On the last day (July 21, French time) of her official visit to France, the Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, arrived in Nice to learn about the planning and development work in this beautiful city.
She was briefed on the development and business opportunities provided in the Cote d'Azur, the Blue Chip Coast, and the planning of Eco Valley, one of the most important urban planning schemes in France. About five per cent of the 10,000 hectares of land in the valley along the banks of the River Var will be developed into urban space with a major business district, housing and transport network, while the rest of the area will be preserved as green and agricultural land.
The delegation led by Mrs Lam attended a lunch hosted by the Deputy Mayor of Nice responsible for tourism and international affairs, Mr Rudy Salles. Mr Salles also accompanied Mrs Lam to see the City Hall and the tramway in Nice.
In the afternoon, Mrs Lam travelled to Cannes and visited the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, which is the venue of the Festival de Cannes, the city's famous film festival held since 1946.
She took the opportunity to tour the waterfront promenade in Cannes to see how to create a vibrant and energetic waterfront. She was also shown the barrier-free facilities that allow disabled persons to enjoy the beach.
During the tour, Mrs Lam was received by the Deputy Mayor of Cannes for Social Affairs, Mrs Repetto Lemaitre, and the Deputy Mayor of Cannes for sustainable development, Mrs Pascale Vaillant.
Ends/Friday, July 22, 2011
Issued at HKT 15:16
NNNN