AS Monaco’s miserable week got worse on Sunday, with local rivals OGC Nice beating Philippe Clement’s side (0-3) at the Stade Louis II.
Monaco were dumped out of the Europa League on Thursday at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen. Les Monégasques needed to quickly overcome that disappointment to ensure a rebound against Nice, who remain unbeaten since the appointment of Didier Digard at the start of the year.
However, Monaco seemed mentally absent and physically overrun in the early stages against Les Aiglons, who despite having little of the ball, were ruthlessly efficient in possession.
Terem Moffi opened his Nice account and the scoring on a blustery, damp day at the Louis II, profiting from Axel Disasi’s poor reading of the trajectory of a long ball to finish smartly past Alexander Nübel.
Jim Ratcliffe, Prince Albert II and Arthur Leclerc in attendance
Nice then scored the second in almost identical fashion. Khéphren Thuram’s long ball once again found Moffi, who once again had the beating of Nübel one-on-one. Things would get worse for Monaco before the break. The instrumental Thuram was once again at the heart of the action, breaking through the lines before being fed by Moffi on the edge of the box and finishing emphatically on the half-volley.
Photo by Monaco Life
The former Monaco academy product had no qualms in celebrating the goal against his formative club. In the stands, Nice and Ineos owner Jim Ratcliffe, who recently lodged a bid to buy Premier League side Manchester United, savoured the moment. Arthur Leclerc and Prince Albert II looked much less euphoric as Monaco tumbled to a first Ligue 1 defeat of 2023.
Diop v Diop
Clement wrung the changes at half-time. The Belgian manager, clearly unhappy at what his side displayed substituted four players at the break. Off came Chrislain Matsima, Ismail Jakobs, Myron Boadu and Breel Embolo, and on came Edan Diop, Caio Henrique, Aleksandr Golovin and Wissam Ben Yedder came on.
However, the changes were ineffective. Monaco continued to look completely devoid of ideas, and only created their first chance of the match in the 80th minute. Diop faced up against his brother Sofiane, who left Les Monégasques to join Nice in the summer, and had some joy down the right flank, but not enough to change the direction of the match.
Records tumble
Not only did Monaco suffer their first league defeat of 2023, it was also the first Ligue 1 game during which they failed to score in 350 days. The last time Les Monégasques didn’t score was against Strasbourg on 13th March 2022.
Speaking post-match, Clement attributed the defeat to a physical drain on his team. “We’ve had a heavy schedule in recent weeks. We’re missing two right-backs (Ruben Aguilar and Vanderson). We have to play with an academy player at right-back (Diop). It damages the machine that we were in past weeks. We also lacked lucidity in the attacking and defensive phases,” he said.
He added, “It’s not like, in Nice, we were playing against a team worse than us at the moment. They beat Marseille, Lille and Lens.”
Regardless of Monaco’s recent form, the club are still on course for a podium finish, and will be looking to reassert their European credentials when they travel to face Ligue 1 strugglers ESTAC Troyes next Sunday.
New buildings with private residences are cropping up all over the Principality, boasting fantastic architecture, eco-friendly building practices and interesting extra features. Monaco Life takes a closer look at what’s on offer in the realm of new build real estate.
For a country only 2.1km2 in size, Monaco packs a big punch when it comes to housing. A number of high-end building sites are dotting the landscape, with the promise of giving residents old and new some pretty spectacular offerings to both buy and rent.
Here is a listing of the ones that are under construction, with off-plan apartments and villas already on the market.
MARETERRA
Arguably the most talked about of the new developments is the land reclamation project Mareterra (pictured above). This environmentally-minded neighbourhood in the Larvotto quarter features 110 impeccably finished apartments, penthouses and townhouses along with 10 villas, six of which are waterfront. A marina will have space for about 15 boats and will be encircled by cute and chic shops and eateries. The spaces will be move-in ready by 2025.
Special touches include swimming pools, a concierge, private parking and a gym at this Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Valode & Pistre Architects collaboration.
Beautifully landscaped with green spaces galore, the development was created to bring nature to residents’ front door with mature trees, native plants and flowers, insect hives, bird’s nests and plenty of shade to beat the heat on summer days.
The Portier Cove section is a pedestrian only zone and connects the area to the Grimaldi Forum and Larvotto Beach, while 600 metres of cycling lanes will make for ease in getting around.
The development’s eco-cred is off the charts, with 4,500m2 of solar panels, rainwater recovery systems that ensure half the collected water will be recycled, and 80% of the cooling and heating will be supplied by renewable energy. Strict building codes have kept marine flora and fauna safe, and man-made reefs have been built so that any wildlife disrupted by the construction can find a new home.
