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Month: August 2023

Where to find the best vegan food in Monaco

by: Elsa Carpenter
07/08/2023
vegan monaco

If Monaco is lacking a single, dedicated vegan restaurant, the Principality’s diverse gourmet scene provides plenty of options, from high-end dining at the Hôtel de Paris to grab-and-go selections in the Condamine Market area. 

Monaco is home to over 150 restaurants, but none of them are specifically vegan. In recent years, a handful have opened – including Novak Djokovic’s Eqvita near the Grimaldi Forum and L’Inattendu-e close to the Marché de la Condamine – but eventually they would all close, leaving the job of serving up vegan food to the growing number of diners who have moved away from meat, fish and animal products to a surprising collection of restaurants.  

Here are a few of our favourite vegan-friendly destinations.  

Let’s start with the big name – perhaps the biggest in Monaco – of Le Louis XV–Alain Ducasse. You might be surprised to learn that this incredible three Michelin-starred restaurant has been championing vegan cuisine since it first opened in 1987. The vegan menu, known as Jardin, remains a firm favourite today and costs €280.  

vegan monaco
The Jardin menu at Le Louis XV restaurant is a must-try vegan experience. Photo credit: Monte-Carlo SBM

Next is the highly creative vegan menu from Chef Marcel Ravin at Blue Bay in the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, which comes in at €170 and is inspired by the produce growing in the restaurant’s own gardens. Dishes include the delectable sugar cane and beetroot tartlet, a Creole tomato broth, and candied shallots with cocoa butter, peas and black garlic.

There are lots of colourful and creative options at the Blue Bay. Photo credit: Monte-Carlo SBM

The flavourful South American cuisine of COYA Monte-Carlo, a restaurant headed up by Venezuelan chef Victoria Vallenilla, is a good place to go to if not all of the guests around the table are vegan. There’s something for every diet here, but vegans will really appreciate the tasty selection of side dishes and sharing plates that are clearly marked on the menu.  

The fusion cuisine of Buddha Bar is also a nice place to head to for inventive vegan options. There are tonnes of vegan plates on the menu, which will take you from China to Thailand via the Mediterranean.  

Fusion vegan dining at the elaborate Buddha Bar. Photo credit: Monte-Carlo SBM

At the cheaper end of the scale, Woo Monaco on Rue Princesse Caroline has a great selection of organic dishes to enjoy in-house or take away. From sandwiches to Buddha bowls to salads to a soupe du jour, which is always 100% vegan and comes with some deliciously crunchy croutons, and even desserts, be sure to try out this lovely spot for some lunch when you’re in the area.  

vegan monaco woo
Woo Monaco is a great shout for lunch. Photo via Facebook

Another top lunch destination is EOLA – Eat Organic Live Active – in Place d’Armes. The toasts and Poke bowls will be the main attraction for a meal, but the vibrant acai bowls also make a brilliant breakfast if you’re passing by before work.  

Start the day well at EOLA with one of its delicious acai bowls. Photo via Facebook

 

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Featured photo credit: Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer / Matteo Carassale 

The Club Suisse de Monaco celebrates Swiss National Day in style

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/08/2023

As is tradition, the Club Suisse de Monaco gathered on the evening of 1st August to celebrate Swiss National Day.

This year, the event took place in the lush Jardin Méditerranéen of the gorgeous Monte Carlo Bay Hotel and Resort in Monaco, with the magnificent backdrop of Riviera’s blue sea. Here, nearly a hundred guests, friends of Switzerland and members of the Club Suisse de Monaco celebrated in classic red and white style.

During the evening, President of the Club Suisse de Monaco Arik Röschke and guests welcomed more than 20 new members to the club with great applause.

Among the guests of honour at the evening were Andreas Maager, Consul General of Switzerland, accompanied by his wife Claudine, and Dr Philippe Brunner, National Councillor and member of the Commission for External Relations and Head of Radiology at the Princess Grace Hospital, accompanied by his wife Dr Claudette Brunner. One of the highlights was a performance by Françoise Cellario, who sang the Monegasque national anthem, followed by a joint rendition of the Swiss national anthem.

The Club Suisse de Monaco celebrated the Swiss National Day on 1st August in Monaco

A delightful dinner was served al fresco in the marvellous garden framed by the green of the olive trees, all decorated in red and white. The evening was enlivened by the much-anticipated tombola, with some great prizes up for grabs this year, after which guests danced and laughed late into the evening to the sound of live music.

