My Trip To Monaco

 

 

 

by Marine Godfroy

 

 

So this is how it happened. There was no premeditated plan on my part to travel to this particular destination. I was thinking California, maybe New Mexico. I’d already been to Paris this year and got caught up in one of the crippling strikes the French are famous (or infamous) for, and crossed Europe off my list of upcoming jaunts. Then, as I was skimming through the million and a half newsletters I subscribe to, the word Monaco suddenly caught my eye. A couple of innocent clicks later, thoughts of a lush vacation in the playground of the rich and famous complete with its overflowing social calendar and sun-soaked beach weather started to sound really appealing.

 

Next thing I knew I was casually checking flights. The timing was perfect. I had some time to kill before my next project, I thought. By then, my head was full of pictures of Prince Albert II’s wedding to Charlene Wittstock. It only took a second or two before I began to think of the beautiful Grace Kelly, the prince’s famous film star mother. Oh, and look, a jazz festival in late November! There it was. I’d made up my mind. Twenty minutes later my flight was booked. Just like that I was off to Monaco.

 

What did I really know about my chosen destination? Besides totally romanticized accounts of high profile events gleaned from scandal mongering European tabloids in airports, not much as it turns out. I did, however, know enough to book my flight into Nice, about a half hour’s drive from my final destination on the Côtes d’Azur in neighbouring France, as Monaco has no airport.

 

True to my inquisitive nature, I put together some basic facts to contextualize the adventure. Monaco, the second smallest country in the world after the Vatican—less than a square mile nestled between France and the Mediterranean—has over 32,000 inhabitants. Of those, only 6,000 or about 19 percent are actually Monégasque, or full-fledged, passport holding citizens of Monaco. The other percentage of the population is composed of the French, Italians and people from over 120 other countries. These long-term residents, who outnumber locals by far, are known as Monacoians. The official language is French, although it’s not rare to hear Italian or English. The Principality of Monaco has one municipality: Monaco, whose limits are identical to that of the State. 

 

 

The commune itself is divided into different areas: 

 

• Monaco-Ville on le rocher (the Rock), built out from the old fortified town, is home to the Prince’s Palace, Monaco’s Cathedral and the Oceanographic Museum. The Rock is Monaco’s original reason for being, a defensive position since the Middle Ages.

• Monte-Carlo, created in 1866 and named in honour of Prince Charles III, hosts the internationally famous casino and most of the luxury hotels.

• Fontvieille, the newest area of the principality, is comprised mainly of land reclaimed from the sea. This beautiful man-made waterfront is where you’ll find the heliport (helicopters fly in and out of Monaco every 20 minutes or so), and the wonderful Stade Louis II, home to AS Monaco, the principality’s historic football team.

• Moneghetti features the amazing Exotic Garden.

 

Although Monaco is not a part of the European Community, their currency is the Euro. Last fun fact to add to my little hodgepodge of information: residents of Monaco do not pay taxes, but in turn are barred from entering any of the principality’s gambling establishments. Interesting! 

 

My week was a glorious blur. I remember thanking God for having had the presence of mind, before my whirlwind departure, to pack my Manolos and a Dolce dress. 

I booked a suite at the prestigious Hotel de Paris, the first hotel built in Monte-Carlo in 1864, located on the Golden Square of the Place du Casino. The hotel resides in the heart of the principality facing the casino and Café de Paris. My swanky suite was located in the Rotonde wing of the hotel—classic luxury with an amazing view of the Mediterranean. 

 

The Roman-Byzantine style Monaco Cathedral was first on my checklist of must-see places. It was a bit of a pilgrimage really. (Grace Kelly is buried there next to her husband Prince Rainier, along with many of Monaco’s rulers.) I also discovered that the cathedral boasts a world-class organ, an instrument valuable both architecturally and musically, and fresh from undergoing a two-year renovation. Apparently, to an organ enthusiast, it would be the equivalent of being introduced to one of the eight wonders of the world.

 

The casino was magical, and I couldn’t resist feeling a tremor of excitement. I was treading in James Bond’s footsteps. Who could forget that the Monte-Carlo Casino was one of the filming locations for no less than three classic James Bond films: Casino Royal, Golden Eye and Never Say Never Again. The people watching was as incomparable as the martini was dry! Next to the casino I was thrilled to discover the Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Salle Garnier, built in 1893 by Charles Garnier, architect of the Opéra de Paris Garnier. The marble-paved atrium surrounded by 28 iconic columns made of onyx spoke volumes about the tradition of luxury and refinement in the entertainment available in Monaco.

 

My passion for old stones was thoroughly satisfied only after having gone to visit the Prince’s Palace, built on the Rock, on the site of a Genoese fortress dating back to 1215. I was captivated by the 15th century frescoes in the gallery, not to mention the impressive 17th-century Carrara marble staircase in the main courtyard.

 

I loved the local Monegasque cuisine, a blend of southern French, Italian and other Mediterranean influences. Specialties include barbajuans, a crisp fried puff pastry filled with cheeses and herbs; fougasse, sweet bread flavoured with fruit and nuts; Swiss chard pie; socca, a thin pancake; and stocafi, which is dried cod stewed in tomato sauce.

 

The final element to top off my lush escapade in Monaco: Larvotto Beach. Some would say the women there easily forget to bring their bikini tops, but wouldn’t be caught dead without their diamonds. Either way it is by far one of the most glamorous beaches with its glittering jewels and ultra elite crowd. Larvotto is actually a man-made beach, with fresh white sand constantly shipped in to offset erosion. Fake or not, the beach is so gorgeous and charged with energy that it doesn’t seem to matter.

 

In the end, it turns out Monaco had everything I was looking for in a vacation destination—glitz, glamour, the good life. Getting around was easy on foot thanks to the principality’s seven public elevators, never mind the fact that you can walk across the country in about 56 minutes! I’d been to the beach, indulged my passion for history and architecture, and had numerous opportunities to practice my favourite sport: people watching.  

 

Even if you don’t live in the fast lane 365 days per year, the next time you feel the need to escape your routine and a yearning to experience the lap of luxury, just do it. Monaco will not disappoint.