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Day: 17 June 2022

New restaurant: La Môme Monte-Carlo

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/06/2022

La Môme is an oasis in a bustling, hot Monaco, with killer views, refreshing sea breezes, and a Mediterranean menu that hits all the right notes.

Antoine and Ugo Lecorché first opened the chic La Môme restaurant in the Côte d’Azur in 2015, a trendy go-to for fun-loving A-listers, and an international and local clientele. It was followed by the addition of a cocktail bar in 2017 inspired by the legendary New York bars that the pair had enjoyed in their travels. Then, a few feet away on the famous Croisette, La Môme Plage was established with its 1950s French Riviera inspiration. All in the capital of Cinema, Cannes.

Now, the twins are continuing the story in the Principality with La Môme Monte-Carlo, formerly La Marée, on Avenue J.F. Kennedy.

Antoine and Ugo Lecorché opened the first La Môme in Cannes in 2015

The restaurant is open seven days a week, welcoming up to 220 guests for lunch and dinner, in a dreamy setting on the rooftop terrace of the Port Palace, with a stunning view over the superyachts in the harbour, the blue waters of the Mediterranean, and the Prince’s Palace on the Rock.

At the helm is Managing Director Luigi Visciano who has worked at some of Monaco’s most prestigious establishments including the Hôtel de Paris, the Hôtel Hermitage and the Hôtel Métropole, bringing his professionalism and authentic “Italian-style” charisma to this new venture.

­“We wanted to bring that international-style service and welcome, but in a more relaxed way,” Antoine Lecorché told Monaco Life. “The temperature, the music, the timing of the food, everything has to be perfect, so that when people leave the restaurant, they feel great, even if they don’t know why.”

The view from the rooftop terrace of La Môme, credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

Two interior designers were recruited for the décor: Soraya Djemmi-Wagner and Maxime Liautard from Liautard and the Queen design agency. In keeping with the Cannes legend, their vision for the space was a movie scene, in particular the film To Catch a Thief with its Hollywood star and Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly.

The décor is therefore quite feminine, with the use of blue and light tones on the terrace; soft furnishings, warm wooden textures and rounded finishes inside. This is contrasted with bold patterns and zebra fabrics, giving the restaurant a playful edginess.

The menu was created by La Môme Plage Executive Chef Alexandre Elia and executed with the help of new recruit Chef de partie Benjamin Zannier. The theme: Mediterranean with Provençal, Italian and Greek influences. Think flame-smoked eggplant dip, creamy burrata with an assortment of tomatoes, shaved artichoke salad, tuna tartare, and a heavily-truffled arancini. In fact, black truffles feature significantly on the menu at the moment, so-much-so the precious aroma fills the restaurant, and your heart, with luxurious goodness.

“Some of the dishes you can find in Cannes,” revealed Lecorché. “Most appetizers are designed to be shared, as people love to do now. We also have whole fish, lobster, and chargrilled meat dishes, served with fresh seasonal ingredients.”

The Mediterranean dishes at La Môme, credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

For mains we were treated to a tuna tataki topped with rich caviar, deliciously seasoned mushroom tops, bright broccolini finished with salty black olives, creamy truffle mash, beautifully seared and tender beef loin with shaved truffles, and truffled rigatoni pasta.

Just when you think you can’t possibly fit another thing in, they present to you their “legendary” giant chocolate chip cookie; waffle with a trio of whipped cream, chocolate sauce and jam; and beautiful fresh fruit platter. Somehow, deep down, you find the space you need to finish the meal.

La Môme Monte-Carlo terrace, credit: Yann Deret

So, my first impression of Monaco’s newest restaurant? If you don’t come for the view, come for the food; come with a lot of friends and order everything on the menu; then sit back with a cocktail and watch the sun go down over Monaco. Life doesn’t get much better than this.

 

Visit Monaco Life’s Instagram page for videos of La Môme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NMNM presents ‘Newton, Riviera’

by: Cassandra Tanti
17/06/2022

The work of Helmut Newton, one of the 20th Century’s most prominent fashion photographers, is now on show at Villa Sauber for an exhibition that uniquely highlights his time in Monaco and the French Riviera.

The latest exhibition by the New National Museum of Monaco (NMNM) titled ‘Newton, Riviera’, features 280 photographs, some iconic and others rarely seen by the public before.

The title reflects the fact that the French Riviera was a place of huge inspiration for Helmut Newton from the 1960s, when he purchased a holiday home in Ramatuelle, to his death in the early 2000s.

“I like the sun, and there’s none left in Paris,” he famously told the Monegasque officer in charge of his residency file. It was the year 1981 and Newton was 61 years of age. He had already established himself as one of the greatest fashion photographers of his generation.

Born in Berlin in 1920, Helmut Newton moved to Australia when he was 20-years-old, marrying Australian actress June Brown (later known as photographer Alice Springs) and setting up a studio in fashionable Flinders Lane in Melbourne where he worked on fashion, theatre and industrial photography. He went on to work for British Vogue, Australian Vogue, French Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar, establishing a particular style marked by erotic, stylised scenes, often with sado-masochistic and fetishistic subtexts.

