300 days of sunshine, 30 000 residents, 108 different nationalities, 7600 Monégasques 12 000 French citizens, 5 000 Italians all living on 2 square kms.
Monaco is without a doubt the most expensive place on the Mediterranean but still crime free!
Monaco, where the palace is situated, on the rock, sixty meters above sea level. Monte-Carlo is the rest…and what a rest…..luxury, class, beauty, cleanliness, but also lots of investors and concrete.
Official language is French and monegù. Official currency is Euro. English and Italian are widely spoken.
☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼ LUXURY ☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼
It's everywhere; I am not talking about the luxury you would find in certain areas of the planet, but « the Belle Époque » luxury.
You will find excellent examples in the Hotel deParis, 4* hotel situated Place du Casino. Three restaurants, 191 bedrooms, 75 suites and one presidential suite. You will pay £395 for a double room in high season and £263 in winter. Some bathrooms still have all their taps in gold. Or the 4* Hotel Hermitage £305 for a double room.
Luxury again in the Casino (do not try to get in wearing shorts or jeans!) where you can see players who can afford to loose millions in a single evening! Unfortunately others having lost everything in one evening are found hanging from a tree in the Casino's garden the next morning!
Luxury, walking along the harbour where you will find the most beautiful yachts you have ever seen. Somme exceeding 100 meters long and having a heliport with Ferraris and Rolls-Royces parked on the quay. In the sixties we could admire
Luxury also in the shops, cars, residents and even their dogs wearing collars with diamonds!
☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼ CLEANLINESS ☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼
Everythi ng is perfectly clean, not a paper or a cigarette butt to be seen and if something drops out of your pocket you will soon get fined. The roads are cleaned during the night and road works take place during the night too. So often I would find a one-way system going the opposite way the next morning! But everything is well indicated all you need is - open your eyes!
☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼ CLASS ☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼
The residents having lived there all their lives don't know how to live differently. There is no snobbism or "nouveau riche" attitude. The only things they have to do are take care of themselves and have a good time. Escorted by their chauffeur they
go playtennis, rejoin their yacht or go to the Hotel de Paris to meet their friends for tea. Monégasques pay very low taxes and I am sure if you didn't have to pay so many taxes yourself you could also afford an easy life! You will never see a Monégasque on the beach.
☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼ BEAUTY ☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼
Beauty is ever present in the landscape, le dark blue colour of the sea, beautiful parks with stunning flowers, the mild climate allowing you to have a cup of coffee on the seashore in January or February. I have only seen snow twice in Monaco, once in 1976 and in the 90's.
The Palace has been the home of the Grimaldi family for over 700 years, can be visited from June to October. Quaint narrow streets leading to the palace with warm colourful houses are so pretty, bougainvilleas, mimosas, eucalyptus; pepper trees add an amazing fragrance. If you happen to be in this area in the morning do not miss 'la relève de la garde' (changing of the Guards) starting at 11.55 precisely. Carabineers in navy blue/red uniform (winter) and white/red (summer) march in front of the palace. Go early, as it gets very crowded.
The Cathedral, marble and gold, where Princes and princesses have been married and buried over the years, and where my forehead was showered with cold water when I was a wee tiny baby.
The Town Hall where I said 'yes' not knowing where that promise would take me, surrounded by cobbled street, always perfectly clean.
The harbour, which has seen practically all celebrities but has swallowed quite a few racing cars during the Grand Prix.
The Oceanographique Museum founded in 1910 by Prince Albert 1 and the aquarium where you will admire incredible sea life.
The Doll's Museum in Monte Carlo near the Boulevard des Moulins, wax museum, naval museum (at Fontvielle) British motorcars showroom and Japanese gardens are worth a visit.
