September 2023 - Page 17 of 26

Time to party Peruvian-style with a Criolla concert hosted by AMLA

12/09/2023

Blending Peruvian, European and African traditions into one, the Criolla is a traditional style of dance and music celebrated with its own special day. Now AMLA is putting on a show to introduce it to Monaco and make it part our world as well.

Starting as a musical genre and ballroom-style dance in the 19^th century, Criollo is a heady mix of folk, polka and waltz, developed in the coast of Peru by the criollos, mixing Peruvian, European, and African instruments and tunes.

The music is so important to the culture that a holiday, El Día de la Canción Criolla, or Criolla Song Day, was established in 1944 by then President Manuel Prado and is celebrated nationwide on 31^st October.

To bring this special and romantic music to the masses, the Latin American socio-cultural association AMLA is organising a one-night-only event in the Principality on Tuesday 10^th October at the Theatre des Varietes at 7pm where the audience is invited to discover the Cancion Criolla.

REAL PERU

“The Criolla music is very dear to Peruvians, not only because it mainly refers to romance and to Peru, but because it conveys with passion the wonders of Peru and love for the country,” says AMLA, who is organising the performance in conjunction with the Embassy of Peru.

Rolando Ruiz Rosas Cateriano, Ambassador of Peru to France and Monaco, will attend the event that will feature virtuous violinist Maria Elena Pacheco from the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru, incomparable guitar playing by Ernesto Hermoza and the unrivalled voice of Cecilia Bracamonte, all bringing the best of Peruvian song and dance to the stage including waltzes, Jaranas, Lando, tangos, boleros and flamenco.

WHO IS AMLA?

AMLA was founded in Monaco to preserve Latin American heritage and culture as well as being a fun way to promote “the Principality’s unique position and lifestyle, with the objective of creating lasting bonds of friendship between the Principality of Monaco and the countries of Latin America.”

In this quest, they hold regular charity events each year that include galas, workshops and conferences that benefit vulnerable people in Latin America and are centred on matters such as education, health and well-being, and sustainability.

The concert is free, reservations can be made at info@amlamonaco.com.

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

Elite boxing to make star-studded return to the Casino de Monte-Carlo

by: Luke Entwistle

12/09/2023

Elite boxing is returning to the Principality with the Monte-Carlo Showdown set to storm to the Casino this coming autumn.

The event, born from a collaboration between Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and the Casino de Monte-Carlo, will return to the Principality on Saturday 4th November. A star-studded line-up has been announced, which notably includes Joe Cordina, who will be looking to defend his IBF Super Featherweight Championship title. The Welshman, one of the biggest names in British boxing, will face American rival Edward Vazquez.

Cordina, a two-time champion of the world in just 16 professional bouts, returns to Monaco, where he overcame Mario Enrique Tinoco back in 2019. Vazquez, meanwhile, gets his shot at glory after four consecutive victories.

“It is an honour to be returning to Monaco”

Three other fights are on the billing. South African Sive Nontshinga will put his IBF Light Flyweight Championship on the line against Mexico’s Adrian Curiel Dominguez, whilst one of the rising stars of French boxing, Souleymane Cissokho, will be looking to defend his WBC Siver Welterweight title against Mexican boxer Isaias Lucero.

Finally, Ramla Ali will seek to bounce back from the first defeat of her professional career in a rematch with Julissa Guzman as the pair contest the IBF Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight Championship. Guzman beat Ali in Round 8 of the fight in New Orleans in June. Ali, an activist who fled war-torn Somalia, was selected as one of Time Magazine’s Women of the Year for 2023.

“It is an honour to be returning to Monaco and to the incredible setting of the Casino de Monte-Carlo,” said Hearn, who has constructed the stellar cast for the 2023 edition of the Monte-Carlo Showdown. “It is exciting to be coming back on 4th November in what promises to be a memorable evening of elite, championship boxing.”

The Monte-Carlo Showdown isn’t the only blockbuster boxing event to take place in the Principality before the end of the year. Monegasque boxer Hugo Micallef announced earlier this month that he would be fighting in the Principality for the first time on Saturday 23th September. The ‘Fresh Prince of Monaco’ will meet Denis Bartos in his eighth professional fight at the Chapiteau de Fontvieille, and will be looking to continue his unbeaten run (7-0).

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Photo source: Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer

Nice Airport returns to pre-pandemic figures, but with fewer planes

by: Stephanie Horsman

12/09/2023

The number of passengers passing through Nice Côte d’Azur Airport hit 99.9% of 2019 levels this summer, though with notably fewer planes touching down due to changing schedules and demand.

