Monaco’s much-loved Condamine Market will host a special farewell celebration next week, before the interior of its hall closes temporarily.
La Mairie is inviting residents and visitors to join the free entrance event on January 7th, from 6:30pm to 10:30pm, under the theme ‘A se revëde’, Monégasque dialect for ‘see you again’.
The evening will feature a DJ set and dance floor, giving the community a chance to enjoy the market’s atmosphere before the temporary closure. Food and drink will be available for purchase on site throughout the event.
The Condamine Market, located in the port district, has long served as a gathering place for locals. It is for that reason that the event is open and welcoming for all, keeping up with the warm spirit of the market.
Wednesday’s closure will mark the beginning of the 13-month long, and much anticipated, renovation plans.
For the event, no prior booking is required as everyone is welcome to attend.
Award nominated novelist Sylvie Le Bihan will appear at the Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo on January 20th to discuss her latest work, ‘L’ami Louis’.
The book takes readers through 20th century French literary history, honouring the working class roots of writers like Albert Camus and Louis Guilloux. Le Bihan pays tribute to the “petites gens”, the ordinary people, from whom these writers came.
Set in 1976, the novel follows Élisabeth Daguin, who returns to Paris to work as an assistant to Bernard Pivot on his television programme Apostrophes. Estranged from her family, her life changes when she meets the ageing writer Louis Guilloux, a friend of Camus who has faded from public memory.
What begins as a professional interview develops into a personal connection. Through their conversations, Louis reconnects with a lost love while Élisabeth uncovers secrets about her own family history.
In Le Bihan’s telling, major literary figures including Camus, Guilloux, Grenier and Malraux come vividly to life. Above all, the book explores friendship, solidarity and the values that guided these writers’ commitment to freedom.
Additionally, her previous novels have earned critical acclaim, with ‘Les Sacrifiés’shortlisted for the prestigious Prix Renaudot.
Places are limited and advance booking is required. Anyone interested can contact (+377) 93 15 15 41 or m.fays@metropole.com to reserve.
AS Monaco Basket claimed a thrilling 100-95 victory over Real Madrid in a tense EuroLeague basketball match at the Gaston Médecin arena, securing an important win in front of their first sell-out crowd of the season.
The result keeps the home side in sixth place in what’s proving to be a tight EuroLeague campaign. Both teams came into the game with identical 10-7 records, and the match lived up to the fans’ anticipation between two evenly matched sides.
Real Madrid’s Facundo Campazzo was the game’s standout performer with 28 points, repeatedly threatening from long range. Centre Walter Tavares also stood out from early on, dominating with 21 points and 11 rebounds that caused Monaco problems throughout the first half.
However, Monaco’s strength lay in their balanced attack. Elie Okobo led the scoring with 22 points, while Mike James led the offence with 15 points and five assists. Matthew Strazel and Nemanja Nedovic both contributed 12 points, with Alpha Diallo adding 11 in a solid all-round display.
The contest remained on a knife-edge for three quarters, with the teams locked at 70-70 heading into the final period. It was then that Monaco found another gear. Nedovic and Nikola Mirotic took control, with the latter’s back-to-back three-pointers managing to establish a 10-point cushion at 85-75.
Campazzo continued to fire from distance in the closing stages, but Monaco’s defence held firm under pressure to close out the victory in front of their home crowd.
Strazel, who spent much of the evening battling Campazzo defensively, said afterwards: “I feel like I did a great job on him, but he still finished with 28 points. Defensively, we made the right stops at the right moments.”
Monaco coach Vassilis Spanoulis praised his team’s work on the boards during difficult stretches. “It’s a great victory for us,” he said, though he acknowledged the challenge ahead with four players due at the All-Star Game before their next fixture against Barcelona.
The win keeps Monaco in the playoff places in what has been an unusually competitive EuroLeague season, where staying in the top eight requires consistent performances at home.
Every year after the Christmas holidays end, people start to look forward to the winter sales: four weeks of shopping therapy with official discounts starting in early January.
