“The Ventura” was moored in Monte Carlo so we had plenty of time before our visit to explore the playground of the rich. As we entered through the myriad of tunnels it felt as though we had gone down an Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole and entered another world. On first appearance it is not a very pretty place, a jungle of high rise apartment blocks set into the rocky hillside, or you could say a “quantity” of millionaires clinging to a rock! Luckily we had booked to stay overnight in a delightful hotel “The Columbus” in the bay of Fontvielle, away from all the traffic and the hurly burly. I did manage to take a few photos of some of the more attractive buildings which hark back to a more elegant and refined era.
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| The Casino at Monte Carlo |
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| A cafe outside the Casino. Eyes turned to watch the fast cars and “glitterati” arriving |
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| Despite the multitude of high rise modern flats there were a few old and magnificent buildings to be found. A throw back to the glory days of Monte Carlo |
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| The Princess Grace Theatre |
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| The boutique hotel where we stayed the night. |
I just loved the way it was decorated so thought I would share some photos.
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| The pink cushions really lift the neutral greys |
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| The lounge. Wonderful restful colours |
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| The Bar. Great for people watching. I am sure I spied some elegant ladies in genuine Chanel jackets |
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| There were a lot of these around. Testosterone on Wheels! |
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I would love to go there, the hotel looks amazing!
There is something about a 'quantity' of millionaires that makes me feel quite uneasy! I think it's the thought that they think we find them fascinating when all they are is flashy. If there's one thing age has taught us it's that money and style and taste do not necessarily (in fact rarely) go together! What a shame that the old splendour of this unique place is being lost to vulgar modern architecture... A lovely little place worth visiting in France is Divonne les Bains, just over the border from Geneva, it has managed to maintain its character and has the insouciant atmosphere of early 1960s James Bond films. It is a spa town with a very famous old casino, visited often by Omar Shariff I believe. I would seriously recommend it for a flavour of understated style.
My friend has just moved to MC, I feel a visit coming on....
Anonymous I couldn't think of another word and there did seem to be a lot of flashy fast cars. I agree it is a shame it has changed so much since I spend 3 months near there in the late 60s. Then it was the place to be for elegance and style. Would love to visit the Divonne les Bains.