| Published in Attractions |
Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Monte-Carlo. Photo: Cătălin Kislinger / Titi Tudorancea Bulletin.
Monte Carlo officially refers to an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally the name also refers to a larger district, the Monte Carlo Quarter, which besides Monte Carlo/Spélugues also includes the wards of La Rousse/Saint Roman, Larvotto/Bas Moulins, and Saint Michel.
The permanent population of the ward of Monte Carlo is about 3,500, while that of the quarter is about 15,000. Monaco has four traditional quarters. From west to east they are: Fontvieille (the newest), Monaco-Ville (the oldest), La Condamine, and Monte Carlo.
Monte Carlo is situated on a prominent escarpment at the base of the Maritime Alps along the French Riviera. Near the western end of the quarter is the world-famous Place du Casino, the gambling center which has made Monte Carlo "an international byword for the extravagant display and reckless dispersal of wealth". It is also the location of the Hôtel de Paris, the Café de Paris, and the Salle Garnier (the casino theatre which is the home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo).
The eastern part of the quarter includes the community of Larvotto with Monaco's only public beach, as well as its new convention center (the Grimaldi Forum), and the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. At the quarter's eastern border, one crosses into the French town of Beausoleil (sometimes referred to as Monte-Carlo-Supérieur), and just 5 miles (8 km) to its east is the western border of Italy.
See
It is relatively easy to navigate Monte Carlo and Monaco if you take the time to learn where the various "short cuts" are. City maps are generally available at most news vendor stands and shops for a small fee.
An absolute 'must-do' for new or old visitors alike is a walk along the coastal Avenue Saint-Martin, feauturing some beautiful cliff-side gardens. On this road is the Monaco Cathedral, which was built in the late 19th century, and was where Princess Grace and Prince Ranier married. It is also where Grace and many of the other Grimaldis are buried.
The Palais du Prince (Prince's Palace) is located in old Monaco-Ville and is also a must see. The changing of the guard takes place daily at 11:55 am, so you might want to time your visit for then. There are guided tours of the palace each day and usually run around the clock. While you are there, be sure to take time to walk over and look at the harbors on either side of the palace - the view is marvelous!
While in the harbour, it is very easy to simply stop and marvel at the many super-yachts and cruise ships which usually adorn the docks in the marina. Sometimes, while having a drink at the shores, it is possible to glimpse one of the rich and famous simply relaxing aboard their own vessel.
If you leave the harbour and walk to the east, you'll soon encounter the Casino de Paris (The Grand Casino) in Place du Casino, easily the most beautiful part of Monte Carlo. Here, it is well worth a visit inside the casino itself, even if you plan not to gamble - the architecture, lavish marble and golden ornaments inside are simply stunning.
The casino opens daily to guests from 2 o'clock and entry to the antechamber outside the casino itself is free, although you still must be 18 to enter. It is even possible to, amazingly, just simply stop outside and 'people-watch' the guests coming to and fro the very exclusive Hotel d'Paris, just a few yards from the door of the casino. If not, the car enthusiasts in the family might enjoy the huge range of very expensive and powerful cars parked outside!
Do
• If your wallet permits it, try your luck in the Grand Casino and gamble alongside the world's richest and often most famous. You'll need your passport to enter, and the fees for entry range enormously depending on what room you are going to - often from 30 € right up into the hundreds.
The dress code inside is extremely strict - men are required to wear coats and ties, and casual or 'tennis' shoes are forbidden. The gaming rooms themselves are spectacular, with stained glass, paintings, and sculptures everywhere. There are two other more Americanized casinos in Monte Carlo. Neither of these has an admission fee, and the dress code is more casual.
Another activity you might want to try is a visit to the Grand Prix course - it is often possible to find an exclusive company at the marina-side that will let you take a trip round the famous steep climbs and hairpin corners of the Monaco course in a performance vehicle - often a Ferrari or a a Lamborghini, however, this is costly.
However, if you tire of the lavish lifestyle and show-off supercars (which won't happen quickly!) there are plenty of other ways to spend your time in Monte Carlo.
