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Why are motorists in France paying more at the pump than the rest of the EU?

by: Stephanie Horsman
11/05/2023

Petrol prices in France are still significantly higher than other EU countries. We explain why.

The effects from the war in Ukraine saw the cost of gasoline prices in the European Union (EU) skyrocket back in February 2022, with fear of shortages and being cut off from Russian supplies fuelling the hikes.

Fast forward to May 2023 and the situation has settled down significantly. The price of a barrel of gas has returned to mid-February 2022 levels, and this return to normalcy has by and large been passed on to consumers at the pumps… except in France.

The average price of a litre of unleaded SP95-E10 in France is €1.84. In Italy and Germany, motorists are paying 10 centimes less per litre and in Eastern Europe, it’s a full 15 centimes less. Only Demark has higher prices than France.

REASONS FOR HIGH FUEL PRICES IN FRANCE

The continued inflated prices are being blamed on the high cost of ethanol, an ingredient that is added to conventional fuel in France. Ethanol is of plant origin, normally corn, and has been found to have lower emissions and is therefore better for the environment.

In France, most motorists use E10, which is a 10% ethanol, 90% gasoline blend. This higher costing gas coupled with high fuel taxes and 20% VAT has meant that French consumers pay more at the pumps than in other countries.

There is also the issue of strikes. Blockades at the refineries have meant that petrol was imported to avoid shortages, a costly endeavour for the distributors that gets passed on to consumers.

BUT THERE’S MORE TO IT THAN THAT

Whilst some of the reasons fuel prices remain so high can be explained away by regulations, there is also a potential fundamental problem at the retail level.

Large retailers, as a whole, no longer systematically seek to drive down fuel prices in their outlets. These service stations account for more than half of fuel sales in France.

The Minister for Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, requested on Tuesday that fuel prices “fall faster” and that they reflect the decline in international oil prices. She said she considered it “unacceptable that companies increase their margins on the backs of the French”. A meeting on this subject with heads from the sector is scheduled for 11th May.

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Photo Erik McLean on Unsplash

John Chamberlain The Poetics of Scale in Monaco at Hauser and Wirth

by: Cassandra Tanti
11/05/2023

Hauser and Wirth has unveiled its summer exhibition: one that pairs John Chamberlain’s early poetry with his sculptural series Gondolas and Tonks, works that epitomise the artists poetic approach to materials and scale.

It is the first time that Hauser and Wirth has shown a John Chamberlain solo exhibition here in Monaco.

Titled The Poetics of Scale, the premise is to focus on a body of work that the American artist made when he moved to his studio in Florida in the early 1980s.

John Chamberlain, born in Indiana in 1927, became known in the 1950s for using automobile parts for his sculptures; for welding and crushing them together. He is one of the most prominent post-war American sculptors, but he is associated with a variety of different movements. Many people interpret his sculptural technique as being allied to abstract Expressionism.

They also say his use of car parts and paint is allied to Action Painting: it’s very gestural and it has an emphasis on colour. He stayed for a time with Pop Artist Larry Rivers in New York, so pop artists saw him as a peer. At the same time, he was also being seen as a peer by the Minimalists because he was using industrial materials.

But in his mind, Chamberlain saw himself in Duchamp and the Readymade.

“John Chamberlain was allied to all of these movements, and yet none; he moved between them, and all of them were admirers of him. He built friendships and peer relationships with figures within all of the important post war mid-century art movements in the United States,” explains the exhibition’s Curator   Tanya Barson during a press tour.

Curator Tanya Barson, photo by Monaco Life

The Poetics of Scale is on show at the contemporary Hauser and Wirth gallery  in One Monte-Carlo all summer.

It picks up the story in 1980 when Chamberlain moved to the coast of Sarasota, Florida, when he arrived on his boat. He found a studio on the marina and began working on a commission using truck parts.

“He looks around his studio and sees the remnants of the trucks, which are actually the chassis’. They remind him of Venetian gondolas. You can see why he’s thinking about boats. He’s thinking about the really long horizontal form of a gondola and the form that these truck chassis gave him. But he’s combining that with more coloured, crushed parts of trucks to build up the forms here,” says Barson.

