The Mairie de Monaco has put out an urgent call for life guards to work the busy summer period in Monaco.
The summer season is well underway, and local government authorities are looking to safeguard the people who are flocking to the Principality’s beaches and public swimming pools.
On Tuesday 18th July, the Mairie announced that it is recruiting eight lifeguards on fixed-term contracts until 18th November 2023.
Applicants must hold the relevant certificates.
For more information, see the Mairie de Monaco Facebook page.
Monaco City Hall has organised three special evening shows for children in the Marché de la Condamine and up on the Rock this summer. Here’s what you need to know.
First up on Wednesday 19th July is a magic and balloon art party in the square in front of Monaco’s Condamine market. It will start at 6pm and is totally free to enter.
Then on Wednesday 2nd August, a puppet show called “Le Chaudron” will delight young spectators on the Allée Saint-Jean Paul II, just outside of the Monaco cathedral up on the Rock. This also starts at 6pm, is suitable for ages three and up, and will be free to watch.
Back down in the Place du Marché de la Condamine on Wednesday 16th August, a superhero-themed night will be the perfect opportunity for little ones to dress up in their best outfits and join in with the fun and games laid on by the Mairie. The event begins at 6pm and is open to the public, free of charge.
And don’t forget the summer fun park down on Port Hercule, which opened on Friday 14th July. There’s plenty to entertain children young and old, such as trampolines, inflatable obstacle courses, the popular carousel and karting.
High temperatures are sweeping through the French Riviera and Monaco, with localised highs of a scorching 40°C.
It is hot. The Alpes-Maritimes and Monaco had already anticipated an orange weather alert in recent days, but now these areas have been joined by the Var, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Vaucluse, Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud.
What to expect locally
One of the most dangerous characteristics of this hot spell has been the exceptionally high nighttime temperatures. This Tuesday morning, Nice’s 6am low was 25°C while Cannes was only marginally better at 23°C.
The worst of the heat will likely be over by Thursday, but until then, residents and tourists should be prepared for considerably elevated temperatures.
Daytime temperatures in the Alpes-Maritimes are expected to reach 33°C on the coast and an even higher 35°C in land, but localised peaks of 38°C are to be expected.
It will be hotter still in the Var, with 30°C to 34°C on the coast and 37°C to 40°C in the interior of the department.
Three daytime records were set in PACA and Corsica on Monday 17th July, with Quenza and Bocognano in Corsica hitting 37.7°C and 35.2°C respectively, while temperatures reached 34.6°C in the mountain village of Saint-Etienne-de Tinée in the Alpes-Maritimes.
Whilst these high temperatures continue, people are being encouraged to: stay indoors in the hottest parts of the day; drink plenty water; wear loose, light-coloured clothing; and to check in on any vulnerable friends or neighbours.
Make sure you’re never left out of the conversation.
The hugely successful Loulou Group has brought its magic to one of Roquebrune’s most beloved institutions, Le Pirate, breathing new life into this stunning beachside location for a whole new generation of families to enjoy.
Reviving legendary locations is clearly the trend of 2023, and don’t we just love it!
Within a matter of days of SBM’s relaunch of Maona, the undisputed nightspot of the 1960s and 70s on the Larvotto Peninsula, came the opening of Loulou Pirate on Monday 10th July, an equally-renowned destination in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. It is as hidden as it is legendary, clinging to the rocks under the medieval Chateau de Roquebrune, and overlooking the aqua hues of the Mediterranean Sea.
Loulou Pirate has been completely restored and reinvigorated. Photo by Monaco Life
It is here where, also in the 1960s and 70s, Charles Albert Viale, aka ‘Le Pirate’, transformed a simple fisherman’s hut into an overexcited address where the likes of Franck Sinatra, Roger Moore, Brigitte Bardot, Jacques Chirac and even Prince Charles came to party the summer days and nights away.
Things are a little different now. For example, you won’t see celebrities straddling the house donkey or a half-naked pirate circling about the place. But the new owners are determined to keep that fun, celebratory spirit in the restored restaurant, welcoming all generations for a new all-inclusive era of this legendary destination that sits between France, Italy and the Principality of Monaco.
Roger Moore at Le Pirate. Photo source: Loulou Group
The restaurant was purchased by brother-sister duo Gilles and Claire Malafosse, founders of the Loulou Groupe, who have already established successful restaurants in Paris, Ramatuelle and Val d’Isére. Here, at the legendary Pirate, they are instilling their signature values of elegance, simplicity and joie de vivre in everything from the décor and ambience to the menu and live music.
The restaurant features a number of enchanting sections, some bigger than others, a few that are particularly intimate for gatherings with family and friends, a handful of tables that are as close to the water as you can get, and others with the most breathtaking views of the sea.
And the breeze that drifts through here from the Mediterranean makes it the ultimate escape on these hot summer days.
