From 8th to 16th April, the Principality will live to the rhythm of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, one of the oldest tennis tournaments in the world and one of the most prestigious competitions on the ATP circuit.
It is an event that attracts a significant number of people and therefore affects the circulation of traffic in Monaco.
The following adjustments will be in place:
For light vehicles (cars and two-wheelers)
Boulevard du Larvotto will be one-way (Monaco-Menton direction) between the Avenue de Grande-Bretagne roundabout and the eastern border of Monaco, Saturday 8th to Thursday 13th April, from 9am to 7.30pm. The two-wheeler parking at the right of the building ‘Les Carmes’ will be banned from Sunday 2nd to Tuesday 18thApril 11pm to 11:59pm.
Parking will be prohibited on Rue du Portier from Thursday 13th at 11pm to Sunday 16th April at 11:59pm.
Buses
Boulevard du Larvotto, between No. 17 (‘Casabianca’ building) and No. 37 (‘Testimonio’ building), will be reserved for bus parking, from Saturday 8th to Thursday 13th April from 9am to 7:30pm.
Other traffic disruptions
Throughout the entire period of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, traffic difficulties will be expected due to one-way traffic on avenue Jean Jaurès in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Avenue Varavilla will remain the only main road out of the Principality on the east side.
FREE SHUTTLES PROVIDED BY THE CAM
As with each edition of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, the Compagnie des Autobus de Monaco (CAM) will charter free shuttles for tournament spectators throughout the duration of the tournament, with an extended circuit this year.
For more information: https://www.cam.mc/a-la-une-fr/04-navette-gratuite-rolex-monte-carlo-masters
Spectators with a tennis ticket will be able to access the CAM network free of charge – boat-bus included – by presenting it to the driver in exchange for a voucher.
The Monte-Carlo Masters gets underway in a matter of days, and many of the players don’t need to travel far to compete, with a significant number of tennis’ elite based right here in the Principality of Monaco.
Monaco is a magnet for sportspeople. Much of the 2023 Formula One grid is based in the Principality, whilst many cyclists such as Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, Peter Sagan and Tadej Pogacar utilise the region’s undulating and meandering topography to prepare for the season.
With the Monte-Carlo Masters set to get underway on 8th April, many of the participants won’t be travelling far. Novak Djokovic, for example, has been practising on the clay courts of the Monte-Carlo Country Club, whilst Alexander Zverev has been spotted sampling some of the other sports that the Principality has to offer, witnessing AS Monaco Basketball’s victory against Gravelines-Dunkerque over the weekend.
Why do tennis players live in Monaco?
The facilities at the Monte-Carlo Country Club (MCCC), the home of the Monte-Carlo Masters, are a draw for the game’s elite. The club, located outside of the borders of the Principality in Roquebrune Cap-Martin, has 21 clay courts, two covered courts, two hard courts and 15 lighted courts. Half of the Grand Slam events, the Australian Open and the US Open are played on hard courts, whilst the French Open, one of the other two Grand Slams, is played on clay. The MCCC, as well as being one of the most glamorous events on the ATP Masters 1000 circuit, is therefore also one of the most practical for players on the circuit.
Photo by Monaco Life / Luke Entwistle
The climate is also a draw. Grigor Dimitrov, the former ATP world number three, said “We couldn’t be more blessed to train in such conditions.” The temperate Côte d’Azur has mild, sunny and relatively short winters, creating optimal training conditions for the professionals.
There is also an element of following the herd. “Every morning, you come on the court and there are four top players practising. It’s great to see and I think that also motivates us to do better,” said Dimitrov.
“It’s the ideal place to be! There are so many great players around,” added Stefanos Tsitsipas, the winner of the last two editions of the Monte-Carlo Masters. Half of the Grand Slams also take place in Europe, in London, England and Paris, France, making the Principality of Monaco an ideal base throughout the year.
