AS Monaco’s first game of the new year ended with a thrilling victory, as they defeated RC Lens in the Coupe de France following a tense penalty shootout.

The Match

Missing a host of key players due to international duty, injuries and suspension, Adi Hutter still selected a strong side that notably featured new signing Thilo Kehrer in defence for his ASM debut.

Racing out of the blocks in scintillating style, Wissam Ben Yedder propelled Les Monegasques into the lead within the first minute to bag his ninth goal of the season.

Dominant and playing with real intent, it wasn’t long until Monaco doubled their advantage when Maghnes Akliouche found the back of the net with a quality finish following a sublime cross from Kassoum Ouattara.

This then proved the catalyst for Lens to begin mounting a comeback, as Elye Wahi and Przemyslaw Frankowski fired off some decent attempts before Faitout Maouassa halved the deficit with his deflected strike.

Entering the second half with the lead despite a penalty shout for Lens in the closing stages of the first half, the home side came out firing in their quest to get back on level terms. Florian Sotoca then did just that to get Les Sang et Or back on equal footing through his smartly placed finish.

The two continued to trade blows, as Hutter’s changes breathed some life into ASM to see them cut a more dangerous proposition.

Ultimately, however, the game was to be decided by a dreaded penalty shootout, with the away side coming up trumps, as Soungoutou Magassa secured the victory after some heroics by man of the match Radoslaw Majecki between the sticks.

Hutter’s Debrief

“Opposite us, there was a great team, very combative, and we knew that we were dealing with a team worthy of the Champions League. I was satisfied with our start, we were very good during the first 35 minutes,” explained the Austrian tactician.

“I have also never seen a penalty shootout like this, with a lot of misses, but also a lot of saves. I would like to congratulate Radoslaw Majecki, but also Brice Samba, they both had a good match. We will now return to Monaco with good energy.

“RC Lens plays in Europe, came out of a difficult Champions League group, has very good, physical players, as well as a good style of play. My men had to win from the start, that’s what they did, but afterwards, we gave away easy balls, we lost too many duels. They subsequently became more aggressive. We know that they put a lot of intensity in the first 30 minutes, so we tried to do even more. We succeeded.”

Key Stats

By the numbers, the fact ASM were beaten in terms of possession, total shots, shots on target and expected goals underlined their fighting spirit and determination that saw them prevail in the end.

Up Next

Having secured their passage into the next stage of the cup, AS Monaco will now turn their attention back to Ligue 1 action, where they’ll be taking on Reims next weekend at the Stade Louis II, as they hope to keep up their positive momentum.

In Monaco, cuisine is king. Dishes from all over the world can be found in the top restaurants, but a few simple and delicious local specialities hold their own.

There is no shortage of culinary specialities on the Côte d’Azur, and each town lays claim to its own dish. Barbajuan or barbagiuan is no exception. The origin of the Monegasque speciality is also disputed by the town of Menton. This is unsurprising when you consider that Menton was once part of the Principality.

In any case, as a local speciality, the small stuffed and fried ravioli can be found almost everywhere in the Principality. The recipe can differ. Sometimes with spinach, sometimes with chard, the filling is a mixture of vegetables with ricotta, emmental or parmesan cheese and occasionally onion. The ingredients may change, but the taste remains consistently delicious.

To sample THE Monegasque speciality, you can stop off at one of the many A Rocca shops, which are dedicated to cooking local specialities at a reasonable price. Otherwise, many restaurants offer Barbajuan on their menus. This is the case, for example, at the Castelroc restaurant located just opposite the Prince’s Palace.

SEE ALSO : What to do in Monaco in August 2022?

Surprisingly, Monaco has its own oysters: Les Perles de Monaco. They are grown in the port of Fontvieille and can be tasted here in the restaurant Les Perles de Monte-Carlo, on the Quai Jean-Charles Rey. They don’t get any fresher than this.

More regional dishes

Other specialities, which are more generally associated with the Nice region, are waiting to be tasted in the Principality. These include estocafic, more commonly known as stockfish, chard pie, pissaladière with tomato and the dessert galapian.

Estocafic is not the most appetising dish, but it is still very good. It’s simply a dried cod stew rehydrated in olive oil. Onions, garlic, olives, wine and herbs are added to produce an authentic estocafic.

Chard pie can be eaten either savoury or sweet. The savoury version is made with rice, chard and parmesan cheese. The sweet version includes chard, sultanas, pine nuts, almond powder and icing sugar.

