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Day: 7 September 2023

Photos: Princess of Monaco Cup returns and takes over Casino Square

by: Luke Entwistle
07/09/2023

The gardens of Monte-Carlo were transformed into a putting green for the 19th hole of the Princess of Monaco Cup on Wednesday, with Princess Charlene and Prince Albert II joined by celebrities to raise funds for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. 

19 teams, each consisting of three players, including one celebrity, took part in the charitable golf tournament at the Monte-Carlo Golf Club, situated on the cliffs overlooking the Principality.

Stars from the world of sport got involved in the event, which raises funds for the educational projects of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, for drowning prevention and education through the values of sport.

As well as Princess Charlene herself, and her husband Prince Albert II, sports stars such a professional golfer Lee Westwood, Rugby World Cup winner Bryan Habana, Formula One world champion Mika Häkkinen, Formula E racer Max Günther and Olympic high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim all participated.

Following a day of golf up at the club, perched on Mont-Agel, the invitees and participants enjoyed a soirée at the ceremonial 19th tee, which sees the competitors attempt to get a hole-in-one in Casino Square.

Princess Charlene taking first shot at the 19th whole in Casino Square. Photo credit: Eric Mathon, Palais Princier

Princess Charlene struck first on the tee placed at the Jardins des Boulingrins, 64 meters from the flag located in the centre of the Place du Casino. 

Then, each tournament participant tried to win the ‘Hole in one’ prize – a Verge TS Pro electric motorbike branded with the Foundation logo.

The bullets were made of cotton to prevent breakage which increased the difficulty, but a ‘Nearest to the pin’ award was won with a ball landing 22 centimeters from the flag. 

See more in Monaco Life’s Instagram video below, and scroll down for more of our photos…

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Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

EU to streamline cross-border social security

by: Cassandra Tanti
07/09/2023

The EU is taking aim at improving and streamlining social security benefits, such as health care, pensions, and family allocations, for people who live and work outside their home nations.

The European Union (EU) turns 30 this year, marking three decades of citizens in the bloc having the right to move between borders to live and work without constraint. This freedom allows people to gain valuable experience, learn about new cultures, take advantage of wider educational opportunities, and acquire new skills.

CROSS BORDER CONFUSION

Whilst the many benefits are well-documented, there are still areas where improvements can be made. One is in the realm of cross border social security coordination. The rules state that people are eligible to receive any benefits, including pensions, health care and family support, even if they travel or take jobs in other EU countries.

The reality is that red tape and difficulties accessing and sharing data between different countries’ national institutions, healthcare providers and labour inspectorates is complicated due to the inability to coordinate between national systems. Workers find themselves mired in paperwork, losing out on their benefits without an easy way to solve the problem.

FIXING THE GLITCHES

To address this ongoing issue, the European Union has been taking steps to fully coordinate online systems to simplify the process with a few key proposals.

The first is the request to speed up the national implementation of the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information (EESSI) so that it is fully operational by the end of 2024 across Europe.

As explained by the EU, the “EESSI digitalises the exchanges among national social security institutions, to move away from paper-based, time-consuming and cumbersome procedures.”

Next up is the creation of a Single Digital Gateway to make a completely synchronised online system that handles many administrative procedures no matter where people live or work. They hope to have this up and running by 12th December of this year.

They also plan to incorporate a European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS) pilot, which explores how to “simplify the issuance and verification of citizens’ social security entitlements across borders”.

And finally, they are working toward introducing EU Digital Identity (EUDI) wallets that give EU citizens a digital version of pertinent documents, such as their EU health cards, to make it easier for social security offices, labour inspectorates and healthcare providers to instantly verify a person’s status.

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Photo credit: Christin Hume

 

Rugby World Cup predictions with former England international Dan Luger

by: Luke Entwistle
07/09/2023
England Rugby World Cup winner Dan Luger in Monaco

Ahead of the Rugby World Cup, which gets underway when hosts France play New Zealand on Friday, Monaco Life spoke with former England international Dan Luger to get his predictions for the upcoming tournament.

Luger, a Rugby World Cup winner with England in 2003, spoke with Monaco Life on the eve of the tournament to discuss the potential favourites and flops in the 10th edition of the tournament.

The favourite

It’s a tough one, but I’d say South Africa, and that was before they smashed New Zealand (35-7), because of their physicality. However, my heart says France because they’re playing at home, but that’s always tricky… Taking my heart out of it, I’d say South Africa.

