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Month: March 2020

Life in lockdown: a virtual tour of Monaco

by: Cassandra Tanti
20/03/2020

From the Monaco Grand Prix boutique to Karl Lagerfeld’s mansion, it’s time to enjoy an afternoon out in Monaco without leaving your couch.
Just because we can’t physically visit our favourite places in Monaco, doesn’t mean we have to miss out altogether.
Virtual tours have become the new Netflix, and while nothing can replicate the feeling of walking into the lobby of the Hôtel de Paris, or catching up with friends in your favourite private club, digital walk throughs are a great way to reminisce, to discover, or rediscover the Principality…

Monte-Carlo Casino, photo courtesy SBM

Famous hotspots

Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer offers an incredible virtual tour of its most famous landmarks, including the Café de Paris, the Hôtel de Paris and the Monte-Carlo Casino.
No doubt you are missing nights out at your favourite restaurant and bar, so relive your happiest moments during a virtual tour of the Buddha Bar.
Disappointed that the Rolex Monte-Carlo Tennis Masters has been cancelled? Make-believe you are there with a virtual tour of the Monte-Carlo Country Club.
Never seen inside the new One Monte-Carlo Conference Centre? Well now is your chance!

Villa La Vigie, photo: SBM

There’s even a tour of Villa La Vigie, the stunning neo-classical mansion and former home of iconic designer Karl Lagerfeld.
Take an SBM virtual tour: https://montecarlovirtualtour.com
Oceanographic Museum

Museums

The Oceanographic Museum is perhaps Monaco’s most breath-taking piece of architecture, cradling the Mediterranean coastline and housing some of the Principality’s most precious oceanic relics, as well as educational exhibitions. Now, imagine you have the entire museum to yourself and are free to explore each level as you please…
Take an Oceanographic Museum virtual tour: http://enterview.fr/musee/oceanographique.html

The Museum of Stamps and Coins of Monaco

Never thought of going to a stamp and coin museum? Well now is the time! Created by Prince Rainier III, the Museum of Stamps and Coins of Monaco features the most beautiful and most renowned philatelic and numismatic collections in the world, including the coinage of the Sovereign Princes of Monaco and the 19th century coins uncovered in the Principality.
Take a virtual tour of the Museum of Stamps and Coins of Monaco: https://www.mtm-monaco.mc/index.php?route=information/information&information_id=10

Go for a digital walk

If you simply miss walking around our incredible city, Visit Monaco can take you on a beautiful sunny stroll through the picturesque landscape. You can also glimpse inside the Saint Devote Church, check out what an empty Big Top looks like, and take a wander through the tranquil Japanese Garden.
Take a Visit Monaco virtual tour: http://monaco360.visitmonaco.com

Sabrina Monte Carlo

Shopping

One of the hardest adjustments we have to make right now is not being able to physically go shopping. Satisfy your need to peruse fine things with this virtual tour of Sabrina Monte Carlo.
Take a virtual tour of Sabrina Monte Carlo:
https://www.sabrinamontecarlo.com/news/take-a-virtual-tour-of-our-new-shops-with-vri-mc

ACM store

Sadly, the Monaco Grand Prix will not go ahead this year as planned. If you need to drown your sorrows, go shopping in the official boutique of the Automobile Club of Monaco.
Take a virtual tour of the ACM store: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=WqvHQmXAeMb
Yacht Club of Monaco, photo courtesy YCM

Club life

An integral part of life in Monaco is private club membership. If you are missing your favourite club, or would like to discover what it’s like to be welcomed as a club member, the doors are now open at the prestigious Yacht Club of Monaco.
Yacht Club of Monaco: https://www.yacht-club-monaco.mc/en/the-club/the-clubhouse/yacht-club-guided-tour/visit-360-of-yacht-club/

Yacht Club of Monaco

The Automobile Club of Monaco has some great hidden treats. Hint: click on the wall photos for video highlights of previous Grand Prix!
Take a virtual tour of the Automobile Club of Monaco: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=Uy6MJsnNXFP
 
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Top photo: Prince’s Palace, photo by Monaco Life, all rights reserved
 
 

How prepared is the CHPG for the Covid-19 crisis?

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/03/2020

The Princess Grace Hospital has detailed exactly how it has been preparing for the Covid-19 epidemic, including the addition of extra staff and activating a crisis unit.

