For the first time in 20 years, the summer sales in the Alpes-Maritimes will be starting on the same date as the rest of France – and Monaco.
The annual summer sales will be kicking off in the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var on Wednesday 28th June. They will end on Tuesday 25th July, around two and a half weeks before Monaco winds up its discounts.
Usually, the Alpes-Maritimes is a few weeks behind the rest of the country. This was a decision made two decades ago with the intention of attracting the largest numbers of shoppers possible during the months of July and August.
But as fashion trends change, so do the times, and the Nice Côte d’Azur Chamber of Commerce (CCI) was able to get the official decree governing sales dates updated for this summer.
In an official communiqué, the CCI stated that “consumer purchasing behaviour has changed, particularly with the development of e-commerce and unfair [national] competition has set in to the detriment of local traders”.
Ultimately, the CCI argued that the historical reasons for holding back the summer sales dates in the Alpes-Maritimes were now “obsolete”.
After the conclusion of the summer sales, the next big shopping date in the calendar of the French Riviera will be the famous Grande Braderie of Saint Tropez, which is planned for the last weekend in October.
The inaugural Glam Foot tournament brought together former AS Monaco stars Anthony Martial and Tiémoué Bakayoko for a charitable cause on Tuesday.
Players such as Martial and Bakayoko, who have since gone on to play in the Premier League, were naturally happy to be back in the Principality. The latter described Monaco as his “second home”, whilst Manchester United’s Martial said that he has “a lot of affection for the place”.
Martial’s team take the victory
The Espace Saint Antoine is just a stone’s throw away from the Stade Louis II, a pitch that the pair once frequented, but whilst the rules of the game were the same, they had a very different experience during the Glam Foot event.
Anthony Martial by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life
The event was organised by Martial and his Glam association in conjunction with Louis Ducruet and the Barbagiuans. The duo came together to create this novel charity event, consisting of four teams battling it out to win for their respective charitable cause.
“We are always looking to organise charitable events,” said Ducruet, Prince Albert II’s nephew and the president of the Barbaguians. The Monegasque Princely member is also responsible for events such as the annual Fight AIDS Cup.
Hugo Micallef in attendance
With former AS Monaco stars, Manchester United defender Eric Bailly and personalities such as French rapper Sisik competing, there was a mix of talent on display. Despite some glaring disparities in quality, the level of football was high, with the tournament ultimately won by Martial’s team. The France international couldn’t compete due to injury, but was a fervent supporter on the sidelines.
Louis Ducruet in action by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life
He was joined by Monegasque boxer Hugo Micallef. Fresh from his victory in Germany on Saturday, the newest member of the Barbagiuans was present to show his support, albeit disappointed not to be competing himself.
“As a Monegasque athlete, it’s important to be at events like this. There are some great professionals and public figures here,” he said.
The funds raised will be split equally, and there is a desire to bring back the tournament, should it prove successful.
If it goes well, we will bring further editions,” said Ducruet, who, alongside Martial, was at the heart of Monaco’s latest charitable sporting event.
The 2023 summer sales are almost upon us, with deals to be found throughout the entire Principality, seven days a week, until mid-August.
The summer sales season this year starts on Wednesday 28th June and will continue until Saturday 12th August.
In order for shoppers to take advantage of the sales season, the government is once again launching the ‘Monaco Sunday Experience’, allowing the opening of a hundred stores every Sunday in the summer.
They include all of the boutiques in the Métropole Shopping Center, One Monte-Carlo, Monaco-Ville and Larvotto as well as certain brands located in the districts of Boulevard des Moulins and la Condamine.
Monaco’s Hugo Micallef, who is unbeaten since turning professional, will compete in the qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The announcement of Micallef’s participation in the -63.5kg qualifiers was made by his father André Micallef, who is also the president of ASM Boxing and vice-president of the Monaco Boxing Federation.
“The decision has been taken. He will compete in the Olympic qualifying competition next March. This competition is open to everyone, but we don’t yet know the location,” said André Micallef in the wake of his son’s latest triumph.
A bout in Monaco?
Micallef is unbeaten in his seven professional fights. His latest victory came against Michal Bulik in Heilbronn on Saturday evening. However, prior to his more recent success, the Monégasque boxer, dubbed ‘The Fresh Prince of Monaco”, lost in an Olympic qualifying competition for the 2021 games in Tokyo. Competing in the -69kg category at the time, Micallef was beaten by British boxer Pat McCormack, who went on to win silver during the Games.
Whilst Micallef’s main focus will be on securing qualification to the Olympics in Paris, which are just over a year away, preparations for next season are already underway, and his father has evoked a potential future fight in Monaco.
