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Day: 15 April 2026

Prince Albert II inaugurates Nice Côte d’Azur Airport Terminal 2 extension

by: Cassandra Tanti
15/04/2026

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport officially inaugurated the extension of its Terminal 2 on Monday 13th April, in a ceremony attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot, Nice Mayor Eric Ciotti, and several other senior figures from the region.

The expansion addresses a capacity problem that has been building for years. France’s second busiest airport had been operating beyond its 14-million-passenger annual limit since 2019. The new extension brings total capacity to 18 million passengers and adds more than 23,000 m² of space — an increase of over 30% in passenger-accessible area.

What has been built

The extension, designed by architect Stéphane Aurel, is divided into three zones delivered in phases. The first, completed before summer 2025, expanded the non-Schengen boarding area and added a new departure passport control zone, retail outlets and a VIP lounge.

The second — a pier giving direct airbridge access to six aircraft stands, eliminating the need for buses and allowing simultaneous processing of passengers regardless of origin or destination — enters service in the coming days.

The third, comprising 36 check-in desks and a new hold baggage system, will come into operation when summer traffic requires it.

The Terminal 2 extension was designed by architect Stéphane Aurel

The Monaco connection

The airport serves a catchment area extending from western Var to northern Italy and encompassing Monaco. Visitor spending passing through the airport generates €362 million in revenue for the Principality annually, underlining the strategic importance of the infrastructure to Monaco’s economy as much as to the wider region.

“An airport is the first and last memory of a stay,” said Franck Goldnadel, President of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur. “Our responsibility to our territory is to make it the best possible.”

The extension includes 36 check-in desks and a new hold baggage system

Built without new land use

The project was constructed without any additional land artificialisation and is designed to meet the environmental standards of the Nice EcoVallée framework. Geothermal solutions and photovoltaic panels cover more than 10% of the building’s energy needs, and the extension is designed to increase capacity without increasing CO² emissions under scopes 1 and 2. An independent ecologist and environmental engineer monitored the construction site throughout.

Alessandro Benetton, President of Mundys and Edizione — the airport’s principal shareholder — said the project reflected a long-term commitment to French infrastructure. “Over the years, we have invested more than €11 billion in French infrastructure. This is the path we will continue to follow.”

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All photos source from: Préfet des Alpes-Maritimes 

 

Klaus Kabelitz appointed General Manager of Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo

by: Cassandra Tanti
15/04/2026

Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo has appointed Klaus Kabelitz as its new General Manager, succeeding Serge Ethuin, who led the property for more than a decade before stepping down.

Klaus Kabelitz brings a career built almost entirely within Europe and the United States’ most prestigious hotel addresses. Most recently, he served as General Manager of The Kensington in London within The Doyle Collection, where he oversaw the property’s repositioning as a luxury hotel. Before that, he held the role of Hotel Director aboard the Seabourn Quest, managing all hotel operations and leading the vessel’s post-pandemic relaunch.

His earlier career reads as a tour of London’s most celebrated addresses. He led The Biltmore Mayfair for LXR Hotels & Resorts and piloted the opening and early development of The Cadogan London for Belmond. He also headed El Encanto in Santa Barbara and Le Richemond in Geneva, both within Belmond and Dorchester Collection respectively. Nearly fourteen years were spent with The Maybourne Hotel Group, where he served as General Manager of The Berkeley after beginning his career in rooms management at Claridge’s. His formation also included time with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and Hilton International.

“Joining Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo is an honour,” Kabelitz said. “It embodies a unique art of living, where history and contemporary elegance are in dialogue. Alongside the teams — whose talent and commitment I greatly admire — we will strive to further elevate this exceptional property and enrich the experience of each of our guests.”

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Photo provided

Kurt Russell and Kristin Scott Thomas to receive Crystal Nymph Awards at Monte-Carlo Television Festival

by: Cassandra Tanti
15/04/2026

The Monte-Carlo Television Festival has named Kurt Russell and Dame Kristin Scott Thomas as recipients of its Crystal Nymph Award at the 65th edition of the event, running from 12th to 16th June at the Grimaldi Forum. Both awards will be presented by Prince Albert II.

The Crystal Nymph is the festival’s highest individual honour, previously awarded to Michael Douglas, Dame Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland, Morgan Freeman and Robin Wright.

Kristin Scott Thomas

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas will receive her award during the opening ceremony on 12th June. One of the most respected Franco-British actresses of her generation, she has built a distinguished career across film, theatre and television, most recently appearing in the acclaimed series Slow Horses. She has also stepped behind the camera for the first time with My Mother’s Wedding, a project she wrote, directed and starred in.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition in Monaco, a place that has long celebrated artistic excellence with such grace,” she said.

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell will be honoured at the closing ceremony on 16th June. A long-standing figure in American film and television, he began his career on the small screen through productions with The Walt Disney Company before becoming a major Hollywood presence over five decades. He has recently returned to television with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters and will next appear in the highly anticipated series The Madison.