The Princess Grace Hospital in Monaco has been in a “white plan” situation for the past few weeks, anticipating a swell in patients as the number of Covid-19 cases grows.

The hospital says this plan includes asking all hospital staff to remain on-call, the cancellation of appointments and activities not deemed absolutely necessary, the activation of a crisis unit, the suspension of visits to patients in the gerontology units and strict limitations on visits to patients in other wards.

The measures currently being undertaken are by no means set in stone, and the hospital is reserving the right to add new conditions as the needs arise.  

The hospital community is being mobilised and kept up-to-date on all the current happenings surrounding the virus and have anticipated the need to recruit additional medical and paramedical assistance to handle caseloads if they exceed a threshold.

Meanwhile, the administration is doing all they can to ensure the safety of those charged with helping the sick, enforcing protocols to keep the healers from falling ill themselves.

If the situation deteriorates, there is an operational plan in place that will expand on the dedicated 24 bed hospital unit already in place to free up more beds.

Coordination amongst health care workers outside the hospital has also been activated. City Medicine, CCM and IM2S are all prepared to act if necessary, to assist the hospital in their tasks.

A remote consultation service is also being deployed. This will allow medical specialists to monitor patients who do not require hospitalisation via a secure app. This could be instrumental in the coming weeks as a way to free up personnel who must handle other urgent or life-threatening situations.

Across the border in France, things are also ramping up. The Chinese have sent a large shipment of medical supplies such as masks, medical gloves and protective suits to assist the steep jump in cases. Additionally, the construction of makeshift hospitals are being proposed in eastern France, the area hardest hit, housing roughly 30 intensive care beds.

The proposal of these temporary hospitals come on the heels of an unprecedented peacetime move whereby the French army has started the evacuation of critically ill patients from the east of France in order to ease pressure on the local hospitals, particularly of Colmar and Mulhouse. The patients are being transferred to military hospitals in the south. This move is expected to be the first of several such airlifts.

 

 

Online screenings from Audio-Visual Institute

by: Stephanie Horsman
20/03/2020

To give people a taste of the outside world during the confinement period, the Audio-Visual Institute of Monaco is offering special online screenings to the public.
The Audio-Visual Institute only this month opened the doors to its new cinema, La Petite Salle, a 35-seat space dedicated to showing its rare and one-of-a-kind archival materials related to the Principality.
Now that everyone is in lockdown, they are inviting the public to view “snapshots” of pieces that were broadcast during the ‘All the Art of Cinema’ presentation. This series of short films give viewers the chance to enter the past and share moments from times long gone by.
Since 1997, the Institute’s primary role has been to identify, collect, restore, protect, conserve, distribute and promote professional or amateur audio, still and animated images which have some connection with Monaco as well as related documents. Additionally, they protect and conserve audio-visual documents or films entrusted to them to create audio-visual productions, done by organising projects using material from the archives.
The Institute will give access to the snapshots by subscription to their newsletter. Just follow the link at https://my.sendinblue.com/users/subscribe/js_id/37854/id/1
 

Prince tests positive for new coronavirus

by: Cassandra Tanti
19/03/2020

The Palace has revealed that Prince Albert II of Monaco has tested positive for the Covid-19 virus but says that his health “raises no concern”.
The Palace confirmed in a statement on Thursday afternoon that Monaco’s Head of State had contracted the novel coronavirus, but his situation was stable. “The Sovereign Prince is being looked after by his attending physician and specialists from the CHPG,” said the Palace.
The Prince is continuing his duties from the office of his home and is in permanent contact with the members of his staff, government and close collaborators.
The Palace took the opportunity to remind citizens of the absolute necessity to adhere to strict quarantine measures requested earlier this week by the Prince.
“The Prince is asking the population to respect the confinement measures and to limit contact with other people,” said the Palace. “Only in respecting those rules of lockdown will we be able to stop the coronavirus from spreading.”
The Prince’s Palace says it will continue to provide regular updates on the health of the Prince.
It follows the announcement that Monaco’s Minister of State Serge Telle has also tested positive for the novel coronavirus. It was revealed on Monday 16th March that Mr Telle had become the 9th positive case of Covid-19 in the Principality. His health is also no reason for concern.
Prince Albert, aged 62, is now the 11th confirmed case of Covid-19 in the Principality.
 