The Gondolas are each given a subtitle, named after a poet: one is called ‘Gondola Hart Crane’, the other ‘Gondola Marianne Moore’. “It’s The recurrence of that early influence of poets in these works.”

There is another reference to that influence in this exhibition, a series of early poems written by Chamberlain whilst he was at Black Mountain College, often addressed to his first wife Elaine; the subtle, romantic words are a stark contrast to the masculine, solid sculptures that dominate this exhibition space.

“There’s a lot of really interesting imagery here to do with women, to do with his relationships with women, but also to do with his relationship with other artists,” says our guide.

But the show is called The Poetics of Scale because at the same time as he was making these large works, he started another series, which he called the Tonks. They are small sculptures, a reference to the famous miniature Tonka trucks, which Chamberlain created using different car and truck parts.

A third sculpture, floor based, is called the Dhuha Ditty, another piece from his work in the early 80s.

John Chamberlain (1927 – 2011) Dhuha Ditty, 1983. Photo by Monaco Life

The international art house Hauser & Wirth opened a gallery in depths of One Monte-Carlo in the summer of 2021. It has since hosted contemporary exhibitions including Paul McCarthy’s Pirate Stew Pot, Amy Sherald’s ‘The World We Make’ , and Roni Horn’s ‘Sweet is the swamp with its secrets’.

“It’s an extraordinary pleasure to curate here. It’s an incredibly beautiful space,” says Tanya Barson. “It is a very large-scale gallery, but it is a context where you can show work of a different scale. We can show really large-scale works, and Gondolas being a case in point, these are really monumental sculptures, amongst the largest that Chamberlain made. You need to give them space and this is absolutely a beautiful gallery to show them in.”

John Chamberlain. The Poetics of Scale is on view until Saturday 2nd September 2023. The exhibition is free to attend and no advance booking is necessary.

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Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.  

 

Photo above of Gondolas by Monaco Life

 

SEE ALSO:

Monaco Art Week announces dates and participants for 5th edition

 

Monaco parents get support network in new ‘Entreparents’ app

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/05/2023

A new government-backed app called Entreparents, from the creators of Carlo app, is giving Monaco’s mums and dads a chance to learn, listen and talk about the challenges and triumphs of raising families.

Parenthood isn’t always easy. No one provides a how-to manual on raising a child, and though books and websites are great, they can’t always answer specific questions or address individual needs.

Now, there is a way to connect directly with other parents and experts to find a way through the minefield that parenting can be.  The Principality’s new free Entreparents app, being launched on 1st June, is a way for local parents to be part of a community and find support, as well as offering events geared toward families.

Developed by Carlo Technologies, founders of Carlo app, and with the financial support and trust of the government, the Cuomo Foundation and Monaco Telecom, the app was built using advice from both experts and parents, making it a unique option. It is available for download in French and English.

“We are well placed to know that a parent needs support and to be heard at any time of the day and night, simple and intuitive guidance that facilitates their daily life,” the app’s creators say. “In response to the problems identified by parents of feeling isolated and ill-informed, we created the mobile application, an all-in-one digital tool to be at the heart of the Entreparents Network.”

A place to ask questions, share and be heard

The app’s main features include a chat room designed to let parents ask questions, share tips and find support on all parenting topics, a step-by-step guide giving newer parents and parents-to-be pertinent information for kids up to three, and an events calendar to connect families and parents at in-person events, giving them personal experiences outside of the virtual world.

The goal of “connecting parents to each other and their local parenthood service” in the Principality and neighbouring villages is part of an overall interest by the public authorities to put family life back on centre stage using the “it takes a village to raise a child” mentality.

“We want the Entreparents mobile application to become the daily reference for parents in our community, that they download it as soon as they plan for their baby and use it when they need, day and night,” say its creators.

