Princess Charlene champions first aid training at International Women’s Rights Day event

Princess Charlene of Monaco teamed up with the Monaco Red Cross over the weekend to host an empowering first aid awareness workshop as part of the Principality’s 2025 International Women’s Rights Day events. The Princess, a long-time proponent of the importance of first aid training, joined in with the sessions, which sought to teach basic yet potentially life-saving skills.

On International Women’s Rights Day, held on Saturday 8th March, venues across Monaco staged special events dedicated to the promotion of the many varied roles of women in the world today. There were talks on women in the arts and media, the next generation of female leadership in work-based settings, and cultural events honouring the talents of women and girls.

The event organised by the Monaco Red Cross, in collaboration with the Entreparents and Femmes Leaders Mondiales Monaco associations, took a different approach, seeking to empower women not through words but actions – life-saving actions.

With Princess Charene as the figurehead of the event, the Monaco Red Cross and its teams hosted a first aid awareness workshop at the Espace Léo Ferré that taught participants a range of essential techniques for babies, children and adults, with a particular focus on cardiac resuscitation and choking prevention.

A statement released by the Palais Princier de Monaco notes, “Princess Charlene has always been committed to making first aid training accessible to all, convinced that these essential skills should be shared as widely as possible—particularly with women, who are often the primary educators within families.”

It continues, “Her Serene Highness’s dedication to prevention and safety is reflected in the actions of her Foundation, especially through its drowning prevention programmes, where learning life-saving techniques plays a crucial role. This commitment also aligns with her role as a Goodwill Ambassador for the Red Cross, further strengthening her efforts to protect lives.”

Click on the images below to see more from the event:

Watch Monaco Life’s reel of the PowHer event below:

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Photos: Prince Albert and Princess Charlene receive warm welcome at new-look Monte-Carlo Crèche

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Photo credit: Michaël Alesi / Palais Princier de Monaco

Security exercise planned around Stade Louis II on Tuesday

Authorities in Monaco will conduct a large-scale security exercise around Stade Louis II on Tuesday 11th March, starting at 6:30 pm. The drill, which will combine on-the-ground simulations with command coordination, will involve police and emergency response teams, particularly in the Fontvieille district.

As part of the exercise, Avenue des Castelans will be closed to traffic from 6:00 pm until approximately midnight. Residents and the public are advised to plan accordingly and avoid the area during this time.

Officials are asking the public not to call emergency numbers unless absolutely necessary, to ensure lines remain open for real incidents. People are also strongly discouraged from taking photos or videos of the exercise to maintain operational security.

The exercise is designed to test Monaco’s emergency response capabilities and coordination in a simulated crisis scenario.

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: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

March at the Médiathèque de Monaco: music, art, games and storytelling

From Q&A sessions with prize-winning creatives to poetry readings, musical performances and film screenings, there’s something on the schedule to suit every taste at the Médiathèque de Monaco this March. Here are all the details.

Every month, the Médiathèque de Monaco presents a rich programme of events and workshops across its three main venues: the Louis Notari Library, the José Notari Video and Music Library and the Princess Caroline Library. All of March’s events are free and open to all since the Mairie de Monaco confirmed that it would be removing all subscription fees linked to the public multimedia library network at the end of 2024.

See more: Open to all: access to the Médiathèque de Monaco will be free from 2025

The Louis Notari Library, located at 8 Rue Louis Notari in the Condamine neighbourhood, will be hosting a special event featuring Franco-Afghan writer and filmmaker Atiq Rahimi on Thursday 20th March at 6pm. Rahimi will be discussing his books and films before introducing Syngué Sabour – Pierre de Patience, the adaptation of his novel that won the Prix Goncourt in 2008.

On Monday 24th March at 6.30pm, the same venue will welcome the French artist Bernard Alligand for the opening of the Islande, Jardin Tellurique exhibition, which will continue until the end of June. Alligand’s mixed medium and linocut techniques will be in the spotlight a second time on Saturday 29th March from 2pm to 5pm, when the library will be running a hands-on creative workshop.

A poetry evening entitled Muses will take place on Tuesday 25th March at 6.30pm. The evening, featuring performances by Compagnie Art’émise as part of Printemps des Poètes and Baboucan & The Fine Asses, will be a celebration of women.

Then, on Friday 28th March at 7pm, the Louis Notari Library will be transformed into a live music hub with an evening of the ukulele, guitars and beatbox rhythms.

The events at the José Notari Video and Music Library, on Rue Princesse Antoinette in the Condamine, will get things going on Tuesday 11th March with a picnic concert at 12.15pm. Similar musical events will be taking place every Tuesday lunchtime throughout the month, while Thursday noon offerings will feature iconic TV series.

There will also be a screening of The Ladykillers by Alexander Mackendrick (1955) at 6.30pm on Wednesday 12th March.

The Princess Caroline Library, a place primarily dedicated to children and young adults on Boulevard Albert Ier, will be introducing a Japanese narrative technique called Kamishibai on Wednesday 12th March from 3pm to 4pm.

Young people aged 14 and up are being invited along to a career opportunities experience on Friday 21st March from 7pm to 9pm. The event will feature a host of different games designed to inspire participants and encourage them to explore future career paths.

African tales will be the focus of a story time event on Saturday 29th March from 10am to 11am. Children aged four and up can come along to listen to an hour of adventures through the land of lions and elephants on the savannah.

Toddler Week

The Princess Caroline Library will be dedicating five days of activities for toddlers up to the age of three between Tuesday 18th and Saturday 22nd March. There will be a Musical Awakening session from 10am to 11am on the Tuesday, a Story Time Hour from 10am to 11am and an introduction to board games from 3pm to 4pm on the Wednesday, a Sensory Exploration class from 10am to 11am on the Friday and finally a Stories in Motion morning between 10am and 11am on the Saturday.