It’s official: No Monaco Grand Prix

by: Cassandra Tanti
19/03/2020
gp superyachts

The Monaco Grand Prix has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 crisis, with the Automobile Club of Monaco saying it is impossible to reschedule the event for later this year.

Just 24 hours after the Prince’s Government said it was pushing ahead with preparation works for the Monaco Grand Prix, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said that it is putting a stop to three upcoming races, including Monaco.

The FIA released a statement Thursday afternoon, stating: “In view of the continued global spread of Covid-19 and after ongoing discussions with Formula 1 and the three promoters, it has today been confirmed that the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix 2020, Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix 2020 and Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix 2020 will be postponed.”

The Dutch Grand Prix, due to return to the calendar for the first time since 1985, was set to be held at Zandvoort on 1-3 May, with the Spanish race following a week later, and the Monaco Grand Prix on 21-24 May.

The FIA said it would work closely with Formula 1, affected promoters and local authorities to monitor the situation and “study the viability of potential alternative dates for each Grand Prix later in the year should the situation improve.”

However, the Automobile Club of Monaco later said it was impossible to reschedule Monaco’s biggest event of the year.

“The current situation concerning the worldwide pandemic and its unknown path of evolution, the lack of understanding as to the impact on the FIA F1 World Championship 2020, the uncertainty with regards to the participation of the teams, the consequences with regards to the differing measures of confinement as taken by various governments worldwide, the multi-border restrictions for accessing the Principality of Monaco, the pressure on all implicated businesses, their dedicated staff who are unable to undertake the necessary installations, the availability of the indispensable workforce and volunteers (more than 1,500) required for the success of the event means that the situation is no longer tenable,” said the ACM in a statement.

As a result, and “with great sadness”, the Automobile Club of Monaco Board of Directors decided to cancel the 12th Historic Monaco Grand Prix (8-10 May 2020) and the 78th Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix (21-24 May 2020).

“To all the fans, spectators, partners and our members, the Board of Directors wishes to express its sincere regrets that these two events cannot be postponed and under no circumstances will it be possible to organise these events later this year,” said the ACM.

Historic Europe-wide travel ban in place

by: Stephanie Horsman
19/03/2020

The European Union has endorsed the most stringent travel ban in its history as more countries join the lockdown in efforts to contain Covid-19.
In an historic move, European Union leaders suspended all non-essential travel into the Schengen areas by non-EU nationals for a minimum of 30 days on Tuesday. The underlying reason behind the decisive move was to instil uniformity in the bloc and discourage unnecessary travel whilst the coronavirus pandemic continues.
Close to home, Nice Côte d’Azur officials have assured the public that the airport remains open to air traffic, despite the closure of Terminal 1 earlier this week. However, due to the travel ban, it is only accepting limited commercial flights. If necessary, it will also accommodate state flights, medical flights and diverted flights.
As for passengers coming into Nice, EU nationals, as well as those from the Schengen countries or the United Kingdom are still allowed to enter under certain conditions. Permanent residents and their families, medical workers, coronavirus researchers, diplomats and cross-border commuters are also exempt from the border lockdown.
Several countries, including France, had imposed border closures in advance of the EU order. Some countries, such as Estonia and Germany, were denying all travellers who were not their own passport holders entry. It has been widely thought that without a stronger containment policy, curbing the spread of the virus would be impossible. These new measures aim to do just that.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has asked all member states to implement the new procedures immediately. She tweeted just after the announcement, “The less travel, the more we can contain the virus. Therefore, I propose to the heads of state and government to introduce temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU. These travel restrictions should be in place for an initial period of 30 days but can be prolonged as necessary.”
The news came just hours after European Parliament member and EU Civil Liberties Chair Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar demanded coordination within the EU and spoke of the reestablishment of border controls between Schengen countries most affected by the disease.
“Many Europeans view the lack of coordination with concern. The capitals have been acting as the water reached their necks,” he said in an interview with El Pais. “There were countries that maintained free movement while others put restrictions. Some, where business normality has lasted longer. If the free movement must undergo alterations, it must be done in a coordinated manner. It is puzzling that the answer was fragmentary.”
 
Photo: Pixabay