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Day: 7 December 2022

Maserati MSG Racing unveil their 2023 Formula E challenger

by: Luke Entwistle
07/12/2022

On the eve of the Gen3 Formula E era, Monégasuqe team Maserati MSG Racing have unveiled their 2023 challenger, the Maserati Tipo Folfore, which it hopes will steer them to the championship.

Formerly ROKiT Venturi Racing, Maserati MSG Racing narrowly missed out on the title last year and their lead driver Edoardo Mortara also narrowly missed out on the drivers’ title.

With Formula E pre-season testing beginning on Wednesday 7th December, the Maserati Tipo Folgore was revealed on the streets of Maserati’s home in Modena, Italy. The electric car features the “timeless and iconic blue tone” for which Maserati are world-renowned.

While the performance of the new car remains a mystery for now, new team principal James Rossiter believes that the partnering of Monaco Sports Group (MSG) with Maserati is “a winning combination”.

Maserati Tipo Folgore by Maserati MSG Racing

“After months of anticipation, it’s a great feeling to lift the covers off the Maserati Tipo Folgore. With the prestige of Maserati and the experience, success, and diligence of MSG, we believe we have a winning combination. At this stage, it’s very difficult to make any predictions, but with a competitive package and Edo (Mortara) and Max (Günther) behind the wheel, we’re confident that we can have a successful season,” said Rossiter in a press release.

Mortara, who so narrowly lost out on the title last season, shared the caution of his team principal ahead of pre-season testing in Valencia.

“Over the past few months, we’ve been going through our development cycle and so far, things look good, but it’s too early to really tell. Pre-season testing will be a key opportunity for us to validate our work as we continue to refine and optimise our performance ahead of the start of the season,” said the Swiss driver.

The 16-race-long calendar, which sees Formula E visit 12 cities across five continents, begins in Mexico City on 14th January 2023.

 

Photo by Maserati MSG Racing

What’s On: A Christmas market near you

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/12/2022

It’s that time of year again, when the squares of towns and cities across the south of France and Monaco come alive with Christmas markets. Monaco Life rounds up the biggest and best to be found on the coast this December.

Monaco – In Monaco, the traditional Christmas Village has taken up residence on the Port Hercule. It will be open until 2nd January 2023. With lots of stalls, rides and games, this annual market with the theme of Christmas in Spitsbergen is a “can’t miss” event. This year, in line with energy savings, the ice rink has been transformed into a roller rink so skaters can still get their fixes. SBM has also decorated the Place du Casino in its elegant five-star style, and has a full schedule of events taking place in hotels across its portfolio.

Menton – Santa’s Workshop can be found in Menton until 1st January in the Jardin Biovès, where elves will be hard at work making toys in full view so all can see the magic. At the Bastion and the Sablettes, visitors can enjoy delicacies, a merry-go-round, a little train, Santa’s mailbox, a gourmet market, and workshops of all kinds. Parking in Menton is free every weekend during December. For the complete programme, please click here.

Nice – The Christmas Village in Jardin Albert 1er and Place Masséna is always an impressive sight and this year is no exception. Running until 1st January, there will be crafts and food stalls, entertainment, games for children, Santa’s Grotto, rides and 14 free shows for young and old. Nice is also organising a series of festive “Soirées After Work” with international DJs and acts. Click here for the run-down on all Christmas activities this December.

Cannes – This year’s market has 50 different chalets selling Christmas fare alongside Santa’s Cottage and an ice skating rink on the Allées de la Liberté Charles de Gaulle until 2nd January. There is also a parade on Rue d’Antibes with acrobats and live music on 24th December from 3pm. For the Christmas schedule covering all neighbourhoods in Cannes, please click here. 

Antibes – A 450m2 ice skating rink will dominate the Antibes Christmas market on the Esplanade Pré-aux-Pêcheurs, which runs from 11th December to 2nd January, but there is so much more too. A Ferris wheel, carousel and rides will sit alongside stands laden with handicrafts and warming food and drink options. Elsewhere in Antibes’s old town: a letterbox for sending wish lists to Santa, a mini farm and craft workshops for young children. There’s plenty going on in Juan-les-Pins too, so click here for more information.