Galapian actually comes from Apt but the Monegasques have reinvented this dessert as a sweet tart with almonds and cherries flavoured with vanilla.

There are so many different and varied dishes that will delight the taste buds of young and old alike during your stay in Monaco.

After a career that was light years away from the world of socca and pissaladière, Julien embraced a major challenge: taking over his father-in-law’s business at the Condamine market.

It is one of the Principality’s institutions. “Chez Roger”, in the Condamine market hall, delights customers every day with its soccas and pissaladières, all handmade. But since 2019, Roger is no longer the one behind the counter. In his place is his son-in-law, Julien, who manages the preparation of the dishes, and looks after  the store and sales, on his own.

Julien, who hails from Villefranche-sur-Mer, by no means set out to work in this branch. “I’ve had an atypical career path,” he says. I did a baccalaureate in electro-technical engineering. But I didn’t enjoy it at all. I then went to business school in Nice, specialising in marketing. But they weren’t hiring in the field at the time. »

After a career as a sales representative in the event management field, then training in insurance and asset management, Julien Bravetti finally found a path that appealed to him: banking advisor in Monaco, at the Société Générale in La Condamine then at its Fontvieille branch.

An institution that owes its existence to the Princely Family

Ten years later, the young man took a whole new turn: taking over his father-in-law Roger’s business, which started out in Monaco in 1976. A start that the Princely Family had a hand in.

“My father-in-law often told this story”, says Julien. He had met Monsignor Rainier and the Prince had said to him: ‘So my boy, what can you do?’ My father-in-law replied: ‘I can make socca and pissaladière’. The Prince helped and encouraged him, and they kept in touch afterwards. (…) Roger talked about how little Prince Albert II would come with his father and sit on the counter to eat socca.”

And this bond between the Princely Family and “Chez Roger” has never been broken. Forty years later, Prince Albert II was back at the market hall, for the handover between Roger and his son-in-law.

SEE ALSO: Meet Alexander Moghadam, the prince of Iranian carpets in Monaco

A family business through and through

However, passing the torch was by no means straightforward. Julien can attest he had a hard time convincing Roger to hand over his business, when they learned he was suffering from cancer in 2017.

“When he fell ill, it was closed for eleven months. He did not want me to take over his business, but I kept pushing so it wouldn’t be lost. During the closure, there was a real show of solidarity to encourage him, to convince him to reopen. Everyone said that the socca at the market was an institution, that people had grown up with it … When he finally reopened he was very tired and needed help from someone. I left the bank and started a few days later.”

For a year and a half, the two men worked together. Completely new to the field of socca and pissaladière, Julien learned everything at his father-in-law’s side. Quite a few were skeptical about the move: “My father-in-law was temperamental. A lot of people thought we wouldn’t manage to get along. And in fact, it went really well ” Julien recalls.

Traditional and authentic know-how

It was with complete peace of mind that Roger entrusted the keys to his store to his son-in-law before retiring for good, very diminished by his illness. After the death of his father-in-law in January 2019, Julien Bravetti wanted to keep all the know-how of his mentor, to guarantee customers the same quality of products.

“I didn’t change a thing. That was my deliberate intention: for things to be just like what Roger did. My pissaladières are stretched by hand, all my onions are fresh, peeled every day … I wanted to stay traditional.”

A family business that uses traditional methods was reassuring for customers, most of whom remained loyal to the institution. Very happy to serve a very local and regular clientele, Julien Bravetti does not intend to leave Monaco, nor to consider expanding. “I need to be here. This is my baby here, I feel good where I am,” he admits.

SEE ALSO: In Monaco, the best pasta has a name: Cesano

The only small regret in this extraordinary journey: not having had the time to learn to cook other products, as Roger, a trained baker, had promised him. “It’s a shame, we missed out. Once I have renovated the stall, maybe we can add one or two more products?” A project which, he promises, will always respect tradition, handmade products and the know-how of his father-in-law.

Rue Caroline, Boulevard des Moulins, Fontvieille shopping centre… They have already begun in the Principality’s major shopping areas.

January means The Sales. Many people look forward to them as a chance to update their wardrobe.  Lucky for them, the sales kicked off in Monaco on Tuesday 2 January, a few days ahead of France, where they are due to begin a week later, on Wednesday 10 January.

