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Day: 2 May 2024

Countdown to Moving Day: Grand Ida’s Résidence Héméra nears completion

by: Elsa Carpenter
02/05/2024
grand ida résidence héméra

Ahead of the imminent completion of the Grand Ida’s Block C, a delegation made up of Conseil National councillors and representatives for the Monaco Government has been given a tour of the 13-storey development between the Principality’s Boulevard Rainier III and Rue Plati. 

Work began on the vast J.B. Pastor & Fils-backed development in 2020. Once complete, Grand Ida will form its own mini neighbourhood within the La Colle residential area of the northwestern Jardin Exotique district, with a full 224 apartments of various sizes, a dedicated space for the Association Monégasque pour l’Aide et la Protection de l’Enfance Inadaptée (AMAPEI), a crèche and commercial premises.  

The finish line is finally in sight, and it won’t be long before the residents of the Grand Ida Bâtiment C – now going by the name of Résidence Héméra, after the Greek Goddess of the Day – can finally move into their new homes. 

Those who made successful applications for housing here under the Principality’s Allocation Commission were notified of the good news back in February 2024 and were invited to tour their soon-to-be lodgings within the sleek skyscraper in April.

According to a statement by the Monaco Government, the applicants were “overwhelmingly” satisfied with their allocated homes, which all come with outdoor terraces and fully furnished kitchens, among other welcome features.

The delegation of government representatives and Conseil National councillors included the recently elected President of the Nation Council, Thomas Brezzo, and the head of the government’s Housing Department, Sylvie Rossi. Photo credit: Monaco Communications Department / Manuel Vitali

On 30th April, a delegation of government representatives and Conseil National councillors, including the recently elected President of the Nation Council, Thomas Brezzo, and the head of the Housing Department, Sylvie Rossi, were given a separate tour of Résidence Héméra.

The 13-storey building houses 48 flats, among them 13 two-room apartments, 11 three-room homes and 24 four-room properties. Two commercial spaces for shops or restaurants will eventually open on the lower floors. Leases for these areas will be assigned in May.  

The Grand Ida sector will ultimately include two more buildings, bringing the total number of residential spaces up to 224 units. 56 will be available for purchase on the open market while 168 have been strictly reserved for Monegasque citizens and their families.  

Read related:

Real Estate: Family homes dominate Monaco’s property market growth

 

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Photo credit: Monaco Communications Department / Manuel Vitali

Almine Rech opens new gallery in Monaco

by: Cassandra Tanti
02/05/2024

Almine Rech has continued its expansion in Monaco with the opening of a new gallery in the prestigious Carré d’Or district. 

The gallery, located at 20 Avenue de la Costa, swung open its doors to the public on Thursday 2nd May with a presentation of intergenerational works of art from the estates and artists represented by the gallery. They include Günther Förg, Turi Simeti, Tom Wesselmann, Minjung Kim, Dr. Esther Mahlangu, Kenny Scharf, Francesco Vezzoli, Gregor Hildebrandt, Carlos Jacanamijoy, Fabien Adèle, Alexandre Lenoir, Ryan Schneider and Thu-Van Tran.

Another exhibition will follow on 22nd May during the Monaco Grand Prix of Monaco. 

“The Principality of Monaco has historically captivated artists and art collectors from the beginning of the 20th century until today,” said Almine Rech-Picasso in a statement. “In this fertile cultural context, the gallery has been present in Monaco for several years, participating in the Monte-Carlo art fair and promoting connections to collectors, institutions and more. I am delighted to welcome them all in this new space, which allows the gallery to continue to develop its relations with the city and its surroundings.”

See: Almine Rech at Art Monte-Carlo

Almine Rech, born in Paris to a mixed Vietnamese-French heritage, pursued art, cinema, and literature studies before entering the art world. Initially involved in provenance research for auction houses, she later ventured into art dealing, eventually becoming a gallerist. Teaming up with her second husband, Cyrille Putman, she opened her first gallery in the Marais in 1989. Over the years, the gallery expanded internationally, with spaces in Paris, Brussels, London, New York, Shanghai and Gstaad, in addition to institutional collaborations in Venice.

Almine Rech has been married to Bernard Ruiz-Picasso since 1997 and the pair live in Monaco.

SEE ALSO: 

Picasso’s grandson proudly presents ‘Pablo Picasso and Antiquity’ exhibition at the Prince’s Palace

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Photo supplied

 

Basketball: Roca Team feel the heat as they lose to Fenerbahçe in Game 3

by: Niki Borisova
02/05/2024
Fenerbahçe roca team

AS Monaco Basket’s future in the EuroLeague’s Final Four is hanging in the balance following a crushing defeat at the hands of Fenerbahçe in Istanbul. 

The Roca Team is in a tough position. After three games against the Turkish side, two at home in the Principality and the third on Fenerbahçe’s turf at the Ulker Sports Arena, the Monegasques are 2-1 down.

Game 3 in the playoffs took place on Wednday 1st May, and ended with a final score of 89-78.

This was a high-stakes game for both sides, given their one win apiece in the Salle Gaston Médecin last week, and all 14,000 seats were taken as the two teams took to the court.  

Unfortunately, the bad luck for the Roca Team started early on in the game, when John Brown III had to be sidelined due to an injury.  

“I don’t know if we would have won with him, but we would have defended better, especially in the small ball,” commented Roca Team’s coach Sasa Obradovic following the game.   

The Monaco side did enjoy some high points, such as when Donatas Motiejunas and Alpha Diallo brought the scores back to within a single point, adding extra fuel to the game. Diallo alone scored an impressive 23 points, but it was not enough to overcome the aggressive play of Fenerbahçe. 

