The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation held the fourth edition of its Green Shift Festival at the Yacht Club de Monaco from 9th to 11th April, bringing together climate sociologists, transition town pioneers, committed athletes and visionary architects for three evenings of free public programming around ecological transition.
The festival, part of the Foundation’s Green Shift Initiative launched in 2023, moved to a new venue this year — the Meeting Room on Quai Louis II — and expanded its programme while maintaining its founding ambition: to open spaces for dialogue and imagination around sustainable futures.
“The Green Shift Festival is an invitation to imagine desirable futures,” said Romain Ciarlet, Vice-President and CEO of the Foundation. “By bringing together the perspectives of artists, researchers, athletes and frontline actors, it opens spaces for dialogue and emotion that help us transform our relationship with the living world.”
Three evenings, three themes
The opening evening on Thursday 9th April explored how storytelling shapes collective visions of the future, with historian and futurist Mathieu Baudin hosting a conversation between climate sociologist Stéphane La Branche and writer Jeanne Hénin, who facilitates workshops on the power of language.
Friday 10th April turned to cities and territories, in a bilingual evening, with Rob Hopkins, founder of the International Transition Towns movement, joining visionary marine architect and explorer Jacques Rougerie to discuss how we might rethink the way we inhabit the world.
Saturday 11th April gave the floor to athletes committed to environmental causes — wingfoiler Flora Artzner, freediver and underwater dancer Julie Gautier, climber Nolwen Berthier, athlete Younès Nezar, sailor Arthur Le Vaillant and mountain biker Yannis Pelé — with closing remarks from big wave surf champion Sebastian Steudtner.
Photo credit: Philippe Fitte / FPA2
Beyond the panels
Running alongside the evening discussions was a full programme of activities open to all: wellness sessions including qigong, yoga and sound healing, creative writing workshops, family activities, a bicycle repair area with Munegu Repair Biçiclëta, and a series of Happy Hours spotlighting local ecological initiatives.
Three exhibition spaces accompanied the festival. Inside the venue, visitors encountered extracts from Jeanne Hénin’s poetic dictionary Les mots qu’il nous faut, drawings by Jacques Rougerie, and photographs from Yannis Pelé’s World Tour project. On the Yacht Club quay, a selection of projects from the Jacques Rougerie Foundation’s International Innovation and Architecture Competition was on display, while the Healing Flags collective installation — created by the Aleksandr Savchuk Cancer Charity — was presented on the Lucciana jetty.
The festival also dedicated sessions to cultural institutions in the Principality, including two Culture Fresk workshops and a conference for cultural administrators led by Laurence Ghestem, founder of Culture Demain. School groups participated in a writing workshop with Jeanne Hénin, a Climate Workout with Younès Nezar, a masterclass by Rob Hopkins and a discussion with Jacques Rougerie.
The three days concluded with a concert by Bobbie, singer, songwriter and folk-americana guitarist.
When the world premiere of Michael — the long-awaited biopic about the King of Pop — took place at the Uber Eats Music Hall in Berlin as part of the Global Fan Celebration organised by Lionsgate, Universal Pictures and the Estate of Michael Jackson, one of the seats in that screening room belonged to Monaco-based film producer and philanthropist Monika Bacardi.
She was, according to those present, the only Monegasque invited to attend — welcomed personally by the Jackson brothers alongside the film’s cast and director Antoine Fuqua.
A premiere like no other
The three-day Global Fan Celebration drew thousands of Michael Jackson fans to Berlin, with a red carpet, an immersive exhibition featuring costumes and behind-the-scenes displays, panel discussions with the cast and crew, and a closing party. But at the heart of it all was the film itself — a project that has been building anticipation for years and that, based on early reactions from those who saw it, appears to have delivered.
Bacardi watched the screening with the dual perspective of someone who operates on both sides of the emotional and professional divide — as an engaged viewer and as a producer who understands precisely what each scene costs in terms of craft, research and execution. What she witnessed left a strong impression.
“There were moments when I forgot I was watching an actor,” she said. “The boundary between the performer and reality seemed to dissolve completely.”
Jaafar Jackson’s debut
At the centre of the film is Jaafar Jackson — son of Jermaine, nephew of Michael — making his feature film debut under Fuqua’s direction. Early reactions from Berlin suggest he brings something beyond physical resemblance: a stage presence that evokes the myth convincingly, capturing not only the gestures and the voice but something considerably harder to define and harder still to achieve.
