In an exhilarating week of basketball, AS Monaco has emerged as a team demonstrating exceptional resilience and tactical skills. The spotlight shone brightly on Jordan Lloyd, whose stellar performances steered AS Monaco through challenging confrontations in both the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and Betclic Elite.
In a gripping French game, AS Monaco (5-2) locked horns with LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne (1-6) in Round 7 of the 2023-24 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season on 10th November at Salle Gaston Medecine. AS Monaco executed a remarkable turnaround, overcoming a significant deficit to seal a victory with an 80-70 scoreline. This win marked AS Monaco’s fifth consecutive triumph, a testament to their endurance and strategic insight.
Alpha Diallo was a significant catalyst in this victory, contributing 21 points and clinching 9 rebounds. His performance was complemented by Elie Okobo and Mike James, who scored 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Betclic Elite: Lloyd’s dominance
Returning to the Betclic Elite, Monaco faced Nanterre 92, on 12th November at Salle Gaston Medecine, in a match that saw them secure a 91-82 win, thanks largely to Jordan Lloyd’s exceptional play. Loyd amassed 29 points, showcasing his scoring ability and leadership on the court. This victory was a critical rebound after their previous week’s defeat in Nancy, signalling AS Monaco’s robust competitive spirit.
Post-game reflections offered deeper insights into the team’s mindset and strategy. Mouhammadou Jaiteh, the pivot player of AS Monaco, emphasised the team’s self-awareness and continuous growth, stating, “We continue to move forward. Our greatest adversary is ourselves.” He highlighted the need for consistency and adaptability, irrespective of the opponent.
Coach Sasa Obradovic praised Jordan Lloyd’s recent performances, attributing them to a focused effort to enhance his game. “The last couple of days I was focusing on bringing back Jordan to stronger levels,” Sasa remarked. He also stressed the importance of understanding the larger strategy, “You have to see the big picture. Always think about how one can help the team”, he told Monaco Life.
A week of strategic mastery and individual brilliance
The team has demonstrated an ability to adapt and overcome challenges. As they continue their journey, AS Monaco’s blend of tactical intelligence and individual talent will be key to their ongoing success in professional basketball.
Photo by Monaco Life
Les Enfants de Frankie celebrates 25 years of hope and dreams
Since 1997, Les Enfants de Frankie has been brightening the lives of sick and underprivileged children in Monaco and the south of France. Monaco Life sat down with the association’s founder, Francien Giraudi, ahead of its landmark 25th anniversary to find out more about this wonderful cause.
Francien Giraudi’s journey began with a simple yet powerful intention: to help children in need.
“I wanted to help kids,” is how she simply puts it, but Les Enfants de Frankie has achieved far more than just that.
Over the years, her dedication has grown into a thriving association that has impacted the lives of more than 150,000 children and inspired many others to join in with her philanthropic missions.
Silver jubilee
In honor of its silver jubilee, Les Enfants de Frankie has just hosted a full weekend of celebrations, from the spectacular circus-themed gala featuring 65 performers at the Opéra Garnier on 10th November, complete with Beatles auction led by Alex Jaffray, to a special version for children the next night and a Christmas party for more than 1,000 young locals on 12th November.
A legacy of dreams
Ahead of the big three days – and nights – of parties, Monaco Life caught up with Francien, the heart and soul of the association, and she shared a glimpse into a journey that has been more than two and a half decades in the making.
She speaks candidly about the challenges and triumphs she has faced, such as the major achievement that was Mission Rêve, a massive undertaking that realised 56 “once in a lifetime experiences” for children battling serious illnesses in just one year.
It was, according to Francien, “The most beautiful thing I have done.”
After moving to the Principality of Monaco with her husband, Francien was driven to create her association after noting the difficult conditions experienced by children living in the outskirts of Nice.
She embarked on a six-year quest to gain United Nations accreditation, which she achieved, and has been more recently rewarded with the accolades of Knight of the Order of Grimaldi and Goodwill Ambassador for the Monaco Ambassadors Club.
“It was surprising… I didn’t expect it,” adding that the recognitions only spurred her to “do even more”.
“I always like to do something new, to expand the association”, she says, with words that reflect Giraudi’s unwavering commitment to innovation and growth. Les Enfants de Frankie has continually evolved to better serve its mission.
Red Nose Day
The next big event in the calendar for Francien and Les Enfants de Frankie is Red Nose Day on 6th December. The old red noses have now been replaced with reusable shopping bags, which are already on sale at a variety of locations across the Principality. They cost a token €2.50 each and all proceeds will go towards supporting the efforts of Les Enfants de Frankie.
Looking ahead, she is adamant that the charity’s work must continue; her mission in life since moving to the Principality with her husband and children has been to create a better world for the children who deserve it most.
“It must go on forever,” she says of the association, encapsulating her enduring commitment to “making miracles happen”.
