The Junk Kouture World Final, an event featuring young fashion talents aged 12 to 19 from New York, London, Paris, Milan and Abu Dhabi, among others, is to be held at the Grimaldi Forum on 22nd February.
The young designers from 20 nations worldwide have been tasked with ingeniously creating 100% recycled collections and catwalk items that will be presented at the event. From discarded pool floats to electrical wiring and camping tents, their sources of inspiration are vast – and inspiring.
“Junk Kouture is not just a competition; it’s a movement that advocates for the power of youth creativity and voices in shaping a more sustainable future,” says Troy Armour, the founder and CEO of Junk Kouture.
Alongside the showcases, entrants will be in with the chance of winning ‘Junk Kouture World Designer of the Year’. Additional awards will be presented across various categories thanks to the support of industry giants like Deloitte, Microsoft, DHL and Etihad Airways.
“For 20 years, I have travelled to Monaco annually for the Grand Prix and the TV Festival,” continues Armour. “I am delighted that Junk Kouture joins a list of these incredible events, and further that the Principality over those 20 years has grown to be a world leader in sustainable living, showing how it can be done. Welcoming the Junk Kouture finalists here will be inspirational for all of them… Put yourself in their shoes, 16 years old and taking to a global stage in Monaco… It is the kind of thing dreams are made of.”
To find more details or to purchase tickets, which cost €25 each, click here.
The Prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes will be testing its mobile FR-Alert system on Friday 19th January with a tsunami warning, and local authorities say it may crossover to residents in Monaco.
On Friday, between the hours of 10am and 12pm, the Prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes will send out a fake tsunami warning, which will include an alert text message and audio signal on people’s mobile phones.
The system was recently used when storm Aline passed over the Alpes-Maritimes.
The Monaco government on Tuesday warned that the alert may reach residents in the Principality as it is relayed via the antennas of telephone operators, and urged residents not to worry.
“As this is a simple exercise, this alert message will not require any response or sheltering behaviour from the population,” says the government. “There is therefore no point in blocking the emergency lines 18 and 112 to obtain information.”
The Club Suisse de Monaco is to blend Swiss cuisine with Riviera charm next month at a sumptuous raclette night at the Hôtel Èze Hermitage. Here are all the details.
The pretty hillside town of Èze, found a 15-minute or so drive from the Principality, will be welcoming the members and friends of the Club Suisse de Monaco on 22nd February for a special evening featuring one of Switzerland’s best loved dishes: the raclette.
The Hôtel Eze Hermitage B&B will be hosting the event, which is being co-organised by the social club and Laurent Kostenbaum, a Swiss national residing in Monaco, from 7pm at 1951 Avenue des Diables Bleus.
Guests attending will be greeted with a glass of prosecco ahead of a gourmand evening of raclette accompanied by sliced meats, potatoes and salad as well as a hearty serving of warm Swiss hospitality.
The evening is open to both members and non-members, with tickets priced at €90 and €120 respectively. For those requiring transportation, arrangements can be made through the club’s secretary for an additional €30.
Click here to reserve your place or for more information.
In the hills above the Côte d’Azur, with views of the lush green hinterland, the Mediterranean Sea and the charming village of Cabris, sits a magnificent stone bastide built by the late French film director and artist Jean Marais that has been exclusively listed by Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty for €13.7 million.
An exceptional residence on a 15,000m2 tract of land around 30 minutes back from the coast, the property was designed by Marais himself in collaboration with his trusted architect and is a true work of art in all senses.
It was where Marais and Cocteau came together, living as a couple beneath its roof, but it was also a source of inspiration for the various works the two artists created, including Cocteau’s film Orphée, which featured Marais in a central role.
The property was given its name, La Muse d’Orphée, in their honour by the owners who purchased the stunning 511m2 home following Marais’ death. The couple also oversaw some gentle renovations and modernisations of the bastide in the early 2000s.
Today, the main building houses four generous bedrooms while a guest pavilion offers an additional three bedrooms.
A vast saltwater pool lined with rare Corsican river stones helps the stone edifice blend into the landscape while its beautifully tended gardens, planted with native trees and shrubs, harmonise with the surrounding nature.
For Frederic Barth, CEO of Côte d’Azur Sotheby’s International Realty and a member of the Private Desk, who is managing the exclusive listing, this property is exceptional due to its unique history and legacy as a retreat for the friends of the couple, such as Gabrielle Chanel, Pablo Picasso and Pierre Cardin.
