French President Emmanuel Macron has inaugurated the Olympic and Paralympic Village ahead of the upcoming summer games in Paris in an event that evoked pride and emotion from the head of state.  

Located around seven kilometres from the centre of the French capital, and less than five minutes from the Stade de France, the new purpose-built Olympic and Paralympic Village is a marvel to behold. 

SERVICES AND CONVENIENCES 

The 51-hectare compound is positioned in an overlap of the towns of Saint-Denis, Ile Saint-Denis and Saint-Ouen. 

Once the big event rolls around, a full 60% of participating Olympic athletes will be able to train on site and 85% accommodated in the park will be within 30 minutes of their competition venues.  

Additionally, there are recreational areas along the banks of the Seine, designed specifically to create a soothing and relaxing environment for the 6,000 inhabitants who are expected to be housed in the Village during the height of the Games, and heritage buildings like the Cité du Cinéma and Maxwell Hall have been integrated into the plans as the dining hall and fitness centre, café and information centre respectively.  

OFFICIAL OPENING 

On 29th February, the site was officially opened by President Emmanuel Macron, who was accompanied by France’s Minister of Sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra. 

“I am very proud of all the work that has been done. It has been done on time, on budget,” said an emotional Macron. “It also is contributing to changing the lives of the people of this town, this department, this city, this region. Collectively we are all in the process of participating in the adventure of the century.”  

SECOND LIFE 

Once the Olympics are over, the Village will serve another worthy purpose: it will be transformed into social housing for the people of the area.  

“After the Games, 6,000 people will benefit from housing in the converted village, and as many employees will come to work there, thus realising our ambition for a sustainable and transformative Games for Seine-Saint-Denis,” said Oudéa-Castéra. 

Join the Monaco Life community – sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, and follow us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

Photo source: Gouvernement.fr

From restaurant staff to hotel workers and beach attendants, close to 300 positions within the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) universe will be up for grabs at an upcoming job fair hosted by Monaco’s largest employer. 

Between 9.30am and 6.30pm on Wednesday 6th March, the One Monte-Carlo conference centre will be welcoming in jobseekers who are looking to find a new role at SBM.  

Potential employees will get the chance to meet managers and decision-makers from the group, and possibly walk away with a new job at the award-winning hospitality company.   

There are postings for restaurant and kitchen staff as well as hotel workers, beach attendants, customer service agents, security guards and Kids Club managers, all ready to be snapped up by the right people ahead of summer 2024.  

For those unable to make it to the La Journée des Talents event in person, SBM is also accepting CVs via email. Contact recrutement@sbm.mc for more information. 

Join the Monaco Life community – sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, and follow us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

Photo by Monaco Life

While it rained, rained and rained some more on the coast over the weekend, the vibe couldn’t have been more different in the mountains of the region. Snow fell thick and heavy to the joy of ski resorts and holidaymakers who now look set to enjoy a week of incredible conditions. 

Beginning on Saturday 2nd and continuing all throughout Sunday 3rd March, the mountains of the south of France have been graced with a welcome dump of soft and fluffy snow of up to 80cm in some areas. 

Though road access to resorts in the east of the region, particularly the route to Isola 2000, was complicated – simply impossible in some cases – the majority of the snow, fallen trees and landslides had been cleared away by Monday 4th March to allow families and winter sports fans looking to get away during the second week of the holidays to reach their holiday destinations.  

The substantial snowfall also caused numerous pistes to be closed in the interests of safety, but staff in all local resorts worked throughout the night on Sunday to ensure that as many runs as possible could be opened.

Certain resorts, particularly those in the Mercantour, have been more affected than others by the heavy snow and were offering discounted passes at the start of the week, such as in Isola 2000, where a full day pass cost just €12.30 on Monday 4th March, and in Auron, which decided to offer skiers and snowboarders 50% off daily forfaits.  

Avalanche risks remain elevated across the region and those staying in ski resorts in the Alpes du Sud over the weekend would have become well-accustomed to hearing detonations from high up in the mountains.

By the morning of Monday 4th March, clear skies and sunshine had arrived to provide the set-up for near-perfect conditions on the slopes. Another dusting of fresh powder is due on Tuesday 5th March and then again at the end of the week. Temperatures are forecast to remain favourable to the integrity of the snowpack, meaning that an excellent weekend of skiing is to be had in the south!  

Check out our reel of the conditions in the Val d’Allos Espace Lumière resort over the last few days: 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Monaco Life | News from Monaco (@monacolife_)

Join the Monaco Life community – sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, and follow us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

Photo by Monaco Life

The Kamil Art Gallery on Avenue Princesse Grace is set to host Norwegian Kenneth Blom and his Silhouettes Unveiled collection this April. It will be the first time that the artist’s work has been on show in the Principality.  

Born in Demark and raised in Norway, Kenneth Blom’s inspiring use of ethereality has led to comparisons between himself and his fellow countryman, the great Edvard Munch. Though Munch was more drawn to the human figure, Blom’s interests address relationships in the exterior realm, with industrial or empty landscapes dominating his style, but with the same haunting impact as his compatriot.  

The 57-year-old painter’s blend of the real and the figurative is highlighted even further by the way his use of colour gives the appearance of subjects melting into one another to great emotional effect.  

FIRST FOR MONACO 

Blom’s paintings have been celebrated all over the world, with shows in cities such as London, Berlin, Beijing, New York, and Oslo to his name. Now he is coming to the Principality, where the opening of his Silhouettes Unveiled collection at the Kamil Art Gallery will coincide with the start of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters tennis tournament.  

Held in conjunction with Galerie Birch, Silhouettes Unveiled will showcase a series of new works made specially for the occasion that explore “undefined space between abstraction and figuration, the silhouettes that emerge draw us into the mysteries of human psychology.” 

