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Day: 5 August 2026

Extra police checks to target drink-driving during Monaco’s busy August

by: Cassandra Tanti
05/08/2026

Police in Monaco will carry out reinforced night-time checks for drink- and drug-driving across the Principality over the first two weeks of August, under a government decision aimed at keeping the roads safe during the busy summer period.

The checks run from Monday 3rd to Sunday 16th August, between 10pm and 4am, and may take place anywhere in the territory. Officers are authorised to test drivers for signs of drunkenness, to measure their blood-alcohol level and to screen for the use of drugs.

A response to the summer influx

The decision, taken on 28th July and published in the Journal de Monaco, singles out the first half of August as a period of significantly heavier visitor numbers and intensified festive activity, including busier nightlife. That combination of crowds, heavier traffic and late-night events, it notes, raises the risk of people getting behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol or drugs, endangering residents and visitors alike.

The rules

The measure draws on the Principality’s road-safety law of November 2025 and the general policing powers of the Minister of State. The decision notes that driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.80 grams per litre or more, or after taking drugs, endangers people and property, and drivers stopped during the operation may be required to submit to testing.

Residents and visitors heading out during the fortnight are advised to plan how they will get home if they intend to drink.

See also: 

Explained: What Monaco’s new road safety laws mean for drivers

Monaco Life is produced by qualified, multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok. 

Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti, Monaco Life

Monaco and Slovenia celebrate two decades of diplomatic ties in Ljubljana

by: Virginia D’Umas
05/08/2026

Monaco and Slovenia recently marked the 20th anniversary of their diplomatic relations with a high-level economic and cultural event in Ljubljana, bringing together government officials, diplomats, and business leaders from both nations.

Organised jointly by the Embassy and Consulate of Monaco in Slovenia, the day’s packed agenda focused on sustainability, innovation, and bilateral cooperation.

A high-level Monegasque delegation

To mark the anniversary, a delegation travelled from the Principality to the Slovenian capital. Led by Céline Caron-Dagioni, Minister of Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development, the group included representatives from Invest Monaco, the Monaco Economic Board, the Tourist and Convention Authority, the Prince Albert II Foundation, SMEG, and local firms specialising in the green economy.

Following an opening address by Ambassador Anne Eastwood, speeches delivered by Minister Caron-Dagioni and Tone Kajzer, representing Slovenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasised the shared values of both countries and their mutual commitment to sustainable development.

Photo credit: Stane Jersic

Fostering economic and environmental collaboration

The morning session featured a series of economic presentations and panel discussions designed to encourage collaboration between the Monegasque and Slovenian business ecosystems, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, tourism, sport, and innovation.

On the sidelines of the main programme, Minister Caron-Dagioni met with Polona Rifelj, Slovenian Minister of the Environment and Spatial Planning, to discuss practical strategies for energy transition and green urbanisation.

A central economic highlight of the day was the official signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Monaco Economic Board and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, paving the way for closer commercial ties between the two markets.

Cultural highlights

The celebration also featured a vibrant cultural programme, highlighted by a special performance by the ‘Little Singers of Monaco’, who visited Ljubljana as part of their European tour. The event concluded with a formal lunch reception hosted by the Embassy of Monaco, sealing a successful chapter of friendship and cooperation between the two European nations.

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Photo credit: Stane Jersic, source: Government Communications Department 

Matthis Abline and Mathys Detourbet Meet Fans at AS Monaco Summer Village

by: Kayla Sauceda
05/08/2026

AS Monaco’s newest arrivals – Matthis Abline and Mathys Detourbet – met fans at the AS Monaco Summer Village on Monday during an autograph session at Port Hercule.

More than 100 fans attended the event, lining up for the opportunity to collect signatures, take photos, and welcome the duo to the Principality. The appearance followed last week’s meet and greet with fellow summer signing Flávio Nazinho.

French striker Matthis Abline recently joined AS Monaco on a five-year contract, while Mathys Detourbet arrived on loan from Premier League club Manchester City for the 2026–27 season.

The AS Monaco Summer Village remains open daily at Port Hercule until 9 August from 4pm to 10:30pm. Visitors can enjoy a range of football-themed activities, including interactive games and family entertainment. The program continues on Wednesday 5 August with a 18+ 3v3 tournament beginning at 7pm.