In a landscape where biopics have proliferated with uneven results, Michael appears to distinguish itself through its ambition and its meticulous artistic fidelity, according to Bacardi.
Returning to Monaco after what she described as a lightning visit to Berlin, Bacardi spoke of the experience not as a professional engagement but as a privilege — the privilege of being among the first to witness what she believes will leave a lasting mark on audiences worldwide.
Michael is distributed by Universal Pictures. A global release date is expected imminently.
Hollywood is coming to Monaco — at least on screen. Margot Robbie confirmed at CinemaCon this week that the upcoming Ocean’s 11 prequel, in which she stars alongside Bradley Cooper, will be set at the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix.
The film centres on the parents of Danny Ocean — the suave con-man played by George Clooney in Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 Ocean’s Eleven — telling the story of the heist that, presumably, taught him everything he knows. “Before Danny Ocean ever stepped foot in Vegas, two masterminds taught him everything he knows — his parents,” Robbie teased during a Warner Bros. preview reel. “You’ll see them in their prime, pulling off an epic heist at the 1962 Monaco Grand Prix.”
Cooper, who is also directing the project, took over after two filmmakers departed. Robbie is producing through her company LuckyChap, with Carrie Solomon writing the screenplay. Filming is expected to begin this year ahead of a theatrical release on 25th June 2027.
The prequel is separate from a concurrent Ocean’s revival also in development, which reunites Clooney with Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Don Cheadle for a new sequel.
The 1962 Monaco Grand Prix — won that year by Bruce McLaren — takes place on the same street circuit that still hosts the race today, lending the film an authenticity that will not be lost on Monaco’s residents. No details have yet been released on whether any filming will take place in the Principality itself.
There’s something unmistakably Riviera-chic, iconic, and enduring about dining at one of the Grand Dames of the Côte d’Azur. It’s the blend of old-world glamour and timeless beauty that makes this part of the world so captivating — and keeps people coming back, year after year.
La Réserve de Beaulieu is one of those rare gems. Built in the 1880s, and expanded upon in the decades that followed, its full grandeur is best admired from the sea, where the pink façade rises above the shoreline. But even from the street, its Belle Époque elegance is clear — the sweeping circular drive, the voiturier at the ready — all hint at the exclusivity within.
The stunning courtyard of La Réserve de Beaulieu
A cocktail in the courtyard is the perfect start. Framed by lush, manicured gardens and set against the backdrop of the hotel’s signature tower, it’s a tranquil spot that’s particularly magical in spring and late summer.
The Bar Gordon Bennett – a tribute to the American journalist who loved La Réserve – feels like a portal to another time. Each evening, a pianist settles in at the baby grand, conjuring a 1920s atmosphere when live music brought soul to a space, rather than being a novelty.
Bar Gordon Bennet
The restaurant itself is strategically positioned to capture the most extraordinary asset of the hotel: an uninterrupted, 180° view of the Mediterranean Sea, stretching from Monaco down the coast, set against a magical mirror pool. It feels like an embrace — wide, warm, and utterly intoxicating.
Like the hotel that houses it, the restaurant gently reminds you why you fell in love with the French Riviera in the first place.
Le Restaurant des Rois overlooks the mirror pool and stunning Mediterranean Sea
The restaurant of kings, the king of restaurants
For almost 130 years, La Réserve de Beaulieu has stood as a temple of gastronomy on the Riviera. Within months of its opening, one critic famously hailed it as “the restaurant of kings and the king of restaurants” — a reputation that has never faded. With its seafront terrace, polished service, refined décor and one of the region’s great wine cellars, it continues to embody French culinary excellence.
Under the stewardship of Nicole and Jean-Claude Delion, it remains among the country’s most distinguished dining addresses. Today, Michelin-starred chef Julien Roucheteau, named Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2019, adds his own touch of artistry with cuisine that balances creativity, precision and a respect for seasonal produce, drawing gourmets from around the world.
Michelin starred Chef Julien Roucheteau
From the moment you step through its arched doors — beneath soaring ceilings and chandeliers that have illuminated decades of discreet diplomacy — it’s clear this is a place where tradition and excellence speak softly but carry weight.
“Enjoy the ride,” says Guillaume Anglade, Director of Catering, with a smile as he takes away the menus, noting approvingly that the Menu Gourmet was a wise choice.
