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Day: 9 September 2023

Programme for World Heritage Days in France now available in interactive map

by: Stephanie Horsman
09/09/2023

An interactive map is now available detailing the concerts, workshops, tours and fun events being organised as part of European Heritage Days celebrations in France this month.

Under the dual themes of Sports Heritage and Living Heritage, the 2023 European Heritage Days are back for their 40th year.

Taking place in France on 16th and 17th September, these days are a chance for people to discover more about the culture, customs and traditions in a fun and family-friendly way.

NATIONAL TAKE

Under this Sport Heritage banner, the public is invited to discover France’s sporting venues and infrastructure, as well as practices. This theme is tied in with the Cultural Olympiad calendar, “a multidisciplinary artistic and cultural program that will run until September 2024” that is part of the run up to the 2024 Olympic Games being held in Paris.

Another fun event starts early, on Friday 15th September. Schoolchildren will be able to participate in ‘Look up!’ in association with the Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sports.

Intended for students from kindergarten to high school, this operation allows them to discover or rediscover the heritage of their region. This meeting is an opportunity to meet heritage professionals to discover their knowledge and know-how.

LOCAL EVENTS

A few of the local events to look for in the French Riviera include a pneumatic piano demonstration at the Villa Camélias Museum in Cap d’Ail on 17th September at 11am and 3:30pm. The villa itself is worthy of a trip featuring photos from the late 19th century through to the 1950s, as well as the Ramiro Arrue collection that has a selection of letters, paintings and drawings depicting what life in Cap d’Ail was like. The gardens are also magnificent, with a wild beauty harbouring olive trees alongside century-old carob trees, mimosas, a young Ginko biloba, Judas trees, bougainvillea, camellias and also fragrant jasmine.

In Beausoleil, a Tour De France and cycling exhibit is being held on the 16th from 10am to 6pm at the Centre Histoire et Mémoire Roger Bennati. Thanks to the recent donation of the Beausoleil Cyclist Club archives, the municipal archives of Beausoleil offer visitors the opportunity to discover the history of the Tour de France, which had it last visit back in 2009.

Additionally, the Eileen Gray villa, E-1027, the Camping Units, the Cabanon and Le Corbusier’s workshop are all united under one event in Roquebrune Cap Martin celebrating 20th century architecture on the 16th from 10am to 3:45pm.

There are loads more wonderful events nearby. To find them all, a handy interactive map has been created by the government https://journeesdupatrimoine.culture.gouv.fr/programme#/pinpoints/52255282 that shows what towns in and around the region, as well as all over Europe, are doing. The map shows pertinent information such as the date, the theme, who the event is geared to, what type of event, costs, accessibility and the like, so that visitors are armed in advance with the knowledge they need to see the sites they prefer.

Monaco will celebrate its Journées Européennes du Patrimoine on Sunday 24th September. Stay tuned to Monaco Life to read more about what is happening for the event in the Principality.

Do you have an event you would like us to cover? Send an email to editor@monacolife.net

Photo of Villa Camélias Museum courtesy Tourism Office of Nice

 

Getting to know Monaco: the vibrant district of Larvotto

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/09/2023
Larvotto monaco

Monte-Carlo may be Monaco’s most famous neighbourhood, but any local will tell you that Larvotto is where most of the action takes place. With uber-cool restaurants and cafés, art galleries, nightclubs and beaches, Larvotto is undoubtedly Monaco’s most vibrant district.

Not that long ago, Larvotto was a tired-looking, primarily residential area of Monaco most famous for the Grimaldi Forum and the beach. Located in the east of the Principality, it is the most densely populated district and the second largest, after Fontvielle.

In recent years, much to everyone’s delight, Larvotto has undergone a major transformation. The sleepy seaside district is now a bustling, slick and modern neighbourhood featuring a bounty of activities to enjoy, as well as properties that are among the most expensive in the world.

Photo by Monaco Life

MONACO’S MOST POPULAR BEACH

Larvotto Beach is home to a brand-new Renzo Piano designed esplanade that overlooks the sea and provides access to the beach below. It features outdoor gym facilities, 130 new trees, a cycling path and the iconic Lartigue fountain, which was reinstalled in 2022.

Down below is a promenade that takes visitors past a wide variety of delicious – and often reasonably priced – eateries and ice cream parlours as well as shops that sell beachwear, homeware and everything in between. It’s a wonderful place to pass the day, and is equally as pleasant at night after the heat of the day subsides and on certain evenings, live music fills the air.

Since the beach area was renovated and reopened in summer 2021, it has been a huge drawcard, and it is the place where locals tend to congregate to get away from the crowds.

Summer nights at Twiga

FOODIE HEAVEN

Larvotto is home to several exceptional fine-dining eateries including the legendary Sass Cafe, Twiga, La Table d’Elise, the relatively new The Niwaki Japanese restaurant and the popular Italian café Cova. This is also where most of the Principality’s live music venues and nightclubs are located: Twiga, Jimmy’z and Le Sporting Monte-Carlo.

Then there is Sexy Tacos on the promenade, La Note Bleue beach bar, which offers live music all summer, long-time faves Miami Plage and Neptune Beach, and the Italian themed restaurants Giacomo, Marco-La Rose des Vents and Avenue 31.

Another area to have undergone a complete renovation is Rue du Portier, which boasts a number of affordable restaurants and a pub.

These are only a portion of the amazing food offerings in the district. A visitor could spend weeks munching their way through the Larvotto’s many delectable choices and never get bored.

Larvotto monaco
The Grimaldi Forum Monaco at night. Photo by Monaco Life

GRIMALDI FORUM AND GARDENS

Just along from the beach is the Grimaldi Forum Monaco (GFM), host to Monaco’s biggest events, conferences and forums each year. Among the headline events each year are the supercar show Top Marques Monaco and the GFM’s summer exhibition, which this year was the exceptional Monet in Full Light.

Next to the Forum is the stunning Japanese Garden. Designed by landscape architect Yasuo Beppu, the garden covers over 7,000m2 overlooking the Mediterranean. More than a collection of plants, it also incorporates stonework, water features and shade huts to make it a truly special place.

Larvotto monaco
The Japanese Gardens in Monaco, photo by Monaco Life

ART GALLERIES

The Villa Sauber is one of the last Belle Epoque villas left in the Principality. Though the exact date of construction is blurred by time, what is known is that the villa belonged to the Blanc family at the turn of the 20th century. The Blancs were instrumental in developing the Société des Bains de Mer and the Casino.

The property has been owned by Monaco since 1969, becoming part of the National Museum in 1972. Today, it holds exhibits pertaining to Monaco’s historic, cultural and, of course, artistic realms.

Another popular gallery is Tina Green’s G&M Design Gallery, which features a regular display of contemporary artists that never cease to amaze.

For a place to relax whilst getting a mix of culture and sun, Larvotto is a great part of Monaco to immerse yourself in.

 

 See more in our Instagram video below! 

By Cassandra Tanti and Stephanie Horsman. All photos by Monaco Life. 

 

RELATED ARTICLE:

Getting to know Monaco: The timeless and traditional Moneghetti

 

 

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