Monaco’s popular indoor swimming pool, the Piscine Saint Charles, has been closed since July, but the public facility will be reopening later this month.
The Piscine Saint Charles will reopen on 21st October following the latest round of infrastructure improvement projects, which saw the indoor pool shuttered for nearly three months.
The pool was closed on 15th July to allow for the installation of various technical equipment designed to enhance comfort and convenience for the public. The establishment had been open for just over a year, following a massive year-long refurbishment completed in June 2023.
Some of the most recent works included the installation of a new heat pump system, which will speed up the process of raising the water temperature for baby swimming courses, as well as improvements to the central control and treatment rooms.
Once open again, the pool will offer a full schedule, including regular lap swimming times, adult classes such as Aqua Power, Aqua Trampo and Aqua Relax, and kids’ favourites like Aqua Mermaid and Aqua Dolphin for those aged six and older.
For a list of all activities, timetables and prices, click here.
Monaco’s electric bike-sharing service, MonaBike, is upgrading its fleet with a new model that includes an LCD screen and three adjustable speeds. The changes, which are already being gradually introduced, aim to improve the overall user experience and adapt the bikes to a range of riding conditions.
Since its launch in July 2019, MonaBike has become a key part of the Principality’s transport network. It provides an eco-friendly alternative to driving in Monaco’s congested streets and extends to parts of neighbouring Cap d’Ail. The bikes are a popular choice for short trips and daily commutes, especially as Monaco pushes towards reducing traffic and cutting carbon emissions.
The updated model allows riders to adjust the electric assistance across three levels, helping them navigate the varied terrain of Monaco, from flat urban areas to steeper hills. The LCD screen offers real-time data on battery life and speed, giving users more control over their ride.
MonaBike remains affordable, with pay-as-you-go rates of €1 per 30-minute session and subscription plans for regular riders. The entire fleet is expected to be replaced with the new model in the coming months, marking a significant shift in the service’s offering.
Exactly three decades after its founding, the International School of Monaco (ISM) has opened the doors to its stunning new campus at Testimonio II. Monaco Life’s Cassandra Tanti took an exclusive tour of the campus, observing firsthand how the new facilities embody the Principality’s world-class standards.
Nestled in Monaco’s prime Larvotto district, the purpose-built, visually striking facility is worlds apart from the former office-like campus on Quai Antoine 1er. After years of planning and fundraising, ISM now boasts a campus worthy of the Principality’s prestige, combining advanced technology, well-being initiatives and academic excellence.
Situated within the sprawling Testimonio II complex, the 8,000m² campus features 53 classrooms, two playgrounds, two libraries, a sports hall, an auditorium, a rooftop café and football pitch, a well-being sanctuary and more.
Once the final scaffolding is removed, the school will also boast breathtaking, million-dollar views of the Mediterranean Sea.
The International School of Monaco is located in the new Testimonio II development in the exclusive Larvotto district. Photo by Monaco Life
“The community support has been incredible,” says ISM Director Stuart Bryan. “Firstly, the Board of Trustees, both past and present, have played a key role in setting aside reserves for this project. In addition, this time last year, we launched our capital campaign and we set the goal of raising €5 million, and without the gala dinner this December, we’ve already reached €4 million, thanks to the generosity of the parents and families closely connected to the school.”
All around the campus, plaques are positioned outside rooms and facilities to highlight the generous financial support of families. These plaques not only celebrate their contributions but also ensure their legacy lives on, helping to shape the future of the school and its students.
ISM Director Stuart Bryan in the foyer of the new ISM campus. Photo by Monaco Life
The entrance foyer is undoubtedly the most striking feature of the new premises, showcasing a sweeping staircase that ascends to the open-plan second and third floors. A mini grand piano and a cosy parents’ corner offering fresh coffee and pastries during morning drop-off serve as a reminder of the luxury that comes with being located in one of the most prestigious cities in the world.
“At drop-off and pick-up, the Atrium transforms into a hub of friendship, where parents share stories over coffee and snacks, nurturing a community that thrives together,” shares one of the parents.
The sports hall at ISM is centrally located and proudly shows the “house” colours. Photo by Monaco Life
Above the coffee stand, the school proudly displays its achievements and accreditations, including ‘Founding Member of the Alliance for Sustainable Schools’, recognition as an ‘Athlete Friendly Education Centre’, and the prestigious ‘WAS Wellbeing Award for Schools’. The school also highlights its official authorisation to now offer the complete International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, including the newly added Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP), alongside the previously established Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP).