To those who seek to emulate her philanthropic spirit, she offers a simple yet powerful message: “Follow your dreams, it’s the only way.”
It is clear that she has found a deep sense of purpose in founding Les Enfants de Frankie, concluding, “Everyone is born for something, I was born for Frankie”.
Make sure you’re never left out of the conversation.
From carriage house to mountain chalet, games hall to brasserie, this is the story of how the Café de Paris came to be the iconic Monaco landmark we all know and love.
The Café de Paris is one of the most well-known places in all of Monaco. It sits right in the centre of Monte-Carlo, a proud founding pillar of the Triangle d’Or, along with the Hôtel de Paris and Casino de Monte-Carlo.
It has a history stretching back more than 150 years, and is today on the verge of turning a new page in that book, writing a new chapter in its long story, with its imminent relaunch following almost two years of vast renovations.
When the big day comes on Tuesday 14th November, the Café de Paris will open its doors to customers once again, welcoming them into a modern and vibrant space – bigger than ever – that still promises all the charm of the establishment’s heritage.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
The construction of the Hôtel de Paris and the Casino de Monte-Carlo, along with the creation of the Société des Bains de Mer group, marked a turning point in Monaco’s history. New people had come to town: wealthy tourists who had come to marvel at the beauty of the region and the dynastic Principality clinging to the rocks above the Mediterranean.
When it opened in 1864, the patch of land opposite, the site on which we find the Café de Paris today, was used as stables for the horses that pulled the carriages of these affluent visitors and as a carriage house that protected their calèches from the elements.
No bar or café had been built to welcome the hotel guests and it soon became clear that one was needed.
By January 1868, one had been created by the legendary François Blanc. The Alpine chalet-style Café-Divan stood right where its descendant stands today and boasted a tea room, a little restaurant, a billards room, a tabac and the Parfumerie du Soleil boutique, which sold perfumes with names such as Bouquet Impérial and Reine d’Angleterre.
Within a year, its success and popularity were clear, and the café was extended and renamed. Now it was the Grand Café de Monte-Carlo.
NOW OFFICIALLY THE CAFé DE PARIS
Two decades went by before the next big changes came. In 1890, a new building was erected, but it wouldn’t stay around for long. It was demolished seven years later, and in its place the Café de Paris was built.
The Café de Paris as it looked in 1897. Photo from the archives of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer
It hit the headlines immediately, but not for its hospitality. In February 1897, an exciting new event came to the Principality – the Rallye Marseille-Nice-Monte-Carlo – that featured a fascinating new invention: the petrol engine car. The spectacle concluded in Casino Square for most participants, but one, Edouard Michelin, lost control of his vehicle at the last moment and crashed through the front windows of the Café de Paris and finished his race in its restaurant.
Another look for the Café de Paris, this time inspired by the “in vogue” Orient and Africa. Photo from the archives of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer
The terrace became known as ‘La Lézardière’ as everyone simply loved to bask in the warmth of the sun while enjoying a tea, a coffee or an aperitif.
The celebrities of the age flocked here in the early 1900s, from Diaghilev, Nijinski and Tamar Karsavina to Nelly Melba, Caruso, Georges Thill and Chaliapine of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo. Even the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII, liked to revel in the sunshine, pretending to sample the Café’s Crêpes Suzette for the first time each time he visited.
The grandiose Café de Paris of 1910. Photo from the archives of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer
INTO THE 1900S
It was given new life in 1913 when a young architect from Nice, Léon Blois, added a touch of luxury to the interior of the premises.
More glamour came in the 1930s, and it was out with the gaudy décor that had managed to stick around since the 1890s and in with the Art Déco. This was the time of the galas and fabulous parties that were more often than not attended by Monaco’s Prince Louis II.
Niçois architect Léon Blois added a luxurious touch to the Café de Paris in 1913; it was a sign of things to come. Photo from the archives of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer
Another trend was in in the 1960s, when Henri Rigal embraced the new interests of his era: bowling, arcade games and dancing into the early hours. The Scotch Club nightclub, with all its curious Scottish decoration, was much loved, but was eventually replaced in 1973 with the Jimmy’z d’Hiver nightlife hub.
1921 on the terrace of the Café de Paris. Photo from the archives of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer
The last major renovations of the site, before those of 2022 and 2023, came in 1987, when a “complete restructuring” took place. It was reopened the next year by the Princely family and covered an impressive 10,000m2 of entertaining and hospitality space.
ONE MILLION CUSTOMERS
The Café de Paris has continued to welcome generation after generation of customers. In fact, it is believed that more than one million have been served here over the years. That number will only creep higher and higher in the years ahead, and reservations for the much-desired seats of the new Café de Paris are being taken now.
Click on the images below to see more photographs of the Café de Paris over the years:
Make sure you’re never left out of the conversation.
