Of a Prince and Princess – and Camelot by the Sea
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15 by Maryalicia Post Of a prince and princess – and Camelot by the sea n Camelot, the legendary realm of King Grimaldi palace on top of “the Rock”; La décor: stained glass, bronze lamps, frequent screenings of the Monte-Carlo Arthur,“all was well and wonderful.” Condamine, the mini Manhattan below it; allegorical paintings, and sinuous marble Story at Rue Emile de Loth in Monaco- IMonaco seems a lot like that. Fontvieille – on seven acres of recently- sculptures. Only the black and white Ville. Here the weather is never too hot or reclaimed land; and Monte Carlo. formal attire of the impassive croupiers is Telephone +377 93 25 32 33. too cold; the sun shines 10 months a year. Its Belle Époque casino is the jewel of restrained. There’s a princely palace on the hill, and Monte Carlo and the best-known The surroundings are no less baroque Getting there: an ornate casino by the sea.The splendid attraction in Monaco. Designed by in the slot machine rooms where, though yachts lining the harbour are stirred, you may never become “the man who Nice is the closest international airport though seldom shaken, by the blue broke the bank at Monte Carlo,” you can to Monaco. By helicopter, you can cover Mediterranean. There are manicured Its Belle Époque pass a fairly exciting hour or two. In the the 22 kilometres from the airport to the parks, litter-free streets, no visible casino, there is also an informal bistro, a landing pad in Fontvieille in six minutes. poverty, and no direct taxation. In short, casino is the jewel of bar, a restaurant, and the possibility of Heli Air Monaco, Regular flights as the song puts it:“There’s simply not a attending a cabaret performance while Monaco/Nice/Monaco. more congenial spot” – especially for Monte Carlo and the you dine. Slot machine rooms open at 2 For reservations, telephone +377 92 05 00 50 settling down with one’s investments. No pm; the gaming rooms open at 4 pm. wonder foreign residents outnumber the best-known attraction For information on the Cabaret, Monegasques by four to one. telephone +377 98 06 36 36 The principality, a half-mile wide and in Monaco. Garnier contributed two more buildings three miles long, is wedged between to the glory of Monte Carlo. One of them 10th ESCRS France and Italy, with the Alpes Maritimes is the Salle Garnier, Monaco’s Opera at its back and the sea at its feet. It’s built Charles Garnier – the architect of the House, which is currently closed for Winter Refractive Surgery on the side of hill so steep it is practically Paris Opera house – it’s worth the 10 renovation.The other building, once a Meeting will be held in a cliff. Except for the Vatican, Monaco is admission charge simply to look around. private villa, now houses the National Monte Carlo the smallest independent country in the From the Atrium, lined with onyx pillars, Museum.This is not the place to come for world. Nonetheless, it’s divided into four to the sumptuous red and gold gaming the history of Monaco. For that, visit the Feb 10 - 12, 2006 quarters: Monaco-Ville surrounding the rooms, this is unabashed,“maximalist” Palace Archives or attend one of the EuroTimes September 2005 16 Walk into history with short walk from Monte Carlo Cross over the border to France to visit growing along the way. For a 5 which to sample Mediterranean fish including breakfast, range from 140 to the village of Cap d’Ail, between the charge, a knowledgeable guide will specialities. La Reserve, with its flower- 165.There’s a morning shuttle for mountains and the sea. It’s only two accompany you. banked wooden deck overlooking the people attending conferences in Monaco. kilometres from Monte Carlo, yet has Information and bookings at the Cap sea, is beautiful in the daytime but Hotel de Monaco,Avenue Pierre Weck, scarcely changed in 100 years. Surely the d’Ail Tourist Office. memorable on a warm night when the 06320 Cap d’Ail, France. coast’s best-kept secret, it’s worth 87 bis.Av du 3 Septembre. water reaches almost to the deck and Tel: +33 (0) 4 92 41 31 00 visiting for its beautifully preserved Belle Open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to torches light the