Saint Tropez – The most glamourous of villages will see Christmas-themed stalls line the old port every day until 1st January, as well as the timeless open-air ice rink in the Place des Lices. In the week running up to Christmas, little ones will love meeting Santa and his animals at the pedological farm in Place Grammont. For the full schedule, please click here.

 

 

Photo source: Monaco Communications Department

Photos: Last month to see ‘100 years of concerts in Monaco’

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/12/2022

The exhibition ‘Monaco On Stage – 100 years of concerts in Monaco’ will be open exceptionally for two nights this December, before the stage is packed up for good at the end of the year.

Monaco has had a special relationship with music for almost a century. Famous names such as Tom Jones, Cher, Ray Charles, Lady Gaga and Prince have all performed on Monte-Carlo’s legendary stages.

The immersive exhibition features corridors lined with photographs, many signed by the artists themselves, including Edith Piaf, Cher, Tom Jones, Ray Charles, Liza Minelli and Elton John. There’s a photo of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III with Frank Sinatra, and another of Sammy Davis Jr posing on the steps of the Hôtel de Paris.

The exhibition, at the Salle d’Exposition on Quai Antoine 1er, has been created by the Department of Cultural Affairs in collaboration with Monte-Carlo SBM, which has operated the Principality’s legendary concert halls for decades. It has been curated by Alex Jaffray, a composer, producer aand music journalist, and Rudy Sabounghi, a set designer for major European theatres.

Visitors are able to listen to guitars playing iconic riffs, go behind the scenes into dressing rooms of the stars who have performed in Monaco, and experience the magic of going on stage.

The exhibition opened on 15th October and runs until 31st December, and for two exceptional evenings, on 13th and 20th December, it will remain open until 9pm for a unique, nighttime experience.

Click on the gallery below to see more pictures from the ‘Monaco On Stage – 100 years of concerts in Monaco’ exhibition, all photos by Monaco Life…

 

Click on our Instagram video below for more…

 

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Energy Crisis: Selective power cuts possible in Monaco

by: Elsa Carpenter
07/12/2022

Monaco is steeling itself against the threat of electrical power cuts this winter, an outcome of the ongoing energy crisis that is looking increasingly likely. 

While France prepares for rolling two-hour blackouts across the country from January 2023, Monaco’s Société Monégasque de l’Electricité et du Gaz (SMEG), which manages the Principality’s electrical and gas supply, is readying itself for a similar scenario.  

As explained by Monaco Life, these temporary power cuts – délestage in French – are being looked on as a solution to an overloaded and undersupplied grid. They will be applied selectively across France, targeting specific regions and départements in an effort to maintain supply to the rest of the country and thus avoid an uncontrollable, total and national blackout.  

Since October, SMEG has been regularly reporting the health of Monaco’s electrical supply via a forecasting system on its website. The projections cover the four coming days in green, orange or red according to the daily demands on the grid: green for normal consumption through to red for a very precarious situation in which power cuts are “inevitable”.  

In the case of a red alert appearing on the horizon, SMEG promises to notify customers by email, SMS or via its app a minimum of three days before the event of a planned power cut to encourage them to curb their usage and relieve the pressures on Monaco’s supply.  

Monaco’s network is fed from France and, like in France, it is the month of January that is causing the most immediate concern. Sylvain Didierjean, the director of SMEG, has said that the Principality will follow the decisions made over the border in France in relation to selective power cuts.  

“We will not cut all of Monaco, it will concern around 10% of the country,” Didierjean has told the local French press. “It is out of the question to cut [power] to a hospital.” 

The last month has seen the Monegasque government repeatedly urging residents to conserve power and reduce their usage – whether at home or work – and introduce a price cap on energy prices. The government has also put forwards a number of financial support packages to help those living in Monaco to replace outdated appliances and collective heating systems. 

 

 Photo source: Amira El Fohail for Unsplash

Mass airline strikes planned for Christmas and New Year

by: Jessica Tatam
07/12/2022

Airline walkouts across Europe are set to impact travel over the festive period. Here’s an up-to-date list of the planned strikes that travellers should be aware of.  

The holiday season is getting underway and millions of travellers throughout Europe are excitedly preparing to fly and reconnect with loved ones to celebrate; predictions indicate this will be the busiest holiday period since the Covid pandemic. 

