Christmas at the Hôtel Métropole

09/12/2022

Monaco’s glamourous Hôtel Métropole has planned a series of Christmas events and offerings for December 2022, each designed to exemplify the opulence and elegance for which the hotel is best known.

Since its construction in 1886, the Hôtel Métropole in the central Monte-Carlo district of Monaco has been widely renowned as a luxurious and exclusive destination. Priding itself as being a “worldly and elegant hotel” while also “a refuge offering relaxation and intimacy”, this is the place to go for luxury and indulgence at any time of the year, but particularly at Christmas.

Upon entering the hotel lobby, the wonderful display of Christmas decorations immediately dazzles the senses. From the enormous fir tree in the lobby to the baubles and teddy bears scattered throughout, all in warm brown, gold, and caramel tones, the display exudes a joyous Christmas ambience that permeates every part of the five-star establishment.

Children who are guests at the hotel will have the chance to meet Father Christmas in the Lobby Bar on Saturday 24th December from 5pm to 7pm as well as take part in a Christmas craft workshop where they will come away with a handmade wreath garnished with beautiful decorations to take home. On New Year’s Eve, a second workshop to make a travel piggy bank will be held. Both the Christmas and New Year’s workshops, for children aged four to 12, include delicious snacks prepared by Patrick Mesiano, the hotel’s talented pastry chef.

From 3pm until 6pm every day, guests can enjoy a sumptuous afternoon tea at the Lobby Bar with a selection of sweet and savoury treats on offer. For an extra Christmas touch, why not pair it with the signature cocktail of the season, the Flaming Marshmallow. This divine combination of vodka mixed with strawberry, raspberry and marshmallow flavours comes topped with a flaming marshmallow for maximum effect. The Jazzy Evenings programme will conclude during the month of December, with the final shows performed by international singer and pianist Jany McPherson during the evenings of Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th from 7pm until 11pm.

To round out the list of seasonal events, diners at the New Year’s Eve dinner will be transported to the Belle Epoque. A formal seven-course meal will consist of specially concocted themed courses inspired by French gastronomy while the cabaret-style entertainment promises magic, sensuality, feathers and sequins… An unforgettable celebration and welcoming of the New Year!

In addition to the onsite events, guests are also invited to visit the hotel spa for a collection of Christmas-inspired treatments as well as the chance to win a prize with the spa’s advent calendar. For those wanting a memorable party-time delicacy to accompany their festivities, an eye-catching Cazette yule log dessert, developed by Executive Chef Cristophe Cussac in partnership with Pastry Chef Patrick Mesiano, is available to order from 12th December 12th. The mouth-watering dessert hides “a treasure of sweetness” within crispy praline and sparkling orange peel.

For more information, please visit the hotel’s website.

Photo source: Hôtel Métropole/Facebook

Photos: Last month to see ‘100 years of concerts in Monaco’

by: Cassandra Tanti

07/12/2022

The exhibition ‘Monaco On Stage – 100 years of concerts in Monaco’ will be open exceptionally for two nights this December, before the stage is packed up for good at the end of the year.

Monaco has had a special relationship with music for almost a century. Famous names such as Tom Jones, Cher, Ray Charles, Lady Gaga and Prince have all performed on Monte-Carlo’s legendary stages.

The immersive exhibition features corridors lined with photographs, many signed by the artists themselves, including Edith Piaf, Cher, Tom Jones, Ray Charles, Liza Minelli and Elton John. There’s a photo of Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III with Frank Sinatra, and another of Sammy Davis Jr posing on the steps of the Hôtel de Paris.

The exhibition, at the Salle d’Exposition on Quai Antoine 1er, has been created by the Department of Cultural Affairs in collaboration with Monte-Carlo SBM, which has operated the Principality’s legendary concert halls for decades. It has been curated by Alex Jaffray, a composer, producer aand music journalist, and Rudy Sabounghi, a set designer for major European theatres.

Visitors are able to listen to guitars playing iconic riffs, go behind the scenes into dressing rooms of the stars who have performed in Monaco, and experience the magic of going on stage.

The exhibition opened on 15^th October and runs until 31^st December, and for two exceptional evenings, on 13th and 20^th December, it will remain open until 9pm for a unique, nighttime experience.

