-
Pension age reform in France: New poll shows support for a return to age 62
Employers' organisations and trade unions are currently meeting to discuss the subject on the orders of Prime Minister François Bayrou
-
Mystery of jewels found buried under communal wall in Dordogne
The gold rings, pearl brooches and diamond encrusted bracelets were discovered by a local association
-
Try a different way to cross UK-France the Channel - a sailing catamaran ferry
Passengers will be able to help sail the boat once out of the harbour
French circus replaces wild animals with holograms
Circuses are innovating new ways to include popular animals in shows, as a ban on using wild animals in performances is planned in France

A French circus is to replace animals used in its shows with holograms.
Circus founders Sandrine and Joseph Bouglione are currently planning a new circus show featuring holographic whales and a dancing bear, both projected onto a screen on stage.
Mr Bouglione told news source FranceInfo: “The idea is to show that we can be entertained and amazed by the beauty and charisma of wild animals while leaving them in peace in their natural habitats."
Mr Bouglione has used animals such as tigers and camels in his previous circus shows.
Animal replacements used in other countries
The practice of using holograms to replace circus animals is already widespread in Germany.
And in California theme parks have even begun using animatronic dolls with silicone skin to replace dolphins in shows.
Roger Holzberg, creative director at Edge Innovations, who helped create the robot dolphins said: “The reality is that in many ways they are very similar [to real dolphins]. The difference is that we don’t have to worry about breeding programs and security.”
Ban on circus animals in France in coming years
This comes as a “gradual” ban on circus animals in France was proposed by the government in September last year.
Ecology Minister Barbara Pompili said: “It is time that our ancestral fascination with wild animals no longer translates into situations where we favour their captivity over their well-being.”
Rather than giving a date for the ban, the minister said the process would take some years. Part of this process is the rehoming the 500 wild animals currently used in circuses in France.
Read more about Europe’s first elephant sanctuary near Limoges
The government has also allocated €8 million to circuses to help them transition away from using animals. Ms Pompili said: “We are asking circuses to reinvent themselves. That will entail a period where they need support and the state will be by their side.”
The ban will currently only be implemented for travelling circus shows and dolphin aquariums – meaning some performances in France may still feature wild animals.
Related stories
Caged circus elephant found in south France
Fear for circus animals’ lives after France wild animal ban
Circus owners to protest against France’s wild animal ban