“It served as the haven for Jean Cocteau and Jean Marais, a sanctuary of arts and culture during the golden era of the French Riviera,” he tells Monaco Life.
The listing describes the property as the embodiment of “the artistic and cultural heritage of Jean Marais, offering its future owners a piece of history to live with every day” as well as a “unique opportunity to own an exceptional heritage, steeped in passion, creativity and history”.
To view the €13.7 million listing of La Muse d’Orphée, click here.
Click on the images below to see more of the property:
The second edition of the ‘Semaine de l’Ecole Inclusive’ – Inclusive School Week in English – is taking place in Monaco between 15th and 24th January, and upwards of 1,400 pupils from 78 classes across the Principality are set to take part in its enlightening and awareness-raising workshops.
The goal of the event, which has been co-organised by the Department of Action and Social Assistance and the Princess Grace Hospital Centre (CHPG) along with input from several Monegasque and French associations, is “to promote acceptance and support for pupils with disabilities”.
A series of workshops on the challenges faced by those living with cognitive, sensory and motor disabilities have been designed to give students better and personal insight into these issues, with the wider aim of fostering a more inclusive environment in the Principality’s schools.
Some 1,400 children are set to benefit from the inclusivity sessions over the next week. Photo credit: Stéphane Danna / Monaco Communications Department
“The event is a reminder of the importance of making an education accessible to every child, regardless of their difficulties or disability,” says a government spokesperson. “An inclusive school is one that welcomes all pupils and ensures that the support they receive — educational, in particular — results in their well-being and success. Everyone at an inclusive school is involved: pupils, whether they have a disability or not, teaching staff, the other adults in the education system who work with children and, of course, families.”
The age-adapted sessions will be held in classrooms and at the Centre de Loisirs Prince Albert II. For more information about the initiative, click here.
Until Friday 19th January, motorists on the A8 should expect some traffic modifications and affiliated disruptions as Vinci Autoroutes, the company that maintains the motorway system in the region, completes various maintenance projects.
Though Vinci will be doing its best to limit disturbances to commuters by only working during nighttime hours, there may still be some areas that will see added congestion due to works.
Direction: Monaco and Italy
Between 8.30pm and 5.30am, the Exit 42 ramp in the Mougins area will be closed each night until 18th January. Drivers are being directed to the Exit 41 Mandelieu-Est ramp in its place.
The La Riviera Française service station near Beausoleil will be subject to a complete shutdown between 2pm on 16th January and 6am on 17th January. Drivers being asked to use the Aire de la Côte d’Azur between Mougins and Antibes as an alternative.
Additionally, the Monaco Est/Roquebrune-Cap-Martin-Beausoleil entry ramp will be closed from 16th to 17th January between 9pm and 5am. Light vehicles should use the 59 Menton interchange while heavy goods vehicles are being directed to the 57 La Turbie alternative.
Heading west
From 15th to 18th January, Exit 42 near Mougins will be closed to traffic from 8.30pm to 5.30am. Drivers are being asked to use the Mandelieu-Est Exit 41 during this time.
Exit 48 near Cagnes-sur-Mer will be closed each night from 15th to 19th January from 9pm to 5am. Commuters are being directed to use Exit 47 at Villeneuve-Loubet in its place.
Exit 58 in the Monaco Est/Roquebrune-Cap-Martin-Beausoleil sector will not be accessible from 17th to 18th January from 9pm to 5am. Motorists can instead use the prior Exit 59.
Click here for more information about the schedule of works.
Pink Ribbon Monaco, the breast cancer charity spearheaded by Natasha Frost-Savio since 2011, has announced that Princess Charlene has come on board as the Honorary President of the association.
The backing of the Princess, a big supporter of women’s health issues, is the feather in the cap of the association, which holds a number of events spotlighting breast cancer awareness and prevention in the Principality each year.
One such event is the upcoming Golden Age of Hollywood-themed gala that will be held by Pink Ribbon Monaco on 2nd February at the Casino de Monte-Carlo.
“The Princess joining us ahead of our gala is ideal,” Frost-Savio, the president and founder of Pink Ribbon Monaco, tells Monaco Life. “With her support, we hope to make it one of our biggest fundraisers to date.”
The gala will be taking place just over a week before the Pink Ribbon Walk on 11th February, an event that always attracts plenty of support in the Principality. Now in its 12th year, the event is a fun run and walk that is described as a day to “let loose, have fun, and celebrate life”.