The New York Times described him as a “prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically charged black-and-white photos were a mainstay of Vogue and other publications.”

‘Helmut, Riviera’ exhibition at Villa Sauber, photo by Manuel Vitali, Communication Department

His time in Monaco, from 1981 until his death in 2004, was one of the most prolific and freest of his career. Monaco offered him an original setting for his fashion photography, and it is was not uncommon for one of the city’s construction sites to serve as a backdrop for a haute couture campaign he’d signed. In 1992, Monaco awarded him the ‘Officier des Arts, Lettres et Sciences’.

He also produced numerous images and portraits of the Princely family and stars of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo. It was here that he finally tried his hand at landscape photography, and developed one of his most personal series ‘Yellow Press’, strange images of a disturbing glamour, inspired by crime scenes.

‘Newton, Riviera’ has been curated by Guillaume de Sardes and Matthias Harder. It is being presented in collaboration with the Helmut Newton Foundation, Berlin. The exhibition will run at Villa Sauber, 17 avenue Princesse Grace, until 13th November 2022.

 

Top photo of Helmut Newton taken by photographer Alice Springs (pseudonym used by his wife June Newton)  

 

 

 

Figures show strong economic start to 2022

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/06/2022

The first quarter of 2022 showed remarkable signs of economic recovery in Monaco as the pandemic lessened its grip on the both economy and the world.

A new report by statistics group IMSEE reveals that 2022 is seeing a return to normalcy in economic terms after two difficult years.

After a trade rebound in 2021, the trend has continued into 2022 with a growth in foreign trade. The overall volume of trade in Monaco, excluding France, during the first quarter reached €747.2 million, an annual increase of 16%. This isn’t quite back to levels seen before Covid, but it is slowly clawing its way back.

Exports show moderate growth at €13.1 million, while imports have risen sharply to €90.2 million, creating a trade balance deficit of -€202 million and a ten percentage point reduction in coverage rates.

Two-thirds of sales are inside the EU, but conversely, Monaco’s suppliers are primarily outside the Union. The transactions with the EU, at +10.5%, are far below those outside the block, which are up +23/1%.

Italy is Monaco biggest trading partner, accounting for one-fifth of trade. Germany is next biggest at 11.6%, followed by the United Kingdom at 7%.

In terms of what was being bought and sold, transactions in jewellery and musical instruments saw a steep drop of 42.9%, equalling total sales of €52.1 million. Plastic products fared a bit better with sale figures sitting at €63.8 million and auto construction products at €57.3 million. Both industries saw 12% rises in sales.

Monaco’s revenue reached a record-busting €4 billion, and this is excluding the financial and insurance sectors. This shows +15.6% growth compared to the same quarter of 2021. Nine out of 11 sectors are up on last year and many have returned to their 2019 levels.

Wholesale trade is the main contributor to overall first quarter 2022 earnings, with an increase of €181 million, or 16.5%, due to fee or contract sales, food, beverage and tobacco sales, and “other” specialised wholesale.  

Construction is seeing a boom as well, with a revenue jump of €95.2 million, up 20.3%. This sector is seeing growth in masonry works and actual construction projects, but also in development and sales of homes.

Other sectors seeing returns to normal are scientific and technical activities, admin and support services, accommodation and food service, retail, and transportation and storage. Only two sectors are down, those being public administration, education human health and social work, and information and communication, though it must be noted that this sector is 11.9% above its pre-pandemic level.

Bank asset management has been good, with a +7.8% rise, and the number of loans granted has also gone up by +10.1%. Additionally, the total value of deposits has seen an increase of 13.1%.

Private sector employment figures showed 56,796 active jobs as of March 2022, based on at least one hour being worked by an employee. This is up 10.5% on the previous year and is also beating pre-Covid levels. CTTR only affected roughly 20 jobs at the end of March 2022, a much better figure than the year before which stood at 800.

All sectors saw an increase in salaried workers, with the biggest gainer, unsurprisingly, in accommodation and food service, which gained more than 1,900 jobs. The number of hours worked in the private sector was just under 23 million at the end of the quarter, up 10.9% on the previous year. Again, it was accommodation and food service that saw the largest increase, up by a whopping +63.3%.

New business creation was down quite a bit in 2022 over the year before, with only 170 new businesses this year in Q1, compared to 215 in Q1 2021. That being said, tourism is up with the number of arrivals sitting at +1.666 and the average length of stay rose from 2.1 to 3.7 days. Room occupation was up by 34,668 nights over 2021 levels. Occupancy rates were at nearly 30% in January and February, and up to 45% in March, three times the number in 2021.

Non-EU visitors were up by 178% following the resumption of international travel, but those from inside the EU fell by -14.5%.

The property market has also risen. There were six sales, including five off-plan, equalling over €33 million, compared to only one sale in 2021. Resales had four fewer transactions, but increased by 36.3% to €501 million.