Click on the gallery below to see more pictures from the ‘Monaco On Stage – 100 years of concerts in Monaco’ exhibition, all photos by Monaco Life…

Click on our Instagram video below for more…

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Monaco Life (@monacolife_)

Christmas at the Marché de Monte-Carlo

by: Jessica Tatam

05/12/2022

Find all you need for your Christmas table, from sumptuous cheeses and fine wines to the extravagant treats of caviar, foie gras and truffles, at the Marché de Monte-Carlo this coming weekend.

This special, one-off market is part of the Monaco town halls’ plans to revive and refresh the way the public thinks about the Principality’s marketplaces. and bring them back to the thriving community hubs that they deserve to be.

Since September, visitors to the Marché de Monte-Carlo have enjoyed a Spanish-themed lunch replete with ochre-hued paella, blood-red sangria and other Iberian delicacies as well as a forager’s market – mushrooms, truffles and chestnuts galore – and a specialist wine and cheese event. Now Christmas festivities are in full swing and the latest Christmas-themed market day promises not to disappoint!

In addition to the already wonderful array of regular traders onsite, the Christmas market will feature a lavish and sumptuous variety of festive food and products. The most luxurious and extravagant Christmas treats of creamy foie gras, mouth-watering salmon, glossy dishes of caviar, truffles, artisanal nougat and perfectly spiced gingerbread will all tempt the senses… Not to mention the heady and unmissable scent of traditional mulled wine that will be sure to fill the air!

The market is taking place on Saturday 10th December from 7.30am to 1pm at 7 Avenue Saint Charles.

Entry is free and open to everyone.

Photo source: Katie Laine for Unsplash

MEB Awards champion “spirit of innovation” in Monaco

by: Elsa Carpenter

05/12/2022

At a ceremony last week, the collaborative Club Eco Monaco awards of the Monaco Economic Board and Nice-Matin group handed out seven gongs to the 2022 laureates.

The 11th edition of the Club Eco Monaco Awards took place at the Grimaldi Forum’s Salle Camille Blanc on 29th November in the presence of numerous Monegasque dignitaries and decision makers from Minister of State Pierre Dartout and Minister for Economy and Finance Jean Castellini to President of the National Council Brigitte Boccone-Pagès.

It was a moment in the spotlight for each of the seven 2022 winners, who were individually welcomed to the stage by CEO of the Monaco Economic Board (MEB) Guillaume Rose. After receiving their award, the dynamic collection of entrepreneurs and professionals were interviewed live by the editor-in-chief of the Nice-Matin group, Christian Huault.

The 2022 winners

The Sustainable Development Trophy went to Sylvia Ratkowski and Pierre Magnes of FGWRS, a start-up that began thanks to the support of MonacoTech and has created a grey water recycling system recently adopted by the European Space Agency.

The International Trophy rewarded the Forté Pharma laboratory, a specialist in food supplements that has grown exponentially over the last few years following massive development outside of Monaco. The award was given to its dedicated export director, Cédric Rinaudo.

The Made in Monaco gong went to Les Perles de Monte-Carlo and its founders Brice Cachia and Frédéric Rouxeville, who have worked tirelessly to create the first ever oyster nursery in the Mediterranean. Their home-produced seafood can be found on menus across the Principality’s spread of high-end restaurants.

The Special Jury Prize was awarded to the International University of Monaco and its Managing Director Jean-Philippe Muller who, for the past decade, has developed the campus into a world class destination for international students and teaching staff.

The International Standing Trophy was awarded to the Scientific Center of Monaco, a vibrant organisation at the forefront of countless inspirational projects.

The Manager of the Year Trophy went to Jean-Victor Pastor who, among his other business activities, has established the Maya Collection of restaurants both in Monaco and further afield.

The final award of the night, the Innovation Trophy, was awarded to the three founders of Carlo: Antoine and Armand Bahri and Marta Mas Portas. This well-known mobile app gives customers in partner shops and boutiques cashback on their purchases. It has been widely adopted across the Principality.

