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Month: April 2025

Palais Princier de Monaco once again welcoming tourist tours

by: Elsa Carpenter
14/04/2025
Palais Princier de Monaco tours

Since the start of April, the doors of the Palais Princier de Monaco, the fabled home of the Grimaldi dynasty on the Rock, have been opened to tourists keen to get a glimpse inside its gilded Grands Appartements.

Tours of the Palais Princier de Monaco offer visitors the chance to step into the fascinating world of Monaco’s sovereign family and the home of Prince Albert II, his wife, Princess Charlene, and their twin children, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella.

Visitors can explore the stunning Grands Appartements and marvel at more than 600m² of Italian Renaissance frescoes that were only recently revealed after being hidden from view for centuries. The long-lost masterpieces, which were uncovered by chance in 2015, have been painstakingly brought back to life by a team of experts and are truly something to behold.

The Palace is open for visits on a daily basis, but as this is a genuine state residence, it may be closed without prior notice.

Until 30th June, visitors can stop by between 10am and 5pm. It will be closed from 22nd to 25th May due to the Monaco Grand Prix. Then, from 1st July until 31st August, the Palace will be open from 10am until 6pm. From 1st September until 15th October, the tours will revert to the 10am to 5pm hours.

Admission is €10 for adults and €5 for children, with tickets available to reserve online. They are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Palace officials have reminded potential visitors that appropriate attire is required on site—swimwear and overly light clothing are not permitted.

Guided group tours are also available, and businesses can organise special visits for clients or partners. Furthermore, visitors can purchase a combined ticket that offers access to both the Palace and the Car Collection of H.S.H. the Prince of Monaco for €17 for adults and €8 for children. For details, contact visites@palais.mc.

Read related:

Prince’s Palace reopens to reveal new hidden frescos under restoration

 

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Photo by Monaco Life

Monaco hosts grand departure of 34th Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles 

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
14/04/2025

The 34th edition of the prestigious women-only Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles officially departed from Monaco on Saturday, with Prince Albert II giving the ceremonial starting signal to competitors embarking on their challenging journey to Morocco. The event at Espace Fontvieille attracted crowds of supporters and motorsport enthusiasts who gathered to wish the adventurous participants well on their epic desert challenge.

The Village Depart at Espace Fontvielle buzzed with excitement from 9am as visitors rushed to meet the competing teams, admire their rally vehicles and take souvenir photos with them before their Moroccan adventure. 

Photo by Monaco Life

Inside the pavilion, partners of the event showcased their offerings with displays ranging from Volvo Cars/Trucks, to Ferrero, Cawe, and Bosch Car Service. The highlight amongst the exhibition stands was Lego Masters finalist Eliès’s remarkable creation—a perfect replica of a Gazelle 4×4 that left spectators awestruck, with crowds gathering throughout the day to admire the masterpiece.

The entertainment program kept energy levels high throughout the morning. Artist LNA took to the stage at 10:30am with an uplifting performance that had the Gazelles dancing and cheering along to every song. This was followed by a special concert featuring Chérie FM artists at 11:30am.

The entertainment’s peak came at noon when Jean Marc Généreux led both competitors and spectators in a step-by-step choreography to Lady Gaga’s hit Abracadabra.

Photo by Monaco Life

Prince Albert II arrived shortly after the performances concluded, taking time to visit each stand personally. He chatted with exhibitors, sampled Cawe’s exquisite champagne, and paused to appreciate Eliès’s Lego replica of the Gazelle 4×4, showing genuine interest in every aspect of the event. 

Addressing the participants from the stage, Prince Albert II said, “I wish you all a safe journey filled with wonderful experiences, and of course, don’t forget to enjoy yourselves during this competition as well.”

With that, attendees departed for lunch and indulged in the gourmet offerings provided by Le Catering Robuchon Monaco.

The afternoon wrapped-up with the emotional departure ceremony at 1:45pm, where participants shared final moments with family, friends, and supporters before taking their positions in their vehicles. At around 2pm, Prince Albert II gave the official starting signal, sending the competitors on their way to North Africa. 