• The Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium on Avenue Saint-Martin is a world-reknowned attraction, There are more than 4,000 different fish and over 200 families of invertebrates, featuring everything from strange sea growths to deadly pirhanas and even the skeleton of a 66 foot whale, and is well worth a visit.
To relax after seeing it all, the top floor of the museum is home to La Terrasse, a restaurant which features beautiful views over the Riviera. Admission charges are 12.50€ for an adult and 6€ for concessions (children under 6 go free).
• The opera house also known as the “Salle Garnier” was built by the famous architect Charles Garnier. The auditorium of the opera house is decorated in red and gold and has frescoes and sculptures all around the auditorium. Looking up to the ceiling of the auditorium, the visitor will be blown away by the superb paintings. The opera house is flamboyant but at the same time very beautiful. There have been some of the most superior international performances of ballet, opera and concerts held in the opera house for more than a century - however, expect to pay top dollar!
Sport and leisure
Monte Carlo is host to most of the Circuit de Monaco, on which the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix takes place. It also hosts world championship boxing bouts, the European Poker Tour Grand Final and the World Backgammon Championship as well as the Monaco International Auto Show (Salon International de l'Automobile de Monaco), fashion shows and other events.
Although the Monte Carlo Masters tennis tournament is billed as taking place in the community, its actual location is in the adjacent French commune of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Monte Carlo has been visited by royalty as well as the general public and movie stars for decades.
The Monte Carlo Rally is one of the longest running and most respected car rallies; from 1973 to 2008 and again from 2012, it marks the start of World Rally Championship season, having also served as the curtain-raiser for the Intercontinental Rally Challenge between 2009 and 2011. The rally, however, takes place outside the Monte Carlo quarter and is run mostly on French roads.
Monte Carlo is one of Europe's leading tourist resorts, although many of the key tourist destinations are located in other parts of Monaco, including such attractions as Monaco Cathedral, the Napoleon Museum, the Oceanographic Museum and aquarium, and the Prince's Palace, all of which are located in Monaco-Ville.
Monte Carlo in film and television
Monte Carlo has featured in numerous films and television series, most recently in the 2011 movie of the same name.
The casino featured in the James Bond films Never Say Never Again (1983), and GoldenEye (1995). To Catch a Thief (1954) was an Alfred Hitchcock film with Monte Carlo and its famous casino as the setting and featured Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, the future Princess Grace of Monaco, as the stars.
There is a scene in the movie where the-then Grace Kelly drives a car very quickly—and dangerously—along the steep winding roads of Monaco that surround the heights of Monte Carlo; an interesting coincidence to her actual fate in 1982.
Monte Carlo was even a location for the late 1960s British London based series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) where in the eleventh episode of the series, "The Ghost who Saved the Bank at Monte Carlo", Mike Pratt, Kenneth Cope and Annette Andre went to Monte Carlo to accompany a highly talented elderly woman to gamble inside the casino and waylay a group of thugs (amongst them Brian Blessed).
And Grand Prix (1966) was filmed here, which starred James Garner, Eva M. Saint, and Yves Montand.
In 1970, Chevrolet introduced a car called the Chevrolet Monte Carlo which went through six generations of production until 2007. The motor race Monaco World Prix 1 in Monte Carlo also featured in the 2010 film Iron Man 2. Other films such as I Spy, Cars 2 and Monte Carlo use the city as a setting.
The video game series Gran Turismo often features Monte Carlo as a location, and the Indie game Monaco: What's Yours is Mine features Monte Carlo as a setting. There are two difficult heists in the endgame that take place in the Casino. The hotel in Monte Carlo, Monaco also made an appearance in the 2012 DreamWorks Animation SKG film Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted.
In 2016 The Bold and the Beautiful featured a number of episodes filmed on location in the city.
Monte-Carlo. Photo: Cătălin Kislinger / Titi Tudorancea Bulletin.
The Opéra de Monte-Carlo or Salle Garnier was built to designs of the architect Charles Garnier, who also designed the Paris opera house now known as the Palais Garnier. Photo: Cătălin Kislinger / Titi Tudorancea Bulletin.
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