For more information, click here.

 

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Photo source: Médiathèque de Monaco / Mairie de Monaco

Podcast + Video: Maximilian Günther on the strategy, speed, and spectacle of Formula E

Max Günther

Formula E is more than just a race—it’s a high-stakes battle of strategy, energy management and raw speed. Few understand this better than Maximilian Günther, the DS Penske driver fresh off a thrilling victory in Jeddah. At just 27, he’s already made a name for himself as one of the most skilled drivers on the grid, and this season, with the introduction of the Gen3 Evo car, the stakes are higher than ever.

In this episode, Max joins Monaco Life’s Cassandra Tanti at the iconic Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo to share what it takes to win in the world’s most competitive electric racing series. He talks about his journey to Formula E, the evolution of the Gen3 Evo car and what it’s like to race on the legendary streets of Monaco—his home circuit.

Listen or watch now for a deep dive into the electrifying world of Formula E with Maximilian Günther.

Click on the link to read the article below: 

https://monacolife.net/exclusive-interview-with-formula-e-driver-maximilian-gunther-its-like-playing-chess-while-driving-a-high-speed-race-car/

Watch, listen, read the news that you want at Monaco Life. 

 

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.

Main photo credit: DDPI Image

Frites Atelier joins Smakelijk! at Le Méridien Beach Plaza

Smakelijk! at Le Méridien Beach Plaza is now serving Frites Atelier’s gourmet fries, as well as the brand’s famous Dutch potatoes and inventive toppings, alongside delicious Belgian beer pairings.

Frites Atelier, the Belgian gourmet fries concept founded by Chef Sergio Herman, has been added to the menu at Smakelijk!, the Belgian brasserie at Le Méridien Beach Plaza in Monaco. The new offering introduces a selection of fries with various toppings to the restaurant’s carte, as well as croquettes, in a setting that combines traditional Belgian brasserie elements with a contemporary approach.

A selection of Frites Atelier’s offerings at Smakelijk!. Photo by Monaco Life.

A closer look at the menu

Monaco Life sampled the Frites Atelier selection on 6th March, starting with croquettes featuring cheese, beef and shrimp. The fries followed, served with different toppings, including one of the standout options: shredded beef, red chimichurri, mayonnaise, fried onions and parsley. Another notable combination is fries with mussels, saffron aioli and garlic shoots, offering an inventive twist to the classic moules-frites dish.

“This partnership is about offering something distinctive in Monaco,” says Vincent Clinckemaillie, General Manager of Le Méridien Beach Plaza. “Frites Atelier is known for its craftsmanship, and we are thrilled to bring that level of quality to Smakelijk!.”

Frites Atelier was founded in 2016 and is known for its creative use of Dutch potatoes, which have been specially selected for their “crispy on the outside and soft on the inside” texture. The fries are cooked using a method that aims to preserve these characteristics while incorporating high-quality toppings such as 18-month-aged Parmesan with fresh truffle and a nachos-inspired combination of American cheese, Jack Daniel’s sauce, bacon, pickles and jalapeños.

“With Frites Atelier, we’re able to present one of Belgium’s most iconic dishes in a new way,” shares Laurent Colin, Culinary Director of Le Méridien Beach Plaza.

See more: New restaurant: croquettes, vol-au-vents, french fries … get into the Belgian spirit at Smakelijk!

Prices range from €8 for a standard portion to €22 for the most elaborate versions. The Frites Atelier menu is available every day except during brunch at Smakelijk!, and no reservation is required.

A Paris-Brussels, a variation of the Paris-Brest dessert. Photo by Monaco Life

To accompany the fries, Monaco Life sampled three Belgian beers, with a sommelier providing recommendations for pairings based on the toppings. The combination of fries and beer can amount to around €30 per person for a full meal.

The tasting concluded with a dessert workshop, where attendees could prepare their own Paris-Brussels dessert—a variation of the Paris-Brest. These workshops are available during Sunday brunch and are primarily aimed at children.

Check out Monaco Life’s Frites Atelier reel below:

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Mediterranean heatwaves are threatening the red coral’s tiny allies, scientists find

A team of researchers from Monaco and beyond has discovered how extreme heatwaves are disrupting the microscopic life that helps Mediterranean red corals survive.

The Mediterranean’s iconic red coral, Corallium rubrum, is facing a new challenge: marine heatwaves. A team of scientists, including Denis Allemand, Christine Ferrier-Pagès, and Romie Tignat-Perrier from the Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM), has uncovered how these extreme temperature events are changing the coral’s tiny microbial partners, potentially making it harder for them to cope with climate change.

The research, carried out in collaboration with Chanel and supported by the Monaco Government, focused on the coral’s eukaryome—the community of microscopic organisms living inside it. By studying 56 coral colonies from different parts of the Mediterranean, the scientists found that healthy corals host a stable mix of microbes, including certain dinoflagellates and ciliates. But in corals exposed to heatwaves, this balance shifts, with other microorganisms—some potentially harmful—becoming more dominant.

One of the biggest challenges for the team was figuring out how to study these microbes without interference from the coral’s own genetic material. To solve this, they designed special genetic primers that filtered out coral DNA, allowing them to get a clearer picture of how heat stress affects the coral’s microbial community. The study also suggests that these tiny organisms might be competing with or even preying on each other, further complicating how corals respond to heatwaves.

With Mediterranean waters getting hotter more often, understanding how these corals and their microbial partners react is more important than ever. The research highlights the urgent need to protect these ecosystems before climate change pushes them past the point of recovery.

See more: 

Exclusive: Denis Allemand reflects on his 38-year legacy at the Centre Scientifique de Monaco

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.