Mam Jaiteh, Roca Team’s pivot, said, “Losing Game 3, it’s very frustrating, but there are also positives to take away for the future. We lacked concentration, but despite that, we had a lot of chances to get back into the game.” 

Game 4 now looms and the Rouges et Blancs face an uphill battle if they are to keep their EuroLeague aspirations alive. 

Fenerbahçe, meanwhile, will be keen to close out the series with a second success on their home court.  

As the pressure mounts, both teams prepare for another intense showdown where everything is on the line. 

The next game will take place on 3rd May.  

Read related:

Sports round-up: Rollercoaster week for Monaco’s basketball and football teams

 

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Photo credit: AS Monaco Basket

A1 Padel French Open: Elite tournament coming to Beausoleil

by: Niki Borisova
02/05/2024

The A1 Padel French Open is coming to Beausoleil’s dedicated Tennis Padel Soleil venue in May.  

Padel is gaining momentum as a mainstream sport worldwide, but it is particularly popular in the south of France and Monaco, which recently hosted the inaugural Padel Best Expo at the Grimaldi Forum.

The next major date in the calendar for local fans and players is the upcoming A1 Padel French Open, which will be held between 13th and 19th May at the Tennis Padel Soleil venue on Avenue des Combattants en Afrique du Nord in Beausoleil for the very first time.

Spectators will be able to watch some of the best Padel players on the circuit in action as they battle it out for up to €130,000 in prize money.  

Notable players expected to participate include Leonel ‘Tolito’ Aguirre, Gonzalo Alfonso and Franco Dal Bianco, amongst others. This event is open to all, from amateurs to seasoned professionals, with up to 104 pairs due to feature in the qualifying rounds. 

For more information about the event, click here. 

Read related:

Padel Best Expo’s debut event in Monaco concludes on a high note

 

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Photo source: Pixabay

Explore more than 120 worldwide destinations from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport this summer

by: Stephanie Horsman
02/05/2024

With a record number of long-haul flights and connections to some 122 destinations across the globe, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is upping the ante this summer in a bid to grow its international network and offer passengers more choice than ever before.  

Summer 2024 is chalking up to be a good one for travellers flying in and out of Nice Côte d’Azur Airport.  

See more: Direct flights to Malta and Agadir coming soon to Nice Côte d’Azur Airport

The newly released schedule features a full 122 destinations in 45 countries worldwide, including 13 long-haul connections to North America and the Middle East. 

Among the new additions in 2024 is the direct flight to Philadelphia with American Airlines as well as the Etihad flight to Abu Dhabi in the UAE.  

“The continued growth of our network to and from North America and the Gulf countries is excellent news for the people living on the Côte d’Azur and for our region,” says Franck Goldnadel, Chairman of the Board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur. “These long-haul flights play a major role in opening up our region and represent a wealth of opportunities for businesses throughout the Riviera, from the Var to Liguria. In addition, these are direct routes, so they’re faster, shorter and generate fewer emissions.” 

There are also 10 new short-haul connections on the roster this summer, such as flights to Agadir, Alicante, Kefalonia, Rabat, Tenerife and Valletta with easyJet, Aalborg on Norwegian, Faro with Transavia France, Nuremberg on EuroWings and Yerevan with FlyOne. 

For a detailed schedule of the flights available at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport, click here.

Read related:

Nice Airport: easyJet offers new summer destinations from €30

 

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Photo source: David Rodrigo, Unsplash

The weird and wonderful come together at Bonhams’ 20th century design auction

by: Stephanie Horsman
02/05/2024

Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr is set to hold an extraordinary auction of exceptionally rare and unusual furniture items from 20th century artisans in Paris later this month. Here are some of the highlights. 

The design department at Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr on Avenue Hoche in the eighth arrondissement is bringing together a remarkable collection of 120-or-so lots, many of them one-offs, for the auction event on 29th May.  

Among the most spectacular is the 1970 Boomerang desk by Franco-Polish sculptor and designer Maurice Calka. Made from sleek, tinted fibreglass, this desk is part of a limited-edition collection that was originally produced for artist Jean Leleu Deshays. It has an estimated pre-sale value of €12,000 to €15,000.  

See more: Podcast: Fine and rare wines and spirit auctioneer Jamie Ritchie

Another stand-out piece is the Pierre Vandel Vertèbre chair and ottoman (pictured above). First made in 1972, it became an instant classic due to its industrial look and original shape. Fashioned out of stainless steel, this particular assemblage boasts its original leather dressings and is estimated to be worth between €8,000 and €12,000.  

For fans of the Art Déco period, the white leather and brass curved sofa by Paul Dupré-Lafon that dates from around 1929 might be the real star of the show. This piece retains a distinctly modern aesthetic and allure despite approaching 100 years of age. Appraisals put its value between €60,000 and €80,000.  

The Paul Dupré-Lafon curved sofa. Photo courtesy of Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr

Other interesting pieces include: a Passif table from the 1987 Containers collection by Martin Szekely, a copy of which is in the National Centre for Plastic Arts in Paris; and a Henri Samuel armchair, which was originally designed by Philippe Hiquily in 1975. The version of this latter piece that will be available at auction is a 2004 model. It carries a price tag of €18,000 to €22,000, and is part of the Galeries Patrice Trigano & Yves Gastou collection.  

For more information on the upcoming event, click here. 

Read related:

Bonhams to auction iconic panther sculpture by Rembrandt Bugatti

 

Join the Monaco Life community – sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.   

 

Photos courtesy of Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr