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Day: 30 July 2024

Illegal Plage Mala beach huts must be demolished, orders Nice judge

by: Elsa Carpenter
30/07/2024
plage mala cap d'ail

The owner of three illegally built maisonnettes above Plage Mala in Cap d’Ail has been given six months to demolish the structures. Local mayor Xavier Beck has welcomed the ruling, which comes with the additional penalty of a €100,000 fine, saying, “I hope this decision will set a precedent.” 

According to reports by France 3 and Observateur de Monaco, the owner of the properties in question, a German entrepreneur identified as Daniel Giersch, began building the three small beach huts in the vicinity of the popular Plage Mala beach without official permission or a permit in 2020, having bought the land some 10 years earlier.  

When confronted about the illegality of the properties by the town’s mayor, Xavier Beck, Giersch reportedly told the official that he was “not afraid of justice”, before adding that the matter could be “settled with a cheque”. 

Thus began a years-long saga in the courts between the municipality of Cap d’Ail, acting as a civil party, and Giersch, which has now resulted in an official order from a judge at the Court of Nice that the buildings should be fully demolished. 

“It had been going on for too long, I hope this decision will set a precedent,” said Beck in comments made to France 3’s Côte d’Azur branch. “This gentleman decided to build on this land without any authorisation. I actually issued several decrees in this regard, and he ignored all of them!” 

He continued, “This is a very strong message from the court: illegal constructions are not resolved by a cheque, but by an obligation to restore everything to order.” 

According to the mayor, Giersch has six months to dismantle the huts and must also pay a €100,000 fine. If he does not comply with the court order, he will face a daily €150 fine, with the threat of further penalties and the forcible demolition of the buildings by other means.  

Read related:

Demolition of illegal Château de Saint-Jeannet development has begun

 

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

 

Photo credit: Stephanie Cubbeddu-Burns

 

 

 

Nice bans smoking on all of its beaches  

by: Elsa Carpenter
30/07/2024
nice smoking

All of Nice’s 25 public beaches are going smoke-free this summer, up from just five last year, and a team of volunteers has joined the Mairie-led ‘zéro mégot’ mission to rid the famous seafront of cigarette butts with a weekly clean-up operation. 

Towards the end of 2023, signage went up along the Promenade des Anglais and on Nice’s public beaches warning that smoking is now prohibited along the full length of the city’s public beaches. 

In all, 25 designated beach sites are now smoke-free. Last year, five of the city’s public beaches had banned smoking, following on from a decision back in 2012 to make the beach in front of the Lenval hospital France’s first non-smoking beach.  

Smokers who ignore the rules could face a €150 on-the-spot fine.  

“The objective is twofold: to protect the health of Nice’s residents and to preserve the environment,” reads a statement put out by the Ville de Nice. “Every year, 150 million cigarette butts, a major source of pollution, are discarded in the city’s streets.” 

Additionally, a team of volunteers is working away to clear the beaches of discarded butts each Saturday, and France 3 has reported that as many as 20,000 butts were collected by the workers in just a single hour, demonstrating the extent of the pollution on Nice’s beaches.  

The Principality of Monaco, like many other municipalities along the Riviera, has also implemented similar measures in recent years.

See more: Monte-Carlo SBM backs project transforming cigarette butts into insulation 

Earlier this year, the Monaco Government confirmed that smoking would be banned on four of the Principality’s beaches – Larvotto, Plage des Pêcheurs, Plage du Solarium and the beach by La Méridien Beach Plaza – between 31st May and 30th September.  

Read related:

Monaco revives free ashtray campaign to reduce cigarette butt pollution

 

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

 

Photo source: Yijie Liu, Unsplash

 

AS Monaco marks a century of the beautiful game with commemorative book

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/07/2024
as monaco

With AS Monaco turning 100 this year, the team will be commemorating this historic event by releasing an official tribute book filled with stunning photos and personal stories that chronicle the successes of Monaco’s beloved team over the years. 

Since its official founding on 23rd August 1924, AS Monaco has enjoyed decades of stellar footballing prowess, including eight French titles, five Coupes de France, several Europe-wide awards and entry to the prestigious Champions League.

Now, in 2024, all of these achievements and more are to be commemorated in a beautifully bound tribute book published by Amphora. The edition is set to go on pre-sale from the start of August.  

The 200-plus-page tome will include prefaces by both Prince Albert II and Club President Dmitry Rybolovlev, as well as archival photos—some never seen before— and testimonials and personal portraits of the key players who have proudly sported the colours of Monaco over the last 100 years. 

Local fans and AS Monaco players celebrate the team’s first Ligue 1 title in 1961. Photo credit: AS Monaco

“We are very pleased to offer this book to all lovers of AS Monaco, and more generally to football fans, on the occasion of this exceptional event represented by the centenary of the club,” says Thiago Scuro, CEO of AS Monaco. “This work, which is written by AS Monaco historian Norbert Siri, is aimed at all generations, from the youngest, who would like to know more about the rich history of our club, to the oldest, who wish to remember their most beautiful moments.” 

For more information about the book and its release date, click here. 

Read related:

AS Monaco reveal new kit honouring the team’s 100th anniversary

 

 

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

 

Photo credit: AS Monaco

Maserati MSG Racing announces new driver line-up for 2024/25 Formula E season

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/07/2024

The Monaco-based Maserati MSG Racing team is bringing two new drivers into the fold for the 2024/25 Formula E season, one of whom is former Formula 1 driver Stoffel Vandoorne. 

Following a tough season year for Maserati MSG Racing, the Monaco-based side has confirmed that it will be saying goodbye to Maximilian Günther and Jehan Daruvala, and welcoming in two new drivers in the form of the experienced Belgian pilot Stoffel Vandoorne and British star Jake Hughes for Season 11 of the FIA ​​Formula E World Championship. 