In Monaco, like any other year, the winter sales kick off slightly earlier. Most shops begin their sales on Thursday 2nd January 2026, while sports retailers start later on Saturday 15th February.
Across most of mainland France, including the Côte d’Azur, the winter sales will take place from Wednesday 7th January until Tuesday 3rd February 2026, starting at 8am on the opening day.
Online shops must follow these same dates, no matter where they’re located.
However, shops in four departments along France’s eastern frontier get a one-week head start – beginning Friday 2nd January and finishing Thursday 29th January. This earlier schedule helps them stay competitive with retailers just across the border. The departments are: Moselle, Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, and Vosges.
The rules behind French sales
France’s sales periods operate under strict regulations. Retailers can only reduce prices on goods they had in stock before the sales started, and all discounted items must be clearly labelled.
Price cuts must be measured against whatever the shop charged during the month beforehand, and businesses can only use the term ‘soldes’ during official sales windows.
Standard consumer rights apply throughout. While physical shops only have to accept returns on defective items, online purchases come with the usual fortnight to change your mind.
Reductions are set to reach 50% at shops across the region, with some retailers dropping prices further as the month progresses.
More than 100 business owners, traders and artisans came together on December 17th for the first evening in support of local commerce, organised by Carlo and the Union of Traders and Artisans of Monaco (UCAM).
The event, held at Marius, celebrated Monaco’s retail scene at a key moment: the year-end shopping season.
Five retailers were recognised with Carlo Awards, selected by the Carlo community. Woo took home the ‘Favourite Shop’ award, Narmino the ‘Best Storefront’, Yume the ‘Friendliest Shop’, AMC Haute Couture the ‘Best Customer Experience’, and Fnac Monaco the ‘Most Innovative Shop’.
Awards were presented by National Councillor Corinne Bertani, President of Be Safe Camille Gottlieb, four-time world free-diving champion Pierre Frolla, content creator and founder of ‘Vivre Monaco’ Romain Picard, and Head of Protocol and Communication for the Diocese of Monaco Ferxel Fourgon.
The challenging retail scene
Carlo CEO Antoine Bahri highlighted the challenges retailers face, saying, “In Monaco, as elsewhere, the challenges are very real: changing consumer habits, competition from e-commerce giants, the constant pressure on prices, ever-increasing customer expectations, and strong regulatory constraints.” He added, “Local commerce is far more than simply an economic sector. It is a human relationship. It is what connects us… it represents a commitment to quality, service, and trust, reflecting the image and identity of our country.”
A film was also screened during the event, featuring voices from Monaco’s business and institutional community. Afterwards, a moving contribution from Alain Latorre of the Capucine boutique followed, which closed this year after more than 60 years of operation.
Government and National Council representatives thanked then retailers for their role in keeping Monaco alive, before the evening wrapped up with a networking cocktail.
Founded six years ago in Monaco, Carlo now counts nearly 750 partner merchants and over 80,000 users while UCAM continues to represent around 150 traders and artisans
As the clock ticks towards the new year, few places can compete with Monaco’s New Year’s Eve glamour. Lights, music and gastronomy… the Principality offers everything from Michelin-starred dinners to firework shows.
For those seeking culinary perfection, the three Michelin-starred Louis XV-Alain Ducasse at the Hôtel de Paris presents a New Year’s Eve dinner at €1,300 per person (including a glass of champagne and hot drinks), with food and wine pairing available at an additional €500 per person. Chef Emmanuel Pilon’s exceptional cuisine promises an unforgettable evening.
The Hôtel de Paris, photo source: MCSBM
Le Grill, the one Michelin-starred restaurant on the eighth floor with sweeping views across of the Principality, offers a single menu at €1,050 per person (drinks excluded).
For those seeking theatrical flair, La Salle Empire hosts a New Year’s Eve dinner show at €1,350 per person with food and wine pairing.
Moving to Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, at the one Michelin-starred Pavyllon Monte-Carlo by Yannick Alléno, a six-course menu is priced at €990 per person (including half a bottle of champagne, with additional wines available).
Additionally, L’Abysse Monte-Carlo offers a Menu Omakase at €600 per person (drinks excluded) or €800 per person with food and wine pairing while The Salle Belle Epoque presents a five-course menu with musical entertainment at €780 for adults and €390 for children under 12 (including half a bottle of champagne, water, and coffee).
Hermitage Hôtel. Photo by Monaco Life
Following, at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, the two Michelin-starred Le Blue Bay Marcel Ravin offers a menu at €850 per person (including half a bottle of champagne) from 8pm, while La Table de Marcel presents a menu at €999 per person (wine and food pairing included) from 8pm.
Meanwhile, L’Orange Verte provides a more accessible option at €395 per person (including half a bottle of champagne) with performers from 8pm.
Contemporary dining
The iconic Café de Paris Monte-Carlo serves a New Year’s Eve menu at €470 per person (drinks excluded), with musical entertainment throughout the evening in the heart of Place du Casino.
Café de Paris. Photo source: MCSBM
Meanwhile, the famous Sass’ Cafe frequently preferred by celebrities, offers a set menu at €650 per person including a bottle of Dom Pérignon for two at midnight. Get ready for toro tartare with caviar oscietra, king crab brioche, white truffle risotto, and wagyu filet rossini style, as live music transitions to DJ sets.
Mediterranean and Asian cuisine
GAIA Monte Carlo Carlo hosts an elegant ‘Night in White’ celebration from 8pm, with a dedicated New Year’s Eve set menu at €450 per person featuring caviar platter with sea urchin, tuna peinirli, and kobe beef with foie gras, accompanied by live entertainment and DJ sets.
Moving to Buddha-Bar Monte-Carlo, it offers two options: €490 per person in the restaurant (including half a bottle of Amour Deutz 2014 champagne), or €600 per person in the Lounge for the Dinner & Party Clubbing experience. An Omakase menu is also available at €350 per person with a €250 minimum spend on drinks.
Amazónico also offers two options: an early menu at €200 per person (arrival 7pm-7:30pm) or the main New Year’s Eve menu at €650 per person including €300 for drinks (arrival 9pm-10pm).
Additionally MayaBay presents exquisite Thai-Japonese cuisine with a €350 minimum spend per person. The evening features DJ sets, dancers, and shows.
Lastly, the Niwaki offers special Omakase menu at €350 per person including a bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne or sake for two, water, and coffee. Live music and DJ sets keep the atmosphere lively, with karaoke available in the private lounge.
Hotel dining
The Fairmont Monte Carlo offers two exceptional New Year’s Eve experiences. In the Grand Salon, a New Year’s Eve Gala at €495 per person includes a gourmet buffet, half a bottle of champagne, and festive entertainment featuring cabaret, a magician, a DJ, and children’s entertainment.
At Nobu Monte Carlo, again within Fairmont, an extraordinary eight-course Omakase dinner at €450 per person blends Japanese and Peruvian flavours with festive ingredients including caviar, snow crab, oysters, and foie gras, with one glass of champagne and a live DJ.
Lastly, Marlow at Mareterra offers a New Year’s Eve dinner menu at €280 per person.
Where to dance the night away
Jimmy’z Monte Carlo, the nightclub that has hosted some of the world’s greatest DJs, opens from 11pm on December 31st for an unforgettable New Year’s Eve party. The dress code is elegant and chic.
The winter pop-up at Blue Gin at Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort offers a festive aperitif from 5pm, with the party starting from 11pm (minimum spend per table €350 based on two people).
For a more refined atmosphere, the Bar Américain at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo serves à la carte dinner and tapas with a minimum beverage charge of €1,100 per person from 10pm, including live music and one bottle of Cristal Roederer.
Free public celebration
However, not everything requires booking or deep pockets. The Mairie de Monaco hosts a free, open-access New Year’s Eve celebration at the Monaco Christmas Village on Port Hercule. Two stages animated by DJs will keep the party going from 9pm to 2am, with a spectacular fireworks display set to take place at midnight to welcome 2026.
Important tip: all restaurants and venues require advance reservations for New Year’s Eve, with many requiring prepayment to secure tables.
