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Month: November 2026

Prince Albert cheers on Monaco’s young rider at first Olympic Games in Africa

by: Cassandra Tanti
03/11/2026

Prince Albert II was in Dakar for the opening of the 2026 Youth Olympic Games on Saturday 31st October, the first Olympic event ever held in Africa, and visited 16-year-old Monegasque rider Valentine Platini the following day ahead of her Olympic debut.

The Prince, an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, travelled to the Senegalese capital from Cameroon. He arrived at the end of an African tour that also took him to Madagascar. He was welcomed on arrival by Guédel Ndiaye, Monaco’s honorary consul in Senegal.

The Games run until 13th November, and Monaco is represented by two athletes: Platini in show jumping and sprinter Maxime Connen, who competes in the men’s 100 metres on Sunday 8th November.

Photo credit: FEI/Kirsty Pasto / DR / ICO-Greg Martin

A summit and a spectacular opening

Before the opening ceremony, the Prince took part in the Dakar 2026 Summit, held in the presence of the President of Senegal and several heads of state. The summit’s theme was ‘Sport and Development: from Olympic momentum to a lasting legacy’.

That evening’s ceremony celebrated Senegalese culture and the diversity of the African continent through music, dance and tradition, with the young athletes at its centre. It also brought a special moment for the Principality, as Platini joined riders from several nations in the raising of the flags alongside the equestrian delegations.

Photo credit: FEI/Kirsty Pasto / DR / ICO-Greg Martin

Encouragement before competition

On Sunday 1st November, after talks with IOC President Kirsty Coventry, Prince Albert travelled to Diamniadio, around 30km from Dakar. There he toured the equestrian centre with Ingmar De Vos, President of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), and Ibrahima Wade, Director General of the Dakar 2026 Organising Committee.

The visit gave the Prince the chance to meet Platini and the Monegasque delegation, and to pass on the Principality’s encouragement before she enters the competition. The equestrian events run from 3rd to 6th November. Platini rides in the individual show jumping, with the final on Friday 6th November, and will also compete for a combined European team in the mixed continental event on Thursday 5th November.

From the pool to the futsal court

The Prince then made a tour of the competition venues. At the swimming complex, he watched the men’s 100 metres butterfly and presented the medals. There he met several leading figures of the international sporting world, including former IOC President Thomas Bach, former FIA President Jean Todt, actress Michelle Yeoh and Russian Olympic swimming champion Alexander Popov.

At the Iba-Mar-Diop sports complex in the Médina district, he watched Venezuela play Ukraine at futsal and France take on Argentina at rugby sevens. He also visited the DEX, a venue built to host major national and international events, where he watched table tennis.

The Dakar visit brought the Prince’s African trip to a close. According to the Palace, it reaffirmed the Principality’s commitment to the Olympic values, to promoting sport among young people and to building a lasting sporting legacy.

See also: 

Prince Albert II’s African tour brings unforgettable scenes

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No Finish Line returns to Monaco for eight days of fundraising

by: Kayla Sauceda
03/11/2026

Monaco’s No Finish Line will return from Saturday 14th to Sunday 22nd November, inviting runners and walkers to turn their kilometres into support for sick and disadvantaged children.

Now in its 27th edition, the charity event is organised by Children & Future under the High Patronage of Prince Albert II. For each kilometre covered, the association donates €1 to projects helping children, with funding provided through registrations, sponsors, and donors. Participants can join individually or as a team, choosing their own pace and distance.

Since its creation in 1999, No Finish Line Monaco has brought together over 200,000 participants who have collectively covered almost 5.5 million kilometres and helped provide over €5.8 million for charities.

Organisers are aiming to surpass the 375,245 kilometres covered last year. This year also sees Yakuba Ouattara become an ambassador for Children & Future, supporting the association’s work with sick and disadvantaged children.

EIGHT DAYS OF WALKING AND RUNNING

The event begins at 2pm on Saturday 14th November and continues around the clock until 2pm on Sunday 22nd November.