Each section is as enchanting as the last. Photo by Monaco Life
The menu
Loulou cuisine is all about simplicity, locality and lightness, conceived by the very talented Executive Chef Benoit Gargère. They’ve also embraced the wonderful “sharing” trend, where plates are designed to be handed around the table for everyone to pick and choose at their delight.
Personally, I found the stand-outs on the menu – and we tried many – to be the fried calamari, the tuna crudo with anchovies, the sea bass ceviche, both pizzas – the marscapone with fresh truffle and the courgette flowers with Stracciatella – the whole roasted fish of the day, and the perfectly cooked octopus. Pasta and risotto fans are also well catered for, with the most deliciously-Italian themed dishes.
The desserts celebrate the sweetness of summer fruits and the palette-cleansing qualities of local Menton lemons.
Room with a view. Photo source: Loulou Group
The cocktails are also designed for the spectacularly bright setting. Refreshing ingredients like verjus, prickly pear purée, orange blossom and verbena dominate the cocktail menu, paired with smooth Ketel One vodka and the juniper-forward Tanqueray Gin.
Surprisingly, the menu is as affordable as it is tasty, with dishes on average set at around €30 each. For exotic ingredients like lobster and truffle, expect to pay a little more. But sharing platters, priced at around €65, can easily feed four when paired with other selections from the menu.
Roving bands and a resident DJ complete the exciting new experience at Loulou Pirate.
Seaside dining at its best. Photo source: Loulou Group
A new star is born
It’s clear that Gilles and Claire have revived something special here; they’ve breathed new life into a hideaway destination on the glorious French Riviera, a place where everyone can drink and eat until their heart’s content, then wander down to the pebbly beach and soak in more of the Mediterranean.
It’s no wonder that local legend Sammy Sass “jumped on board the Loulou train”, as he puts it, and invested in this extraordinary location.
The legendary Pirate certainly lives on… in the very bright spirit of Loulou.
Practical information:
Access is by tender or by car with valet service available.
Address: 46 Av. Winston Churchill, 06190 Roquebrune-Cap-Martin
Phone: +33 (0)4 12 05 00 90
Open July to October, 12pm to 3.30pm, 7pm to 11.30pm
See more of Loulou Pirate in Monaco Life’s Instagram video below.
The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation is releasing a new video campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of drowning.
Ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day on 25th July, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation will be releasing three short drowning prevention videos, broadcast locally and online during the summer.
The videos have been produced to remind the public that children under six are the main victims of drowning, and that parental vigilance is essential.
Different messages are being relayed with different situations in the campaign, like: “Never take your eyes off your children”, “Always be vigilant near water”, and “26% of drownings take place in swimming pools”.
A fourth video targets young people, highlighting the need to monitor the impact that heat and the sun have on their physical conditions: “High heat = risk of hydrocution”.
This international day is marked on 25th July and is an opportunity to remember the impact of drowning on families and communities, and to propose positive and practical solutions to promote water safety. The date was set in April 2021 by the United Nations with the adoption of the Resolution on Global Drowning Prevention, which calls on all Member States to take national and local measures in the face of this silent epidemic.
In May 2023, this resolution was supported and confirmed by a new World Health Assembly resolution to accelerate action for global drowning prevention, while building on the progress made since 2021.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 236,000 drowning deaths occur each year worldwide.
In France, figures from Santé Publique France confirm that drownings are responsible for around 1,000 deaths each year occur and mainly in the summer period.
Barbie, one of the most anticipated films of the year, will soon make its debut in Monaco at the fabulous Open Air Cinema.
Barbie fever appears to have taken over the world. Burger King has put out a pink burger, Zara is offering an immersive Barbie pop-up in its Paris and New York stores as well as a Barbie-themed clothes collection, London’s iconic buses and black cabs have turned rosé, and Google has created an animated sparkling pink reception for anyone who types “Barbie” into the search bar.
Now, the world’s best known fashion doll will be delighting fans in the most splendid location, the Open Air Cinema in Monaco.
The Monaco Open Air Cinema
The film follows Barbie (Margot Robbie), and Ken (Ryan Gosling), as they embark on a trip to the Real World after things begin to go wrong in Barbie Land. What they find is quite a shock as the pair encounter both the joys and the perils of living among humans. The star-studded movie also features America Ferrera as Gloria, Will Ferrell as the CEO of Mattel, Emerald Fennell as Midge, and Michael Cera as Allan.
Created by Greta Gerwig, Barbie has drawn ecstatic reactions from audiences at early screenings across the globe.
The film’s cast and crew have been on a mammoth publicity tour ahead of its worldwide release on 21st July.
It is set to screen at Monaco’s Open Air Cinema at around 10pm on Saturday 22nd July. Other screen dates are available in July and August.
The Barbie movie is not aimed at children, although it has been deemed appropriate for children aged 12 and above, making it suitable for teenagers.
Other box office hits this summer include Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
The Monaco Open Air Cinema can be found at the Terrasses du Parking des Pêcheurs, Ave de la Quarantaine. Tickets are priced at 12€, or 10€ for students. Reservations are not possible, but there are 500 seats available.
