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Month: March 2026

Monaco’s Jardin Exotique to reopen at the end of March after years of renovation

by: Cassandra Tanti
06/03/2026

One of Monaco’s most iconic landmarks is set to reopen its doors later this month, following several years of closure for extensive safety and renovation works.

The Jardin Exotique de Monaco will welcome the public from Monday 30th March, open daily from 9am to 6pm. Before that, on Sunday 29th March, the garden will hold a free preview opening exclusively for Monegasque nationals and residents, accessible on presentation of an identity document or residence permit.

Perched on the western cliffs of the Principality, the Jardin Exotique is home to one of the world’s most remarkable collections of succulent plants, gathered from across the globe, and offers sweeping views over Monaco and the Mediterranean. For many residents, the reopening will be the first opportunity in years to rediscover a site that has long been considered part of the Principality’s essential heritage.

Full details and visitor information are available at jardin-exotique.mc.

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Photo credit: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra, Flickr

Prince Albert II visits MonaCollecte meeting Monaco’s youngest recyclers

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
06/03/2026

Prince Albert II opened the fifth edition of MonaCollecte Friday morning, making his way through every stand at the Chapiteau de Fontvieille, speaking with representatives and taking a close interest in the sustainability initiatives presented. 

The Prince was accompanied by Minister of State Christophe Mirmand and guided through the exposition by Pierre Bardy, Directeur Général of the Société Monégasque d’Assainissement, one of the organising bodies behind the annual initiative alongside the Prince’s Government.

Local schoolchildren were also in attendance, taking part in this year’s theme ‘Zero Waste’, and enthusiastically getting involved in the multiple workshops spread throughout the venue.

Schoolchildren involved in the workshops, photo credit: Stéphane Danna, Communications Department

As the Prince moved along the stands, he witnessed the young pupils enthusiastic hands-on approach to their workshops which included cooking without waste, crafting objects from repurposed materials, sorting recycling on tricycles and scooters, and rescuing symbolic sea creature from ocean pollution displays.

He stopped and greeted many of them along the way.

The Prince touring the stands, photo credit: Stéphane Danna, Communications Department

The event continues until Saturday 7th March at the Chapiteau de Fontvieille, with free entry from 10am to 7pm.

Saturday’s programme also includes the Mùnegu Repair Café, run in partnership with the Repair Café de Nice association, where visitors can bring in everyday objects to be fixed between 10am and 6pm.

Inside the venue, photo by Monaco Life

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Main photo credit: Stéphane Danna, Communications Department

Monaco’s 500-year-old olive tree finds a permanent home in Osaka

by: Cassandra Tanti
06/03/2026

A commemorative plaque marking one of Monaco’s most unusual diplomatic gifts has been unveiled in Osaka, formalising the donation of a 500-year-old olive tree from Prince Albert II to the Japanese city.

The tree, presented by the Prince to the Mayor of Osaka on Monaco National Day at Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai, has been planted in Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park, where it will remain as a lasting symbol of the relationship between the Principality and Japan.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by Kristina Djordjevic, Deputy Commissioner General of Monaco’s Pavilion at Expo 2025, and by Tomonori Misono, Director General of the Osaka World Expo Promotion Bureau, representing the city of Osaka.

An olive tree of this age carries considerable symbolic weight — associated across cultures with peace, longevity and cooperation between peoples. That Monaco chose such a gift, rather than a conventional diplomatic offering, reflects the particular character of the relationship the Principality has sought to cultivate with Japan over recent years.

The plaque unveiling marks the latest step in the development of ties between Monaco and Osaka, and ensures that the tree’s origins and meaning are permanently recorded at its new home in one of the city’s most visited public parks.

See also: 

Monaco and Japan to celebrate 20 years of friendship

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Photo source: Government communications department 

 

Prince Albert II urges arctic cooperation at Rome’s Arctic Circle Forum

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
05/03/2026

Prince Albert II called for scientific cooperation and respect for international law to remain at the centre of Arctic policy, warning that geopolitical tensions must not undermine long-term collaboration in the region. 

The Prince delivered his speech in person at the Arctic Circle Forum in Rome on 3rd March, where discussions focused on the accelerating challenges facing the Arctic.

His appearance came just days after he addressed the Monaco Polar Symposium via video call, where similar themes of deteriorating international collaboration and underfunding in polar research had dominated the three-day event.

