Padel Best Village returns to the Principality with a new format, expanded courts, and the introduction of pickleball alongside two days of matches and discussions.
Monaco Life was present at the official press presentation of the Padel Best Village programme, held on Friday 25th April at the Grimaldi Forum. Organised by BSG Group and PR specialist Gianmarco Nardi, the briefing introduced the third edition of the tournament weekend, which is taking place at the Grimaldi Forum on 26th–27th April.
The two-day event combines matches with panel discussions on topics connected to the growing padel industry. This year, matches are being played on courts both inside and outside the Grimaldi Forum, allowing for a more expansive and accessible layout for spectators and players.
The official press presentation of the Padel Best Village programme took place at the Grimaldi Forum on Friday 25th April. Photo by Monaco Life.
Saturday 26th April, began with an opening ceremony, followed by a welcome cocktail and visits from Monegasque authorities including Deputy Mayor Marjorie Crovetto and Sports Councillor Jacques Pastor.
The programme includes themed panels such as ‘Luxury and sport: padel as the new frontier of the exclusive lifestyle,’ featuring guests like Christian Vieri, Nelson Dida, and Dario Marcolin. Other discussions touch on osteopathy and injury prevention, smart padel gear, and coaching as inspiration.
On Sunday 27th April, panels will shift focus to digital opportunities in sport, injury management, and the crossover between art and competition. Speakers include Frank De Boer, Fabio Quagliarella, Papu Gomez, and Aron Winter.
This year’s edition also introduces a new element to the programme. “After observing last year’s edition, including our event in the U.S., we noticed growing interest in pickleball as well. So for 2025, we decided to include both padel and pickleball within the same event,” said Nardi.
Pickleball is a racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, played on a smaller court with a paddle and perforated plastic ball.
Matches across categories
Matches will take place throughout both days across three courts as part of the Givova Five Padel Cup, which includes the Italy-France Padel Cup. This tournament brings together eight clubs from each country to compete across the weekend. Categories include VIP, Women’s, Sponsors, Inclusive, and the Italy vs. France tournament. Saturday’s line-up features group games such as Gomez–Signori vs Frossard–Dutto and Brocchi–Dida vs Di Biagio–Pacifico.
VIP pairings include Vieri, Candela, Zaccardo, and Mezzancella, while the Inclusive and Sponsor categories will also see full rotation.
Sunday will feature placement matches and finals. The Italy-France semi-final and final will be played on Campo 1, while the Sponsor and Inclusive finals will take place on Campo 2 and 3 respectively. A clinic session is also scheduled for mid-morning
The event remains open to the public at the Grimaldi Forum from 10am to 8pm. For more information, click here.
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Photos by Monaco Life.
Government promotes Salines car park as ideal solution for race day visitors
With Monaco preparing to welcome thousands of visitors for two of its most high-profile annual events — the 8th and 9th Monaco E-Prix on 3rd and 4th May, followed by the 82nd Formula 1 TAG Heuer Grand Prix from 22nd to 25th May 2025 — the Monaco Government is encouraging racegoers to take advantage of the Parking des Salines, a large-capacity facility designed to ease congestion and streamline access to the heart of the action.
Positioned at the western entrance to the Principality, the Salines car park provides a practical and efficient alternative to navigating the city centre. With 1,790 parking spaces and a flat day rate of just €10 during race periods, it offers a cost-effective option that allows visitors to bypass urban traffic while still reaching the circuit quickly and easily.
Two dedicated access routes have been put in place to connect the car park with the race zone. The first is a complimentary shuttle service operated by the Compagnie des Autobus de Monaco, available to all users presenting either their parking ticket or the QR code from an advance online booking via the RésaWeb platform. The shuttle runs between Salines and Avenue Albert II in Fontvieille, a short five-minute walk from the track. This option is especially recommended for people with reduced mobility.
The second is a clearly signposted pedestrian route, taking approximately 16 minutes, that winds through the Galerie des Salines, Promenade Honoré II, Place du Canton, and Place d’Armes. Both options are designed to ensure smooth, stress-free access to the circuit without entering Monaco’s often congested core.
By comparison, city centre car parks will charge between €24 and €30 per day over the race weekends, making Parking des Salines a saving of up to 67% for drivers.
Reservations can already be made at https://resa.parkings.mc, offering visitors the chance to secure their space in advance and benefit from the full convenience of the service.
With affordable rates, free shuttles, and direct walking routes, the government is positioning the Parking des Salines as the smart choice for anyone driving into Monaco during its flagship sporting events.
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Photo by Monaco Life
Inside Méditerranée 2050: the ocean exhibition that dares to dive into the future
Set against the backdrop of one of the world’s richest but most fragile marine ecosystems, Méditerranée 2050 is the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco’s latest landmark exhibition — and it comes with a powerful message: the future of the Mediterranean is ours to shape.
Launched as part of a major, multi-year programme by Monaco’s Oceanographic Institute, the exhibition invites visitors to explore not only the scale of the challenges facing the Mediterranean but also the inspiring solutions within reach. As Prince Albert II of Monaco powerfully declared at COP27 in Egypt: “In the past, the Mediterranean was a symbol of the progress of civilisation. Today it is a symbol of the planet’s dysfunctions and tensions. Tomorrow it must be the symbol of new solutions.”
