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Roca Team consolidate top spot after narrow victory

by: Luke Entwistle
09/01/2023

AS Monaco Basketball made a late break to secure a hard-earned victory against Pau-Lacq-Orthez (83-77) on Sunday, consolidating their position as outright leaders of the Betclic Elite.

The stars were in attendance at the Salle Gaston Médecin. The Princely family, as well as AS Monaco players Youssouf Fofana and Axel Disasi watched on as Sasa Obradovic’s side registered 13 points without reply in the opening quarter. Donatas Motiejunas (12 points) and Alpha Diallo (10 points) both found success from outside the arc during that run, whilst Mike James (22 points), who has found his influence limited in recent games, made a welcome return to form.

However, Pau, currently languishing in the lower-mid table, fought back and decreased the lead by the end of the first quarter (25-20). After Cholet’s win the day before, Monaco needed to reply in order to retain their title as outright leader of the championship, and that result came into question as Pau came back again in the second quarter, dropping the Roca Team’s advantage to just three points.

Pau continued to cling on and eventually drew level with Monaco with just 60 seconds on the clock in the fourth quarter (77-77). The Principality side hadn’t managed their possessions well, but they made their final few count, with a mix of missed free-throws from Pau and a clutch James and Elie Okobo (10 points) securing six unreplied points, and saving the day.

Monaco have a tight turnaround and will welcome Olympiacos back to the Salle Gaston Médecin on Tuesday in a repeat of last year’s classic playoff match-up. The Roca Team go into that tie as one of five teams, including Olympiacos, level on 11 wins at the top of the Euroleague.

 

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Photo by AS Monaco Basket

Relaxing of rules for owners who miss Contrôle Technique deadline

by: Stephanie Horsman
09/01/2023

The changes to Monaco’s previously strict procedure for vehicle owners who miss the important deadline may come as a surprise…  

Every vehicle owner in Monaco and France will be well-acquainted with the Contrôle Technique, a mandatory check-up for cars and other vehicles that ensures transport is road-worthy and operating within certain standards.  

The rules for compliance in Monaco have previously been quite strict, with owners who did not carry out their inspection before the expiry period being removed from the registration records, asked to turn in their car registration and license plates, and be prohibited from driving the vehicle on public roadways.  

As of 4th January, the government has lessened the penalties inflicted on non-compliant vehicle owners and has created a system to help remind them of their responsibility, giving them plenty of time to get to a garage.  

“The cancellations forced the owner to take long and costly steps to regularise the situation of the vehicle,” says the head of the Traffic Licensing Service, Aurélie Peri. “The Traffic Licensing Service thus wished to simplify the procedure to facilitate the completion of the procedures for users.”  

Now, four months before a vehicle is due in for a Contrôle Technique, owners will receive a notice to prompt them into making an appointment. Another letter will be sent one month before the expiration date for good measure.  

If the owner is a no-show after the end date, the vehicle will not be allowed to circulate on public roads, but, unlike before, will not be deregistered.  

At this point, owners must request an appointment, which can be made online, pay the related costs and also pay to have the vehicle regularised by the government so that bans are lifted.  

Until the date of the Contrôle Technique, the driver will not be able to use the vehicle and can only drive it on the day of the appointment in order to go to the inspection centre.  

The government is hoping the new rules will prevent tardiness in taking care of this necessary responsibility.  

 

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Photo source: Monaco Communications Department

Paris-Nice peloton to pass through La Turbie in March

by: Luke Entwistle
09/01/2023

The route of the 81st edition of the Paris-Nice race has been unveiled and the peloton will pass through La Turbie and Èze before finishing on the Promenade des Anglais on 12th March. 

Over the course of a week, the peloton will make its way from the French capital of Paris towards the Riviera. They will reach their destination – Nice – on 11th March before tackling the arrière-pays the same day.

On the final day of competition, the peloton will complete a loop, which will see them fly through the coastal villages of La Turbie and Èze before heading back to Nice, where the iconic race will conclude on the Promenade des Anglais.

At 520m above sea level, the La Turbie summit will be the third-highest to be mounted on the final day of racing, then will then be a slight descent towards Èze (519m) and the Col d’Èze (490m) as they descend towards the finish line.

Those taking place will look to succeed Slovenian rider Primoz Roglic, who won last year’s race, but who is a doubt to compete this year after undergoing shoulder surgery.

For the shortest stage, but arguably the most beautiful, cycling fans will have the chance to watch cycling’s elite take on the corniches of the Riviera just over a year before the Principality hosts a stage of the Tour de France for the first time since 1947.

 

SEE MORE:

Monaco to host start of final stage of Tour de France

 

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Photo by Ivan Blanco Vilar

Explained: Does my child need a titre de séjour?

by: Elsa Carpenter
09/01/2023

Many non-EU parents who recently travelled abroad with their family were asked for their children’s documentation at the French border, but do children really need a residency permit? 

Although the answer is essentially no, amid the post-Brexit confusion over entry and exit stamps for legal holders of a titre de séjour that have been reported widely by foreigners living in France, this one group of the expat population is causing more befuddlement than others.  

“We were asked by British Airways about [our three-year-old daughter’s] titre de séjour when flying back to France from the UK,” a British expat living in Valbonne tells Monaco Life. “At one point, the lady said we needed to have a return ticket to the UK to let our daughter board. In the end, the airline processed her as a holidaymaker and not a resident. When we entered France, we were told she should have her own identity card as she is of school age, which isn’t possible because she’s not French, but they didn’t stamp her passport.” 

Another British parent encountered similar problems when boarding a cruise in the Mediterranean, while others have reported border staff in France stamping the passports of their under-18 children despite both parents holding a valid titre de séjour.  