The exhibition will be available to view from Monday to Saturday between 11th and 22nd April, and from 10am to 7.30pm. There will be a special preview event at 6.30pm on 11th April. For more information, click here. 

Join the Monaco Life community – sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, and follow us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

Photo credit: Kennet Blom, Sight, 2023, Oil on canvas, 95 x 76 cm, courtesy of the artist 

The French government has cracked down on vegetarian product labelling and producers with a new decree ruling that they can no longer use certain terminology, such as steak and sausage, to describe their meat-free contents.  

Incited by complaints from the meat industry, who insist that vegetarian packaging is confusing for customers, the French government has ruled that vegetarian and vegan items can no longer use descriptors traditionally used for meat products. These include titles such as escalope, bacon, fillet and ham. Items like Cordon Bleu, which include dairy and plant-based ingredients alongside meat, are unaffected.  

According to the decree, which was formalised on 27th February, these terms will be henceforth reserved for the meat industry alone. The recent ruling is based on a 2020 law that was suspended in June 2022 because of objections from Proteines France, a group of plant-based food companies that banded together in a consortium.  

The new ruling applies only to French producers, meaning that producers of imported vegetarian fare can continue to use meaty names on their merchandise labels. This contradiction has already caused an outpouring of criticism, including from Proteines France, who argue that the French law is not consistent with EU food regulations and is discriminatory against French brands.  

Fines up to €1,500 can be imposed on individual rule-breakers, going up to a hefty €7,500 for companies. In a not completely heartless move, the government has given sellers one year to offload stock with the current packaging before they will start imposing any levies.  

Join the Monaco Life community – sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, and follow us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

Photo source: Like Meat, Unsplash

The Roca Team were en fuego on Friday night as they launched an impressive attack on EuroLeague opponents FC Barcelona Bàsquet to shore up their Top Four positions in the rankings.

The Monegasque side had a bit of a slow start, despite the fantastic result (77-67). Their first quarter stats saw them down 12 to 21, but things turned around quickly in the second quarter. Stepping up the pace, the team scored 21 points and headed into the locker room only two points down.  

The second half saw a different team hit the court. In the third quarter, Monaco scored a massive 27 points versus Barça’s 16, and kept the balance in the final quarter. 

The redoubtable Mike James proved his star status once again, adding 17 points to his team’s total while also creating situations for his fellow players to shine as well.  

“He focused Barcelona’s defence a lot and was able to open up situations for his teammates, while also scoring important points. A very solid match from him ,” said Coach Sasa Obradovic.  

Also of note were Matthew Strazel, who scored 13 points, and Donatas Motiejunas, with 12.  

“We are very happy with this victory,”’ said Motiejunas. “It’s the first time I’ve won on the Barcelona floor! It was an important match [and] we are getting closer to second place. We all raised the bar in the second half to make the difference.”  

“It’s a great victory, a very solid collective and physical performance from the whole team who were remarkable in their investment,” added a jubilant Obradovic. “We won above all on defence. There was a lot of joy in our locker room, this should give us even more confidence for the future, but we will have to keep this same state of mind for the next games, it is very important.” 

The Roca Team will next be in action at home on 7th March when they host Red Star Belgrade in the Salle Gaston Médecin. For tickets, click here. 

Join the Monaco Life community – sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, and follow us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.  

Photo credit: AS Monaco Basketball 

From religious occasions to celebrations of national identity, here’s a guide to all of the public holidays set to take place in Monaco during 2024.

The way in which public holidays – or jours fériés in French – work in Monaco reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring worker welfare across all sectors. These designated rest days ensure that employees are granted time off, with fair compensation provided for those required to work either through equivalent pay or a compensatory day off. Whatsmore, holidays that occur during an employee’s paid leave do not impact their total leave entitlement.

The first bank holiday following New Year’s Day will happen on Easter Monday on Monday 1^st April. The holiday prolongs the celebrations of Easter Sunday, which marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Here in Monaco, families often gather for a special lunch and participate in community events, such egg hunts and parades. To read about last Easter’s celebrations in Monaco, click here.

Then comes Labour Day on Wednesday 1^st May, a worldwide observance recognising workers’ rights.

Ascension Day, observed on Thursday 9^th May, and Corpus Christi, on Thursday 30^th May, offer some employers and employees the chance to faire le pont and bridge their day off with the weekend by adding an extra day, while Whit Monday on Monday 20^th May will further break up the most generous month on the calendar for public holidays.

During the summer, Assumption Day will be celebrated on Thursday 15^th August. This significant day is marked by special church services, often attended by the Princely family, that showcase the cultural and religious traditions of the Principality.

As autumn unfolds, All Saints’ Day on Friday 1^st November offers a moment for people to pay tribute to the departed. Additionally, the end of October tends to heralds the return of the funfair in Port Hercule, giving locals another excuse to enjoy some precious time off.

The National Day of Monaco, which will be celebrated on Tuesday 19^th November, is a vibrant celebration of Monegasque identity that features fireworks, a Te Deum mass, public concerts, appearances by the Princely family and military parades that highlight the nation’s heritage. To read more about National Day, click here.

See more: In pictures: A look back at the 2023 Fête Nationale de Monaco

The 2024 calendar also features the Immaculate Conception on Sunday 8^th December, a day devoted to honouring the Virgin Mary’s role in Christianity through church services, mass attendance and prayer sessions. As this holiday falls on a weekend, no additional day off will be granted.

Concluding the 2024 public holiday calendar, Christmas Day will be celebrated on Wednesday 25^th December, ushering in a festive close to the year before welcoming the arrival of 2025.

Join the Monaco Life community – sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, and follow us on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok. 

Photo credit: Mairie de Monaco, Facebook