However, a swathe of planned airline strikes are set to take place during the months of December and January, and travellers are becoming understandably nervous about whether or not their flights and Christmas plans will be affected.  

The soaring cost-of-living, an energy crisis, painfully high inflation, post-pandemic pay cuts… The conditions are ripe for discontent and following months of continued travel disruption and chaos, Europe’s airline industry is under increasing pressure from unions to raise wages and improve working conditions for staff. It is a situation now at breaking point.  

While there has been some progress in negotiations between airlines and staff, there still remains a significant number of threatened strikes set to take place over the coming weeks across Europe:

Air France, France – Air France has given notice of a strike to take place from Thursday 22nd December until Monday 2nd January 2023, covering the busiest days of the holiday period. Negotiations are underway, but staff say the strike will go ahead if an agreement can’t be reached.  

Heathrow Airport, UK – Up to 350 baggage handlers at the London Heathrow airport have confirmed they will walk out for 72 hours from 4am on Friday 16th December, potentially causing mass delays and disruptions to a number of flights arriving and departing from the international airline hub.   

TAP Airline, Portugal – The airline confirmed yesterday that a strike for Thursday 8th and Friday 9th December will go ahead as planned, resulting in the cancellation of 360 flights for Portugal’s state-owned flag carrier. 

Ryanair, Belgium – While specific dates have yet to be announced, Ryanair’s Belgian branch has threatened to hold strikes at any time over the holiday season if no action is taken by the carrier to respond to workers claims of unlawful labour conditions. 

Vueling, Spain – Spain continues to experience strikes being held by Vueling. Cabin crew are holding strikes every Monday, Friday and Sunday, and on public holidays, until the end of January 2023. 

Some progress, but still a way to go 

EasyJet delivered welcome news on Tuesday 6th December that a deal has been brokered with French cabin crew, and a Christmas strike has been averted. It is one of the more generous agreements reached in recent months: EasyJet has committed to a base pay increase of 7.5% as well as an additional 3,000 euro bonus.

This French-side deal follows on the back of British Airways staff accepting an offer during summer that constitutes of an 8% increase, a one-off bonus, and the reinstatement of shift pay.  

In November, Lufthansa also agreed to a two-stage pay increase in January (of 250 euros) and July (2.5%) next year. In early December, Delta pilots accepted a cumulative 34% pay increase over three years. 

This information is up-to-date as of midday on Wednesday 7th December. If you plan on flying during the festive period, it is encouraged to check all details with your carrier ahead of leaving for the airport.  

 

 

Photo by Monaco Life

Roca Team do the double over ASVEL thanks to attacking masterclass

by: Luke Entwistle
07/12/2022

AS Monaco Basketball stunned Lyon-Villeurbanne with a first-quarter frenzy on their way to beating their nemesis twice in the space of a week (97-78) and moving top of the Betclic Elite in the process. 

Due to Boulogne-Levallois’ defeat, Sasa Obradovic’s men take top spot in the domestic championship with 10 wins in just 12 matches, the only defeats coming against Limoges and Dijon.

Mike James was imperious on the night, scoring 19 points in the first half (26 points in total and six assists) as Monaco stormed into an early and unassailable advantage. With an 18-point lead after the first 10 minutes (33-15), ASVEL couldn’t muster a response, and Monaco simply managed the game out. A semblance of a response was evident on the return from the dressing rooms, but nothing of the proportions necessary to overhaul such a deficit.

Obradovic’s men then responded in the final quarter, reversing ASVEL’s advances, and securing a fifth successive victory. Lyon-Villeurbanne meanwhile, are on a dreadful streak of eight defeats in nine matches. At this moment in time, they don’t look like Monaco’s biggest challenger for the domestic title, as they were last year.

“The players showed big motivation. Having just one day to prepare for this match isn’t easy, as it will be for almost the entire month of December. From entering the court, we applied the right defensive aggression and that allowed us to increase our lead quickly with a transition game. James was very focused and was our guide tonight,” said Obradovic post-match.

The Roca Team is traversing a difficult month. The players face a trip to the Spanish capital to face Real Madrid on Thursday, before meeting their closest challenger in the Betclic Elite, Boulogne-Levallois on Sunday.

 

Photo by AS Monaco Basket