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Month: February 2024

Rolando Villazón concert at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo sells out

by: Stephanie Horsman
09/02/2024
Rolando Villazón monte-carlo

Renowned Mexican tenor Rolando Villazón is set to perform in Monaco on 24th February in an event so hotly anticipated that tickets have already sold out! 

For one night only, the versatile Villazón, who is also a well-respected author, radio and TV presenter, and stage director, will perform on stage at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.

On the programme is a selection of works by Handel, Mozart, Haydn, Verdi, Offenbach and Puccini, and the vocals of Villazón will be accompanied by Conductor Lena-Lisa Wüstendörfer and the musicians of the recently founded Swiss Orchestra.  

Villazón’s storied yet varied career started in the 1990s when he was recognised for his vocal talents and awarded the top spot at the Plácido Domingo Operalia Competition.  

From there, he went on to headline shows at major venues around the globe, as well as spread his wings into other creative endeavours.

He recently made a foray into stage direction, with one of his career highlights thus far being the highly successful 2023 rendition of The Barber of Seville in Monaco.    

The upcoming show will be held on 24th February at 8pm. Tickets have officially sold out, but further information on the concert can be found here. 

Read related: 

Next month at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo: the light, the dark and a sold-out visit from Rolando Villazón

 

 

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Photo source: rolandovillazon.com

Mountaineer Alasdair Mckenzie leads talk on self-belief and confidence for students in Monaco

by: Niki Borisova
09/02/2024
alasdair mckenzie monaco

A fascinating insight into the role of sport on personal development and how it can help shape a person’s self-belief and confidence was provided by the young Scottish-French mountaineer Alasdair Mckenzie at an event organised by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation for the benefit of Lycée Albert Ier students in early February. 

In an effort to cultivate a culture of self-improvement amongst Monaco’s youth, the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation organised a conference on the theme of self-betterment through the intersecting lenses of sports and education on Thursday 8th February. 

Students from all age groups at the Lycée Albert Ier were invited to attend the conference, which was led by the thoroughly impressive Alasdair Mckenzie, a 19-year-old athlete with numerous mountaineering achievements and records already under his belt and a dream of becoming the youngest mountaineer to conquer the world’s famous 14 peaks above 8,000 metres. It is a feat that only 44 climbers in history have achieved.  

In his capacity as an accomplished athlete and a project partner of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, Mckenzie’s talk aimed to inspire and motivate Monaco’s students by presenting tangible examples how overcoming challenges and attaining personal goals can help form a stronger sense of self and of self-belief. 

In comments shared on Instagram after the event, a representative for the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation said, “[Alasdair Mckenzie’s]journey and the sports challenges he has overcome with determination and perseverance serve as a source of inspiration for the younger generation he represents… The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation would like to deeply thank Alasdair for his participation and wishes him all the best for the rest of his adventure.”

 

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Alasdair Mckenzie at the event, photo credit: Eric Mathon / Palais Princier de Monaco

Explained: France’s taxe d’aménagement for building works and renovations

by: Stephanie Horsman
09/02/2024

Here’s everything you need to know about the taxe d’aménagement, the one-off French tax on all residential developments that require a permit, from swimming pools and photovoltaic panels to property extensions and garden sheds.  

The taxe d’aménagement – the development, renovation or conversion tax, depending on the project being carried out – is a one-time-only tax that is applicable to all domestic projects that required a building or development permit to be issued by town planners ahead of works. 

This includes everything from swimming pools to solar panels and wind turbines, and from home extensions and garden sheds above five square metres to the installation of caravans and mobile homes.  

Depending on the type of project, the taxable amount is calculated either per unit or per square metre of developed space.  

Some tariffs are set in stone. For example: caravans and mobile homes will incur a tax of €3,000 per unit, swimming pools are taxed at €250 per square metre, wine turbines above 12 metres in height are taxed at €3,000 per unit, and photovoltaic panels are taxable at €10 per square metre. 

Other developments are taxed according to a municipal rate of between 1% and 20% plus a rate for the department that is set at a maximum of 2.5%. A regional tariff may also be imposed. Combined, these rates are multiplied by the square metres of a project.  

A simulator can be found here.  

HOW TO PAY 

Completed works must be reported within 90 days of the project’s end date via the Votre Espace section of the official taxation website: www.impots.gouv.fr/particulier.  

If the total comes to more than €1,500, it can be broken up into two instalments. The funds raised by the tax typically help finance public facilities and road networks. 

Click here for more information.  

 

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Photo source: Annie Shelmerdine, Unsplash

Monaco takes 2nd place as Europe’s Best Destination 2024

by: Cassandra Tanti
08/02/2024

Monaco’s legendary status as an exceptional destination continues with the Principality ranking as the second best place to travel in Europe in 2024, according to Best Destinations in Europe.

