The Full Monte
As the cloud breaks, and the beautiful seafront strip of Nice emerges into focus, it is time to make a decision. Believe me, it will be the first of many during your stay in this exquisite part of the world and while for now it would seem to be one of the least important, it could prove rather crucial by the time you go home.
The choice ahead in the next hour is to how to complete the journey from the heart of the French Riviera to the glorious principality which lies 18 miles away. When in Monte Carlo…
Of course, there is only one option: helicopter.
The destination is the wealthiest of the fourth quarters of Monaco, so arrive in style. But be advised to follow the tip I was given when I first ventured to this part of the world over a decade ago. “Book your return journey at the same time,” I was told. Why? “Because you may not have any money left to get back to the airport.”
There is no price difference between a taxi or a helicopter—around 70 euros—and for now feel like you belong here by swirling in from the skies to a landing pad on the outskirts of the town centre.
A cab awaits. “Hotel Grand please.”
The population here is around 30,000 and while the residents are not allowed to gamble, the tourists make up for it. Nighttime will take me to the famous Monte Carlo Casino but for now there is no time to slip into the tuxedo. That dress code is not essential, but it adds to the feel of being somewhere special.
The Grand Hotel is perfectly placed. From the main bar area, the bay of the Monte Carlo can be seen, with the sun normally bouncing in off the Mediterranean. Below is the famous tunnel where the Formula One drivers hurtle through when the most charismatic race on the circuit comes to town. It is odd. Whenever you choose to wander through the tunnel, there are always people standing looking. There is nothing to see.
Just a curved tunnel beneath a hotel, but its fame stands alone, courtesy of the exploits of Michael Schumacher et al.
The Casino complex itself is the most famous of all of Monte Carlo’s tourist attractions. It is set in the central square, and includes the Grand Theatre of Monte Carlo and just going through the doors is quite an experience.
Choosing to stay at the Grand Hotel is a good option for those of you who want to gamble quickly on your arrival because you can be at the tables within less than two minutes of leaving your room. I have booked weeks in advance and at a price of almost 300 Euros a night, it is good value for this stunning location.
At 11am, the shutters rise and the casino is open. Gaming tables themselves are not available until early afternoon but if you want, you can lose yourself in the slot machines, poker video games, horse racing tables and the sheer disbelief of the place. It is not yet noon and on a row of the five-line slots, two elderly women are sitting in evening dresses playing. It is difficult to decide if they are still here from the night before, but you suspect their day has only just begun.
History seems to be all around you, nowhere more than the Monte Carlo casino itself. I want to learn more about the infamous stories of Charles Well, who inspired the song Man You Broke The Bank of Monte Carlo.
First question to those in the know in these parts: has that ever really happened? The answer is no, because despite the millions of people who have wagered millions here, no one has ever been close to wiping the casino of all its reserves. But hey, a gambler needs a new challenge, so maybe it could be you.
There is no doubt that Wells went close. In the 19th Century, the casino could never have imagined the publicity which would become associated with a confidence trickster in Wells.
Breaking the bank is the expression used for anyone who wins more chips than are on the table. In 1891, Wells took £4,000 of money he had defrauded from investors into a business scheme and in 11 hours he broke the bank on 12 occasions. He scooped a million francs, winning 23 times of 30 consecutive spins of the wheel.
Whatever the casino did, it could not work out how Wells won. On one occasion, the number five came in five times in a row. He just said he was lucky, but his luck eventually ran out when he was found guilty for fraud and was sentenced in England to eight years in prison.
Think of his story if five comes spinning in on that wheel.
History inside, and out.
The location is breathtaking, set below the palace where the Grimaldis—the ruling family of Monte Carlo—live.
Wealth is all around you. In the harbour, the yachts compete for size and the great talking point is looking just beyond for say the boat of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea Football Club.
His vessel is too big, we are told, to even make into the harbour because the small boats that are there already are not really that small at all.