“HSH Princess Charlene’s involvement as our Honorary President adds immeasurable strength to our cause,” says Frost-Savio. “We are honoured to have her support as we approach these significant events, and her commitment reinforces our wish to encourage critical research and support our local community.”
Tickets for the gala are on sale now and can be found here.
To find out more about the Pink Ribbon Walk and how you can get involved, click here.
Over three million British citizens living in France and abroad have regained their right to vote in British General Elections and referendums.
As of Tuesday 16th January, the arbitrary 15-year limit on voting rights has been scrapped and British citizens worldwide will be able to register to vote online regardless of how long they have been overseas.
It follows the implementation of the Elections Act 2022.
It means that Britons overseas have enough time to register for a vote in the general election if it happens in autumn 2024, as some media have hinted.
The move brings to an end an almost 20-year battle by the late Harry Shindler, who challenged the former 15-year limit on voting rights in the high court in 2016. When successive governments failed to deliver on their manifesto promises he brought the case to the European court of justice.
Shindler, who died in February 2023 aged 101, had argued the UK “was a democracy but not a complete democracy” until all Britons were enfranchised.
A new hotline service, reachable 24 hours a day, seven days a week, is now operational in Monaco, as the government takes a major step to end bullying in schools.
On Monday 15th January, the government confirmed in a press statement that the hotline was now up and running.
It means that students who are being harassed at school can call 98 98 96 96, at any time or day, and report all forms of violence in schools, from physical violence and intimidation, to threats and online harassment.
Even witnesses, parents and school staff can use the hotline to report incidences of concern.
A team of professionals from the Department of National Education, Youth and Sports and the Association for Assistance to Victims of Criminal Offenses will support callers “so that all measures can be taken to support the victim, as well as all measures intended to put an end to the situation in question”, says the government.
The hotline compliments a law which came into effect in September 2022 that allows educators to deal with harassment or bullying, and also allows for an “appropriate and dissuasive criminal response” if this method does not produce results.
For more information on the hotline service, click here.
Monaco’s only Michelin-starred Italian chef Antonio Salvatore talks to Monaco Life about taking the Principality’s iconic restaurant Rampoldi to New York.
Antonio originates from Basilicata in Southern Italy. He enjoyed hanging out in his parents’ kitchen, enrolling in hotelier school in Potenza as a teenager and graduating in catering services. He worked in various local restaurants, and while still an adolescent he decided to travel the world to gain experience cooking alongside known chefs. He perfected the art of cooking, and learned how to run restaurants, becoming a seasoned chef, and at the same time learning several languages.
La Table d’Antonio Salvatore
In 2016, Antonio became the head chef at the legendary Rampoldi in Monte-Carlo that had been in business since 1946. During summer 2020, he opened La Table d’Antonio Salvatore, an intimate gastronomic dining room just a flight of stairs below the main restaurant, that gained him a Michelin Star.
Since then, he has been working with the MC Hospitality Group (MCHG ) to expand their presence on both sides of the ocean, opening Casa Limone and refurbishing the Atlantic Grill in New York City.
Casa Limone, NY
Antonio hits the ground running, and the recent addition to his collection of restaurants is Rampoldi New York, set within Lincoln Square, a fine dining establishment blending French cuisine with the aromas of his beloved Italy.
Monaco Life was lucky to have secured an interview with Antonio Salvatore, a busy chef who is constantly on the go, commuting back and forth between Monaco and the USA.
It was almost inevitable that Antonio Salvatore would end up in a kitchen. His passion and inspiration for cooking is written in his DNA. “I come from a very large Italian family where the kitchen was the centre of our lives,” he says. “I grew up admiring my mother and my grandmother, and they continue to inspire me today.”
Living in Southern Italy he learned the importance of tradition and strong family values, and developed a taste for the local products and their specific aromas. “I love my country, its history, its culture, its poetic language. Italian cooking is an art and brings together all that is dear to me,” the chef tells Monaco Life.
A plate by Antonio Salvatore at his Michelin starred La Table d’Antonio Salvatore in Monaco
Apart from excellence in cooking, to be a chef requires other qualities, including leadership, sensitivity, being well-travelled, but above all knowing how to manage a team while remaining humble, and to be perseverant and never, ever, give up.