Finally, the number of travellers was up +133.7% on 2021, equalling 1,514 flights and 3,428 passengers. Helicopter traffic hasn’t fully recovered yet, but commercial flights have shown movements and passenger numbers up massively, at 201.7% and 335.9% respectively.

 

Photo by Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

 

 

 

Introducing Larvotto’s new eco smart shower

by: Stephanie Horsman
17/06/2022

A new shower using filtered, recycled water has been installed for beach goers in Larvotto, saving up to 90% more water than a normal shower.

Larvotto Beach’s facelift has been made even better with the addition of a new eco-friendly shower. The closed-circuit system allows water to be regenerated and reused after purification via water collection in the shower base.

Saving 90% of water compared to conventional showers, this also model features a high-tech digital screen that shows a swimming index flag, signifying red, orange or green depending on conditions, the time, day and outside air temperature, the UV index, a diagram of the water quality, real-time percentages of water savings, system water temp, wind speed and even a local events calendar.

The shower is already installed on Larvotto and is ready for bathers to use all summer long.

 

 

 

The ASM rumour mill: Minamino, Badiashile, Ramazani, Matsima, Disasi

by: Luke Entwistle
17/06/2022

With the sale of Aurélien Tchouaméni completed, AS Monaco are already looking to reinvest the reported €100m that they received for the sale, whilst more players are also linked with departures.

Takumi Minamino – Linked by Foot Mercato to AS Monaco – Speaking to L’Équipe in the wake of the Principality side’s draw against RC Lens on the final day of the season, sporting director Paul Mitchell revealed that he wished to recruit “an offensive element, either a wide-man or a centre-forward.” Minamino is seemingly their prime target to fulfil that objective. The Liverpool attacker, who has been deprived of game time at Anfield, could be available for as little as €15m this summer.

Monaco could face competition from Premier League sides Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham and Southampton. However, according to Foot Mercato’s Sébastien Denis, Monaco are “fixed” on the idea of signing the 27-year-old Japanese international, and have made him a priority.

Largie Ramazani – Linked by La Dernière Heure to AS Monaco – The former Manchester United academy player has thrived since arriving at La Liga 2 side Almeria. Having joined on a free in 2020, this year he played a pivotal role in getting the side promoted to La Liga. During that campaign, the 21-year-old scored eight goals and registered one assist, and his club regard him as a “very important element for the future.”

However, Monaco manager and compatriot Philippe Clement could be willing to test their resolve to keep the player. According to reports, Clement “appreciates his profile” and could make an offer for the player. Given how highly regarded Ramazani is at his current club and that he has a contract that runs until 2025, it could be difficult to dislodge the Belgian forward.

Justin Kluivert – Linked by Il Romanista to AS Monaco – Another option to reinforce Monaco’s forward line could be Roma’s Kluivert. The Dutch international spent last season on loan at Riviera rivals OGC Nice, but they decided against activating their purchase option on the player. Monaco are now interested in the player and have reportedly enquired about his availability. After a solid, but not spectacular year at Nice, he could be available for around €15m. The deal is reportedly being handled by the heir’s of Mino Raiola, who have an established headquarters in Monaco. It remains to be seen whether Monaco will follow through on their enquiry and solidify their interest in a player, who has just one-year remaining on his contract in the Italian capital.

Benoît Badiashile – Linked by RMC to Sevilla – Last week Newcastle United, Manchester United and Chelsea were revealed to be interested in Monaco’s France U21 international. This week, La Liga side Sevilla look to have joined the race. The Spanish side see Badiashile as a replacement for Diego Carlos, who left earlier this summer to join Aston Villa. Consequently, they are looking for a replacement and will reportedly “soon make an offer” to the Principality side. According to L’Équipe, Newcastle had a €40m bid rejected for the French defender in January, so he, like Tchouaméni, won’t leave on the cheap if he is to leave at all. Sevilla’s sporting director Monchi has already conducted “several meetings,” but the Spanish side face significant competition as Juventus have also reportedly joined the race to sign one of Europe’s most coveted defenders.

Chrislain Matsima – Linked by RMC to Lille and Angers – The French U20 is in search for increased game-time and is set for talks with the club in order to ascertain how to attain it. Meanwhile, Lille and Angers could be set to offer him what he desires. Both sides have made “first contact” with Monaco for a move either on loan or on a permanent deal, whilst two German sides are also reportedly interested and have made contact with the player’s entourage. It is not yet clear whether it is Monaco’s preference to retain the player for the upcoming season, send him out on loan in order to gain experience, or sell him.

Axel Disasi – Linked by Marca to Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur – Another Monaco defender linked with a move is Disasi, and given that Monaco boasted the joint fourth best defensive in Ligue 1 last season, it is no surprise. Disasi has admirers in Spain and it is Atletico Madrid that are “closely following” the defender according to Spanish media. Monaco, however, consider him an “important player” and have therefore not set a price tag. Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur are also interested in the player and have reportedly been tracking his progress for the last two years.

 

 

Photo of Axel Disasi, Monaco defender, by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life