Speaking to Monaco Info, the Chairman of UCAM (Union of Monegasque Traders and Artisans) took stock of the past year and revealed the challenges facing Monaco’s retail sector in 2024. “The retail sector did well in 2023, it was a very positive year. I’m really pleased. We had a lot of tourists and locals who shopped at home, thanks of course to the Carlo app, which has boosted sales.”

High quality and an exceptional welcome

Alexandre Pasta also points out that Monaco has “a little edge” over France, in that the sales start earlier and end later. You can make the most of the special deals in the Principality’s boutiques until 15 February, whereas the sales end in France on Tuesday 6 February.

“There are people who wait for this period to come round so they can grab a bargain in the Principality, knowing that our retailers sell quality products and that there is always an excellent welcome in our shops. We don’t just have luxury brands in Monaco, but also shoe shops and off-the-peg retailers. They’re all independent and they’re providing some great deals,” says the UCAM Chairman.

Dry January: reasons to take up the challenge

If you’re planning a trip to Italy, the sales start this Friday, 5 January 2024, in Liguria. In Ventimiglia, Bordighera and San Remo, you can bargain hunt for 45 days, until 18 February.

We rounded up your social media comments about going teetotal.

The Dry January concept, launched a few years ago in France and Monaco, involves taking a month’s break from alcohol. Every year, millions sign up to this initiative because of its benefits. According to a study by the University of Sussex, 71% of participants said they slept better, 88% said they saved money and admitted they had better control over their alcohol consumption afterwards. What about our readers? Here are your answers.

While some, like Éric, resort to humour: “It’s cold in January, it’s not the right time,” others, like Florence, take the subject very seriously. “I wonder how some people can make fun of this initiative when there are so many tragic drink-related accidents every month. Offering people the chance to test their ability not to drink for a month is hardly pointless,” she says. Cheyenne says she does it every year, and “it feels really good.” Among the benefits she has noticed, Sylvie says she suffers from “fewer migraines.”

Sober all year round

Then there are those who don’t touch a drop all year round. “An alcohol-free year is arguably even better,” says Betty. “I don’t drink alcohol the rest of the year,” adds Kathy. “No alcohol for life,” says Alain. “Zero alcohol and I feel all the better for it,” added Irène, and Martine: “Dry year for me, I don’t drink alcohol.”

What to do in Monaco in January 2024?

As for Juliana, she wanted to promote Veganuary. Since its creation in 2014, Veganuary has inspired and encouraged nearly a million people in 192 countries to eat vegan. “It’s for the planet and against animal cruelty and overproduction. Stop buying clothes too (Fast Fashion pollutes more than transport), in short, instead of thinking about not drinking, think about doing things that have a global impact for the future. I’m off-topic, I know, but as a sommelier, I don’t do Dry January, however I do drink responsibly all year round,” says this committed reader.

Practical information:

• You can sign up to the campaign to receive tips, read about people’s experiences and even find recipes for alcohol-free cocktails throughout January. You can also download the free TryDry app to track your efforts in January and beyond!
• The CHPG also has an addiction department to help with any problems you may have, with regard to alcohol in particular.

The two dates are set aside for this incredibly important act.

Just a few minutes of your time could save a life. 5,000 blood donations are needed every year in the Principality… And so, the Princess Grace Hospital (CHPG), the Amicale des Donneurs de Sang de Monaco (Monaco blood donors’ association) and the Monaco Red Cross are organising a blood drive over two days – 23 and 24 January, from 8am to 2pm.

The CHPG will be happy to see you, with or without an appointment! A doctor will be on hand during the – completely safe – procedure. If you wish, you can sign up directly using the QR Code on the poster below:

Monegasque Red Cross awarded medal by Order for International Merit of Blood

Please note that there are a few criteria to meet in order to give your blood:

• Be aged between 18 and 70 (no new donors over 60)
• Be in good health and weigh over 50 kilos
• Don’t come on an empty stomach: have a well-balanced breakfast or lunch
• Drink regularly (water, coffee, tea, fruit juice)
• Bring proof of ID

If you are unavailable on those dates, be aware that you can give blood at the CHPG all year round, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 am to 2 pm and on Wednesdays from 10 am to 3 pm.

You can make an appointment by telephone on +377 97 98 98 20 or via the Monaco Santé website.

A driver is also available (by appointment) to pick you up and take you back to your place of work.

The first deputy mayor has been acting mayor since mid-December, when Georges Marsan was taken into police custody and subsequently charged. 

Several weeks ago, the Mayor of Monaco and three other individuals were charged with “active bribery of a national public official”, “passive bribery by a national public official”, “active and passive influence peddling”, “unlawful taking of interest by a national public official” and “criminal conspiracy”.