Events already planned include a press conference on 1st June to formally announce the app at One Monte Carlo, followed by a screening of Eve Simonet’s documentary series Big Bang Baby, addressing the topics of ‘Becoming a parent: the identity crisis’ and ‘What place is there for parenthood in society?’. This will be followed by a talk between parents, the director, children’s rights advocate Marion Cuerq and local professionals. The event is free and child-friendly, but reservations are required to ensure a space.

On 4th of June from 9:30am to 12pm at Neptune on Larvotto is a ‘Let’s Meet: Mother’s Day’ event giving mums a chance to meet and relax with yoga classes, music and breakfast.

There will also be the launch of the #TheMumRibbonMovement in Monaco, where Entreparents ribbons will be given to mothers to hang on their bags and strollers. The ribbon is a symbol of a close-knit community of parents showing support for each other. By having the ribbon mums are saying: “If you need to talk, I’m here to listen to you. If you need anything, I’m here to try to help you. I may also need some support, so don’t hesitate to come and talk to me.” It is a movement that is part of the mission of the Entreparents Network: to reduce the occurrence of parents feeling isolated by connecting them to each other and promoting exchange and sharing. Reservation is a must and places are limited.

Then on 17th June, it’s the dads’ turn with a ‘Let’s Meet: Father’s Day’ event at the Club Bouliste on the Rock from 4:30pm to 6:30pm where the guys can meet for an apéro, a game of boules and friendly chats.

For more info and to learn about events, follow them on social media at Facebook or Instagram.

 

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Image from Entreparents association, Carlo Technologies

 

Monaco Art Week announces dates and participants for 5th edition

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/05/2023

Monaco Art Week offers an insider’s peek into the Principality’s art and auction houses via a well-planned walking tour. The details of the anticipated 5th edition have just been released.

What started as a way to unite the local art scene has become a synergistic event filled with exchanges, professional meet-ups, exhibitions and round table chats that has extended its reach beyond the week into year-round initiatives.

Celebrating its 5th edition, this year’s Monaco Art Week will run from 4th to 9th July and, as usual, will follow a trail laid out through some of Monaco’s artiest neighbourhoods, namely, Monte-Carlo and Larvotto.

Running in conjunction with the artmonte-carlo international fair, Monaco Art Week also will coincide with the Grimaldi Forum’s big summer opening of ‘Monet in Full Light’, which starts 8th July, and the Ballets de Monte-Carlo’s F(ê)aites de la danse performances.

Monaco Art Week will bring together 16 participants from the districts of Monte-Carlo and Larvotto: Artcurial, Boghossian, Christie’s, G&M Design, Hauser and Wirth, HOFA, Kamil Art Gallery; Lebreton, Elisabeth Lillo-Renner, M.-F. Toninelli Art Moderne, Opera Gallery, Galerie Adriano Ribolzi, Sotheby’s, Teos Gallery Monte-Carlo, Wannenes Art Contact, and Ward Moretti at Moretti Fine Art.

Though art is the focus, and there will be plenty of beautiful modern and contemporary pieces, the scope is not limited and the event will also include high jewellery creations. It is supported by the Monaco Department of Cultural Affairs and is held under the high patronage of Prince Albert II of Monaco.

 

Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.

Photo of Les Lalannes at Sotheby’s Monaco Gallery in 2022, credit Alice Bensi. 

 

 

May 31st: Prince Rainier III’s 100th birthday celebrations

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/05/2023
prince rainier birthday

On 31st May, what would have been the Builder Prince’s 100th birthday, the famous Rock of Monaco will be awash with celebrations as the whole of the Principality turns out to celebrate Prince Rainier III. 

It is but the first date in a year-long celebration of the former Prince of Monaco and the father of current sovereign Prince Albert II.

Prince Rainier III was born on 31st May 1923 and to mark the occasion, the Rock will be transformed into an open-air street party, with everything from music, dance and art to parades and a firework display set to dazzle the public.