However, arguably the biggest reason is financial. Monaco is a tax haven, meaning that residents don’t have to pay personal income taxes. In tennis, players are taxed depending on the country in which they are competing. For example, a foreigner competing in the US Open will be charged a flat 30% rate on their earnings from that tournament. Those same earnings could then be taxed in their home country, so in order to avoid double taxation, many players base themselves in Monaco.
Photo of the MCCC by Monaco Life / Luke Entwistle
Some, however, such as Rafael Nadal, who lives in his native Mallorca, haven’t made such a move, despite the financial implications. “If I lived in another part of the world, I would have earned double, but in Mallorca, I have my friends and family. So I would have twice the money, but be half as happy,” said the Spaniard.
Djokovic, who is tied with Nadal on 22 Grand Slam victories, made a different choice, and he isn’t the only one. Monaco Life takes you through some of tennis’ most recognisable stars residing in the Principality.
Novak Djokovic
The Serbian made the move when he was a teenager. At the time, he cited the “relaxed” nature of Principality life as a factor behind his move from Belgrade. He now calls Monaco home, and he is an ambassador for the Princess Charlene Foundation. Djokovic heads into the Monte-Carlo Masters as the top seed, and will be looking to better last year’s performance, where he got knocked out in the first round.
Stefanos Tsitsipas
The Greek player is well known to tennis fans around Monaco. Tsitsipas has won the previous two editions of the Monte-Carlo Masters and will be looking to make it three in a row later this month. The current world number three has made two Grand Slam finals but has lost both at the hands of Djokovic, the most recent defeat coming at the Australian Open earlier this year.
Daniil Medvedev
Russian tennis player Medvedev was once world number one but is now ranked fourth. He has one Grand Slam to his name, the US Open in 2021. Speaking in 2019, Medvedev, who traded Moscow for Monaco, said he found the move difficult initially due to a form of culture shock. However, Medvedev is a French speaker and is now well-integrated into the region. He has previously cited sporting reasons for the move, admitting that it is difficult to train in Moscow.
Caroline Wozniacki
Now retired, Wozniacki was ranked number one in the world for a total of 71 weeks and won the Australian Open in 2018. The Dane retired back in 2020 and is now an ESPN presenter. She is now a neighbour to Tsitsipas following the Greek player’s change of apartments back in November.
Stan Wawrinka
Wawrinka is another familiar name with tennis fans in Monaco. The Swiss former world number three won the tournament back in 2014. He also has three Grand Slams to his name, having won the Australian Open back in 2014, the French Open in 2015, and the US Open in 2016. Wawrinka has been dogged by injury in recent years but has been attributed a wildcard for this year’s Monte-Carlo Masters.
David Goffin
David Goffin, a Belgian player, who reached a career-high ATP ranking of 7th back in 2017, has been living in Monaco since 2015. His move to the Principality was criticised at the time and ultimately divulged the reasons behind living in Monaco.
“It’s a great atmosphere for sports people. In Liège, there is a warmth that I miss a bit, but in Belgium, it became too difficult for me to train there because I couldn’t make a step without being solicited, and so I couldn’t be at ease. I won’t even speak about the weather. Here, at the end of December, I’m training every day outside basically in a T-shirt,” said Goffin.
Petra Kvitova
Kvitova, a Czech player, has won two Grand Slams during her career so far, both of which have come at Wimbledon. Her move to Monaco created a political storm in Czechia and she was notably criticised by Czech Social Democrat MP Stanislav Huml back in 2014.
“I think we should have a long and hard think about the fact that if someone leaves the Czech Republic to become a member of another state, they should lose their Czech citizenship. Because I don’t know that the few percent less in taxes that she stands to pay in a country like Monaco deflects from the fact that perhaps the Cezch Republic actually helped her achieve some of her success,” he said.
