26 ° C
Profile

Day: 9 June 2026

Inside Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix opening party aboard Explora I

by: Kayla Sauceda
09/06/2026

The Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Grand Prix de Monaco weekend kicked off on Thursday 4th June with the official opening party aboard Explora I. Docked in the heart of Port Hercule, the luxury ship welcomed an international guest list for an evening blending hospitality, entertainment, and motorsport ahead of Monaco’s most iconic weekend of the year.

The event marked Explora Journeys’ second consecutive year partnering with the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, further expanding its presence in the Principality. “Maybe the most exciting new address in Monaco this weekend isn’t on land,” said Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys. “Hosting the official opening party of Formula 1 aboard Explora I places our brand, our ships, and our vision centre stage during one of the world’s most iconic events.”

One of the evening’s standout moments came through Europe’s largest ever drone show featuring 3,050 separate drones. The show highlighted Formula 1’s history, Monaco’s connection to Formula 1, and even the Grand Prix trophy, showcasing a visual celebration of the sport against the iconic backdrop of the Principality.

Inside, the atmosphere was glamorous and high-energy, with dim lighting, live entertainment, and guests moving between cocktail bars and performances throughout the ship. Dancers, contortionists, jugglers, and a tarot card reader added to the immersive atmosphere as the evening unfolded. The event reached its peak with two anticipated DJ sets.

Naomi Campbell on the decks at the F1 Explora 1 event during the Monaco Grand Prix

First, international supermodel Naomi Campbell made an appearance spinning a set. Following her, Bob Sinclar also took to the decks, keeping the energy alive into the late hours of the evening. The two drew one of the strongest crowd responses of the night.

Guests onboard could also cross paths with several notable figures including Mika Häkkinen, Damon Hill, and David Coulthard, along with senior executives from both Formula 1 and Explora Journeys.

As the only ship of its kind docked in Port Hercule for the weekend’s entirety, Explora I offered guests staying onboard a unique vantage point and base for Grand Prix weekend, combining exclusive onboard experiences with close proximity to the action.

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, catch our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photos provided

Council of Europe anti-racism body calls on Monaco to strengthen hate speech and discrimination laws

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/06/2026

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has called on Monaco to strengthen its criminal legislation on hate speech and hate crime, tackle racist and LGBTI-phobic bullying in schools, and examine the situation of foreign nationals in undeclared work — while acknowledging significant progress since its last report in 2022.

The report, published on Thursday 9th June, is ECRI’s latest assessment of Monaco’s record on combating racism and intolerance as part of the Council of Europe’s monitoring process.

Progress acknowledged

ECRI noted a number of improvements since its previous evaluation. These include advances in preventing and combating hate speech and hate crime, greater equality of treatment and inclusion in education, and improved access to healthcare for foreign nationals, including those present irregularly. The report also recognises that medical costs for a partner in a same-sex couple married abroad can now be reimbursed, that the principle of non-discrimination between civil servants has been enshrined in legislation, and that vocational integration support is available for displaced Ukrainians holding a temporary residence permit.

Areas of concern

Despite the progress, ECRI identified several areas requiring further action. On criminal law, the commission found shortcomings in provisions punishing hate speech and hate crime, as well as in the capacity of judicial authorities to order the removal of hateful content online or block sites carrying such content. Training of criminal justice professionals was also flagged.

ECRI expressed concern about racist and LGBTI-phobic bullying in schools, the absence of legislation prohibiting non-therapeutic and medically unnecessary surgery on intersex children, and the continued vulnerability of foreign nationals employed in undeclared domestic work. The report also noted that foreign nationals in Monaco can still be dismissed without prior and valid reason.

Key recommendations

ECRI’s recommendations cover several areas. On hate speech and hate crime, it calls on Monaco to explicitly incorporate the grounds of colour, language, gender identity and sex characteristics into all relevant criminal law provisions, to allow hate elements to be retained for all criminal offences, and to amend the civil and administrative legal framework to provide protection against hate speech in cases that fall below the threshold for criminal liability.

On education, ECRI recommends the systematic and uniform implementation across schools of human rights education and teaching on tolerance and diversity, including topics related to sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics.

More broadly, the commission recommends the adoption of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation, the development of a legal framework explicitly regulating legal gender recognition, and the commissioning of an in-depth study — in cooperation with affected foreign communities — into undeclared work and the discriminatory treatment those workers may face.

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photo by Cassandra Tanti

 

Train strike Wednesday to cause significant disruption for Monaco commuters

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/06/2026

A nationwide strike across the SNCF group — covering Gares & Connexion, Réseau and Sud Azur — is set to cause serious disruption to train services at Monaco-Monte-Carlo station on Wednesday 10th June.

The strike is expected to have particularly high impact on the Les Arcs-Draguignan to Ventimiglia line. Passengers are urged to check whether their train is running before heading to the station, with real-time information available from 5pm Tuesday through the usual SNCF channels.

The Princely Government is advising commuters to work from home where possible, or to consider carpooling or other alternatives.

How to check your train

Real-time timetables and strike information are available through the following channels:

SNCF TER ZOU!: ter.sncf.com/sud-provence-alpes-cote-d-azur

Strike traffic information: ter.sncf.com/sud-provence-alpes-cote-d-azur/se-deplacer/info-trafic/greve

Real-time timetables for Monaco-Monte-Carlo: garesetconnexions.sncf

Apps: SNCF Connect, Your Monaco, Citymapper Monaco

Carpooling as an alternative

The Princely Government is also pointing commuters towards BlaBlaCar Daily, a free carpooling app suited to daily home-to-work journeys. Passengers travel to Monaco at no cost, while drivers receive payment for their journey.