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport saw 3.3 million people pass through its two terminals this July and August, roughly the same as before the pandemic, providing positive proof that the region is as desirable as ever to tourists.

PLANE TRAFFIC DOWN

The one aspect that has changed significantly between the pre- and post-pandemic years is the number of aircraft taking off and landing in Nice.

This summer, the airport was down 675 flights, a fact that has been attributed to a “better passenger load factor”, which is good news for the environment.

“Fleets composed mainly of latest-generation aircraft, perfectly accommodated for at our terminals, and with better passenger load factors and even greater potential for improvement, are all major levers for reducing the environmental impact of an essential mode of transport that guarantees our regions stay connected,” explains Franck Goldnadel, CEO of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur.

He continues, “2023 marks a return to pre-COVID levels and the same growth drive that allowed us to accommodate 30% more passengers between 2012 and 2019 without increasing aircraft movements. This virtuous trend is enhanced by the fact that today’s aircraft produce fewer emissions than those of 10 years ago.”

LONG HAULS AND NEW ROUTES

The summer of 2023 saw the airport add 26 new routes, including three new long-hauls – Doha, Atlanta and Riyadh – which will have improved accessibility to the region.

Though always an international airport, this year has seen the total number of long-haul flights rise to 11, with six of those servicing North America. 2023 was the biggest year of growth for flights to and from the US.

UK STILL TOP SPOT

The UK was the top destination for international flights, making up 15% of the total summer traffic, and up over 2019 figures. Italy, Greece and Tunisia were also high on the list of places to travel abroad to from the south of France.

Flying within France accounted for just over a quarter of all flights, which is marginally down on pre-pandemic numbers. There have been far fewer connections between Nice to Paris Orly this year compared to 2019.

That being said, there has been a rise in the number of domestic flights to regions outside of the Ile de France, such as Bordeaux, Nantes, Caen and Biarritz. These “regional” flights now represent 40% of domestic routes from Nice.

Goldnadel says, “Linking up the French Riviera directly with big cities in other regions, and developing direct routes to international capitals, are the simplest ways of meeting the travel needs of our local residents and all those who come to visit us. That’s what responsible, necessary air transport is all about.”

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Photo via Nice Côte d’Azur Airport

Back to school for Monaco’s Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella

by: Stephanie Horsman

12/09/2023

This year’s La Rentrée was a little different for Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, who are back at school in Monaco, albeit with one big change.

Most parents bid farewell to their children at the school gates last week, but that time only came on Monday 11th September for Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Charlene’s eight-year-old twins, Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, who joined friends and classmates for this universal rite of passage that marks the start of a new “année scolaire”.

The family made sure to document the moment with a series of sweet pictures, which were later shared on the Palais Princier de Monaco Instagram feed.

*Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella have entered CE2 at the François d’Assise-Nicolas Barré primary school. Photo credit: Palais Princier de Monaco*

Their parents, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene, were there together as the twins, dressed in their school polo shirts as way of uniform, made their way into their separate classes. For the tightly knit pair, this year will mark the first time they are not together.

“For back-to-school this morning, Jacques and Gabriella were both very excited to see their friends again after such a long vacation,” Princess Charlene told the Monaco Matin. “It’s also the first time that they won’t be in the same class. It’s a big step for them, and that seems good to me… As for any student on the first day of school, they had a lot of expectations: about the new classmates, about the teachers, about what they were going to wear for their first day.”

Jacques and Gabriella are attending the François d’Assise-Nicolas Barré primary school on the Rock, where they have been going since 2021, and have entered CE2.

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Photo credit: Palais Princier de Monaco

Watch out for the scam campaign claiming to be an unpaid speeding fine

by: Elsa Carpenter

12/09/2023

A phishing campaign hoping to trick unsuspecting recipients into sharing their personal and bank details is going around France. Here’s what you need to look out for.

Have you received a text message or email recently regarding a fine or speeding ticket that you didn’t know about? Did it ask you to click on a link that then asks for personal information and bank details? If so, it might be wise to contact the fraud desk at your bank as the chances are that you’ve been targeted by a scam campaign posing as an official branch of the French state.

Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr, an online cybercrime portal managed by the French government, has published an information sheet on a current scam that is showing up in the message boxes and inboxes around France.