A few days after being charged, Georges Marsan issued a statement via his lawyer, Mr Brezzo, in which he said he had never taken advantage of his position and that he looked forward to his innocence being proven.

Georges Marsan case, safety, youth… Pierre Dartout’s end-of-year review

Heavy showers are forecast.

Be careful if you’re planning to round off the week with a visit to the Christmas Village. A number of changes are being made to Friday’s schedule, given the weather forecast:

• The ‘M. Orange’ concert, which was due to take place on Friday 5 January at 6.30 pm, has been brought forward to this evening, Thursday 4 January at the same time.
• The “Merveilleuses Princesses” parade, scheduled for this Friday between 2.30 pm and 6.30 pm, has been postponed until Sunday 7 January, at the same times. This will be in addition to the “Mascottes” parade with Stitch.

According to Météo France, there will be heavy showers and some gusts of wind during Friday daytime and evening. These should calm down over the weekend, but it will be cloudy.

As a reminder, the Christmas Village will close at 10.30 pm on Sunday 7 January.

Camille Svara, acting Deputy Mayor, answered our questions. 

At first glance, the three towns appear to have very little in common. One is in Italy, one in Corsica and one in Belgium. And yet, they share the distinction of being twinned with the Principality of Monaco. But why these particular towns? We asked the Town Hall.

• What is the purpose of twinning two towns? 

It’s a meeting of minds between two places that plan to develop ties in different fields. Historically, the idea of twinning gained a lot of momentum after the end of the Second World War in a battered Europe that was determined to strengthen the bonds between its countries.

• Ostend is Monaco’s longest-standing twin. What is the relationship like?

Ostend goes back the furthest as it was Monaco’s 1st twinning agreement, and it is also the furthest in terms of distance, since the town is located in Belgium. Ostend and Monaco shared, and still share, one thing in common: being a coastal town. But there is also a historical aspect to bear in mind: the wife of Prince Charles III and mother of Prince Albert I was of Belgian descent. She wasn’t from Ostend precisely, but the link with Belgium fuelled the desire in 1964 to twin with a town there. Prince Albert II visited Ostend in 2008, and a delegation from Monaco Town Council also went.

There are many references to the twinning in Monaco. The avenue leading to Monte-Carlo from the Port Hercule was named Ostende because of it. And thanks to the Formula 1 Grand Prix, it’s probably one of the most frequently seen avenues on TV!

Every year for the 11 November commemorations, a delegation from Monaco Town Council visits the monument built in honour of King Albert I of Belgium, on the boulevard de Belgique. There is also a cultural side to the relationship, as evidenced by the links between the Rainier III Academy, which is run by the Monaco Town Council, and Ostend’s Academy of Music.

• Why was Lucciana chosen? 

Lucciana is a twinning agreement that links us to France and, more specifically, to Corsica, which can be seen from Monaco at dawn on certain days. The jetty at the entrance to Port Hercule is called Lucciana, and every year a delegation from Corsica takes part in the Saint Devota celebrations on 26 and 27 January in Monaco. Because while Saint Devota is the patron saint of Monaco, let’s not forget she is also the patron saint of Corsica.

More than 15 centuries ago, when she was martyred, Devota was placed on a boat in Corsica, which did not set sail for Africa as planned, but was blown off course, arriving in Monaco, at the ‘Vallon des Gaumates” to be precise. Saint Devota is the patron saint of the Princely Family, the Diocese and the Principality. In 2003, Prince Rainier lll and Crown Prince Albert made a pilgrimage to Lucciana and Mariana, following in Saint Devota’s footsteps.

In 2009, the twinning between Monaco and Lucciana came into being and, at the end of 2022, the Prince Rainier III Archaeological Museum was inaugurated by Prince Albert II in Corsica. In November 2023, the Mayor and several elected representatives, including myself, attended the opening, by the Sovereign and Princess Stéphanie, of the exhibition about Prince Rainier lll’s pilgrimage to Lucciana.

Corsica: Prince Albert II and Princess Stéphanie, in the footsteps of Prince Rainier III and Saint Devota

• The third town to be twinned with Monaco is Dolceacqua, why? 

A third country, Italy, is also bound to Monaco by a twinning arrangement, since Dolceacqua came on board on November 3 of last year. Many events were organised ahead of time and in different fields: sports, associations, culture, and food. Monaco town council also donated the organ that is now in the church that is at the entrance to Dolceacqua.