He explains how he manages to run five restaurants in two different continents: “First, it is important to mention I could not do it without the help of the 200 people in my team. I have their trust and support, and in turn I keep motivating them to grow, become accountable, proactive, and passionate about their work and aware of the group mission. I travel continuously, so I am very organised leaving nothing to chance. I am strong willed, have a great fighting spirit, and a sense of sacrifice.”
Antonio was crowned with a Michelin star in 2021 for his gourmet restaurant La Table d’Antonio Salvatore, a luxurious environment serving refined Mediterranean cuisine, combining Italian and French dishes with a Monegasque style. This recognition revealed his creativity and the high level of his cuisine. Antonio says he is incredibly proud, because “being the only Italian starred chef in Monaco is to make history!”
Atlantic Grill, NYC
In June 2021, Antonio and MCHG also opened Casa Limone in Midtown Manhattan, at the edge of the mythical Rockefeller Center. It is an authentic Southern Italian restaurant, with typical dishes such as pasta, pizza and more. He affirmed: “You feel transported to Sicily, maybe Sorrento.”
Late summer 2022, they brought back to life the Atlantic Grill on 65th street, in Lincoln Square, NY, your typical all-American restaurant with an international twist, serving fresh grilled fish, sushi and meat dishes.
Rampoldi New York
But his opera prima up to this date was certainly bringing Rampoldi to the Big Apple, inaugurated on 28th September 2023. It is superbly located in the Upper West Side, 49W 64th street, in Manhattan, steps from the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
Antonio sounds fulfilled when telling Monaco Life: “It was our dream come true to make Rampoldi, that is the beating heart of the group, a Monaco ambassador, an international brand, a true institution, located in quintessential Manhattan. We serve the same Franco-Italian gourmet-style Monaco experience in the same atmosphere.”
So what are Antonio’s career goals now? “The plan for the next few years is above all to expand the MC Hospitality Group around the world and earn my second Michelin Star.”
It was an eventful weekend for mainstream Monaco sports, with a victory for the Roca Team against Paris in the Betclic Elite, but a disheartening defeat in the Stade Louis II for AS Monaco, who lost 3-1 to Stade de Reims.
In a tightly contested Betclic Elite pitting on 13th January in the French capital, AS Monaco Basket secured a hard-earned victory over Paris with a final score of 92-85.
The game, marked by intense back-and-forth action, saw both teams put up a strong fight, but the Roca Team demonstrated a slight edge in shooting accuracy and overall performance, as reflected in their slightly higher evaluation score of 101 compared to Paris’ 96.
Key players for AS Monaco included Mike James, who led the team with 19 points and seven assists, and Donta Hall, who contributed significantly with an evaluation score of 22. AS Monaco’s balanced approach played a crucial role in their victory.
The recent win against Paris puts AS Monaco Basket firmly atop the table in the Betclic Elite standings. Photo credit: AS Monaco Basket
Meanwhile, back in the Principality, Saturday’s Ligue 1 match against Stade de Reims ended in utter disappointment for the home fans of AS Monaco, who concluded the match two goals down: 3-1.
Despite the high expectations and the tactical strategies laid out by coach Adi Hütter, AS Monaco simply couldn’t capitalise on their chances and the match saw Reims taking the lead with a goal from Teddy Teuma in the 35th minute.
AS Monaco’s hope was briefly reignited by a goal from Wissam Ben Yedder early in the second half, but Reims quickly regained control with goals from Réda Khadra and Azor Matusiwa.
AS Monaco’s efforts, including a late tactical shift by Hütter, failed to turn the tide, leaving them to reflect on a missed opportunity in their home stadium.
Upcoming dates
The next two games for the Roca team will take place at home. The basketball side will face Real Madrid in a Euroleague season game on 19th January, followed by a Betclic Elite game scheduled for 21st January against Le Mans.
On the football front, AS Monaco’s next challenge comes on 20th January when the Rouges et Blancs go against Rodez AF at the Stade Paul-Lignon in a Coupe de France match.
Season 10 of the FIA Formula E World Championship got off to a competitive start in Mexico City over the weekend, with a race that ultimately claimed by TAG Heuer Porsche’s Pascal Wehrlein.
Maserati MSG Racing might not have made the podium in the season opener, but the Monaco-based team nonetheless marked the start of their campaign with a “solid, clean race with perfect execution and no mistakes”, as per the words of Cyril Blais, the team’s Chief Engineer.