To start, a trio of amuse-bouches — light at first, building to a bold anchovy bite that jolts the senses awake. Then comes the heavily-seasoned bread and butter – undoubtedly the best I’ve ever encountered.
Left: the trio of amuse-bouches; right: celeriac ravioli with fresh baked bread and flavoured butters. Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life
What follows is the chef’s signature amuse-bouche: a delicate celeriac ravioli.
“We often start with vegetables,” Chef Julien Roucheteau later tells me. “We deconstruct them, play with their textures and flavours to create something fluid, digestible — but also surprising. We want that first bite to be an explosion in the mouth, something that wakes up the palate.”
And wake us up it does.
First: crispy gavottes of crab paired with a featherlight tarragon hummus. A ginger emulsion crowns the claw, adding a gentle zing without overpowering the natural sweetness of the shellfish.
Next: Niçois-style ravioli filled with cockles, dressed with a lime-scented vinaigrette that evokes sea spray, and finished with a velvet touch of caviar. Delicate, saline, and perfectly balanced.
Left: crispy crab gavottes, right: the chef’s interpretation of Niçois ravioli, served with cockels and finished with caviar. Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life
Then arrives the fish — a wild sea bass côtelette, carved with precision and kissed with smokiness, served alongside salicornia and a subtle Noilly Prat-infused broth. It is deeply flavoured, yet light and elegant.
The meat course follows: Vendée beef grilled with finesse, served with a celeriac mousseline brightened by green shiso — a perfect bridge between richness and lift.
Chef Roucheteau composes dishes that build slowly, quietly — layers of balance, clarity, restraint and indulgence, all held together by a deep respect for ingredients and the person lucky enough to eat them.
The chef uses butter, yes, but with precision and restraint. It elevates rather than overwhelms.
‘It’s true — you often start a meal in a great place, enjoying stunning plates, and by the main course or dessert, you’re full and starting to disconnect. Here, each dish is designed to be balanced — even the beef dish, which is rich. Yet every bite remains enjoyable. We play a lot on lightness and digestibility. That’s part of the signature of my cooking.”
Left: black fig dessert; right: sweet selection. Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life
By dessert, your palate isn’t overwhelmed — it’s still wide awake. A sorbet of black fig, crisped into a polyhedral shell and dressed in a deep violet vinaigrette, closes the meal with elegance and surprise.
And just when you think it’s over, the dessert trolley rolls out — an indulgent array of French sweets: homemade marshmallows, nougatines, caramels, and other delicate confections.
The entrance to the Michelin starred restaurant
A Room With a Memory
The dining room is majestic without being stiff. The Riviera sun slips in through vast windows, catching the glint of silver, the ripple of wine in glass. There’s history in these walls — you can feel it — but nothing feels outdated. If anything, there’s a quiet confidence, a knowledge that the real stars of the evening aren’t the gold leaf or the marble, but what lands on your plate, and the way it’s delivered to your table.
And then there’s the view: the sea, always the sea, stretching beyond the terrace, catching the light just so. It doesn’t beg for attention, it simply becomes part of the meal.
La Reserve de Beaulieu as seen from the sea
A French Riviera Masterpiece
The story of La Réserve de Beaulieu began in 1880, when visionary restaurateur Pierre Lottier established a refined coastal retreat on the shores of Beaulieu-sur-Mer. Its name, taken from the original stone basin used to preserve the day’s catch, soon came to represent a new standard of Riviera sophistication. As its reputation grew, the property evolved into a Belle Époque palace, drawing a cosmopolitan clientele in search of privacy and poise. Today, with 39 rooms and suites and under the care of the Delion family, La Réserve stands as a rare example of heritage preserved without compromise.
A Lasting Impression
Dining at Le Restaurant des Rois is not about being dazzled — though you will be. It’s about being moved. Quietly, gently, with every course. It is about a memory being built, one that will sit somewhere between the scent of citrus in the night air, the hush of silver on porcelain, the shimmer of the sea just beyond the terrace, and the flavour that lingers long after the last glass has been poured. A masterpiece on the Riviera. A place to return to. Again and again.
Practical information
Le Restaurant des Rois at La Réserve de Beaulieu is open seasonally from March to October. Dinner is served daily from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, with lunch available on weekends and public holidays from 12.30pm to 2pm.
Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made via the hotel’s official website or by calling +33 (0)4 93 01 00 01.
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.”
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.”