Beyond the player appearances, the Summer Village continues to bring supporters together throughout the summer, offering fans of all ages the opportunity to connect with the club through a mix of football activities, competitions, and community events.

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Photo credit: Kayla Sauceda / Monaco Life

D-Day beaches and Mount Olympus among 25 new World Heritage sites

by: Cassandra Tanti
05/08/2026

UNESCO has added 25 new sites to its World Heritage List, from the Normandy beaches where the D-Day landings took place to Greece’s Mount Olympus, at the 48th session of its World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea, taking the global total to 1,273 sites across 173 countries.

The new European entries also included France’s Capetian royal fortresses of the Languedoc and a group of 18th- and 19th-century Italian ‘condominium’ theatres. The session, which ran to 29th July, marked the first-ever inscriptions for three countries — Comoros, São Tomé and Príncipe, and South Sudan — a step towards a more balanced list, while six sites were added to the List of World Heritage in Danger, underlining the need to strengthen their protection.

The session in Busan

It was the first time South Korea had hosted the committee. The session opened on 19th July with a ceremony attended by the South Korean president, Lee Jae-myung, and UNESCO’s director-general, Khaled El-Enany, with all 25 inscriptions adopted by consensus. The committee’s next session will be held in Istanbul in 2027.

Monaco’s part

Monaco was among the states taking part, represented by Séverine Dusaintpère, its Deputy Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. During the proceedings she welcomed the World Heritage Centre’s work to support countries that are absent or under-represented on the list, and voiced the Principality’s backing for a reform plan intended to strengthen the strategic role, expertise, efficiency and digital capabilities of the centre’s secretariat.

A party to the 1972 World Heritage Convention since 1978, Monaco supports the World Heritage Marine Programme and the Heritage Emergency Fund, and maintains long-standing partnerships with ICCROM and the ALIPH Foundation.

Monaco Life is produced by qualified, multi-media journalists writing original content. See more in our free newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on  Facebook,  Instagram,  LinkedIn and Tik Tok. 

Photo: Normandy beach landing, source: UNESCO

Monaco International Book Fair to mark 15th anniversary at Grimaldi Forum

by: Virginia D’Umas
05/08/2026

The Salon International du Livre de Monaco will return to the Grimaldi Forum for its 15th anniversary edition on 5th and 6th September. Organised by the association Les Rencontres Littéraires Fabian Boisson, the Mediterranean-focused cultural event brings together authors, academics, and researchers across multiple disciplines.

True to its roots, the fair connects different types of writing, from novels to essays, and links modern ideas with history. The upcoming schedule includes more than 20 conferences, small group debates, and open-mic sessions designed to let the public talk directly with authors. 

Official patronage and cultural commitment

The event operates under the High Patronage of Prince Albert II, who champions the growth of arts and letters in the Principality. Citing Jean Cocteau, the Prince said that art forms a procession of solitudes that yield an incalculable force when united.

New additions: The Sports Book Prize and Himalayan expeditions

This year introduces the inaugural Sports Book Prize (Le Prix du Livre Sportif), an addition created to evaluate the relationship between physical competition and literature. The jury is chaired by mountaineer and author Orianne Aymard.

Complementing the new prize, the organisation has integrated live transmissions from Aymard’s active expedition in the Himalayas as she ascends Mount Manaslu, linking the physical theater of high-altitude mountaineering directly to the festival’s academic programming.

Remembering Sylvana Lorenz

This year’s fair will also pause to remember the late author and art dealer Sylvana Lorenz, a regular guest at past events. Organisers and readers will pay tribute to her life, her warm connection to the festival, and her notable literary works — including her celebrated books on the fashion icon Pierre Cardin (Madame Cardin and Pierre Cardin: Son fabuleux destin) as well as her vibrant memoirs chronicling her life as an art gallerist (L’art est une partie de plaisir). 

Keynote highlights and notable guests

The 2026 lineup features many well-known writers and thinkers, including physicist Étienne Klein, novelist Emmanuelle de Boysson, and political scientist Gilles Kepel. A main highlight of the Literary Cafés will be a talk by former diplomat Hubert Védrine, who will discuss global changes from a Mediterranean point of view.

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Photo credit: Berna – Pexels