Just outside town (10 minutes if traffic is good) going towards Nice on the Moyenne Corniche, le Jardin Exotique with its grotto. Beautiful rare Plants and the stunning beauty of the grotto - entrance will be found at the bottom of the Exotic Garden 100 metres above sea level. There are 300 steps and the temperature inside is between 18 and 20 C with 80 to 100% humidity. The Gardens are open to the public every day from 9am to 6pm, except November19th (national holiday) and December 25th. Entrance fee £3.60 adults, £2.45 children.
If you are visiting Monaco in January around 26/27 don't miss la Fête de Sainte Dévote, patron saint of Monaco and the Grimaldi family. The legend talks of a young saint's body (killed by Corsican, circa 304), being washed ashore in a small craft in Monte Carlo. There is a lovely little chapel called Ste Dévote. On January 27th there is a procession in Monaco, near the Palace after a celebration mass at the Cathedral. The Palace, the Town and the Sea are then blessed.
If you love football, enjoy watching a match at the Louis II stadium inaugurated in 1985. If tennis is your forte, the country club with its 40 tennis courts is waiting for you, but remember your wallet must be well packed with euros. Mind you I watched many tournaments from the road above and never paid a penny! If you love swimming but prefer the pool to the sea, go to the StadeNautique Rainier III where you will find an Olympic swimming pool If you like skiing, french ski slopes are only 1 hour away Circus festival takes place every year -18th and 28th January. Just outside M.C going towards the Italian border, in Menton 'la fête du citron' (lemon festival) is something not to miss Feb 16-March 4. Or going in the opposite direction - Nice with its 'Carnival' taking place between Feb17-March7. Enjoy the beautiful trees - bananas trees, palm trees, pepper trees, orange & lemon trees and off course mimosas.
☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€ϒ 8; THE GRAND PRIX ☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼Now if you are mad about F1, the Grand Prix takes place (since 1929) every year in May. This year (65th) starts May 27th. The best spot to see it (if you want to see the whole race) is sitting relax in front of your TV screen. But if you want to be there the best spot is the Ste Devote bend which are 200 metres from departure and arrival it's generally where the best action takes place. Personally I saw all the Grand Prix until I left to live in Madrid and the last few years, as well as Monegasques I would go as far as possible from the noise and the demented crowds. My grand dad put me in one of the racing cars at the age of 3 and until I reached 22 years old I never missed one = so I feel I had an overdose!
☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼ ; TRANSPORTS ☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼
Nearest airport is Nice Cote d'Azur. You can take a bus (extremely frequent) or the train (every ½ hour until 11.30pm) train journey only takes ½ hour and is cheap but if you have plenty of euros
Pictures of Monaco
casino by night
to spend take the helicopter and you will land directly into the principality. Driving, I do feel for you, as parking is very scarce (unless you go there in winter) and expensive. Nonetheless if you really want to take your car then go and park in Beausoleil and walk down to Monte Carlo it will take you a few minutes. In the summer time take the train it's quicker and more fun. From Monte Carlo to Nice, just a few minutes after departure, the train suddenly leans towards the sea, you will see a lot of local people go to the window, especially men, the reason being there is a nudist camp on the beach just underneath!
Winter or spring traffic is easier. From Nice to M.C you have the choice of 3 good roads and a motorway, 1- «basse corniche » - RN98 will let you drive as close to the sea as possible, few delightful little towns like Cap d'Ail and Eze-sur-Mer. In February, early morning if weather is very clear you can see Corsica across the sea, 2- « moyenne corniche »- RN7 where you will meet all general traffic - buses, lorries, working people in a hurry and most foreigners who don't know they have other choice, 3- « grande corniche » - motorway A8 Exit La Turbie- if you have time and would like to enjoy the panorama take this one. It takes longer but you come across some beautiful little towns like La Turbie and it's roman Tour d'Auguste (35 metres high, built 6 years B.C) there are some lovely little affordable restaurants. Watch the road, as hairpin bends are treacherous.
M.C being so expensive I would recommend you to find accommodation in Menton (half way between M.C and Italy) or towards Nice where prices are more reasonable. First little town on the basse-corniche (direction Nice) Cap d'Ail Hotel Résidence des Princes - double room £80 or 4 kms further Eze-sur-Mer Hotel Chateau d'Eza, a double room with sea view will cost you £115.