Grigor Dimitrov
Dimitrov reached a career-high of third in the world ranking back in 2017, and he remains in the top 30. The Bulgarian player reached the semi-finals of last year’s Monte-Carlo Masters and will be hoping to go deep into this year’s edition of the tournament.
Milos Raonic
Canadian player Raonic hasn’t played a competitive match since the summer of 2021, but his coach said in December that Raonic hadn’t retired and that he was working himself back to fitness. Raonic, who moved to Monaco in 2012, has previously been a world number three and reached the Wimbledon final back in 2016. As well as training at the MCCC, he, like other professionals, also spends time working at the Stade Louis II, the home of AS Monaco.
Alexander Zverev
Zverev, currently ranked 16th in the world, and formerly the world number two, recently attended an AS Monaco basketball fixture. The German reportedly moved in 2017 and cited “better training conditions” as motivation.
Whilst the number of elite tennis players in the Principality will multiply over the next fortnight, plenty are here year-round.
Watch Novak Djokovic preparing for the Monte-Carlo Masters at the MCCC recently in our Instagram video below…
Registering a car in Monaco may seem a bit daunting, but this simple guide will help make it easy as one-two-three.
Administrative tasks like registering a new or used vehicle used to be a serious time-taker, but in today’s more streamlined world, it is a matter of a few forms, which can be accessed online, collecting the relevant documents and scheduling an appointment, which can be handled by phone, internet or email.
WHO CAN REGISTER A CAR IN MONACO
Any person who resides or whose company is domiciled in the Principality can register a new or used car in Monaco.
Monaco residents will need to prove their residency by showing either a national ID card or a national passport with proof of address (gas or electricity bill from the SMEG, rental agreement), or a valid residence permit.
Professionals who are company owners or staff, individuals or legal entities “authorised to exercise a professional, commercial or industrial activity, or to operate an association and who are resident in the Principality” are also permitted to register a vehicle in Monaco so long as they are currently operational.
Non-trading companies are excluded from registering vehicles.
REQUESTING THE NECESSARIES
An online form to ask for a registration certificate and license plates can found on the https://monservicepublic.gouv.mc/ website and must first be filled out by anyone registering a vehicle. A person registering a used car must fill out an additional one-page form, the Certificate of Sale or Transfer of a Used Vehicle, to ensure a used vehicle transfer was done properly between the two parties.
Several documents must also be submitted including proof of identity, meaning a valid residency permit, Monaco passport or national ID card, an invoice with all particulars from the seller such as their name, address, car serial number, odometer readings, and amount sold for, and any pertinent reports, inspections and conformity checks related to the vehicle. Anything being submitted must be in French or translated into French or it will not be accepted.
Cars coming from outside France and Monaco will follow the same general protocol and will need the same proofs, with a few extras, depending on the country of origin. For example, if the car is coming from outside the European Union, there must be a signed, dated receipt showing the payment of customs duties issued by the Douane, the French Customs Authorities.
APPLYING FOR AND RECEIVING PLATES
Once all documents are in order, the vehicle owner can make an appointment at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office, which can be done online, via e-mail or by calling the office directly.
On the day of the rendezvous, the applicant must bring all paperwork as well as a preferred payment method. Once the agent has given the all-clear that everything is in order, they will arrange a date and time to pick up the registration certificate and number plates within 72 hours. If the agent does not set a pick-up time, this can be done using the same avenues as the original appointment.
VINTAGE CARS
Any vehicle over 30-years-old can be registered as a vintage car by owner request. Vehicles registered this way may only be driven occasionally at rallies or other events where the participation of a specific type of vehicle is required. It is not a requirement for cars over 30-years-old be registered as such, though, and the owner can choose to register them under the same rules as standard cars.
Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer Chairman Stéphane Valeri has appointed Monegasque Albert Manzone to the position of general manager as part of a major shakeup under his tenure.