The final design of Testimonio II, with Bay House in the foreground, by DBOX for Groupe Marzocco
BAY HOUSE
Tied in with the Testimonio II project, the Bay House development has been built on the last large-scale plot in the country. Running from Boulevard d’Italie to Avenue Princesse Grace, the striking complex overlooks Larvotto Beach and is due for delivery in 2024.
Comprised of 54 apartments and five villas ranging from three to six bedrooms, this place was created for luxury living. Floor-to-ceiling windows and south-facing terraces offer stunning sea view vistas and the villas have their own roof terraces and pools to sweeten the pot.
Developed by Groupe Marzocco and VINCI Immobilier alongside Architect Alexandre Giraldi, everything is incredibly well thought out.
High quality finishings are coupled with high-tech automatic environment management systems, allowing owners and tenants to remotely control light, sunshades and air con, and the concierge benefits include housekeeping, dry-cleaning, valet and shuttle services. On-site parking is also included.
The spa is super-luxe and features massage rooms, steam rooms and saunas, a hair and beauty salon as well as state-of-the-art Technogym gym equipment.
L’Exotique in the upper western reaches of the Principality
L’EXOTIQUE
L’Exotique is one that is due to be completed this year. Tucked away in the upper reaches of the Principality near the Jardin Exotique, this quiet oasis has 66 apartments over eight floors all with panoramic sea and Palace views.
Built into the mountainside with plentiful wood and stone features, the apartments enjoy lots of natural light, and were designed by award-winning French architect and engineer Rudy Ricciotti, the principal architect behind the MUCEM in Marseille, together with well-known local architect Fabrice Notari.
The building forms part of the dramatic new western approach to the Principality, inspired by the colossal entryways used by the ancient Greeks, and will also house a 1,800-space parking garage as well as commercial units.
Additionally, there are on-site indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a wellness centre and a gym to unwind in.
The piece-de-resistance, though, is L’Exotique’s penthouse apartment: a two-storey, three-bedroom space offering tranquillity and luxurious comforts. The 420m2 terrace has a 360° view over the sea and terrain, and is elegantly draped in greenery.
Villa Ninetta, another design by local architect Fabrice Notari
VILLA NINETTA
This Fabrice Notari building will feature a stunning curved façade that follows the bend in the road on the quiet Rue Malbousquet in the Jarden Exotique quarter. It will have 42 dwellings, including 33 studios, seven two-room apartments, one three-room apartment and one four-room apartment as well as 207.60 m² of offices and 74 private parking spaces set over nine-floors.
There will be high-end finishings and amenities such as a 24-hour concierge service and fitness room.
The first apartments at Villa Ninetta are set to be completed in 2024.
GRAND IDA
Primarily state housing, the Grand Ida’s Building A does have 55 private apartments designed by Frédéric Genin, which will be up for grabs upon completion, set for this year.
The massive complex near the Jardin Exotique and Boulevard Rainier II will also include commercial premises, a crèche and a vast parking garage of more than 400 spaces for residents’ convenience. A residence for the disabled has also been incorporated into the complex’s design.
The construction has been certified Bronze Label under the environmental certifications of the Mediterranean sustainable buildings of Monaco, due to the vast 2,200m2 green spaces, solar panels on the tops of the roof terraces, and a direct link to the heating and cooling systems based at the waste recovery plant in Fontvieille. Thermal insulation and double paned glass will also feature.
Heritage against the contemporary at Ecrin de Malachite
ECRIN DE MALACHITE
Located both in the Moneghetti district and in the reserved sector of the Vallon Ste-Dévote, the Ecrin de Malachite project will be made up of three stand-alone villas with swimming pools and private gardens, and an apartment building with luxury homes all connected by glass covered walkways and an escalator.
Some features of architect Christian Curau’s designed spaces will include thermally heated swimming pools and automated systems for residents to control heat, lights and the like remotely. The project is set to be move-in ready in 2025.
VILLA LUCIA
Villa Lucia, on Pont Sainte-Dévote, is conveniently located adjacent to the entry to the train station in the heart of Monaco. The project was designed by the architect Alexandre Giraldi and will consist of 14 floors with nine apartments, including one apartment per floor for the first nine, then a quadruplex with a private swimming pool on the top floors of the building.
Tertiary premises will also be set up on the ground floor of the residence. Villa Lucia is set to be delivered in 2026.
Villa Lucia towers above the entrance to the Monte-Carlo train station, making it perfect for frequent travellers and commuters
LES MELEZES
Not a new build per se, but partially so with the addition of two new floors that will house 14 apartments.
The many improvements to the building and integrated into the new apartments include some serious environmental works. They are looking to make it a Mediterranean Sustainable Building of Monaco by reducing energy consumption via thermal expenditure and acoustic protection.
Polluting oil heating will be replaced by a connection to the thalasso-thermic loop to save on heating and cooling costs for tenants, and modified elevators will provide access to new floors and consume less energy.