“ISM is one of the 82 IB World Schools out of more than 6,750 to be authorised to offer all four IB programmes, placing ISM in the top 1% of all IB schools worldwide,” says Bryan. “Moreover, ISM is also accredited by the World Academy of Sport, the official sports partner of the IB, as an Athlete Friendly Education Center (AFEC), which, along with the offering of all four IB programmes, makes ISM unique as the only bilingual French-English school in the world with this combination of programmes on offer.”
One of ISM’s new libraries. Photo by Monaco Life
In 1994, ISM was founded by parents with just 34 students. Now, the school accommodates 827 students from 63 different nationalities and is ranked among the Top 100 schools globally and the Top 10 in Europe.
Wooden crates of fresh fruit are dotted throughout the school for students to snack on and recharge the brain. A whimsical yellow submarine in the primary section sings to Monaco’s commitment to the ocean and encourages creative play, while an enormous playground allows a smooth balance between learning and play during the day. The secondary and senior hallways feature comfortable pods where students can gather, work on their laptops, or take a moment for themselves. Meanwhile, a senior-exclusive rooftop terrace with a café, a football pitch and a sheltered hang-out spot is effortlessly cool and undeniably Monaco.
Using tech to ignite curiosity
In this fast-moving technological world, the digital room is what I found most exciting: seven floor-to-ceiling android touch screens and accompanying virtual reality headsets provide students with 360° virtual reality capability.
Prince Albert II in the state-of-the-art tech room of ISM. Photo credit: Ed Wright Images
During his official inauguration and visit to the International School of Monaco on Friday 13th September, Prince Albert II explored how students will use this technology to enhance their learning experience. As an example, he virtually dived into the ocean aboard ISM’s yellow submarine, using a VR headset to explore marine life at different depths. This immersive technology is designed to engage students in interactive lessons, such as marine conservation, where they can dive into virtual environments, then return to the classroom to analyse and expand on the topic.
Even the canteen stands out with its spacious layout and a variety of fresh, homemade meals. The catering team, clearly passionate about their craft, take great pride in preparing delicious, wholesome food for the students, ensuring every dish is both nutritious and appealing.
The catering team at ISM prepare a range of healthy meals for staff and students. Photo by Monaco Life
For families considering relocation to Monaco, ISM’s ongoing commitment to student wellbeing, academic excellence and its newly unveiled state-of-the-art campus will undoubtedly be a key factor in their decision-making process.
“This school adds to Monaco’s attractiveness as a destination for families seeking the best education,” agrees Bryan. “Now, we have facilities that match the quality of our teaching, helping position ISM as one of the top international schools in Europe and the world.”
ISM is recognised among the Top 100 schools worldwide by the 2024 Spear’s Schools Index and among the Top 125 private schools in the world by Carfax Education’s 2023 Schools Index.
Prince Albert II cutting the ribbon during the inauguration of ISM on 13th September. Photo credit: Ed Wright Images
With the milestone of expanding and modernizing its campus now achieved, what lies ahead for ISM? More students, new programs?
“Now that we’ve settled into this incredible new facility, our focus shifts to the future,” says Bryan. “We’ve been working closely with the community, conducting surveys and focus groups to help shape our vision for the coming years.”
The journey ahead is sure to be watched closely, both by those within the school and the broader community.
For more information on education in Monaco, read our article on the British School of Monaco’s new secondary campus here, important dates on the 2024/25 school calendar here, and where to buy school supplies in Monaco here.
Take the video tour with our Instagram video below…
Fighting in the Middle East has spilled over into Lebanon, with the capital of Beirut and the nation’s southern regions in the crosshairs of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The Monaco Red Cross has launched an appeal for donations, which will be forwarded to international Red Cross teams working on the ground.
As the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas begins to spill beyond Palestinian and Israeli territory, life in Lebanon has taken a devastating turn.
More than 500,000 people have been forced from their homes as the violence disrupts essential services in southern Lebanon. Over 100 people in Lebanon are believed to have been killed in bombing attacks, with many more injured. In the capital, Beirut, a round of bomb attacks on the night of 3rd October claimed at least 37 lives and injured over 150 people, according to reports from the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Communities across southern Lebanon are now facing critical shortages of basic necessities such as water, food and medical care.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and the Lebanese Red Cross have raised the alarm, alerting the world to the worsening situation and asking for assistance with rescue and recovery efforts.
Now, the Monaco Red Cross, led by its president, Prince Albert II, has issued its own urgent call for public donations. Every donation will be forwarded to the IFRC and ICRC.