Photo by Monaco Life

Each team passed the starting line one by one, honking and waving to the cheering crowd while Prince Albert II elegantly acknowledged each competitor with a dignified wave, showing Monaco’s long-standing support for this unique competition that continues under the High Patronage of King Mohammed VI of Morocco until April 26th.

This high-profile event offered Monaco residents and visitors alike an unforgettable experience and the perfect opportunity to show support for their favourite teams before they began their journey from Monaco to the challenging terrains of Morocco.  

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.  

Main photo by Monaco Life

 

Prince’s Palace begins new renovation of west wing

by: Cassandra Tanti
14/04/2025

A significant new phase of restoration is underway at the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, as the historic residence of the Grimaldi family since 1297 continues its centuries-long evolution. A fresh wave of renovation works will focus on the Nouvelle Aile, or New Wing, built in the late 1960s, which will now be raised by an additional floor.

The redevelopment project was announced by the palace on Monday, “corresponding to the needs expressed by Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène”. It is part of a broader effort to adapt the palace to contemporary standards while preserving its historic integrity.

“In line with a strategy of heritage preservation and infrastructure optimisation, these works aim to meet modern standards in terms of safety, accessibility, and environmental performance,” ” the Palace confirmed.

The Nouvelle Aile, located on the western side of the Palace, was added more than half a century ago to accommodate the changing requirements of the Sovereign Household. Now, it will undergo a sensitive architectural transformation, balancing its functional role with Monaco’s forward-looking sustainability goals.

The Palace has assured that “interventions will be carefully planned in order to minimise the impact on the activity of the Palace and on daily life in the Principality”. This careful approach echoes the methodical execution of previous restoration phases, which have been underway since 2015.

Those earlier works led to the remarkable rediscovery of Renaissance-era frescoes hidden beneath plaster in the State Apartments — an artistic treasure that has since become one of the palace’s most striking features. Alongside the frescoes, rooms have been meticulously restored and reopened to the public, showcasing the blend of historical splendour and contemporary craftsmanship.

This new development once again reinforces the Palace’s dual identity — as a functioning princely residence and a living monument to Monaco’s heritage.

See also: 

The Prince’s Palace of Monaco reopens for public viewings

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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Nice unveils ambitious swimming pool plan with new Olympic site as its centrepiece

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
14/04/2025

Christian Estrosi, the Mayor of Nice, has announced an ambitious Plan Piscines scheme that will significantly upgrade swimming facilities across the city. The centrepiece of this initiative is a new Olympic-sized outdoor pool in the Plaine du Var area, with work likely to begin on the project next year.

The future 50-metre Olympic pool in the Plaine du Var zone of the city will feature eight lanes, a 500-seat grandstand and a dedicated weights room within its 4,000m² footprint. Located next to the existing Camille Muffat pool – reserved exclusively for Olympic Nice Natation (ONN) athletes’ training – the new facility will be open to the general public.

“Feasibility studies were completed in late 2024. The contract will soon be launched, and construction can begin in late 2026 for delivery a year after,” said Mayor Estrosi of the new project in comments published by Nice Matin.

Though this is much later than originally intended – the pre-existing timeline for the project, first floated in 2002, was for completion by late 2025 – the new version places increased attention on sustainability by incorporating solar panels, water recycling systems and a high-performance thermal cover at the site. The pool is set to achieve 82% energy self-sufficiency, with plans to connect to the Nice Méridia geothermal network by 2028, further enhancing its environmental credentials.

Accessibility and community demand

Pascal Condomitte, Deputy Mayor for Sports in Nice, highlighted the “strong demand” from the local community for expanded swimming facilities.

The site will be accessible via public transportation, located within easy walking distance of the Arboras Université stop on the Ligne 3 tramline and nearby bus stops. However, no dedicated parking area is planned for the facility, meaning visitors will need to rely on street parking or existing public parking lots in the surrounding neighbourhood – a detail that has raised concerns among residents.

While the project comes with a substantial price tag of €18.2 million, Mayor Estrosi noted, “Thanks to its energy self-sufficiency, operational costs will be controlled.”

The Olympic pool represents just one aspect of Nice’s aquatic infrastructure plan, which also includes renovations of several existing pools, a new 25-metre outdoor pool at Saint-Roch and the transformation of the Jean Bouin facility into an aquatic centre.