“I am still working to get a fight in the Principality,” said André Micallef. A qualification for the Olympics and a home fight within the borders of Monaco: 2024 could be a special year for Micallef.
Prince Albert II was among friends and compatriots for the 70th anniversary celebrations of the Yacht Club de Monaco, of which he has served as president since 1984.
The ceremony on Saturday 24th June was attended by 1,500 people who gathered on the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM)’s quay to celebrate 70 years of the club created by Prince Rainier III, who was convinced that “the future of Monaco lies with the sea”.
On Saturday, it was his son, Prince Albert II, president for close to 40 years, who honoured what the YCM has become.
“The Yacht Club de Monaco has been able to preserve and pass on the traditions linked to life at sea while promoting innovation and the development of yachting,” said the Prince.
Achievements under the presidency of Prince Albert II
Under Prince Albert’s presidency, the Yacht Club de Monaco has organised a multitude of world-renowned events, including Monaco Classic Week, a biennial event that echoes the first motorboat meetings of 1904 and is the only event of its kind that brings together beautiful traditional sailing boats with vintage motoryachts and old motorboats.
The club has also created the La Belle Classe label to unite owners around the essential values of respect for etiquette, protecting the environment, preserving maritime heritage and encouraging innovation in the superyacht sector.
The capital of luxury yachting
In 2014, the YCM turned a new page in its history with the opening of a new clubhouse designed by Lord Foster. The arrival of this spectacular building led to the creation of the ‘Yachting Monaco’ cluster, aimed at reaffirming the Principality’s position as the capital of luxury yachting.
During Saturday’s celebrations, Prince Albert spoke about how the YCM serves as a reflection of his father’s passion for the sea. “His vision was to make the YCM an exclusive place where yachting is experienced, appreciated and celebrated, thus contributing to the promotion of Monaco as a destination.”
Prince Albert inaugurated the new exhibition ‘Prince Rainier III, a sailor above all’. Photo source: YCM
Setting the pace in sustainable yachting
Prince Albert also highlighted the fact that the protection of the oceans remains one of the Yacht Club’s main priorities, and how the environmental transition played by the club and its marina has over the years made them demonstrators of new eco-responsible solutions.
“I want to make environmental issues a priority and we must continue to be a beacon for the nautical industry,” he said. “The mobilisation must be common and total.”
The Yacht Club’s commitment to sustainability is evident in the activities that fall under the aegis of the ‘Monaco Capital of Advanced Yachting’, starting with the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge from 3rd to 8th July 2023, now in its 10th edition. More than 500 young engineers representing 25 nations and 25 universities will meet industry professionals including key players such as Oceanco, Ferretti, Sanlorenzo, Lürssen, Monaco Marine and Palumbo SY Refit.
This will be followed by the 3rd Monaco Smart and Sustainable Marina Rendezvous on 24th and 25th September, with the aim of presenting innovative solutions for the development of sustainable marinas.
A tribute to Prince Rainier III
As part of the 70th anniversary celebrations, as well as the centenary events marking the birth of Prince Rainier III, Prince Albert inaugurated a photographic exhibition at the YCM titled ‘Prince Rainier III, a sailor above all’.
The evening also provided an opportunity to officially welcome some 30 new members and to unveil the highlights of this anniversary year.
To watch a 70th anniversary commemorative video by the YCM, click here.
Cross border workers are now counting down the months until train services between Cannes and Monaco are boosted to run every 15 minutes.
In 2019, the TER regional lines of the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français (SNCF) in the South of France started looking at ways to expand on their existing train services. The plans were disrupted due to the health crisis, but by November 2021, two new contracts were signed launching the first phase in the scheme.
These were made up of a Transdev Rail Sud service operating on the Marseille-Toulon-Nice axis, and another on SNCF’s lines in the Côte d’Azur and Roya valley.
EXPANDING TRAIN SERVICES
Now, the highly anticipated specifics have been revealed by Renaud Muselier, President of the Regional Council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, on 23rd June in Marseilles.
Muselier confirmed that on the Cannes-Nice-Monaco line, “we will have a train every quarter of an hour from 6am to 11pm. This will be the first metropolitan RER outside Paris. On the entire network, we will go from 590 trains per day currently, to 750 in 2025.”
He also disclosed that, “On the Marseille-Toulon-Nice line, on 1st July 2025, we will go from seven trains a day to 14 trains a day. We are also going to buy 16 new trains for €250 million, in order to offer the best possible comfort for passengers.”
Meanwhile, the Les Arcs-Vintimille and Nice-Tende lines will go from 69 round trips per day to 120 from 13th December 2024.
Passenger travel on TER lines in the region have increased by 23% between April 2022 and April 2023, showing a strong need for expanded services.