It is all part of the former president of the National Council’s plan to “strengthen the effectiveness of the governance of the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer group”, according to a statement by Monaco’s largest employer. “Chairman Stéphane Valeri has decided to appoint Albert Manzone to the position of general manager, effective 12th April.”
Albert Manzone is a 59-year-old Monegasque citizen who has managed a variety of international companies in various fields. A specialist in operational organisation and growth strategies, he has participated in the success of world-class brands such as PepsiCo, Davidoff and Novartis.
He attained a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University in Chicago and graduated in International Business from the Sorbonne (Paris).
He will be responsible, under the authority of Stéphane Valeri, for all operations of the company, in particular Operations (Games, Hotels, Restaurants, Marine Spas and Entertainment), Finance, Marketing and Digital, IT and Human Resources.
The appointment of a new general manager forms part of the new management team, which recently saw the arrival of Virginie Cotta as Secretary General in charge of legal matters, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), institutional and strategic partnerships, heritage and real estate.
Pascal Camillia, current Director of Operations, has been entrusted with the strategic position of Director of International Development.
“For the first time in the history of the company, the four most important executives, namely the chairman, the managing director, the general secretary and the director of international development, are of Monegasque nationality,” said SBM in the statement.
The appointments are part of the Group’s reorganisation strategy, which will continue in the coming weeks with the arrival of the future Chief Financial Officer, Marketing Director and IT Director, from major international companies.
Monaco is set to host the European Poker Tour at Le Sporting, promising one of the continent’s most exclusive poker experiences of the year. Here’s how you can get involved.
Poker’s popularity has been skyrocketing, with the number of players growing every year. New markets are opening to tournaments and since the end of Covid restrictions, in-person events have returned with a vengeance.
In keeping with the trend, Monaco is hosting the European Poker Tour, part of a global tour run by PokerStars and held in the Principality in conjunction with the Casino de Monte-Carlo.
Taking place from 26th April to 6th May, top players will meet at Le Sporting from 7pm to 6am playing variations such as Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha and Chinese Poker, to name a few.
But the action isn’t limited to the pros. Anyone over 18 years of age with a valid government-issued passport or ID can participate. Buy-ins start at €500 and go all the way up to the super high roller events, where participants splash out €100,000 to take part.
Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.
Interview with Eliot Matazo: “I’m trying to be more visible on the pitch”
Breaking into an AS Monaco midfield that over the years has consisted of players such as Cesc Fabregas, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Youssouf Fofana and Mohamed Camara, is no easy task, but it’s the one that Eliot Matazo is facing and is relishing.
“I have my own style,” Matazo told Monaco Life. “I’ve been told I have a style similar to Aurélien, others say Youssouf, some people reference other players as well.” Far from trying to disassociate himself from the likes of Fabregas, and Tchouaméni, as well as current teammates Camara and Fofana, Matazo is wanting to create his own story and procure his own image.
“There are different characteristics in all of these players and for sure, watching them every day in training and at the matches, I can only learn. Those will be things that I’ll take with me going forward,” said Matazo.
“Seeing such a player in my position only inspires me”
It hasn’t been easy for the Belgian U21 international, who since making his debut against Strasbourg back in 2020, has had to contend with fierce competition in the Monaco midfield. Tchouaméni’s €100m departure to Real Madrid looked to be an opening for Matazo, but the arrival of Camara from Red Bull Salzburg represented a new challenge for the Belgian, but crucially, not a threat.
“At a team like Monaco, you need competitive players in every position. That’s how it is with all of the other positions, and that’s how it is with Camara, who came to strengthen the team, which he has done. I see it as a positive. It brings competition, and for me, as a young player, seeing such a player in my position only inspires me to take things from his game and reproduce that on the pitch. That allows us to challenge each other to give the best of ourselves every time we’re on the pitch,” said Matazo.
