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Day: 16 September 2025

Historic yacht Mariette wins top prize at Monaco Classic Week

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
16/09/2025

A 110-year-old American sailing boat has claimed the top prize at the 17th Monaco Classic Week, which concluded on Sunday after four days showcasing over 150 historic vessels to spectators including Prince Albert II and Formula One driver Charles Leclerc.  

Mariette of 1915, designed by renowned naval architect Nathanaël G. Herreshoff, won the Monaco Classic Week Trophy. The jury, chaired by sailing veteran Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, praised her “perfect combination of quality restoration, elegance and yachting spirit”.

During the week, Prince Albert II also visited the harbour, meeting crews and owners. “These boats have stories to tell and I think we must continue to share this passion,” said Yacht Club de Monaco General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandri.

Several vessels drew particular attention. Partridge celebrated its 140th anniversary, having been rescued from River Blackwater mud and restored for over 17 years. The motor yacht Kalizma, once owned by Hollywood couple Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, was also among the glamorous entries.

The event, organised by the Yacht Club de Monaco since 1994, brought together 40 classic sailing yachts, 70 vintage powerboats, and a dozen period motor-yachts. Half of the sailing fleet were over 100-years-old.

Meanwhile, a record 50 Riva powerboats created the largest gathering of the Italian marque ever seen in Monaco, drawing particular attention from Charles Leclerc who was among the spectators admiring the fleet.

The event combined heritage with competition. Yacht chefs competed using organic ingredients, with Oriole’s chef Jaime Queipo Del Lano winning the culinary contest. An elegance competition judged by Allegra Gucci assessed both boat aesthetics and crew presentation.

Next year two Monaco yachts, Viola and Tuiga, are scheduled to cross the Atlantic to mark America’s 250th independence anniversary, strengthening ties between Monaco and US yacht clubs.

See more in Kyriaki Topalidou’s video reel below…

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Main photo credit: Yacht Club de Monaco

Zondacrypto partners with Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka, boosting its presence in cycling

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/09/2025

Digital currency exchange Zondacrypto has announced Polish cycling champion Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka as its newest brand ambassador, deepening the company’s ties to professional cycling and its Canyon//SRAM zondacrypto team.

The partnership adds Skalniak-Sójka to a growing list of world-class riders already aligned with the exchange, including her Canyon//SRAM teammates Tiffany Cromwell and Katarzyna Niewiadoma. As title sponsor of the team, Zondacrypto has been steadily expanding its profile within the sport, using the visibility of elite cycling to connect its innovative financial services with a global audience.

Shared values of performance and innovation

“We are so pleased to welcome Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka to the Zondacrypto family, which includes a number of other immensely talented cyclists,” said Przemysław Kral, CEO of Zondacrypto. “Agnieszka’s dedication to her sport, her pursuit of excellence and pushing boundaries, perfectly mirrors our own mission to deliver for our users.”

For Skalniak-Sójka, the fit was equally natural. “Becoming a brand ambassador for Zondacrypto feels like a perfect fit,”she said. “I’ve seen firsthand their dedication to the Canyon//SRAM team and wider cycling world, where they are making a tremendous impact. I look forward to joining the rest of my team as Zondacrypto ambassadors, working to connect the worlds of professional cycling and digital assets.”

A growing presence in sport

The announcement highlights Zondacrypto’s growing investment in cycling. The exchange is the official crypto sponsor of Strade Bianche, Milano-Sanremo, Giro d’Italia and Tour de Pologne, and also supports the annual St Tropez to Monaco Charity Bike Ride. Beyond cycling, Zondacrypto has built a significant portfolio across European sport, sponsoring Bologna FC, Atalanta BC, Parma Calcio, AS Monaco and AS Monaco Basket.

The exchange’s ambassador line-up not only cyclists Andrea Pusateri, Szymon Ładniak, Cromwell and Niewiadoma, but also Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas, Ferrari Driver Academy racer Arthur Leclerc, and football stars Giorgio Chiellini and Mattia Perin.

See also: 

AS Monaco Basketball’s VIP courtside zone renamed Zondacrypto Lounge

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Photo provided

Princess Charlene visits CHPG maternity ward to meet Monaco’s newest families

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/09/2025

Princess Charlene visited the maternity ward of the Princess Grace Hospital (CHPG) on Tuesday morning, where she met five mothers and their newborn babies. Accompanied by members of the Monaco Red Cross, the Princess spent time speaking with the families and presented small gifts for both parents and children.

The visit took place in a relaxed and personal atmosphere, with the Princess taking time to listen to the experiences of the new parents. According to the Palace, her presence was warmly received in the ward, where the conversations touched on the first days of life with a newborn and the support available to families in the Principality.

Focus on first aid for infants

During the visit, Princess Charlene also inaugurated a new series of first aid workshops for parents of infants and young children. The programme, organised by the Monaco Red Cross in partnership with CHPG, aims to provide families with the knowledge and confidence to act in emergencies.

The first session, held in her presence, introduced practical techniques such as recognising warning signs and carrying out essential first aid. The workshops will now be rolled out more widely, giving parents access to training within days of their child’s birth.

Photo credit: Frédéric Nebinger, Palais princier

Strengthening prevention and support

The programme highlights Monaco’s focus on prevention and practical support for families. With CHPG and the Monaco Red Cross working together, the aim is not only to care for parents at the time of birth but to prepare them for the demands of life with a newborn.

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Main photo credit: Frédéric Nebinger, Palais princier

Donald Trump, “a historic figure”, dissected by economist Jean-Pierre Petit in Monaco

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/09/2025

The Monaco Economic Board (MEB) and Jutheau Husson welcomed economist Jean-Pierre Petit to the Méridien Beach Plaza on Friday 12th September, for a thought-provoking conference titled ‘Trump and the World: where are we heading?’. The President of Les Cahiers Verts de l’Économie delivered an incisive analysis of Donald Trump’s second term in the White House, a presidency he described as “historic, whether you like it or not”.