Money sizzles in Monte Carlo. But not in the hyped-up way it might in other gambling complexes across the globe. Class is permanent, they say, and Monte Carlo has never been different. Do not expect the residents to pop out shopping unless they are dressed in style. It is not a fashion statement. It is a way of life and it is one of the beauties of spending a few days here. Gambling, and motor racing, are the two most famous reasons that Monte Carlo has instant recognition around the world.
The Monte Carlo Casino was built in 1878 by Charles Garnier, the architect of the opera house in Paris, and it is what the brochure says.
The gaming rooms are stunning, with sculptures, glorious bronze lamps, stained-glass windows and rooms off of rooms.
And there are many rules too: men must wear jacket and tie, identification is essential and times vary from when the casino opens to those of when specific rooms begin play.
Slot machines are available after 2pm on Monday to Fridays, and 12pm at the weekends. Private rooms, featuring roulette and blackjack, welcome you from after 3pm between November and May and after 4pm between June and October.
There are a number of rooms, such as the ‘American’, which boasts roulette amongst its array of renowned games, while the private areas are for those who probably arrive directly from their yachts.
It was in 1854 that gambling was legalised in Monte Carlo, its first casino opening near the harbour two years later before the plans were put into place to produce this iconic building.
It was the stage for the first James Bond novel, Casino Royale, written in 1953, and there is no 50p table here. But that is the thing about a trip like this. Choose what you want to lose—and savour the slow pace and adventure of it all.
If it is a quick buck you are looking for or the hussle and bustle of your regular gambling haunt, then the Monte Carlo Casino might not be for you. There aren’t crowds of people pushing for a place on a table or queuing to cash in their chips. A calm atmosphere, a special one, greets you as you show your passport and even the slot machines have their own rhythmical motion to them, like they were built to be here and only here.
Win or lose, outside the adventure is only just starting and if being here is part of a trip of a lifetime, why not sample the best it can bring. A short walk from the Casino is the Hotel de Paris, generally regarded as one of the finest in the world and inside, it is the place to dine.
The Louis XV restaurant hardly needs an introduction, with the cuisine of Alain Ducasse.
He is the only chef to have a three-star rating in the Michelin Guide in three different ‘countries’: here in Monte Carlo, the Plaza Athenee in Paris and the Alain Ducasse at Essex House in New York. The wine cellar at the Louis VX is something to behold. It is believed to have over 300,000 bottles, and one would imagine plenty of champagne orders from the winners just across the square.
You can book online, and make sure that you do. The setting is magnificent and the restaurant is decorated in the style of 17th century Versailles, with captivating ceilings and a host of chandeliers, gold sparkling throughout, to match the glorious food which awaits you.
Sounds like salesman talk? Not a chance of it. It is the place to go because it is that good.
But even more pleasure awaits at some of the other main casinos which you can visit—Cade de Paris Casino, Sun Casino, Bay Casino and Summer Casino—and nothing seems too far away.
Or, you can just wander back to the Grand Hotel where there is everything in one place.
A perfect view, a casino on the ground floor, a cash machine just outside and whatever temptation within, the knowledge that outside the chance to forget it all because even losing does not seem that bad in place of such delight, where French is the official language even though its roots are Italian.
But it is not words but colours which are the common theme. Black or red. It is the one choice which could make a difference to the trip. But do not forget that journey back.
The Casinos
- The Monte Carlo Casino
- Cafe de Paris Casino
- Sun Casino
- Bay Casino
- Summer Casino
The Race
Many Formula 1 drivers have taken advantage of the Principality’s tax haven status, including Ayrton Senna, Gilles Villeneuve and more recently Jenson Button and David Coulthard. Ayrton Senna is the most successful driver around the famous street circuit with 6 wins, followed by Graham Hill and Michael Schumacher on 5.
The Harbour
Many a large boat lies moored here and as mentioned, the exclusivity is such that even Roman Abramovich can’t find a parking space. You know what they say about big boats… Also if you fancy arriving in the harbour in style, see our luxury yacht section on page 96.
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