The Rainier III Committee has even created a special flag, featuring Rainier’s profile on a tasteful red and white background, for the day and businesses and residents have been encouraged to decorate their homes, offices and streets with the pennants. The decorations have been on sale since 1st May and can be purchased at the souvenir shop on the Place du Palais Princier, Bazar Picco at 22 Avenue Saint-Charles, Brico Center on 4-6 Avenue Albert II and Le Khédive at 9 Boulevard Albert Ier.

There will scarcely be a corner of Monaco Ville where the 31st May celebrations will not be felt. Events will take place at the Palace, the Cathedral, in the streets, on the Place de la Mairie, in the Jardins Saint-Martin, the Oceanographic Museum, the Jardin Animalier and the Club Bouliste.

At the end of the day, at precisely 9.15pm, all locations will celebrate the great man by sharing birthday cake with the assembled crowds. An hour later, at 10.15pm, a fireworks show will be launched from the breakwater of Port Hercule.

The Prince, who reigned for 56 years, was notable for his modern approach to statecraft. Rainier III is credited with revolutionising the Monegasque economy; moving it from one reliant on casinos and gambling to a more sophisticated cultural hub as well as a place with an inventive tax system. He also reformed the constitution, limiting his own powers and creating today’s arrangement, which is a based on a constitutional monarchy.

For a full listing of the day’s events and for information in general on Rainier III’s year of celebrations, please click here.

Read more:

Prince Rainier III: A series of major events set to commemorate the centenary of the Builder Prince’s birth

 

Do you have an event in Monaco or the French Riviera that you would like us to include in our What’s On section and events calendar? Please email editor@monacolife.net.  

 

Photo source: Centenairerainier3.mc

 

Monaco’s budget surplus quadruples to reach €32.2 million in 2022

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/05/2023

The latest public finance report by IMSEE shows that Monaco recorded a budget surplus of over €32 million in 2022, four times the previous year, thanks largely to the government’s real estate portfolio and a boost in VAT. 

Created using the state budget and the Constitutional Reserve Fund (CRF), IMSEE’s report shows that Monaco’s 2022 budgetary revenues and expenditures had both risen on the previous year.

Outgoings saw an 8.3% rise, hitting €81.5 million, but the incomings were the big news, showing a €24.2 million increase to reach €32.2 million, equalling four times the 2021 amount.

STATE INCOME AND COSTS

This increase in state revenues is due primarily due to tax revenues, which were up 16.3% to €200.2 million, and more specifically to commercial transactions, commonly called VAT, which saw a 14.5% leap of €126.3 million. The only category which saw a downturn was the finance sector, down a massive 72.6%, though the report attributes this to exceptionally high revenues in 2019 and 2021.

Expenditures reached just over €2 billion last year, a 15.8% increase compared to 2021. IMSEE says this is the result of investment and equipment expenses, which are nearly €1 billion of the total. Public intervention outgoings sat at €399.5 million, a moderate uptick of 5.1%, or €19.4 million, and operating costs went up by 10.4% to €62.1 million, with public services taking up the lion’s share of this with an increase of 31.9% in 2022.

CONSTITUTIONAL RESERVE FUND (CRF)

The CRF had a healthy €6.5 billion in assets at the end of last year, and includes €2.2 billion in liquid assets stemming from financial investment and bank deposits, a “non-liquid” portion coming in at €3.9 billion composed mainly of properties and the government’s holdings in companies, and a gold reserve of €312 million.

The vast majority of properties held by the CRF generate rental income. As for the companies, these include shares in SBM, SMEG, SMEAUX, the Grimaldi Forum, Monaco’s Ports and the like, which bring in roughly €1.4 billion.

Monaco’s state budget had a surplus of €8 million in 2021, a deficit of €103.2 million in 2020, and a budget surplus of €3.8 million in 2019. The significant rise of 24.2 million in revenue in 2022 still falls short of 2018’s budget surplus of €38.4 million.

Some of the biggest influences on Monaco’s budget surplus/deficit over recent years have included the Covid-19 global pandemic, major construction projects such as One Monte-Carlo and the Hôtel de Paris renovation, and new housing for Monegasques.

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Photo by Monaco Life