More than one million people from 172 countries voted for their  Best Destinations in Europe, an independent travel website that has been assessing travel trends since 2009.

According to the website, “Monaco makes any experience unique. So unique that no one can claim to have experienced it anywhere else. The Principality of Monaco is undoubtedly like nowhere else”, relaying the Monaco Tourism Board’s current catch-phrase.

Monaco lost out only to Marbella, Spain. In third place is Malta, followed by Geneva, Switzerland, and Batumi, Adjara Region, Georgia rounding out the top five.

Selected for their quality of life, sustainable development, year-round cultural offer, growth in popularity on social networks and their international recognition for campaigns like smart tourism and European Union Green Capital, the 20 most-popular sites will be promoted throughout the year and are authorised to display the coveted title of ‘European Best Destination 2024’.

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RELATED ARTICLE:

Monaco showcased in Times Square, New York, for ‘Like nowhere else’ campaign

 

Photo by Monaco Life

Property prices at record levels in almost all Monaco neighbourhoods

by: Elsa Carpenter
08/02/2024

The average price per square metre in Monaco topped out at a massive €51,418 in 2023, equating to an almost 40% rise in a decade and setting new records in five of the Principality’s most unexpected neighbourhoods.  

The latest annual real estate report from IMSEE, Monaco’s official statistical agency, has just been released, bringing with it a fascinating spread of information on the health and wealth of the Principality’s property market. 

Record prices per square metre 

Among the revelations are the all-time highs recorded per square metre in five of the neighbourhoods in the Principality, a place that has long held the title as the most expensive country in the world for real estate. 

Fontvieille in the west, the Jardin d’Exotique, the Condamine, Les Moneghetti and La Rousse all generated record prices per square metre in 2023.  

The Condamine recorded the sharpest rise – a climb of 19.7% to reach €54,099 and clear the €50,000 mark for the first time in history – while property in Les Moneghetti on the northern border generated prices per square metre of €46,511, up 18.3%.  

The cheapest neighbourhood continues to be the Jardin d’Exotique area, but prices here still rose 10% in 2023 to demand more than €41,600 per square metre. The most expensive remains the sea-facing Larvotto quartier, which demanded a vast €65,857 for each square metre of property, although prices remained below the record €70,414 observed in 2017.  

Across the Principality, only the central Monte-Carlo district, which is home to the famous Carré d’Or of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, the Hôtel de Paris and the Café de Paris, noted a dip. Here, prices fell by 6.2% to €51,628 per square metre.  

The figures for Monaco-Ville, also known as The Rock and as being the location of the Prince’s Palace, are not made publicly available.  

Prices up almost 40% in a decade 

Back in 2014, the first year that IMSEE combined the numbers for new build properties and resales, the average price per square metre in Monaco sat at just over €37,000. This figure rose to its highest point in 2021, when prices came in at close to €52,000, but 2023 isn’t far behind. 

According to data compiled by IMSEE and the Department of Tax Services, the mean price per square metre in Monaco last year was €51,418, equating to a 38% rise in a decade. 

 

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Photo by Monaco Life

Football: Travel and ticket information ahead of Sunday’s Derby de la Côte d’Azur

by: Stephanie Horsman
08/02/2024

Anytime that the Rouge et Blancs take on their Côte d’Azur rivals of OGC Nice, the Derby match always causes much excitement amongst local fans and commentators. 

The upcoming Ligue 1 fixture on Sunday 11st February in Nice’s home stadium is no exception, especially as both teams are close to the top of the league’s standings, with AS Monaco placed fifth behind the second-placed Aigles de Nice.  

Tickets for the match purchased via the AS Monaco office cost as little as €10 and can be bought online here. Once purchased, an e-ticket will be generated and this pass, as well as valid ID, is mandatory in order for fans to gain entry to the stadium. The box office will remain open until 10am on the morning of the fixture unless all tickets are sold out ahead of time.  

UPON ARRIVAL AT THE ALLIANZ RIVIERA 

There is no designated visitors’ parking area at the stadium, but parking is plentiful in and around the site. AS Monaco is also encouraging use of the MuneGo carpooling service.  

Though the game doesn’t start until 8.45pm, the visitor section of the Allianz Riviera stadium will be open from 6.45pm to allow fans to get comfortable. 

In the interests of safety, the relevant authorities have requested that Monaco supporters should avoid the south side of the stadium. Requests of respect for the opposing team, their supporters, the stadium and the local neighbourhood have also been issued.  

Additionally, there is an active AS Monaco WhatsApp group that shares live and up-to-date information on all developments that might concern fans heading to the match. 

 

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