“A foreigner minor resident in France is not obliged to hold a residence permit,” reads the French government website, “however, to facilitate their travel outside France, they can obtain a circulation document for foreign minors.” 

The Document de Circulation pour Etranger Mineur

The Document de Circulation pour Etranger Mineur (DCEM) allows a non-EU minor to return to France – or the greater Schengen Area – without the need for a visa and proves their legal right to live in France. It is valid for five years on a renewable basis and while it is not an obligatory requirement for under 18s, it is becoming increasingly popular with parents hoping to avoid stamps in the passports of their children that may lead to further issues down the line, for example when two international journeys are 90 days apart, which could lead to the child being classed as having overstayed their travel rights.  

The DCEM is particularly helpful for under 18s who are travelling without their parents and are still too young to hold a titre de séjour, but may need to prove their right to reside in France at border control.  

Parents or guardians can apply for the DCEM online via a government portal under the section “Je demande un document de voyage”. Various supporting documents may be required, from birth certificates to proof of address, certificates of schooling, and marriage or divorce certificates from the parents. Any documents not in French will need to be translated. The Cerfa 11203 form must also be completed and signed. 

The DCEM typically costs €50 in tax stamps, however, under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement, for the children of parents who are a beneficiary of the agreement, the DCEM should be issued free-of-charge.  

 

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Photo by Monaco Life

 

Song Qi honours Year of the Water Rabbit with special menu and entertainment

by: Stephanie Horsman
09/01/2023

Monaco’s fine dining Song Qi restaurant is heralding in the Chinese New Year and the Year of the Water Rabbit with a gourmet bash showcasing its creative cuisine alongside live music and a show.  

The Chinese New Year, which begins on 22nd January, is predicting a far more peaceful year than the last under the same symbol back in 1963. The rabbit is a symbol of prosperity, luck, patience and refinement and water represents the richness of Chinese culture.  

To celebrate this passage, Monaco gourmet eatery Song Qi will be serving a range of special traditional dishes from 12th to 22nd January, culminating in a party on the final night with dancers, acrobats, a live DJ and even a levitating fire show. 

What to expect on the menu: lobster with creamy red curry, traditional Yee Sang Salad – also known as Prosperity Salad – Wagyu beef with ginger, steamed shrimp and salmon caviar shumai, and a soft bao bun stuffed with Piri Piri beef.  

And if you can’t make it to the restaurant on Avenue Princesse Grace, Song Qi has decided to make some of its dishes available on the Monegasque take-out delivery platform of Delovery. 

To make a reservation or to get more information, please visit the website or call direct on +377 99 99 33 33.  

 

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Photo credit: Marion Butet

Yacht Club de Monaco celebrates its sailors and a busy 2023 ahead

by: Elsa Carpenter
07/01/2023

The achievements of mariners from Monaco and around the world have been celebrated at the Yacht Club de Monaco in an event that commended an excellent 2022 and forecast another exciting year to come. 

The Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) rounded off a triumphant year of events and titles with a glittering Winter Cocktail evening on 21st December and Prince Albert II, the president of the iconic yacht club, on hand to award the coveted Trophée Crédit Suisse to the Sailor of the Year.

That accolade went to Frenchman Pierrik Devic, a much admired sailor and charter broker in Monaco, who became World Vice-Champion in the J/70 series in 2022 and stood out from a prestigious group of international nominees for his “remarkable consistency all season”.

“I am very touched to receive this award, which I dedicate to my crew, without whom I would not have won it,” said Devic. “It represents 60 days on the water together. It’s a fixed team and I wanted from the start to create a good atmosphere on board. Above all, we are good friends who want to have fun on the water. It’s just magical”.

A snapshot from the 2022 J/70. Photo by Francesco Ferri

Also in line for congratulations were two YCM members who competed in the 12th Route du Rhum towards the end of 2022: Oren Nataf and Boris Herrmann, the latter of which will soon head to Alicante for the start of The Ocean Race.

“We were very proud to have two boats flying the YCM flag on the start of this prestigious transatlantic,” said Prince Albert of the Route du Rhum sailors. 

An award for promising young talent went, for a second time, to Noah Garcia. Still just a teenager, Garcia excelled in 2022 during the ILCA 4 and won the French Champion title. 

An adventure in the Antarctic

Beyond the prizes, the two yacht club members Fabrice Papazian and François Miribel took to the stage to present a photobook of their adventures into the Antarctic region aboard the Boréal 47 Sir Ernst. The proceeds of the book will be donated to a research institute for childhood cancer. 

“After spending nearly a month in the Antarctic as far as Marguerite Bay 67° South, we sailed in the Patagonia channels in the southern winter,” said the yacht’s owner, Miribel. “We are getting ready to do another trip over there before heading back to the Mediterranean to prepare another polar expedition in two years’ time.”

Prince Albert with the Sir Ernst team and their photobook. Photo by Bruno Bebert

A full calendar of events

With 2023 marking the 70th anniversary of the YCM, which was founded in June 1953 by then-sovereign Prince Rainier III, members and supporters of the maritime institution can expect a full calendar of events over the coming 12 months. 

Sustainability highlights include the first ever Monaco Smart Yacht Rendezvous on 23rd and 24th March, which promotes the need for eco-focused technological innovation at each stage of a yacht’s life cycle, as well as the 10th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge from 3rd to 8th July. The week-long event has a number of exciting additions to its programme this year, from the first ever e-Boat Rally to a new mentoring service that encourages the yachting industry to back young minds in their innovative studies and experiments. 

The all-time favourite Monaco Classic Week from 13th to 16th September is set to be an exceptional celebration of maritime heritage, with a stunning display of vessels from classic sail yachts to period motor yachts and vintage motorboats. 

For more information and the full programme, please click here. 

 

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Photo credit: Simone Spada