To answer the ‘why’, we need to go back to the Middle Ages with the marriage between Françoise Grimaldi and Luc Doria, which marked the rapprochement between the two noble houses. Links remained down the centuries and in 2017, for example, the town of Liguria lent an altarpiece by Louis Bréa, dedicated to Saint Devota and exhibited inside Sainte Dévote church.  The work was commissioned by Françoise Grimaldi in 1517. Throughout 2023, different events were organised by the two towns, such as the symbolic walk from Monaco to Dolceacqua in the presence of Prince Albert II. The twinning agreement was made official on November 3 in Monaco Town Hall in the morning and again in the afternoon on Mauro square in Dolceacqua.

Monaco officially twinned with Dolceacqua

• What projects have there been and what ones are in store with these three towns? 

Projects to do with history, traditions, culture, music have been carried out with the towns, but there have also been sporting events such as the mixed team for the Riviera Electric Challenge with elected officials from Dolceacqua and Monaco. We should also mention the evenings at the Marché de la Condamine which aim to showcase these ties from a culinary point of view: Corsica and Dolceacqua have already been ‘at the head of the table’ and in 2024, for the 60th anniversary of the twinning with Ostend, a Belgian evening will be organised. A delegation from Belgium will take part in the Saint Devota celebrations on 26 and 27 January this year, not forgetting the exchanges between the Rainier Ill and Ostend Music Academies.

• Are there any more twinnings in the pipeline?

No futher twinnings are planned at present.

Monaco Statistics has published its 2023 Education Focus. 

The dawn of a new year is often a time for taking stock. It is the case for the Monegasque Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (IMSEE), which has published its figures on Monaco’s education system. The study covers primary and secondary school pupils in public and private schools for the current school year.

Let’s start with this figure: 6,448. This is the number of pupils that were enrolled from nursery through to final year of high school at the start of the 2023-2024 school year (excluding the Princess Grace Dance Academy and AS Monaco Academy). This number is slightly up on the previous year, with 110 additional pupils, especially in the private sector and specifically thanks to the creation of the British School of Monaco. This is the first time in ten years that the number of pupils has exceeded 6,400. Breaking that figure down, 66% of students attend state schools and 40% are enrolled in private schools.

Nearly 7 out of 10 students live in the Principality

In 2023/2024, almost 4,400 pupils live in Monaco, just over 68% of the total. The remainder are domiciled in the Alpes-Maritimes, with 23.5% in the neighbouring towns (Beausoleil, Cap-d’Ail, La Turbie and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin).

As for nationalities, there are more French than Monegasque pupils and, like Monaco itself, the schools are cosmopolitan. In 2023/2024, they include 82 different nationalities. It should be noted that Monegasque, French and Italian students are mainly enrolled in state schools, while Anglo-Saxon students are drawn more to the private sector.

Groupe Michel Pastor, AS Monaco Basket’s Premium Partner, has decided to give all Monaco-based Roca Team fans a free Skweek subscription plan called #Monacounited.

The special deal will enable loyal fans from the Principality to watch AS Monaco Basket’s performances in the Euroleague.

“Team spirit, competitiveness, pushing your limits: these values, which have been embodied by the Roca Team for several years, shone through last season and were consolidated this season. The results show the quality of the strategy put in place by the Roca Team’s management to build a first-rate team over the long term,” said Jean-Baptiste Pastor, the group’s CEO.

Oleg Petrov: “Youth development is in AS Monaco’s DNA”

“We share these values, and we have put them into practice in our companies for over 40 years. Through the #Monacounited programme with groupemichelpastor, we want to share our passion and this commitment to the team with all Monegasques and residents, united behind the Roca Team.”

The Skweek.tv platform provides European basketball fans with three different plans offering a wide range of content. Viewers can follow live matches from the Euroleague, Eurocup and Betclic Elite, followed by highlights and exclusive interviews.

How do I sign up for the deal?

1. Go to https://app.skweek.tv/signup

2. Create a new account

3. When you log in from the Principality, you will see a subscription plan called “Monaco United” presented by the Groupe Michel Pastor, in addition to Skweek.tv’s monthly and annual subscriptions.

4. Select the “Monaco United” plan to access all AS Monaco basketball matches in the Turkish Airlines Euroleague, Monaco EL video-on-demand content and Skweek Originals.

The Professor invented the “Dor Procedure”, which contributed to his reputation on the international surgical scene.