Shopping, unless you are looking for luxury, best places are Nice or Vintimille market (1st Italian town) - but careful watch your belongings. The train is easier for this option. If you want to stay in M.C there is a Carrefour in Fontvielle just under the palace.
Restaurants, like the rest are very expensive unless you find a little place far away from the glitter. There is a McDo if you cannot live without!
☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼ DID YOU NOT KNOW ☼€≈€≈€≈€≈€≈€☼
Carrefour Supermarket in Fontvielle is built where the old slaughterhouse was situated. Port Hercule was a vast swamp.
Before Prince Rainier III acceded to the throne on 9th May 1949 at the age of 26, his sister Princess Antoinette was the main figure in Monaco, not for her good deeds but because of her scandalous conduct. She married 3 times, divorced twice (her late husband died) and had 3 children outside marriage. From old rumours someone with bad intentions put a spell on her and all the Grimaldi family. In comparison to his sister, Prince Rainier was an angel! He was in love with an actress named Gisèle Pascal, but old rumours again said she was sterile and Monaco needed heirs - so the romance was ended.
A few years later, Grace Patricia Kelly born in Philadelphia (USA) on 12.11.1929 came to the Festival de Cannes for her latest film and was invited by Prince Rainier. They spent sometime together, romance was in the air and the palace asked for tests and examinations to take place. The main question was « can she give heirs to the Principality)? Green light was given and they got married on April 18th 1956. Prince Rainier was a charming man, (he died April 6th 2005) and Princess Grace was a model of charm, grace, beauty and kindness. She gave the Principality 3 children, Caroline (1957) Albert (1958) and Stephanie (1965)
The arrival of Grace unfortunately brought to M.C the American tower blocks. Before her arrival we didn't have the permission to build a house higher than 3 storeys. It wasn't allowed to shade the light from another property. All houses had to be painted in warm colours ochre, beiges…nowadays it's mainly high concrete blocks and nobody cares about the neighbours light! The saddest thing is to see the beautiful old residences surrounded or better said suffocated by concrete towers.
September 14th 1982, Princess Grace, driving from her summer residence (high up on Mont Agel) towards M.C lost control and her car crashed several meters below. She was killed instantly. Princess Stephanie, her younger daughter was discovered traumatised but alive on the front seat (seatbelt were not compulsory then). Speculations went on for years as what happened? Was Stephanie driving? Was the car tampered with? We will never know like President JFK or Princess Diana deaths. Nonetheless a few years before Princess Grace getting bored of such a small place was planning to restart her film carrier and her favourite friends Gary Grant and Frank Sinatra were coming to visit more and more often the Palace. Other weird fact, Princess Caroline's 2nd husband, Stefano Casiraghi was a fanatic of offshore powerboat races and every weekend all you could hear were these incredibly noisy jet powered boats racing around for hours many complained…he died in 1990 during one of the races.
Princess Caroline married 3 times and had 4 children. Princess Stephanie married 3 times and had 3 children and Prince Albert, Son Altesse Sérénissime Albert II, 48 years old, not married - so no heirs- but had 2 children, a girl in 1992 from a Californian woman and a boy in 2003 from an Air France air hostess.
Monte Carlo was one of the loveliest towns of the Mediterranean coast before concrete arrived. Beaches didn't have artificial sand but pebbles. Every single Friday in the summertime a magnificent fireworks display took place in the evening. Now, there are more foreigners than ever attracted by this tax heaven. One can see letterboxes in these towers with 25 foreign names so they can avoid paying taxes in their own countries and there is more concrete than greenery. Lacking space they compensate by height (all tower blocks are built to the highest anti-seismic specification) or reclaim land from the sea, but the sea will reclaim what's her's it is just a matter of time.
Budget permitting, visit anytime of the year, you will not be disappointed.
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