France’s chances

France have been building. For the past 10 years, we’ve been saying that if they got the right coach, they would be one of the best teams in the world. They have the best league in the world, and that’s always been there, and they have the biggest strength-in-depth. They had to get things in order, and they have under Fabien Galthié. It was a matter of time and I think it’s a great thing for rugby. People said they peaked too early and then they were fantastic against Australia (41-17).

They’re a very professional team, they know what they’re doing and they’re trying to peak at the World Cup. I think France are there, even with the injuries. Romain Ntamack has been unbelievable, but Matthieu Jalibert is a fantastic player as well. He can make the difference. It really shows France’s depth.

Out of the home nations, who will go furthest?

I think Ireland and Scotland are fantastic, but they’re in the hard part of the draw. They’re in the “pool of death” and they don’t deserve to be playing against each other. I think Scotland look amazing, I love the way they play rugby. They both look fantastic.

You look at England and Wales, they’re both looking relatively poor but the players are good enough, the coaches are good enough. They just need a couple of little tweaks. We will know much more after Week One, and if England have a decent performance against Argentina, even if they don’t win, and look like the real England again, suddenly you’re on the good side of the draw and you can make the quarter-finals. At that point, they have a great chance of being in the semi-finals.

I think Wales either don’t make it out of the pool because they lose to Fiji, or they make the semi-finals. It’s a toss-up and it’s very open, which is why I love this tournament, anyone can get to the semi-final. Purely on form, Ireland should go the furthest and then Scotland are the wildcard and could cause an upset, knocking one of those big teams out.

Who will be the surprise package?

I would say Fiji. When you look at what they did against England… England aren’t playing well, but you have to give Fiji more credit. As much as I want to see Wales do well, Fiji would deserve to be in the quarter-finals.

Which team won’t live up to expectations?

It’s all about that pool of death. It’s one of those teams that won’t live up to expectations (South Africa, Ireland, Scotland). Ultimately, if there’s one [that will fall short], it’ll be Ireland. Scotland could do a job on them somehow, which I don’t see happening, but it could, then that’d be a travesty for Ireland. It’s just because of the quality of that group.

Who will be the player of the tournament?

I’ll go with Jilabert, who could win the final for them [France].

And who will be the top try-scorer?

I’ll go with Gabin Villière. I love the way he plays rugby: passionate, strong, fast, powerful, small. For me, he’s what rugby is about. Antoine Dupont, Cheslin Kolbe and Villière, they’re not big, but batter people. For me, Villière is what rugby’s about: guys punching above their weight.

 

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Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

easyJet announces new connections to the exotic Moroccan capital of Rabat

by: Stephanie Horsman
07/09/2023

Low-cost airline easyJet will be adding two weekly flights from Nice to the “Royal City” of Rabat from November; the perfect way to curb the winter blues! 

Summer still has its grip on the Côte d’Azur, but soon enough, the days will be getting shorter and the temperatures will start to fall.  

To help combat any winter blues, easyJet has announced that it will be running two new weekly flights from Nice to Rabat beginning 1st November and continuing through to the end of March 2024.  

AN EXCLUSIVE 

The “Royal City” of Rabat will be an exclusive destination from Nice for the airline. While others are servicing Marrakech, Casablanca and Fez, easyJet is the sole airline flying to the capital and the home of the Moroccan royal family. 

WHAT TO DO IN RABAT 

Though less visited than its more well-known cousins, Rabat, as the capital city and royal seat, has some fabulous sites to see. Some of the can’t-miss attractions include the 12th century Oudaya Kasbah, originally used as a fortress to stop invaders. Today it houses a museum, lovely gardens and a café.  

A trip to a crypt may sound bizarre, but the Mausoleum of Mohammed V is one of Rabat’s top draws. He was the first Moroccan king after declaring independence from France and is something of a hero to the people. Though Mohammed gets the starring role here, his equally famous son, Hassan II, is also buried here.  

No visit would be complete without a wander through the medina, or historic city centre. Visit the narrow streets lined with stunning architecture, lively markets and some of the best restaurants in the city for a proper immersion into life in Rabat.  

The Great Mosque of Salé is also well worth a look in. Located in Rabat’s sister city, Salé, it boasts being the third biggest and second oldest mosque in the country.  The town itself is about as authentic as it gets, in terms of Moroccan life, and is located just across the Bou Regreg river from Rabat.  

 

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Photo via Aéroport de Nice Côte d’Azur

Eight of the world’s finest chefs sign up for Monaco’s Festival des Etoilés

by: Elsa Carpenter
07/09/2023

A host of iconic culinary luminaries from Monaco’s top restaurants will be pairing up with contemporaries from around the world at this autumn’s Festival des Etoilés. Monaco Life brings you the programme.  