The La Diagonale Academy product doesn’t have to look far for inspiration. Tchouaméni’s trajectory is one that he will try to emulate in his own way. “Seeing a defensive midfielder have such a rapid rise can only be inspiring for me. I’m also inspired by the fact that I played alongside him. It shows anything is possible, but it only happens through hard work. Aurélien is a hard worker and what happened to him was the outcome of all of his work,” said the Belgian U21 international.
“I am lucky to have such baggage at a club like AS Monaco”
In many ways, Tchouaméni is the exception to the rule. Whereas wingers burst onto the scene early, often imbued with eye-catching technical ability, the role of the defensive midfielder requires different characteristics that are only borne out of experience, which he is gradually accruing at Monaco.
“It is different to break through [as a midfielder rather than an attacker]. It’s really about concentration and experience and that’s something that is learnt. To be consistent, we’re speaking about maturity to be able to recognise certain situations. It is rare to have as much experience as I have as a defensive midfielder at my age. I am lucky to have such baggage at a club like AS Monaco so I make the most of it,” said Matazo.
Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life
That “baggage” is increasing, although Matazo admitted disappointment at his lack of gametime earlier in the season, adding “I’m a competitor and I always want to help the team. When you don’t have the gametime to do that, it’s a bit disappointing. But I’m well aware that I’m still young and I’m in a competitive team with two or three very good players in my position. So I need to grind and bear it, continue to work hard and be ready when the coach calls on me.”
Since the return from the World Cup, which Matazo has described as “the best phase” of his season, he has seen his playing time increase, and he has started in three of the club’s last six Ligue 1 matches. He is on course to break his record for most minutes featured in a season. A natural progression for a player on the rise.
“In the season, I needed a reference match”
Perhaps the facilitator of Matazo’s increased presence in the Monaco team in this second half of the season was his performance against Marseille in January.
“In the season, I needed a reference match. I think I can lean on that match against Marseille in my matches against all future opponents. For sure, the match against Marseille gave me a boost,” said Matazo.
However, the former Anderlecht youth player is wanting to build on that performance and has isolated his attacking output as an area of improvement. “I have technical baggage that allows me to go forward so what I’m trying to do more in matches is to go forward and be more visible on the pitch,” he said.
“It’s up to me to show certain things”
By being more “visible,” Matazo will hope to contribute to the Principality club’s objectives between now and the end of the season. Les Monégasuqes are three points behind second-placed RC Lens. “We have nine finals left, nine matches to win. It’s as simple as that…We’re the hunters so it’s up to us to chase the teams in front of us,” he said.
Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life
However, on a personal level, there is also a lot to play for. L’Équipe reported last week that Fofana may leave Monaco in the summer, which could potentially provide an opening for Matazo, who will be looking to nail down a place in the starting XI.
“I don’t know what Fofana’s future holds. As a Monaco player, I want him to stay as that would be good for the team. There are lots of games remaining in the second half of this season, so it’s up to me to show certain things. In any case, I am ready to show these things and we’ll see what the future holds,” said Matazo.
On Domenico Tedesco’s radar
Matazo’s performances, he hopes, could also allow him to break into the Belgium national team. He has been an important player for the U21 side, but an increased presence in the first team has already put him on the radar of new coach Domenico Tedesco.
“I think that these things come naturally. If you’re doing well with your club, if you put in good performances, you’ll get the call. When the moment comes, I will be ready because I know that I will have done the work to get there, with the U21s and also with Monaco. Domenico Tedesco has just arrived, and I know he has an eye on me. I got a provisional call-up, so that shows I’m there or thereabouts. It’s up to me to ensure that I give the best of myself so that he can look at me even more,” said Matazo.
Being “more visible” is clearly the key for Matazo, who is looking to shine for club and country. Having signed a contract extension until 2026 last season, the Belgian clearly believes that Monaco remains the best place to showcase his talents.
“I trust in the Monégasque project, and I’m completely invested in it,” said Matazo, who will hope that his compatriot, Philippe Clement, and the club place more trust in him this season, and beyond.