Monaco: a place for businesses to flourish and succeed

Launched in 2012, over 70 innovative companies and individuals who have “found in Monaco, the conditions to flourish and succeed” – the words of MEB President Michel Dotta – have now won one of these prestigious awards.

“The [2022] winners illustrate the richness and diversity of the Monegasque ecosystem,” said the MEB in a statement following the event, while the managing director of the Nice-Matin group, Jean-Louis Pelé, said the awards “highlighted the dynamism, creativity and spirit of innovation” in Monaco.

Photo source: MEB/Carte Blanche

Weah and Jabeur take top prizes at Peace and Sport International Forum

by: Luke Entwistle

01/12/2022

Liberian president and former Ballon d’Or winner George Weah and international tennis player Ons Jabeur were recognised for their work following a packed day of intense debate with stars of sport.

The 13th edition of the Peace and Sport International Forum began with hours of intense debate on a wide range of current and topical sporting issues. Maher Nasser, Director of the United Nations’ Communications Department, hosted a conversation with L’Équipe General Manager Laurent Prud’Homme and AS Monaco CEO Jean-Emmanuel De Witt about how football can help towards sustainable development goals.

De Witt evoked the power of football to “federate communities”. The comments come amidst a backdrop of heightened discussion about the morality of the sport and the interest of those at the top of the game, with Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup contested on various ethical and environmental levels. Former Chelsea and Ivory Coast great Didier Drogba, who is now vice-president of Peace and Sport, contributed to the forum via video link from Doha. Mutaz Barshim, a Qatari Olympic Champion also participated in the discussions from Doha and spoke about the potential legacy of the ongoing tournament.

Discussions from the role of sport in conflict prevention to its role in promoting gender equality continued into the evening ahead of the awarding of numerous accolades at the Fairmont Monte-Carlo.

Weah was awarded the Peace and Sport Special Prize by Prince Albert II for his commitment to democracy and reconciliation in his native Liberia. Jabeur, a female Tunisian tennis player was awarded the Peace Champion of the Year Prize, following in the footsteps of sportspeople such as Rudy Gobert, Lionel Messi and Blaise Matuidi.

The Special Jury Prize went to the International Cycling Union, who enable female Afghan cyclists to practise their sport outside of their country. Elsewhere, the April6 Initiative of the Year went to Alfredo Harp Helu Foundation for Sport, the CSR Initiative of the Year went to Les Eaux Minérales d’Oulmès and the NGO of the Year was awarded to 4-H Zimbabwe Foundation, who work towards uniting opposing communities through the organisation of sports tournaments. Finally, the Institution of the Year was awarded to Birmingham City Council for their role in strengthening ties between communities through this year’s Commonwealth Games.

Speaking at the event, the president and founder of Peace and Sport Joël Bouzou said, “I am delighted that so many high-level personalities have come together after two years of the pandemic to reaffirm that sports offers solutions to the resurgence of conflict, division and hate speech.” The former Olympic pentathlete added, “I would like to thank the actors of the peace through sport movement for their valuable contributions and these rich moments of sharing and learning.”

Photo by Peace and Sport

Christmas in Monaco: Discover your inner child this festive season

by: Cassandra Tanti

30/11/2022

Monaco is always magical during Christmas, but this year SBM will be encouraging everyone to enjoy festivities “like a child”, and that can only mean one thing: lots of fun and laughter!

With the festive period almost upon us, the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) on Monday unveiled its 2022 festive agenda, and it is sure to bring a smile to the young and young at heart.

The festive campaign, titled ‘Like a Child Monte-Carlo’ or Comme un enfant, will kick off on 3rd December with a roller-skating trail on Place du Casino, where people can slalom in the open air through a pine tree forest. And because SBM boasts the most Michelin-stars for a resort in Europe, festivities will also include an incredible gastronomic journey through the Principality’s prized restaurants, as well as some classic Monaco favourites.

Skate “like a child” on the legendary Casino Square

To get the festive season under way, SBM will unveil its first ever roller-skating rink in the heart of Monte-Carlo on Saturday 3^rd December. For five weeks until 8^th January, children and adults can get their skates on (which can be hired on-site) and slide their way through the pine tree forest on Place du Casino. Highlights include a roller-skating show on 11th, 14th, 18th, 21st and 24th December!