To contribute to the Monaco Red Cross’s relief efforts, donations can be made online at www.croix-rouge.mc or by mailing a cheque to: Croix-Rouge Monégasque-Liban, 27 Boulevard de Suisse, 98000 Monaco.
Gildo Pastor is a visionary entrepreneur known for pushing the boundaries across multiple industries, from electric vehicles and motorsports to space exploration and media. His leadership of ventures like Radio Monaco, Venturi Racing and Venturi SpaceLab has cemented his reputation as a trailblazer in both technological innovation and sustainability. Now, Pastor’s sights are set on taking his Monaco-based radio station, Radio Monaco, to new heights—quite literally to the moon.
Pastor, who founded Radio Monaco in 2000, overcame initial challenges to establish it as the Principality’s first radio station despite strict regulations against Monegasques owning radio stations at the time. What began as MC1, a small operation in a modest studio, has grown into a multimedia powerhouse that broadcasts both in Europe and in North America via SiriusXM. Pastor’s ambition doesn’t stop there: his dream is to send Radio Monaco to the moon as part of a larger NASA-backed lunar mission, with his company involved in several space ventures aiming to support human exploration of the moon’s South Pole.
“I love a challenge,” Gildo Pastor tells me confidently. “I enjoy taking on companies or industries where people say, ‘You can’t do that.’”
Under Pastor’s leadership, Radio Monaco has continued its ascent, and on Wednesday 18th September, the station marked a new milestone with the inauguration of its state-of-the-art digital multimedia studio, in the presence of National Council President Thomas Brezzo and Vice-President Jean Louis Grinda.
This next-generation facility, located at the heart of the radio station, allows for simultaneous audio and video broadcasting, taking full advantage of cutting-edge technology. The new studio is equipped with five ultra-high-definition 4K cameras, custom lighting for each speaker, immersive LED displays and AI-assisted RCS audio systems—setting new international standards for both sound and video quality.
Gildo Pastor cutting the cake for the new studio on 18th September, and celebrating Radio Monaco’s expansion into North America with SeriusXM. Photo by Monaco Life
This ambitious transformation was overseen by Pastor’s “good friend”, French DJ and technology expert Joachim Garraud, who helped design the studio’s acoustics, lighting, and layout. According to Pastor, the move into multimedia is a natural evolution for Radio Monaco, which is no longer just a radio station, but a fully integrated media platform offering a 360° experience.
“My vision has always been to constantly renew and reinvent the offer of our station,” says Pastor. “Today, Radio Monaco positions itself as an essential multimedia player, offering an immersive and modern experience while staying deeply rooted in the Principality.”
The new Radio Monaco studio
Pastor’s ventures extend far beyond radio. Through Venturi, he has made significant contributions to the world of electric vehicles, pioneering high-speed electric cars that have broken world records and caught the attention of NASA. Venturi Racing, meanwhile, has become a leading name in Formula E, the all-electric motorsport series, pushing forward innovation in sustainable racing.
In 2023, Venturi Astrolab, alongside Axiom Space and Odyssey Space Research, secured a NASA contract worth up to $1.9 billion to develop the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) for the Artemis campaign. Venturi, led by Gildo Pastor, is supplying the FLEX rover’s wheels and batteries, engineered in Switzerland and Monaco. These components will enable the rover to explore the moon’s harsh terrain and extreme temperatures at the lunar South Pole.
“We’re showing NASA that we’re five years ahead of schedule,” reveals Pastor. “What they’re asking for, we completed long ago.”
The lobby of the Gildo Pastor Centre in Monaco now boasts its own moon sculpture. Photo by Monaco Life
At the Gildo Pastor Centre, where both Radio Monaco and Venturi reside, a sculpture of the moon’s South Pole now decorates the lobby, showcasing Pastor’s deep-rooted ambition to reach the moon.
“My dream is to take Radio Monaco to the moon. Sending humans there is no easy task, especially since we’re heading to the South Pole, where temperatures reach -220°C. It’s a harsh environment, and people will face challenges. We want to be there to support them.”
Back on earth, as the Consul General of Monaco in New York, Pastor plays a key role in promoting the Principality abroad. His global vision, combined with his deep connection to Monaco, positions him as one of the most influential figures in both the business and technological landscapes.
Whether on earth or on the moon, Gildo Pastor’s forward-thinking approach continues to challenge the status quo and redefine what’s possible.
Main photo left to right: National Council Vice-President Jean Louis Grinda, Gildo Pastor, and National Council President Thomas Brezzo. Credit: Cassandra Tanti
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