Although it's more a pre-breakfast stroll than a country, Monaco
packs a lot of living into a little land. Most of the people who
live here come from somewhere else, drawn by the sun, glamourous
lifestyle and - most importantly - tax-free income. This is the
playground of Europe's elite, a country where lady luck might
clean you out at the casino one day and put you on the Grimaldi's
guest list the next.
For those whose 'things to pack' list doesn't include a backless
ballgown, Monaco can still be a hoot. Although you won't find
cheap digs, native culture or untouched wilderness, you can snap
up a Prince Rainier commemorative mug, gawk at the limos outside
the Casino and surround yourself with topless wannabe starlets
on Monte Carlo's beach. Live it up
Geography
A sovereign and independent state, the Principality of Monaco
has borders on its landward side with several communes of the
French Department of the Alpes-Maritimes; from west to east these
are Cap d'Ail, la Turbie, Beausoleil and Roquebrune Cap Martin.
Seawards, Monaco faces the Mediterranean.
The population of the Principality consists of 29,972 inhabitants,
5,070 of whom are Monégasques, 12,047 French and 5,000
Italian (according to the last official census in 1990).
Its surface area is 485 acres, of which nearly 100 were recovered
from the sea during the course of the last twenty years.
It lies in a narrow coastal strip which sometimes rises vertically
upwards with its highest point at 206 feet. Its width varies between
.65 miles and a mere 382 yards. Its coastline is 2.5 miles long.
The Principality has only one commune, Monaco, whose limits are
the same as those of the state.
Monaco is divided into five areas :
Monaco-Ville on the Rock, the old fortified town, with the Prince's
Palace, the ramparts, the gardens, the Cathedral and the Oceanographic
Museum.
The Condamine, the harbor area.
Monte Carlo, created in 1866, in the reign of Prince Charles III
who gave it its name, with its internationally famous Casino,
its great hotels and leisure facilities, some created recently
: Larvotto beach, the Monte Carlo Sporting Club, the Boulingrins
Gardens.
Fontvieille, a great technical achievement with the filling-in
with rock of 40 meters of water to produce a platform of 22 hectares
supporting an urban, tourist and sports complex adjoining a yachting
harbor and a pollution-free industrial zone.
Moneghetti, the Révoires and the Exotic Gardens (on the
western border with Cap d`Ail).
Climate
Situated at the heart of Mediterranean Europe, the Principality
of Monaco enjoys a particularly mild climate, with more than 300
days of sunshine per year. In winter, temperatures average between
45 to 58 degrees Farenheit with sunny days and cool nights. In
the springtime, "Le Mistral" wind creates crystal clear
skies with temperatures in the 50s-60s. Most summers are in the
80s with hot spells for a week or so in July and August. Sea breezes
cool down the evenings. One of the loveliest times to be in Monaco
is fall. With temperatures in the 60s to 70s, people are still
sun-tanning on the beach until mid-October.
Currency
You will soon get used to the Euro, which is the tender found
in Monaco. It is quite simple as it is based on the decimal system.
There are one hundred centimes to each Euro. The Euro sign is
€.
Currency Exchange
You can change money at the hotel or at the nearest bank. Bank
hours are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Banks
are closed on weekends and national holidays except for "Credit
Foncier de Monaco" near the casino which is open daily from
12:00 noon to 11:00 p.m. including Sundays and holidays.
Language
French is the official
language, however, English is widely spoken and understood.
Postal Information
The main post office, La Scala Palace Beaumarchais Square, is
located across the Hotel Hermitage. It has a full range of services:
telephones, telegrams, fax and calling cards. Open Monday to Friday
8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. For additional
postal information call +377-93-251111.
Telephone
Calling home: All major long-distance phone carriers make it easy
to phone home using their calling card codes from any pay phone
or hotel. To use one's calling card from a pay phone does require
having one franc for the initial tone to access the system. This
may also require the purchase of a French prepaid calling card
known as the telecarte as coin-operated phone booths are hard
to find. You can buy a telecarte in tobacco shops, newsstands/bookstores,
post office and some cafes. These prepaid calling cards can be
used for either local or long-distance calls, each call subtracts
a certain number of units from the card.
Time Zone
Monaco is six hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time.