The Club Suisse de Monaco was founded in 1949 and is one of the oldest associations in the Principality. Its aim is to maintain social and cultural relations between Swiss and Monegasque people, as well as other nationals living in or visiting Monaco. By organising informative events in the fields of economics, politics and health with high-level personalities, the Club aims to promote exchanges providing a showcase of Swiss know-how and values.

 

Do you have an event that you would like us to promote? Contact editor@monacolife.net. 

 

Photos credit: Romain Lechevalier

 

 

Axel Disasi completes big-money move to Chelsea

by: Luke Entwistle
06/08/2023
Axel Disasi speaking at an AS Monaco press conference

Axel Disasi has completed a €45m move to Premier League side Chelsea, becoming one of the most expensive departures in AS Monaco’s history. 

Disasi’s departure had been expected this summer, and it has now come to pass. Just days after the arrival of Mohammed Salisu, who arrived from Championship side Southampton, Disasi has put an end to a three-year stay at the Principality club.

Old friends and not-so-secret admirers

The reported €45m fee received for Disasi ranks as one of the most expensive departures in Les Monégasques’ history. Kylian Mbappé remains Monaco’s most expensive departure, whilst Aurélien Tchouaméni’s move to Real Madrid last summer is still the second-most expensive transfer in the club’s history. Disasi is the joint-eighth most expensive departure. Youri Tielemans and Fabinho left for the same €45m fee, both joining Premier League sides.

Disasi becomes the second Monaco centre-back to join Chelsea this year. Benoît Badiashile joined the London club back in January for a reported €38m fee. The duo will be reunited at Stamford Bridge and could be realigned once Badiashile returns from a muscular injury.

France international Disasi will also be reunited with Laurence Stewart. The former Monaco technical director was appointed as sporting director at Chelsea in January, and his familiarity with Disasi contributed towards the centre-back’s arrival. Disasi was one of Monaco’s first signings when Stewart arrived at Monaco back in 2020.

“Here, I was able to grow as a man.”

Upon the officialisation of the transfer, Disasi pinned a letter to the Munegu faithful. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for these three seasons spent at your side. I am leaving with gratitude and appreciation for everything this club has given me,” he began.

“Here, I was able to grow as a man and flourish as a player… Le Rocher will always have a special place in my heart. I am leaving with unforgettable memories and it’s thanks to you,” concluded the former Monaco vice-captain.

 

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Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

Prince Albert II praises Paris 2024 Olympics’ sustainability efforts

by: Luke Entwistle
05/08/2023
Prince Albert II at the YCM, Monaco

A member of the International Olympic Committee, Prince Albert II has sought to praise the sustainability credentials of the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

The Olympic Games are now under a year away, and Prince Albert II, who since 2015 has been its President of the Commission for Sustainability and Heritage, has highlighted the environmental credentials of the upcoming edition.

The Prince, a former Olympian himself, is a steadfast devotee to the environmentalist cause, a philosophy reflected in the policies of his government.

“No prior edition of the Games has tackled this challenge, to this level”

In a column posted on the International Olympic Committee’s website, Prince Albert II highlighted the unifying force of sport, and praised the lengths that the organisers of the upcoming Games have gone to.

“In a turbulent and polarised world, now more than ever, we need to unite nations through sport and go beyond all political and social division. No edition of the Games has tackled this challenge, to this level. The priority, above all, is to reduce carbon emissions,” he said.

Paris 2024 will halve the emissions of previous editions held in London (2012) and Rio de Janeiro (2016), as highlighted by Prince Albert II, who praised the organisers’ attempts to “limit new constructions”.

“Almost 95% of the sites are temporary or already exist. They have been specially selected because of their accessibility by public transport. Paris 2024 also establishes new sustainability standards for major sporting events by encouraging energy saving, innovation and creativity. These Olympic Games mark the beginning of a new era,” he said.

Paris 2024 “an incubator for sustainable solutions”

Whilst the Prince of Monaco admits that there are currently “no solutions to allow us to completely eliminate the carbon footprint of big events”, Paris 2024 is a step in the right direction.

“Strengthened by their incomparable visibility, the Olympic Games are already an incubator for sustainable solutions that can be applied and adopted by sporting events around the world,” concluded the IOC member. The greener, more environmentally-respectful Olympics begin on 26th July 2024.

 

 

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Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

Saudi Red Sea Authority signs sustainable coastal tourism agreements with Monaco

by: Stephanie Horsman
04/08/2023
Saudi Red Sea monaco

The Fondation Prince Albert II and Yacht Club de Monaco have together hosted representatives from the Saudi Red Sea Authority, who were in the Principality to sign two memorandums of understanding on sustainable coastal tourism.  

The Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA) is the regulator of marine tourism activities in the Kingdom’s Red Sea area, and also has the mandate for the development of a “prosperous local tourism economy along Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coastline, while preserving and protecting the sea’s pristine environment”.  

The acting CEO of SRSA, Mohammed Al-Asiri, met recently with Olivier Wenden, the CEO of the Fondation Prince Albert II de Monaco (FPA2), and Bernard D’Alessandri, CEO of the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM), to sign two memorandums of understanding on sustainable coastal tourism. 

TWO FACETS 

The first agreement, with the FPA2, was created to “promote cooperation in developing human capital and future leaders; hosting joint events; exchanging knowledge and experiences in areas of mutual interest, initiatives and research projects to explore new solutions to global challenges; and raising awareness of important issues and promoting positive change through joint awareness campaigns”, according to a statement made by the FPA2.  

The second memorandum, this time specifically with the YCM, aims to encourage cooperation via joint events on topics such as environmental initiatives, sustainable practice awareness in the Red Sea, and research. It also lays out plans for the deployment of the marine professionals, who will deliver courses on navigation, safety and environmental stewardship. For its part, the YCM will promote tourism in the Red Sea.  

Al-Asiri described the two agreements “strategic partnerships”. 

“The two memorandums of understanding aim to improve cooperation with global maritime entities in order to achieve our goals in developing the maritime sectors, ensuring the protection of the natural environment, and encouraging coastal tourism in the Kingdom, including developing it economically.”  

 

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Photo via fp2a.org 

Twiga continues to energise Monaco nights this August with eclectic schedule and tantalising cuisine

by: Cassandra Tanti
04/08/2023

Twiga – where the best of Italian of hospitality meets the extravagance of Monaco, and dinner entertainment morphs into club nights for the ultimate summer fun.

Twiga, the famous restaurant and bar founded by Italian entrepreneur Flavio Briatore in the Grimaldi Forum, underwent a large renovation last year. The new-look venue now combines an eclectic mix of African, Asian and Italian styles, all meshing to create a fun, elegant and exuberant ambience.

The packed summer artistic programme includes a slew of renowned DJs, while Thursdays are dedicated to the good old times, with the legendary Alessandro Ristori and the Portofinos on stage, as well as other live music bands.

24-hour slow cooked Wagyu short rib burgers served with home made bao buns

Indulge in the delectable flavours of Italian and New-Asian cuisine

The restaurant’s menu draws on this unlikely marriage of continents, positioning, for example, a very Italian dish of beef carpaccio on a crisp filo pastry and topping it with the Asiatic vibrance of wasabi mayo. Similarly, the mini beef burgers scream luxurious indulgence; 24-hour slow cooked Wagyu short ribs are delivered in homemade bao buns topped with tangy sweet chilli soy sauce.

The entire menu here impresses with the excellence of its execution. Among the other highlights: spicy wasabi mayo prawns with sticky mango and passionfruit sauce; prawns and black cod gyoza; and red king prawns gnocchetti.

There’s also sushi, ceviche and caviar on the menu to satisfy the summer palate.

The dessert platter is as deliciously over the top as Twiga itself, with a veritable rotating smorgasbord featuring five desserts and a mountain of fresh fruit and sorbets among the options.

Alessandro Ristori and the Portofinos performing at Twiga Monte-Carlo

Live music that energises the soul

As the plates keep coming to the table – and we suggest you keep them coming – the evening kicks up a gear when a live band takes to the stage.

Briatore’s favourite performer Alessandro Ristori spins and hip thrusts his way through a high-performance set of classic 70s and 80s disco, together with his band The Portofinos.

The epitome of “Italianness”, Alessandro Ristori, with his low-buttoned silk shirts, dark chest hair, retro haute couture and large smile, is as fantastically flamboyant as the location in which he performs.

Summer nights at Twiga

Prepare to dance the night away

As the night rolls on, the dinner tables are lowered and the whole restaurant turns into the very playful and sophistigated Twiga club, where renowned DJs take over and quality cocktails flow.

This August, the DJ line-up includes the legendary Marco Carola, the sensational Themba, the dynamic duo Camelphat, the iconic Bob Sinclair, the electrifying Joseph Capriati and the incredible Layla Benitez.

Meanwhile, Twiga’s resident DJs continue to captivate with their signature sounds: DJ Cruz, Nicolas Monier, DJ Magnum, and Francis Key curate exhilarating sets that blend different genres, ensuring everyone is up on the dance floor.

Twiga Monte-Carlo is open every day from 8pm until late. Menu delivery is available between 7pm and 10pm.

See more in our Instagram video below. Can’t see the post? Click here. 

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