“It is a great honour to be selected for this distinguished award, and I very much look forward to spending time with His Serene Highness Prince Albert II. It has been a long time,” Russell said.

“Their exceptional careers, spanning both film and television, perfectly reflect the artistic excellence and international perspective that these awards celebrate,” said Cécile Menoni, Executive Director of the Monte-Carlo Television Festival.

Kurt Russell and Dame Kristin Scott Thomas will receive Crystal Nymph Awards at the 65th Monte-Carlo Television Festival in June, with both honours to be presented by Prince Albert II at the Grimaldi Forum.

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Photos provided by MC Television Festival

 

Monaco’s iconic bar La Rascasse reopens with a motorsport makeover

by: Cassandra Tanti
15/04/2026

La Rascasse, one of Monaco’s most storied bars, reopened its doors on Thursday 9 April after four months of renovation, emerging as a chic motorsport-themed venue that pays tribute to Monaco’s most defining obsession.

Situated on Port Hercule at the famous hairpin of the Grand Prix circuit, the bar has been transformed by Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer’s construction and heritage division into something that feels less like a renovation and more like a reinvention. The ceiling is now sculpted from car engines and spare parts. The floor is a chequered pattern evoking a race start line. The colour palette is red and white throughout, with vintage race photography lining the walls and a podium displaying drivers’ helmets and race suits — including that of Monaco’s own Charles Leclerc.

More than 70-years-old and a fixture of Monaco’s nightlife since long before SBM acquired it in 2011, La Rascasse has always occupied a unique position: a former fishermen’s hut that became one of the great party venues of the Principality. The new identity leans into that history while giving it a sharper, more contemporary edge.

The programme

Doors open from 17h30 Tuesday to Saturday, with discounted cocktails available from 17h30 to 22h on weekdays and 19h to 22h on Saturdays. Live bands play Thursday to Saturday, with DJ sets from 23h.

The largest screens in the venue will broadcast major sporting events throughout the season, cementing its role as the natural gathering point during Grand Prix weekend and beyond.

Photo source: MCSBM

The cocktails

Signature cocktails are priced at €18 and built around the motorsport theme — the Rascasse Paddock with mezcal, cassis and ginger beer, the Pit Stop with tonka-infused vodka and coffee, and the Pôle Position with rum, melon liqueur and pineapple.

During afterwork hours — 17h30 to 22h on weekdays and 19h to 22h on Saturdays — prices drop across the board: classic cocktails at €12, mocktails at €10, and wines, spirits and beers are priced around €8, making the early evening the most wallet-friendly window to settle in before the night picks up.

The food

The finger food menu, priced from €16 to €26, is designed for sharing and grazing across a long evening. Savoury highlights include Rascasse Croquettes at €16, Smoked Salmon Tacos at €18, an Iberian Platter at €16, and Grilled Octopus at €24.

The most substantial options — the Crying Tiger Tropical Smoke and the Nikkei Salmon — each come in at €24 to €26. The Signature Mini Cheeseburgers and Crispy Fusion Chicken are priced at €20.

Desserts, including the standout Finger Signature Casque N°16 — a shortbread biscuit with a molten caramel centre coated in milk chocolate, a nod to Charles Leclerc’s helmet number — and Mini Doughnuts, are €12.

La Rascasse is at 1 Quai Antoine Ier, open Tuesday and Thursday 17h30 to 3h, Friday 17h30 to 4h, Saturday 19h to 4h.

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Photo source: MCSBM

 

Monaco set to feature in Emily in Paris season six

by: Cassandra Tanti
15/04/2026

Monaco is set to feature in the sixth season of Emily in Paris, Netflix’s hit romantic comedy series, with production scheduled to begin in May, according to Variety.

The Principality joins Greece as a new location for the globe-trotting show, which has previously filmed in Paris, Rome, Venice, Saint-Tropez and Megève. The addition of Monaco continues the series’ pattern of using glamorous European settings as backdrops for its storylines.

The core cast returns for season six, including Lily Collins, Lucas Bravo, Ashley Park, Lucien Laviscount, Samuel Arnold, Bruno Gouery and Andrew Fleming.

Plot details remain under wraps, though the Greek location points to developments between Emily and her on-again, off-again love interest Gabriel — a French chef last seen departing for a job on a yacht. In the season five finale, Gabriel sends Emily a postcard inviting her on a Greek getaway, leaving the door open for a reunion.

Season five debuted at number two on Netflix’s global Top 10, drawing 13.5 million views in its first four days. Creator Darren Star, who received France’s Legion of Honour in December, has described Gabriel as Emily’s “big love” and said he cannot imagine the series without him.

No details have been released on which locations within Monaco will be used or when filming in the Principality is scheduled to take place.

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Photo: Image of Emily in Paris promotional poster rendered over photograph of Hotel de Paris, credit: Cassandra Tanti