This journey through time, innovation, and hope is set across more than 1,000 square metres, blending history, science, and cutting-edge technology to imagine a Mediterranean that thrives once again by 2050.
Mediterranee 2050 exhibition is open now to the public
A legacy rooted in the Mediterranean
Monaco’s deep relationship with the Mediterranean stretches back over a century, starting with Prince Albert I, who founded the Oceanographic Institute and dedicated his life to oceanography and scientific exploration. His successors, Prince Rainier III and now Prince Albert II, have carried forward this torch, solidifying Monaco’s role as a leading advocate for ocean conservation.
As Robert Calcagno, CEO of the Oceanographic Institute, says: “We are committed to turning into reality the hope expressed by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco: that the Mediterranean will inspire us to promote sustainable solutions and practices that will better reconcile human development and the preservation of this Mare Nostrum that is so precious to us.”
The Méditerranée 2050 initiative is a continuation of this commitment — not just to study the Mediterranean, but to actively shape its future through science, outreach, and action.
Adults and children alike are encouraged to engage with the digital exhibitions to learn more about the Mediterranean
Immersive storytelling: From past to future
Visitors are first drawn into the exhibition through a series of immersive experiences that trace the Mediterranean’s extraordinary story — from the flourishing civilisations it once nourished to the serious threats it faces today: rising temperatures, mass tourism, pollution, and the overexploitation of marine resources.
Interactive displays reveal why the Mediterranean, covering just 1% of the world’s oceans, hosts 7.5% of marine fauna and 18% of flora, making it a biodiversity hotspot even richer than the Great Barrier Reef. Yet, forecasts warn that by 2050, 580 million people will live in countries bordering this sea, a demographic surge that heightens pressures on fragile ecosystems.
The exhibition challenges visitors to view this crossroads not as a harbinger of doom but as a call to action — a moment to dare, as Prince Albert I once did, to pursue what others considered utopian. As Robert Calcagno puts it: “Utopia is simply what has not yet been tried.”
Oceano Odyssey at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco
A cinematic dive into 2050: Oceano Odyssey
The heart of the exhibition lies in the spectacular Oceano Odyssey. Here, visitors embark aboard a virtual submersible on a breathtaking voyage to the year 2050. Through a colossal 310m² projection and a hyper-realistic soundscape, guests are plunged into a regenerated Mediterranean Sea, where marine protected areas (MPAs) flourish, sperm whales breach the surface, and the lush Posidonia meadows thrive once more.
“This is where we show the payoff,” Pierre-Antoine Gérard, Chief Heritage Curator, told Monaco Life during a personalised tour of the exhibition. “A preserved, regenerated Mediterranean is possible—and it’s beautiful.”
The cinematic journey resonates even more deeply in the historic halls of the Oceanographic Museum, a century-old guardian of the Mediterranean.
Using digital technology to educate and raise awareness is a key aspect of this year’s exhibition
Education through interaction
Throughout Méditerranée 2050, every section is designed for interaction. In the Oceanomania Room, a motion-activated sperm whale sculpture enchants younger visitors. Children step into the shoes of marine park managers in a serious game, learning through play the importance of decision-making in protecting marine ecosystems.
Parents are encouraged to actively guide their children through the exhibits, turning the visit into a collaborative experience. The journey culminates in My Oceano Med, a reflective space where visitors make choices about the ocean’s future and immediately see the consequences of their actions through dynamic simulations.
The exhibition powerfully reinforces one simple message: individual actions matter. Citizens, businesses, and policymakers each have a role to play in reaching the ’30×30′ goal of protecting 30% of the Mediterranean by 2030.
The exhibition embraces the historic beautify of the museum
Dive deeper with virtual reality
A special highlight of Méditerranée 2050 is the new Immer(sea)ve 360° virtual reality experience. As explained by Tiziana Caporale, Head of the Education and Outreach Department, visitors don VR headsets and embark on an underwater dive through thriving marine ecosystems.
“We wanted people not just to watch, but to swim through the Mediterranean as if they were truly diving,” she told Monaco Life. “You encounter Posidonia meadows, dolphins, whales—and you experience firsthand why conservation matters.”
This next-generation experience simulates the feeling of diving, offering a deeply immersive way to understand the stakes involved in ocean conservation. It is available for a small additional fee, and for many, it will be the most powerful memory of their visit.
A global model for sustainable ocean management
Through Méditerranée 2050, the Oceanographic Institute reaffirms Monaco’s commitment to the ocean and to the Mediterranean’s future. The museum is also playing a pivotal role in broader initiatives like the Aquariums and Museums of the Mediterranean Initiative (IAMM 30×30), Monaco Explorations, and partnerships with regional organisations to promote marine conservation across the entire basin.
This exhibition is not merely about raising awareness; it is about rallying collective ambition, providing concrete steps for action, and reigniting the spirit of hope.
As HSH Prince Albert II reminds us: “The Mediterranean must be tomorrow the symbol of new solutions.”
Thanks to Méditerranée 2050, that future now feels within reach — a future shaped by courage, science, cooperation, and the enduring human spirit to protect the treasures of our shared world.
Monaco Life is produced by a team of real multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.
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