The more experienced Maserati MSG Racing driver Maximilian Günther started the race in P3, advancing up two places from his initial P5 thanks to grid penalties for Jaguar’s Mitch Evans and Nick Cassidy, but ended just outside of the Top Three in P4.
“I think we showed some good pace here,” he said post-race. “Mexico was very difficult for us last year, so to start the season with such a strong result now is very promising. I’m super happy for the whole team, and they did a great job. The car felt amazing in qualifying, and it’s a shame that we lost the podium with the second Attack Mode, but we gave it our very best. I’m really happy with fourth today.”
Günther’s 12 points puts the team in fourth place in the Teams’ Standings. Photo credit: mcusercontent.com
New-to-the-team Jehan Daruvala, who is also the only rookie on the grid this season, faced a challenging start in P17, but was able to gain a place during the course of the race.
“I’m very happy to have completed my first weekend in Formula E,” he shared in the aftermath. “Today was my first time in full race conditions, and it was a very positive experience. My main goal was to have a clean race and to take the chequered flag so I could learn as much as possible. Using everything I’ve learned this weekend, I’ll be able to build on my performance and continue my progression in Diriyah.”
The grid will now be looking ahead to the next stage in Saudi Arabia, which will take place from 26th to 27th January.
By the light of 3,000 candles, the London-based Tenebrae Choir will be performing a special concert accompanied by the choral students of the Académie Rainier III at the Notre-Dame-Immaculée Cathedral in Monaco on Saturday 27th January.
A full programme of events featuring the Tenebrae Choir and its legendary conductor, Nigel Short, has been organised for the occasion, which coincides with the Principality’s celebrations of its patron saint: Sainte Dévote.
In the morning, Short is expected to lead a masterclass for the students of the Académie Rainier III before the traditional Sainte Dévote mass, which will be presided over by Archbishop Dominique-Marie David in the presence of Prince Albert II of Monaco, takes place at 10am.
Then, at 6pm, the Tenebrae Choir will assemble in the cathedral for a formal concert accompanied by the choir of the Académie Rainier III, which will be directed by the establishment’s Bruno Habert and conducted by Short.
According to the Sacrée Musique Festival, a co-organiser of the event alongside Monaco’s Direction des Affaires Culturelles, the Diocese of Monaco, the Centenaire Rainier III Committee and the Académie Rainier III, 3,000 candles will be lit for the concert in tribute to both Sainte Dévote and the parents of current sovereign Prince Albert, the late Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace.
From 15th January, taxpayers who have outgoings such as a household help, Ehpad costs or certain rental investments that are eligible for tax credits or reductions stand to receive an advance of 60% on these expenses.
The advances are calculated according to the information provided in 2022 income tax returns, which were filed during the spring of 2023. They are thus subject to a one-year lag time and will be paid in two instalments: one in January and the remaining balance in the summer, according to declarations made in 2024.
According to the French government, more than nine million households will be eligible for these payments.
HOW IT WORKS
According to the government, “The payment of this deposit comes in January to limit the cash mismatches, unless you have reduced the amount in ‘Manage my withholding tax’ via the www.impots.gouv.fr website between September and December 2023.”
Payments will be made exclusively by bank transfer to the bank account connected to a household’s most recent online income tax declaration.
Households should expect to see a notice or message on their account informing them of the total they are due to receive in the days before the transfer is made.
To see if you are eligible for the advance, click here, and for more information about the scheme, click here.
In a tradition that dates back to registers taken in the 16th century, the Principality takes careful note of all the most significant events in the lives of its citizens and residents.
Each year, Monaco City Hall releases a compilation of these figures, which track births, death, marriages and divorces, and the latest edition has just been published.
The review has revealed that there were 804 births in Monaco during 2023 compared to 862 the year previously, while the Principality lost 258 of its residents last year. A further 280 deaths of people living in nearby French communes were also recorded in Monaco, taking the total to 538 deaths. Nearly 80% occurred in hospital, 10% happened in clinics and 1% took place in care homes.
Marriages and divorces up in 2023
During the course of 2023, Monaco celebrated 194 marriages. This was a slight increase on the figures recorded in 2022, which noted 191. There were two marriages where both parties were of Monegasque nationality, while 35 Monegasque men married women of a different nationality and 28 Monegasque women married foreign-born men.
Compared to the 58 divorces noted in 2022, there were 64 registered last year in Monaco.