In Rome, Prince Albert stressed that Indigenous communities must be central to any decisions shaping the Arctic’s future, stating: “The Arctic is a crucial issue for humanity. Its climate and resources concern us all, and its Indigenous peoples must be respected, listened to, and fully integrated into any decision-making process regarding the future of their lands.”

The Prince during his address, photo credit: Michaël Alesi, Prince’s Palace

Collaboration under pressure

The Rome forum gave the Prince an opportunity to reinforce in person what he had urged remotely days earlier in Monaco: that the international community must not let the current moment pass.

With the Fifth International Polar Year due in 2032–33, the window to build lasting frameworks for polar cooperation is narrowing, and the consequences of inaction, extend well beyond the Arctic itself.

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Main photo credit: Michaël Alesi, Prince’s Palace

Social media addiction is the theme of Monaco’s first digital lecture

by: Kyriaki Topalidou
05/03/2026

Monaco is launching a new series of public talks on digital life, with the first event taking place on 26th March at 6:30pm, under the theme: social media and digital addiction, and what we can do about it. 

The evening is organised by Monaco’s Interministerial Delegation for Digital Transition (DITN) and will bring together experts to explore why social media is so hard to put down, how it shapes our attention and behaviour, and what practical steps people can take to find a healthier balance.

The average person now spends more than three hours a day on their phone. It is this figure that has prompted growing concern about the effects on mental health, relationships and focus, and led to the launch of this new series.

The event is in French and is set to run until 8pm and will be followed by a drink reception, giving attendees the chance to carry on the conversation informally.

Those who can’t make it in person can join online via Microsoft Teams. The venue will be in Monaco, however, the exact address will be shared with registered attendees closer to the date. Attendance is free, but registrations are required in advance and can be made through this link.

The talks form part of Extended Monaco, a digital transformation programme launched by Prince Albert II in April 2019. Built around a collaboration between the DITN, government departments, public institutions and private partners, its aim is to use technology to improve public services and quality of life in the Principality

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Main photo credit: Cottonbro studio, Pexels

The French Riviera is hosting its first major longevity summit this month

by: Cassandra Tanti
05/03/2026

A two-day summit bringing together some of the world’s leading researchers and practitioners in longevity science, biohacking and preventive health will take place across Monaco and Nice on 11th and 12th March, making it one of the first events of its kind on the French Riviera.

The Hololife Longevity Côte d’Azur Summit opens on Wednesday 11th March with an exclusive Diamond VIP dinner in Monaco, limited to 50 guests and held alongside keynote speakers from the longevity field. The main conference day follows on Thursday 12th March at Le Méridien Nice on the Promenade des Anglais, with a full programme of talks, workshops and exhibition sessions expected to draw more than 300 attendees.

The speaker lineup spans a broad range of disciplines. Teemu Arina, Finnish biohacker and author of The Biohacker’s Handbook, will open proceedings with an overview of the longevity market and the most effective current interventions. Siim Land — ranked fourth slowest ager in the world on the Rejuvenation Olympics leaderboard — will deliver the closing keynote on the science of extending human lifespan beyond 120 years. Other confirmed speakers include Dr Harry F. König, a specialist in integrative and regenerative medicine with more than 30 years of clinical experience; Dr Axel Bouchon, co-founder of Matter Neuroscience and author of Capitalism of Happiness; and Marina Matkova-Jahlan, founder of Anima Corpus Monaco and a Harvard neuroscience alumna.

The programme is divided across three tracks — Longevity Lifestyle, Performance and Recovery, and Preventive Health — covering topics from cryotherapy and photobiomodulation to hormonal balance, metabolic flexibility and hydrogen inhalation therapy. Sessions are designed to be evidence-based rather than aspirational, with a stated emphasis on actionable protocols that attendees can apply immediately.

The choice of the Côte d’Azur as a setting is deliberate. The region has a well-documented association with healthy ageing, access to specialist medical facilities and an established conference infrastructure that has made the Nice-Cannes corridor one of Europe’s most active destinations for international congresses. A VIP networking cocktail takes place in Nice on the evening of 11th March ahead of the dinner in Monaco.

Tickets are available at longevitymc.hololifesummit.com, with general, VIP and Diamond VIP options. A live stream package is also available for those unable to attend in person. All sessions are conducted in English.

Monaco Life readers will receive a 5% discount on tickets. To obtain the reward, use the promocode MonacoLife5 when booking online.

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Photo credit: MJH SHIKDER, Unsplash