Participants will follow a 1,140-metre circuit around the Chapiteau de Fontvieille. Each participant receives a tracking chip that records completed laps, with one registration covering the whole week. This allows participants to return whenever they wish, whether for a short walk or longer run.

ENDURANCE CHALLENGES

For those seeking a tougher test, the programme includes an eight-day challenge, a 12-hour race on Thursday 19th November from 9am to 9pm, and a 24-hour trophy running from 8pm on Friday 20th November until 8pm on Saturday 21st November.

The 12-hour race is new for this year and is open to individuals and relay teams of two to four runners. Registration for both the 12-hour race and the 24-hour trophy closes at 6pm on Sunday 15th November.

The 24-hour event is open to individuals and relay teams of up to six people. Strollers and dogs will not be permitted on the circuit during this period, although both are welcome at other times, with dogs kept on a short lead.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Standard registration costs €16 for adults plus a refundable €10 tracking-chip deposit.

Individual registration remains open online until Sunday 22nd November through the Children & Future website. On-site registration opens at 10am on Saturday 14th November at the Chapiteau de Fontvieille.

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Photo source: Children & Future

Giveaway time: Monaco Mairie offering free plants from Parc Princesse Antoinette 

by: Virginia D’Umas
02/11/2026

Twice a year, as the seasons shift, Monaco Mairie hands out around a hundred plants to residents free of charge at Parc Princesse Antoinette.  The upcoming autumn edition takes place on Wednesday 11th November at 12pm at Parc Princesse Antoinette.

The initiative gives a second life to greenery uprooted from the park during seasonal bed changes. Rather than going to waste, these plants are rescued and offered directly to the public to brighten up local balconies, terraces, and gardens. 

Photo credit: Mairie de Monaco

Expert tips and circular economy

Municipal gardeners from Parc Princesse Antoinette attend every session, offering hands-on advice and practical care tips to help the rescued plants flourish.

The biannual giveaway forms part of Monaco Mairie’s broader environmental drive to eliminate waste and promote a local circular economy.

How to take part

Access is free and open to all, with no registration required. For direct enquiries, contact the team at environnement@mairie.mc 

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Photo credit: Mairie de Monaco

Ireland’s military legacy in America to be explored at Princess Grace Irish Library

by: Kayla Sauceda
02/11/2026

The Irish contribution to American military history will be explored at the Princess Grace Irish Library on Thursday 12th November, when writer Patrick Downes gives a talk at 7pm.

Taking place during the 250th anniversary year of the American Declaration of Independence, the lecture will draw on his upcoming book, For Valour and Heritage: The Irish Story of America’s Medal of Honor.

Downes will examine the lives of Irish-born recipients of America’s highest military decoration for valour, considering how they came to serve and what became of them afterwards, including their roles in the police forces, fire services, and civic institutions.

IRISH CONNECTIONS

The lecture will trace a history spanning from the American Civil War to Vietnam, exploring questions of courage, migration, and belonging through experiences of those who left Ireland for America.

Based in Dublin, Downes writes and speaks about military history, with a particular interest in the Irish connections behind major awards for valour. He also chairs the Lucas Foundation, named after Rear-Admiral Charles Davis Lucas, whose action in 1854 was the first to earn the Victoria Cross.

Downes is the library’s November writer-in-residence, supported by The Ireland Funds Monaco. The programme gives literary and academic writers born or living on the island of Ireland a month to develop an ongoing project while using the library’s collections.

NOVEMBER BOOK CLUB

The library will also host its next monthly book club on Tuesday 24th November at 2pm, with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby selected for discussion.

Led by author Martin Lake and library director Paula Farquharson, the session welcomes both readers and those interested in hearing about the novel before reading it. A Zoom link will be available for remote participants.

Library membership is not required to attend events. Those interested in the book club can contact info@pgil.mc, while further information about Downes’ talk is available on the library’s website.

Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photo source: Princess Grace Irish Library

Monte-Carlo Film Comedy Festival unveils international jury for 2026

by: Virginia D’Umas
02/11/2026

Red carpets, international film stars, and a star-studded jury are coming to the Principality this autumn. From 11th to 14th November, the Grimaldi Forum plays host to the 23rd Monte-Carlo Film Festival de la Comédie, a four-day celebration of global cinema spearheaded by founder and director Ezio Greggio.