What to look out for

Acting in the names of both the Agence Nationale de Traitement Automatisé des Infractions (ANTAI) and the government itself, the scam message reads something along the lines of: “INFO ANTAI: You have a fine to pay. In order to avoid any penalty charges, please settle the fine here XXX.” or “AMENDE GOUV: Our agents have found a minor offence attached to your dossier. Please consult the details here XXX.”

Other similar messages include a file number and the amount to be paid, while some feature a section asking the recipient to get in touch for “further information”, adding to the seemingly legitimate nature of the item. All include a dubious link that can easily be mistaken for the real deal.

If these links are clicked on, the recipient will be taken to another official-looking page where they will be asked to fill in specific personal details as well as receive a warning about the threat of so-called penalties in the event of non-payment. From there, a confirmation of the identification of the dossier may appear, before the final step of entering bank and card details.

What to do if you think you’ve been targeted or scammed

The Cybermalveillance website has a full section on how to act if you think you have fallen into the trap of the scammers.

The first note is that there is only one single website run by the French state that deals with fines and that is: amendes.gouv.fr. Any notification from a different source should be questioned.

If you believe you have received a fraudulent message or email, do not reply to it directly. You should instead signal its existence via 33 700 for SMS messages or move it into your spam box. It is also recommended that you notify internet-signalement.gouv.fr.

If you notice irregular payments from your bank account, immediately contact your bank. The bank’s fraud services may ask to see a copy of the scam message. You should also contact the Perceval platform run by the Interior Ministry, which centralises information on ongoing scams of this type.

You can also contact the France Victimes association on 116 006 for further advice.

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Image via Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr

Inside the two rare apartments on sale at the jaw-dropping Palais Maeterlinck

by: Elsa Carpenter

11/09/2023

Take a look inside the two apartments – one a penthouse, the other with an incredible sea view terrace – located at the Palais Maeterlinck on the Cap de Nice that are being listed exclusively by Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty.

The story of the Palais Maeterlinck, and how it came to get that name after many others, requires some telling.

A history

It was originally to be a home for the American hotelier and casino owner Frank Jay Gould, who famously helped establish the French Riviera town of Juan-les-Pins as a destination, but the magnificent plot, which dominates the Cap de Nice, would eventually be bought by the Count de Miléant in the 1920s.

The Russian aristocrat also had dreams of casino ownership, and that was his goal for Castellamare – his name for the four-hectare property. He wanted it to be a rival to the Casino de Monte-Carlo, which was growing in popularity and fame year-on-year, but abandoned his project when the Palais de la Méditerranée opened on Nice’s Promenade des Anglais in 1928.

Two years later, at auction, the vast estate, an unmissable feature on the coast between Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer, was purchased by Nobel Prize laureate Maurice Maeterlinck and his wife Renée Dahon for two million Belgian francs, according to Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty.

*The generously sized outdoor pool shared by residents of the Palais Maeterlinck. Photo courtesy of Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty*

However, it was still not yet called the Palais Maeterlinck, that would come after the literary legend’s death. To Maurice and Renée, it was the Villa Orlamonde, a name chosen in reference to a poem from ‘Ariane et Barbe-Bleue’ by Maeterlinck and Paul Dukas.

Maeterlinck continued with the development of the property during his tenure as its owner, and his heir would later transform it further with the help of a property developer. It was during this stage that it was separated into some 20 different apartments.

The Swiss businessman Henri-Ferdinand Lavanchy slowly bought up these flats from 1987 onwards and would eventually unite them into a hotel, which opened in 1990 with the name we know most now: the Palais Maeterlinck.

The modern day

Today, the Palais covers a mind-boggling 6,000sqm. It stopped operating as a hotel in 2008 and was redeveloped and renovated – all while preserving some of its iconic features, like the frescos, onyx bathtubs and coffered ceilings – in 2012.

Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty was awarded the exclusive opportunity to market each of the now 18 apartments, two of which have come back up for sale.

The first is a €4.5 million bright white and contemporary three ensuite bedroom penthouse on the top floor of the Palais Maeterlinck. It measures 213sqm inside, plus a 21sqm terrace enclosed by the sophisticated signature columns of the building.

The second apartment, currently listed at €3.9 million, is a generous 175sqm and two-bedroom property with a dedicated office space and impressive sea-facing terrace that measures almost 100sqm itself.

Both have access to a secure garage and parking as well as the sumptuous, landscaped gardens and immense outdoor swimming pool. Add on top of that the views, which simply cannot be met or beaten in the area, and this setting is quite simply a dream.

Click on the images below for a closer look…