Now in its third year, the Festival des Etoilés – the “Festival of the Starred” – from Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer has well-established itself as a showcase of exceptional culinary talent and creativity.  

It attracts the finest chefs working within the Principality, as well as a number of international figures, who pair up to host exclusive dining experiences during the autumn months, with the event culminating in an unmissable Lumières d’Etoiles gala.  

This year, that special event will be taking place in the Salle Empire of the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo on 11th November, but there is a lot more planned before that. 

À QUATRE MAINS 

The concept of the festival is to pair a Monaco-based head chef at a SBM establishment with a Michelin-starred chef who runs a restaurant of legendary status elsewhere in the world. The duo then collaborate, working together to create both a menu that is entirely unique and a gastronomic experience found nowhere else on the planet. 

The Festival des Etoilés pairs Monaco’s best Michelin-starred chefs with overseas contemporaries to great effect. Photo credit: Monte-Carlo SBM

THE MYTH, THE LEGENEDS 

Kicking off the 2023 edition is Marcel Ravin, the two Michelin-starred head chef of the Blue Bay at Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Chef Julien Royer, the three Michelin-starred head chef of Odette in Singapore who was due to take part in the event, will not be present however he will be represented by his talented chef of the Odette restaurant as well as a chef from the Michelin-starred Claudine restaurant, in Hong Kong.

They will work together to offer an exceptional menu on two successive evenings on 29th and 30th September on the Las Brisas terrace that costs €690 per person including champagne pairings.  

Then it will be the turn of the Hôtel de Paris for two nights featuring the executive chef of the three Michelin-starred Le Louis XV-Alain Ducasse, Dominique Lory, and Jason Atherton of the one-starred Pollen Street Social in London on 13th and 14th October at Le Grill. The price per person here is €450, including a complimentary glass of champagne.  

The address remains the same, but the restaurant changes for one of the most – if not the most – awaited pairing on 27th and 28th October. The famous Alain Ducasse himself, a mentor and inspiration to countless haute cuisine chefs around the globe, will oversee two services created by head chefs of two of his finest restaurants: Emmanuel Pilon of Le Louis XV-Alain Ducasse and Amaury Bouhours of the two-starred Le Meurice Alain Ducasse in Paris. This experience is priced at €900 per person with Dom Pérignon champagne pairings.  

The final ‘Dîner à Quatre Mains‘ will be held at Pavyllon Monte-Carlo in the Hôtel Hermitage. Here, the one Michelin-starred restaurant and its enigmatic Chef Yannick Alléno will welcome Sven Wassmer of the three-starred Memories in Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, Switzerland, for one special service on 3rd November that costs €650 per person with wine.  

An extravagant gala, featuring Alain Ducasse, Marcel Ravin, Yannick Alleno and Dominique Lory all cooking in front of guests at the Salle Empire at the Hôtel de Paris, will close the food festival on 11th November. The black tie event is priced at €850 per person, with each of SBM’s prized chefs serving a menu of their signature dishes. 

For more information and how to reserve, please click here.

To read more about the festival and the incredible 2022 edition, as well as view images from the closing gala, please see below: 

Festival des Étoilés: A SBM celebration of art de vivre

 

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Photo by Monaco Life

World Clean Up Day: Monaco needs you! 

by: Elsa Carpenter
07/09/2023
world clean up day

Monaco’s town hall and the new eco-restaurant Conscientiae are on a mission to clean up the streets of the Principality for World Clean Up Day. Here’s how you get can involved.  

World Clean Up Day is taking place on Saturday 16th September, and it is hoped that residents in towns and cities of all sizes around the world will be heading out with a rubbish bag to collect wayside waste. Some will be doing it off their own backs, others will be joining in with collective projects and missions, such as the one organised for next weekend in Monaco. 

The Mairie de Monaco, or town hall in English, has partnered with the wellbeing and sustainability focused Conscientiae restaurant in Port Hercule to encourage locals to participate in a morning litter pick.  

For its part, Conscientiae, which officially opened its doors in late July in the former premises of Stars’N’Bars, has put out a call for “eco angels” that are willing to put aside a few hours to help clear the “waste thoughtlessly thrown onto our [Monaco’s] streets”.  

The Mairie has issued a similar message, asking anyone interested in joining the pre-arranged route to send a message to environnement@mairie.mc. 

The eventual group of cleaner-upers will depart the Marché de Monte-Carlo at 9.30am, passing through Casino Square, along Port Hercule and up the Avenue de la Porte Neuve to the town hall for 12pm, where a thank you reception will take place.  

 

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Photo credit: Mairie de Monaco