They will also be able to enjoy a festive treat on the “chalet” terrace of the Café de Paris and, when night falls, admire the façade of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, which will be lit up like an aurora, reminiscent of the skies of the Far North where Father Christmas lives.

*Christmas in Casino Square, photo by Monaco Life*

What is a festive season without glorious food?

With 30 restaurants, four of which have a shared total of seven Michelin stars, SBM is Europe’s most starred resort. Throughout this festive period, SBM chefs will be cooking up a feast with unforgettable lunches and dinners. Between its Michelin starred and signature restaurants, SBM will be offering a delicious gourmet journey: from Le Grill at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo with new Executive Chef Dominique Lory and the Pavyllon Monte-Carlo – a Yannick Alléno restaurant at the Hôtel Hermitage – to the two-starred Blue Bay restaurant headed by Chef Marcel Ravin at Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort and Louis XV-Alain Ducasse at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo. There is also the Café de Paris Monte-Carlo with its breathtaking view of the pine forest on the Place du Casino, and the cosy atmosphere of the Salon Rose or Train Bleu at the Casino de Monte-Carlo.

A sweet children’s toy, the Wind Up Music Box

SBM has pulled out all the stops for its “like a child” theme. On 7th November, Café de Paris Pastry Chefs Cyril Natta and Jonathan Barbagallo won SBM’s in-house festive fare competition. They created a beautiful dessert that celebrates the old wind up music box, combining the sweetness of praline, pecan nuts, gingerbread and caramel with the freshness of mango, lime and passion fruit. The dish will be on sale throughout December at the Café de Paris Monte-Carlo and at Mada One, by order 72 hours in advance.

*The sweet Wind Up Musical Box, photo source Monte-Carlo SBM*

Christmas traditions at the Hôtel de Paris

Now in its fourth year, the beautiful Christmas Garden will once again feature in the courtyard of the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo from 3rd December to 8th January. Twinkling glass houses will be filled with beautiful Christmas gifts and gourmet classics, including Alain Ducasse hot chocolate, to be enjoyed on site or takeaway, as well as fun festive workshops.

The breath-taking, monumental Chopard Christmas tree will again take pride of place in the hotel lobby.

Feeling festive at the Hermitage Hôtel

The Hôtel Hermitage Christmas pop-up on Square Beaumarchais has become a fun new tradition in Monaco! Enjoy a glass of champagne and some treats at this pop-up at the entrance to the Hôtel Hermitage and gardens, while soaking in the festive atmosphere of Monte-Carlo, from 1st December to 9th January, 12pm to 7pm.

Meanwhile, a Christmas-themed afternoon tea prepared by Pastry Chef Nicolas Baygourry returns from 20th to 23rd December at the Salle Belle Epoque, a chic family tea time set to music on Saturdays and Sundays, from 3pm to 6pm.

*Christmas at the Hermitage Hôtel, photo by Monaco Life*

Arabian Nights at Monte-Carlo Bay

Head to the Blue Gin at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort from 15th November 2022 to 12th March 2023 for the Sezam pop-up, featuring live DJs every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in a cosy and enchanting atmosphere. A magnificent firework display will welcome in the New Year.

Visits by Father Christmas

Don’t let the kids miss out on meeting Father Christmas in Monte-Carlo on 3rd, 11th, 14th, 18th, 21st and 24th December at the Place du Casino and at all SBM venues. He will be accompanied by a choir on 11th, 18th and 24th December between 2pm and 5pm at the Place du Casino.

Music, dancing and the thrills of gaming to welcome in the New Year

Finally, on 31st December, Queen Machine Symphonic will take over the Salle des Etoiles for a concert featuring the greatest hits by Queen, accompanied by the London Symphonic Rock Orchestra. The party will continue through the night at Jimmy’z Monte-Carlo, for exceptional openings on 29th, 30th and 31st December.

There will also be live music at the Champagne Bar at the Casino de Monte-Carlo, which promises a festive New Year party, in the keeping with the Grand Art of Gaming philosophy.

On the last two Sundays before Christmas, the shops in Monte-Carlo will be open for some last-minute shopping.

Photo above by Monaco Life. This article was first published on 14th November