Veteran Vandoorne has been on the Formula E circuit since 2018, and has gained a reputation as a worthy competitor in the sport, with a personal highlight being his World Championship title for the 2021/22 season while at Mercedes-EQ.  

The Belgian is a three-time race winner and has a total of 16 Formula E podiums and eight pole positions to his name. He was previously a Formula 1 driver for McLaren between 2016 and 2018.  

“I’m very happy to be joining Maserati MSG Racing next season and I’m proud to be associated with such an iconic name within motorsport as Maserati,” says Vandoorne of his new team. “They are a great bunch of people, very skilled, very determined, and I’m really looking forward to working together moving forward. Hopefully we’ll have a lot of success and fight for victories and championships together.” 

See more: Formula E set for “exponential growth” after Liberty Global investment

Meanwhile, British racer Hughes is entering his third season of Formula E, having previously been a reserve driver for Venturi, the former incarnation of Maserati MSG Racing.  

“I’m over the moon to be joining Maserati MSG Racing. The success that the team has had, as one of the founding teams in Formula E, speaks for itself,” he shared following the announcement of his move to the Monaco-based racing unit. “On a personal level, I have worked with the team previously, so I know them well and I’m genuinely looking forward to going back. I honestly can’t wait to get over to the HQ in Monaco and start working with the engineers, get on the simulator and really get cracking with our prep for Season 11. This marks the start of an exciting new chapter in my career, and I know that the best is yet to come.” 

The pair will make their first appearance with Maserati MSG Racing at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, for pre-season action in November. They will then head to São Paulo, Brazil, for the Season 11 opener on 7th December, which will kick-off a major campaign of 17 races. 

 

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

 

Photo credit: Maserati MSG Racing 

Fat Freddy’s Drop to top the bill at eclectic Beaulieu-La-Nuit festival

by: Stephanie Horsman
30/07/2024

This coming weekend, outdoor venues across Beaulieu-sur-Mer will be welcoming a host of bands and singers for the three-night Beaulieu-La-Nuit festival, including New Zealand’s Fat Freddy’s Drop and a number of big names from the local music scene. Here are all the details.  

Formerly known as Les Nuits Guitares, the Beaulieu-La-Nuit festival is opening its arms to a whole range of genres in 2024, from jazz and soul to hip-hop, dub and reggae.  

The festival will be held in a string of al fresco venues in the pretty seaside town, which is found midway between Nice and Monaco, over three nights this weekend. 

Beginning on Friday 2nd August at 5pm, the port area will host Karma at 5pm, while DJ Fausto will be performing on the pétanque courts. At 7pm, festivalgoers will be welcomed to the beautiful Jardin de L’Olivaie for shows by Papooz, Dinaa and then Kid Francescoli, the latter of whom will be on stage until around 11.30pm. 

The next day, the Plage Petite Afrique will be hosting local singer Elissa Lauper from 3pm. At 5pm, the pétanque pitches will provide the stage for Carte Blanche Episode before Antonin plays the Port des Fourmis at 6pm. It will be back to the Jardin de L’Olivaie in the evening for sets by Camel Power Club, Poupie and Jacques from 7pm until late.  

On the final day of the festival, DJ Jeff Tealer will start up the music at 5pm on the pétanque grounds. From 7pm, Voyou, Yoa and Fat Freddy’s Drop will be playing in the Jardin de L’Olivaie. Once the show is over, the action will move on to the iconic Casino de Beaulieu, which will be hosting an after-party with Mowgli and DJ Cut Killer.  

To reserve tickets or for more information, click here.  

Read related:

A guide to this summer’s biggest live music festivals

 

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

 

Photo source: Beaulieu-La-Nuit, Facebook

Monaco-based digital security app Pineappli becomes the Roca Team’s newest partner

by: Niki Borisova
30/07/2024

AS Monaco Basket, the reigning champions of the game’s biggest French league, has announced a new partnership with Pineappli, a Monaco-based start-up that provides secure digital document management services via its innovative cloud solution.  

Jean-Marc Rietsch’s Pineappli, which became the first private company in Monaco to be certified as a Trusted Service Provider (PSCO) by the Monegasque Digital Security Agency (AMSN) back in 2022, is quickly establishing itself as the go-to place for top-level data security within and beyond the Principality’s borders. 

See more: Monaco start-up Pineappli secures major client in Monaco Telecom

Through the company’s new partnership with the league-topping AS Monaco Basket team, Pineappli will be hoping to introduce an even larger audience to its highly secure document management services and shine a light on Monaco’s growing reputation as a hub for excellence, whether that be in the tech world or the sporting realm.  

“By partnering with Pineappli, we highlight shared values such as resilience, determination and innovation,” says a representative for AS Monaco Basket. “Known for our remarkable performances in the French championship and Euroleague, the Roca Team embodies the competitive spirit and dynamism of Monaco. Together, Pineappli and the Roca Team will demonstrate that seemingly opposing sectors can collaborate to create unique synergies.” 

According to the league-topping side, the partnership is about much more than “financial support”. 

“It also includes joint initiatives aimed at promoting digital security and sporting excellence,” continues the spokesperson for the team. “These actions will emphasise the importance of local solidarity and our ambition to showcase Monegasque talents on the global stage. By working together, Pineappli and the Roca Team hope to inspire the community and show that Monaco is a hub of innovation and excellence.” 

Read related: 

AS Monaco Basket become Champions of France for second year in a row

 

Monaco Life is produced by real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads,  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

 

Photo credits: AS Monaco Basket Facebook