high tide mark. Email: [email protected] Époque villas, flowery parks and squares noon and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Reservations advised. La Pinede: Website: www.hoteldemonaco.com and access to Plage Mala,“the prettiest Open on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. Telephone: + 33 (0) 493 78 37 10; La beach on the Riviera.” Closed Sunday. Reserve:Telephone: +33 (0) 493 78 21 56. Tel: +33 (0) 4 93 78 02 33 Cap d’Ail meticulously maintains four A “bijou” villa often visited by the late un-demanding but stunningly panoramic There are two exceptional restaurants Prince Ranier as a child is now the walks: two following the shoreline and in Cap d’Ail, both on Plage Mala. La exquisite 12-bedoomed Hotel de two up in the hills. Each walk is Pinede, once a fisherman’s hut on the Monaco, from which there is a pleasant signposted to help you identify the flora shore, is now an atmospheric setting in walk down to Plage Mala. Rates, Small suggestions for a short trip Dolls in the National Museum Gardens adjacent to it; in 1913, the Perhaps fittingly for a country described gardens were transferred to a rocky by Hans Christian Anderson as a “toy hillside above what is now Fontvieille, republic,” Monaco’s National Museum alongside the entrance to the houses a remarkable collection of china underground cave observatory. dolls and rooms full of clock-work Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium. automatons. As you enter the museum, Av. Saint-Martin. look to your right. Under a glass dome Open daily except Monday; hours of stand dolls of Prince Ranier and Princess openning can vary. Grace, dressed in exact replicas of the Tel: +377 93 15 36 00 late couple’s wedding costumes. National Museum of Monaco, Holy art 17,Av. Princess Grace. Before leaving Monaco-Ville, stop in at Telephone: +377 93 30 91 26. the tiny Chapelle de la Visitation.This Open daily 10 am to 12:15 pm and from 17th century Baroque building currently 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 pm. houses some dozen examples of religious art, including a Rubens and a Ribeira.You Cathedral in death and Palace in life may well have them all to yourself. Rainier’s personal fairy tale ended with Chapel of the Visitation Museum the death of his beloved Princess in 1982. Place de la Visitation,Monaco-Ville. Prince Ranier died earlier this year and is Tel: 93 50 07 00. buried next to her in the family crypt in Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am-4 pm. Monaco’s Cathedral. It’s a short walk Closed Monday. from the Cathedral, through the medieval streets of Monaco-Ville, to the Grimaldi Olds cars Palace. Most of the present royal Over 100 elegant old automobiles – the residence dates from the 16th and 17th personal property of Ranier who opened centuries; only the towers of the original his collection to the public – comprise 13th century fortress remain. the “Exhibition of the Prince of Monaco’s Francesco, the first Grimaldi to capture Private Collection of Classic Cars” at the Rock, wrested the stronghold from a Fontvieille Terraces. rival Genoese faction in 1297. He gained Exhibition of the Prince of Monaco’s admittance disguised as a monk, and Private Collection of Classic Cars knifed the sleepy guards. His soldiers Fontvieille Terraces. overran the garrison. A bronze statue of Open every day from 10 am to 6 pm. him in monk’s robes stands on Palace Tel: +377 92 05 28 56. Square. State Apartments, Palace Square. New cars Tel: +377 93 25 18 31. To admire elegant new automobiles, stroll Open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. down Avenue Princess Grace towards Changing of the Guard on Palace Square the Grimaldi Forum. Lamborghinis, occurs daily at 11:55 am. Mercedes, and Bentleys glint in the show room windows, each car with its Oceans and gardens modestly displayed five- or six-figure The not-to-be-missed attraction in price tag. Earlier this year the first Monaco-Ville is the oceanography million-euro Bugatti was sold in Monaco. museum. Founded in 1910 by Prince Albert, who had a passion for deep-sea exploration, it is part-museum, part- aquarium and totally engrossing. Prince Albert also established his famous Exotic EuroTimes September 2005.