While many residents eagerly anticipate the improved swimming facilities, others remain sceptical about practical considerations, particularly the absence of dedicated parking and the utility of an uncovered pool during winter months.

Read related:

Louis-II Stadium set to undergo three-year renovation 

 

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.  

 

Image source: Ville de Nice

Mougins turns down the volume on garden noise with e-tools incentive for locals

by: Stephanie Horsman
14/04/2025

As springtime sun brings new growth, quiet moments in the garden are under siege from gas-powered lawnmowers, leaf blowers and chainsaws. Mougins, a town in the Alpes-Maritimes, has come up with a surprisingly modern solution: subsidies for electric garden tools.

That pesky neighbour’s noisy hedge trimmer might soon be little more than a distant hum in Mougins, where the local administration has devised a clever plan to reduce the cacophony caused by commonly used garden tools. To cut down on both noise and emissions, the town is offering residents up to 30% off the cost of new electric garden equipment—a green-powered solution to an old problem.

One local, with a 1,000sqm garden to manage, recently swapped his gas-powered leaf blower for an electric one.

“It cost me €389,” he told France 3 Côte d’Azur, “but with the €116 grant, I only paid €273.”

Gas mowers alone reach about 70 decibels, louder than a passing car. That’s enough to drown out an afternoon read or a post-lunch snooze under the olive tree.

The town of roughly 20,000 inhabitants has reportedly already received 40-odd applications for assistance under the new subsidy programme, which is currently running as a year-long trial. Local gardening stores are even getting in on the action, offering QR codes that link directly to the town’s application form.

Christophe Ulivieri, Mougins’ First Deputy Mayor, told France 3 Côte d’Azur that the move away from traditional tools such as petrol-powered lawnmowers, chainsaws and leaf blowers is primarily to “improve the quality of life of residents.

“It’s really been a credo for years, but we’ve stepped up to eliminate the gas-powered ones,” he told the newspaper.

The town plans to evaluate the success of the initiative after a year, but early interest suggests residents are open to trading engine roars for quieter, eco-friendly alternatives. If the programme proves effective, it could serve as a model for other communities looking to reduce noise pollution—one electric lawnmower at a time.

Read related:

Four in 10 new car registrations in Monaco are for electric or hybrid vehicles

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.   

Photo credit: M. Berna, Pexels

A unique cityscape: Architectural Heritage of Monaco launches youth photography contest

by: Stephanie Horsman
14/04/2025

Calling all young shutterbugs! The Department of Cultural Affairs is inviting creatives aged 11 to 25 to capture Monaco’s architectural heritage in an exciting photography competition this spring. Whether you’re an aspiring photographer or an amateur who loves snapping cool shots of the cityscape, the Architectural Heritage of Monaco Youth Photo Contest presents an opportunity to showcase your talent and have a shot at being part of an outdoor exhibition featuring 15 of the best photos.

As part of the European Heritage Days 2025 celebrations, the Architectural Heritage of Monaco Youth Photo Contest encourages young people to explore and appreciate Monaco’s unique urban environment. From its grand and historic landmarks to hidden architectural gems, and from apartment facades to intricate details on promenades and old stonework, each corner of the Principality holds a story waiting to be told through the lens.

There are two competition categories: one for juniors aged 11 to 15, and another for youth aged 16 to 25. The candidate’s age at the time of registration determines which category they fall into.

Once all entries are in, a panel of experts will select 15 standout photographs based on their artistic quality and original perspective. Additionally, fellow young creatives, aged 11 to 25, will form a special jury to crown four outstanding photographs with exclusive awards. These winning shots will then be exhibited at the Jardins Saint-Martin from 3rd June to 5th October.

The competition is open to young photographers of Monegasque nationality or those studying, residing, or working in Monaco. Make sure to register by midnight on 25th April and let your artistic vision shine!

To sign up for the contest, click here. For more details, contact infodac@gouv.mc.

Read related:

Benson Boone and Billy Idol lead blockbuster line-up for Monte-Carlo Summer Festival 2025

 

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 by Monaco Life