Nine months into Trump’s return to power, Petit argued that the American leader has cemented his place as a pivotal figure in world affairs. According to him, the hallmark of this presidency is a resolute reassertion of national sovereignty and a pragmatic international agenda. “It’s not America above everyone else; it’s America first,” Petit remarked.

On the domestic front, he suggested that Trump does not represent a threat to democracy or the rule of law, though he contended that “political legitimacy must take precedence over the activism of judges”. His economic policy, meanwhile, remains sharply debated, from tariffs and protectionism to a worldview that casts the US as a victim of globalisation — all underpinned by America’s unrivalled economic and military power.

Photo Credit: MEB / Sébastien Darrasse

Europe caught in the middle

Turning his focus to Europe, Petit painted a sobering picture of the continent’s vulnerabilities. He pointed to growing dependence on the US in fields such as energy, technology and defence, and issued a strong critique of Europe’s leadership, labelling it “naive and pusillanimous.” This lack of strategic autonomy, he warned, risks undermining Europe’s long-term competitiveness and sovereignty.

A fragile global economy

Petit widened his analysis to global markets, noting contradictory signals within an economy “searching for resilience.” Inflationary pressures, tariff uncertainties, and the twin challenges of the energy and digital transitions weigh heavily on future growth. While growth prospects remain modest but not alarming, he cautioned that much will depend on the capacity of investment to offset labour market weakness and softening household demand.

Investment advice: prudence and diversification

As is tradition during his Monaco appearances, Petit concluded by offering advice to investors. Warning that US equity markets are nearing “bubble territory,” he nevertheless acknowledged them as an appealing option, alongside Chinese and Korean markets. Gold, he said, remains a safe haven despite its high valuation. Above all, his guidance was clear: prudence and diversification should guide any strategy.

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Photo from left to right: Philippe Ortelli, Vice-President of the MEB; Michel Dotta, President of the MEB; Jean-Pierre Petit, President of Les Cahiers Verts de l’Économie; Patricia Husson, Honorary President of Jutheau Husson; Hervé Husson, President of Jutheau Husson;  Guillaume Rose, Chief Executive Officer of the MEB. Credit: MEB / Sébastien Darrasse

A golden surprise awaits: young theatregoers can win the ‘Golden Ticket’ at Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in Monaco

by: Cassandra Tanti
16/09/2025

A deliciously magical experience is being offered to young chocolate lovers in Monaco this December. In celebration of the musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory coming to the Grimaldi Forum, a special contest titled ‘Gagne le Ticket d’Or’ promises to turn a lucky few into real-life winners of a Golden Ticket.

Children under the age of 12 who attend the show will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win a chocolate-themed goûter for four at Le Petit Café Robuchon in Monaco, a treat that echoes the whimsical world of Willy Wonka himself.

An enchanting blend of theatre and chocolate

The contest is open to all children under 12 who have reserved tickets for one of the musical’s four performances, either online or directly at the Grimaldi Forum box office. Upon purchase, and by submitting an email address, participants are automatically entered into the draw.

The draw will close at midnight on 9th December 2025, with the winners announced the following day. Each winner will be personally contacted and presented with their Golden Ticket in person by Willy Wonka himself on the day of their chosen performance.

Performance dates

  • Friday 12th December at 7:30pm

  • Saturday 13th December at 2:30pm and 7:30pm

  • Sunday 14th December at 2:30pm

Seats are selling quickly for this highly anticipated production, so early booking is encouraged. Tickets are available online or via the Grimaldi Forum box office on +377 99 99 30 00.

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Art and wine collide at Kamil Art Gallery

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
16/09/2025

A unique fusion of wine and art brought together an exclusive gathering at Monaco’s Kamil Art Gallery on September 11th, marking the closing reception for Eric Massholder’s Van Gogh exhibition with a wine tasting from Domaine des Perchés.

The event signalled the end of ‘For Vincent: Timeless Connections’ – Massholder’s contemporary interpretation of Vincent van Gogh’s work, while introducing wines from the family-owned vineyards in Cadillac-sur-Garonne near Bordeaux.

Massholder’s exhibition was nothing short of incredible. The Franco-German artist showcased a remarkable ability to paint Van Gogh in completely different ways while keeping him recognisable every time. The most striking example was his rendering of Van Gogh’s face across 250 individual eggs – each one entirely different, yet all unmistakably Van Gogh’s face.

Another fascinating element was Massholder’s use of metre measurements incorporated into his artistic signature, a clever commentary on modern society’s obsession with quantifying everything from money and time to distance and length.

A vineyard reborn through art

The featured wines came from Domaine des Perchés, transformed under owner Carine Riccobono after inheriting the family property following her father’s death in 2019. Riccobono rebuilt the estate after 20 years of abandonment, planting over 3,000 fruit trees and creating what she calls an “atypical and delicate” domain blending nature with art.

The vineyard functions as an open-air gallery, featuring three monumental sculptures by Spanish artist Manuel Alvares and a wine cellar called ‘the chapel’ with stained glass windows depicting the four seasons of vineyard life. Even the bottle labels are created by artists Jean Vallon and Camille Mansir.

The vineyard, photo credit:Fabien Lacroix

The exclusive tasting featured two outstanding white wines vintages – a 2023 and 2024 – that left guests visibly impressed. The wines’ rich, dry character possessed the ability to transport tasters to another era entirely, creating the perfect atmosphere for appreciating the artistic connection between Van Gogh’s love of vineyards and Massholder’s contemporary interpretations.

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Main photo credit: Fabien Lacroix