When to go
The shoulder seasons - April/May and September/October - are
the most pleasant times, climatically, to visit Monaco. Summer
- June to August - can be very hot, and you'll be pressing flesh
with most of Europe. Winter is a better bet, as it may be a bit
rainy but it's unlikely to be too cold. Car-racing fans will probably
want to be here either in January for the Motor Rally or May for
the Grand Prix.
Events & Festivals
Monaco is a country that thrives on spectacle and glitz. The
big one for the year has to be the Formula One Grand Prix, held
in mid-May, when the world's best drivers hit the city streets
and crossing the road becomes an extreme sport. Those who can't
get enough of big, throbbing engines should also be in town in
January for the Monte Carlo Motor Rally. Dedicated to showing
off in all its forms, Monaco also hosts the International Circus
Festival in January, the Great Magic Prize (an international prestidigitators'
playoff) in March and the International Fireworks Competition
(duked out in the natural amphitheatre of Monaco's harbour) in
July.
THE GREAT DATES IN THE ANNUAL CULTURAL CALENDAR
The Monte Carlo International Circus Festival : The first
week of February. Established in 1974 by Prince Rainier III. Three
evening performances, a matinee and a gala evening during which
the Gold and Silver Clowns are awarded. The greatest circuses
in the world are represented and take part in the competitions
held here under the eyes of an international jury of professionals
presided over by Prince Rainier III.
The Monte Carlo
Television Festival :
The second week of February (its thirtieth anniversary was celebrated
in 1990). Founded by Prince Rainier III, the major event for the
world of television, recognized by the European Broadcasting Union,
it functions on the basis of the great principles which have always
guided it since its creation in 1961 and which have gained it
worldwide repute among professionals. Presided over since 1st
June 1988 by Prince Albert, the Heir to the Throne, the Festival
has been able to pursue its objectives by presenting the most
varied and complete facets of modern television : an international
new images forum "IMAGINA", a competition and an international
market for cinema, television and video products.
The Great Magic Prizes : The second week in March. An event
at the summit of the conjurer's art whose Organizing Committee
is presided over by Princess Stéphanie, orchestrated as
a music-hall revue. The Great Magic Prizes were established in
1985 : their aim is to make quality magic in its various forms
better known and appreciated by way of a competition whose winners
are awarded Gold and Silver Wands.
The Springtime of the Arts (April and May) : Has, since its
creation in 1984, proved to be a festival of international renown
and one which has been a member since 1986 of the European Association
of Music Festivals.
In accordance with the desire of its President, Princess Caroline
of Monaco, it helps to make the Principality, during a period
of nearly three weeks at Eastertide, a choice location for all
those who combine a taste for art and music. Embracing dancing
and all branches of music, including musical and operatic films,
but also the theater, the Springtime of the Arts offers a selection
of events of international fame and seeks to discover new talents
which it tries to encourage by providing them with the opportunity
to perform in Monte Carlo and to make their first recording. In
addition, each edition of the Springtime of the Arts is marked
by some original event, as, for example, the restaging in 1989
of Gluck's opera "Alceste" which had not been performed
since the eighteenth century or the first performance since the
eighteenth century in western Europe of the original version of
Handel's baroque opera "Flavio".
The Bouquet Competition :
Organized by the Garden Club under the presidency of Princess
Caroline takes place at the end of April in the Fontvieille Area.
It has two juries, one made up of professional specialists in
floral decoration, the other of well-known people with recognized
artistic senses. The major award is the Grand Princess Grace of
Monaco Prize.
The International Firework Festival
(July and August) : Organized since 1966 by the Municipal
Festival Department, it has acquired a worthy international reputation.
The Concerts in the Prince's Palace (July and August) :
During these summer months, the Philharmonic Orchestra enjoys
the pleasure of giving its concerts in the wonderful setting of
the Court of Honor of the Palace which is specially adapted for
these occasions.
The International Amateur Theater
Festival (every four years in August) :
Created in 1957. The only official event recognized by the International
Amateur Theater Association. Its last edition, in 1989, welcomed
troupes from 27 countries plus, for the first time, a seminar
of young critics, under the auspices of the International Theater
Critics Association.
The Baroque Music Week (October)
Organized since 1983 by the Cultural Affairs Service in collaboration
with the Oiseau Lyre ("Lyre Bird") Publishing Company.
France Musique regularly records the concerts. |
