caught in Ireland in 1984, the situation has gradually improved in Irish waters. Protection was further strengthened in 2022, when the basking shark was included in Irish wildlife legislation. It is now illegal to hunt, injure, or disturb its feeding and breeding areas.

Scientists now aim to turn the recommendations given to tour operators into a real legal framework. Concretely, boats should not speed toward the animals. When a shark is spotted within 50 meters, the engines must be put in neutral to let it decide how close it wishes to approach.

“Our priority is not to interfere too much with the animals. We typically stay well back and let them come to us. If we can intercept their path at a safe distance, they sometimes take a look and then move away”, explains Paddy Byrne, owner and captain of Sliabh Liag Boat Trips, to the BBC. He also notes that “they are wild animals, and we are privileged to see them”.

Exceptional Encounters

Observations are never guaranteed. Yet, outings regularly offer glimpses of seals, dolphins, seabirds, and sometimes small whales. But when basking sharks appear, the memory tends to be unforgettable. “We saw a baby basking shark even before leaving the first bay,” recounts Izzy Sharpe to the BBC, before adding: “On the way back, suddenly hundreds of basking sharks appeared. Wherever you looked, they were surfacing. It was incredibly special”.

Hazel Keegan, a regular on Achill Island, also recalls an extraordinary encounter. “They ended up swimming all around the boat. We could clearly see the white of the inside of their mouths. They kept passing under the boat! It was only then that I truly realized how long they are,” she tells the British media. Even when luck isn’t in your favor at sea, surprises can come from the shore. Laura Brown recalls finishing her stay without spotting a single shark during her excursion.

“On the last day, the weather was perfect and we decided to head back to Keem Bay one final time. We looked into the bay and there were about six to eight basking sharks! My son, his friend, and I ran to grab the paddleboard. They swam beneath us and around us. It was truly magical”, she tells the BBC. A reason to consider Ireland a top destination for those dreaming of observing one of the planet’s largest fish in its natural habitat.