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photo by Monaco Life

 

UN ocean report singles out bottom trawling as greatest threat to deep-sea ecosystems

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/06/2026

The United Nations’ Third World Ocean Assessment, released on World Ocean Day, has delivered one of its starkest warnings yet about the state of the deep ocean — and placed commercial fishing, specifically bottom trawling, at the centre of the crisis.

The assessment describes bottom trawling as “the most significant human activity on continental margins and in canyons,” warning that the practice leads to the permanent and irreversible destruction of the natural seafloor. The finding builds on the Second World Ocean Assessment, which had already identified bottom trawling as the “greatest current threat to seamount ecosystems”. The report also highlights that the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation remains the only regional fisheries management body to have banned bottom-contact fishing on seamounts across its regulatory area.

Ancient ecosystems at risk

Seamounts — underwater mountains that rise from the ocean floor — are among the ocean’s most biodiverse environments, home to ancient corals, sponges and species found nowhere else on Earth. The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC), which has been campaigning for their protection, called the UN findings a mandate for urgent policy action.

Bronwen Golder, DSCC Global Seamounts Campaign Director, said the science was no longer ambiguous. “The reality is that we are discovering more about these ecosystems every day, and with every piece of new knowledge we gain, the case against bottom trawling on seamounts becomes more damning. Governments must now commit to phasing out bottom trawling on seamounts — a destructive, antiquated practice that has no place in our ocean in 2026.”

A closing window for action

An upcoming UN review of high-seas bottom fisheries is being framed by the DSCC as a critical and time-limited opportunity. The coalition is pushing governments to use the review to establish a binding deadline to protect seamounts and end bottom trawling on seamounts and other vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems by the end of 2027.

Sian Owen, DSCC Executive Director, said the wider implications of inaction were hard to overstate. “This new report confirms that the deep ocean is an essential life-support system for our planet, yet remains a major knowledge gap. Erasing ancient, vulnerable ecosystems that sustain the health of our global ocean before we’ve even had the chance to explore them would represent a catastrophic failure of global governance. We can do better.”

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photo source: Greenpeace

Relief for cross-border commuters: Menton-Ventimiglia border reopens for daytime traffic

by: Virginia D’Umas
09/06/2026

For the thousands of commuters, tourists, and residents who rely on the daily connection between France and Italy, the wait is finally over. As of Wednesday 3rd June, the Saint-Ludovic border crossing—the primary coastal gateway linking Menton and Ventimiglia—has officially reopened to two-way traffic during daytime hours.

The crossing had been under total lockdown since January to accommodate extensive infrastructure upgrades, including critical tunnel renovations and a major overhaul of the esplanade near the customs station. While the closure was a necessary step for modernisation, it forced months of logistical challenges upon those navigating the border region.

A strategic relief for commuters

Motorists will undoubtedly welcome the news. Prior to the closure, 14,000 transits – 7,000 outbound and 7,000 inbound – were recorded daily on the coastal border, among them many commuters travelling to Monaco for work.

“I am delighted by the reopening of the Saint-Ludovic border,” said Menton Mayor Alexandra Masson during the inauguration ceremony held on 3rd June. “This is an essential axis for our residents, cross-border workers, and the economic vitality of our territory.”

Operational status

While the route is now accessible, construction remains ongoing. To facilitate the final phase of the project, authorities have implemented a specific schedule. The road is open to traffic in both directions between 6am and 9pm. Outside of these hours, the crossing is closed to all traffic to allow for continuous work on the site.

Meanwhile, the project timeline has been accelerated. Initial plans suggested a four-month primary closure followed by eight months of alternating one-way traffic. Following a six-month total closure—interrupted only for the Menton Lemon Festival—daytime two-way traffic has been restored ahead of the original schedule.

Strengthening trans-border ties

Beyond the asphalt and concrete, the reopening serves as a symbol of the deepening cooperation between Menton and its Italian neighbour. Standing alongside Ventimiglia Mayor Flavio Di Muro, Mayor Masson emphasised that the initiative is part of a broader vision for the region.

“This reopening illustrates the importance of the bonds that unite our two cities,” Masson added. “The future of our territory depends on ever-closer cooperation between both sides of the border, particularly regarding mobility, economic development, and tourism.”

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photo source: Ville de Menton

Monaco to mark APIdays with free public workshops on bees and biodiversity

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/06/2026

Monaco is celebrating its annual APIdays on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th June, with a full programme of free activities at the Jardin de l’Unesco on the terraces of Fontvieille, running from 9am to 4pm each day.

The event is part of the national programme L’abeille, sentinelle de l’environnement — the bee, sentinel of the environment — run in partnership with the Union Nationale de l’Apiculture Française (UNAF). Monaco has been part of the programme since 2011, when hives were installed on the rooftop terrace of the Musée des Timbres et des Monnaies in Fontvieille. Those hives continue to be monitored by the UNAF and a team from the Gardens section of the Direction de l’Aménagement Urbain.

This year’s programme, organised by the DAU Gardens section and the Direction de l’Education Nationale de la Jeunesse et des Sports, is designed for visitors of all ages and covers both the practical and educational dimensions of beekeeping and pollinator protection.

Activities across the two days include a candle-making workshop using beeswax, a honey extraction demonstration led by reference beekeeper Lucien Guérin, a presentation of melliferous plants alongside a workshop exploring what our meals would look like without bees, and a participatory seed bomb workshop. Visitors will also be able to discover different bee species and hives from around the world, view the DENJS’s connected hives, and explore an educational exhibition of display panels. A board game will be available on Saturday only.

Entry is free.

Stay updated with Monaco Life: sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photo credit: Boris Smokrovic, Unsplash