Held under the High Patronage of Prince Albert II and the Italian Embassy, the festival aims to elevate comedy across all formats, offering premieres both in and out of competition to bring renewed critical recognition to a genre often overlooked by mainstream film institutions.

International jury to chair competition

This year’s international judging panel brings together prominent figures from film, television, and entertainment. Italian director, writer, and screenwriter Fausto Brizzi, David di Donatello winner for Notte prima degli esami and director of Maschi contro femmine, and Quasi Vera, will preside as jury president.

Spanish-Italian actress and presenter Vanessa Incontrada. Photo credit: Go Monte Carlo

Joining Brizzi on the panel are French actor, director, and former Formula 1 driver Paul Belmondo (L’Itinéraire d’un enfant gâté), Spanish-Italian actress and presenter Vanessa Incontrada (Il cuore altrove), and actress and director Yvonne Sciò (The Pink Panther). 

Together, the panel will evaluate a selection of international, Italian, and French feature films, focusing on artistic quality, original storytelling, and technical craft.

Short Comedy Award and festival lineup

Alongside the main feature competition, the festival marks the return of the Short Comedy Award. The dedicated short-film section provides a platform for emerging directors, actors, and producers to present concise comedic works designed to entertain while offering subtle social reflection.

The initiative builds on the festival’s broader legacy of reshaping how comedy is integrated into major global circuits, including festivals in Cannes, Rome, Turin, and Venice.

César Award-winning French director Luc Besson. Photo credit: Shanna Besson

Gala night and guest appearances

The festival concludes on Saturday 14th November with its traditional awards gala. Highlights of the evening will include appearances by César Award-winning French director Luc Besson (Léon: The Professional, The Fifth Element) and three-time David di Donatello-winning Italian actor and director Sergio Castellitto (The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian).

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Ezio Greggio, founder and director of the Monte-Carlo Film Festival de la Comédie. Photo credit: Riccardo Ghilardi

Vacherot crowned Basel champion after comeback win over Lehecka

by: Kayla Sauceda
02/11/2026

Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot has secured his second ATP title with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 comeback victory over Jiri Lehecka in the Swiss Indoors Basel final on Sunday 1st November.

The win earned Vacherot his first trophy of the season and his first ATP 500 title, adding to his breakthrough success at the Shanghai Masters in October 2025.

After defeating Rafael Jódar, Holger Rune, and Taylor Fritz ion his path to the final, Vacherot overcame a tough opening set to reverse his defeat by Lehecka in the Tokyo semifinals less than one month ago.

LEHECKA ESTBALISHES CONTROL

Lehecka found an early advantage, breaking Vacherot twice to move into a 4-1 lead. Although Vacherot responded by recovering one break, Lehecka continued to apply pressure on his serve, breaking for a third time before taking the opening set 6-2.

Vacherot found more consistency in the second set. A break with Lehecka serving at 1-2 gave him the advantage, but he still had to counter the pressure to protect his lead. He saved all four break points faced in the set, taking it 6-3 to force a decisive third set.

VACHEROT’S COMEBACK

Vacherot carried his momentum into the third set, breaking Lehecka in the opening game. Lehecka had an opportunity to draw level with Vacherot serving at 3-2 but was unable to convert his break point. Vacherot maintained his advantage, completing the comeback in just under two hours.

ANOTHER CAREER TITLE

The result maintains Vacherot’s undefeated record in ATP Tour finals, with two titles from two appearances. The Basel win is also projected to bring Vacherot up to world No. 27 when the rankings are updated.

There is little time to celebrate for Vacherot, with a first-round match against Novak Djokovic awaiting him at the Paris Masters.

Monaco Life is written by qualified journalists, writing original content. Sign up for our free newsletter, listen to our podcasts on Spotify, and follow us across Facebook,  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok.

Photo source: Swiss Indoors Basel