His name was, and will remain, inextricably linked with the Monaco Cardiothoracic Centre (CCM) and the surgical feats performed there. Professor Vincent Dor, who co-founded the Centre with Doctor Jean-Joseph Pastor, passed away on 29 December at the age of 91.

“The Cardio-Thoracic Centre is in mourning,” said the CCM, recalling the distinguished career of Professor Dor, an internationally renowned cardiac surgeon: “For more than 35 years, he contributed to the development of the Principality’s medical prestige, by creating and developing an exemplary, standard-setting facility, exclusively dedicated to the medical and surgical treatment of cardiovascular and thoracic pathologies. We have lost a leading figure in Monaco, an exceptional practitioner and a visionary, a key figure in the Monegasque, Côte d’Azur and international healthcare world. The Centre, of which he was the passionate instigator, has been the pride of the Principality for several decades.”

Born in Marseille in 1932, Professor Dor studied medicine there. Appointed as an intern in 1955, then Professor of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery ten years later, he developed a love of cardiac surgery during a stint at Stanford University in the United States with Professor Norman Shumway.

On his return to France, he set about applying his new ‘Stanfordian’ knowledge to Marseille, before setting up the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Nice University Hospital, at the Institut Arnault Tzanck, in 1972.

Thousands of patients treated in Monaco every year

Wishing to create an independent medical and surgical hospital unit dealing exclusively with cardiothoracic and vascular pathology, Professor Dor turned to Monaco, and more specifically to Dr Jean-Joseph Pastor, who was in charge of the cardiology department at the Princess Grace Hospital. The doctor was enthusiastic about the project, as were Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace.

Authorisation to create the CCM was granted in July 1984, and the 13,000 m2 centre was opened in April 1987. Inaugurated in November of the same year by Prince Rainier III and Princess Caroline, the CCM was also visited by Prince Albert II, who came to see the operating theatres and even watched an operation in progress.

Over the last 35 years, Professor Dor performed many surgical feats at the Centre. On 21 April 1987 in particular, he performed the first surgery using a heart-lung bypass machine, and on 30 May 1987, he carried out the first heart transplant in Monaco.

Vincent Dor also gave his name to a brand new procedure. More precisely, to a left ventricular reconstruction surgery for ischaemic heart disease post infarction, which contributed to his international renown. The Professor was even photographed mid-operation by the photographer Vanessa von Zitzewitz, who was making a book about Monaco at the time.

An iconic figure in Principality surgery, Professor Vincent Dor made it possible for the CCM to treat thousands of patients a year, from all geographical, social and cultural backgrounds, whatever the severity of their condition or their age.

The Monaco Tribune team sends its condolences to his family and friends.

Several Internet users have complained about websites that appear not to recognise Monaco’s postcode.

On the social network Facebook, people are baffled. “The code always comes back as unknown when you order online,” an astonished user says about Monaco’s 98000 postcode. This code was adopted by the Principality in the 1960s, as part of the French system for rationalising mail sorting and delivery. The Monegasque postal service depends entirely on this code, which is the only one for the entire Principality.

“Some operators (parcel delivery services, editor’s note) have not made the Monaco postcode available. If they don’t want to come to Monaco, they block it,” explains Marc Lea, Director of the Post and Parcel Services branch at La Poste Monaco. He adds that retailers, usually outside France, can also block the Monegasque postcode: “They consider Monaco to be international, and this generates additional costs when delivering customer orders.”

Back on Facebook, some people have found workarounds. “Sometimes, I put 06240 Monaco and it works.” A second user agrees: “Me too, 06240 Monaco and it works! Unfortunately, I have no other choice given some websites’ lack of understanding.” 06240 is the postcode for Beausoleil, which shares a border with the Principality. Another person said: “I put 06240 Beausoleil and 98000 Monaco in addition to the address. Sometimes I get a delivery error message from the Post Office, so I explain that the address is in Monaco and it gets delivered the next day.”

No collection points in Monaco

“There are no collection points in the Principality any more,” says Marc Lea, who acknowledges that running a pick-up point “is a job in its own right.”  Parcel volumes or poor financial returns are such that some pick-up points are closing down, as can be seen in Beausoleil and Menton, where there are now only one and three respectively, instead of four and nine several years ago. Today, La Poste Monaco delivers Colissimo and Chronopost parcels. Other operators such as Mondial Relay are finding the Monegasque delivery sector difficult to break into.

What are the solutions?

Faced with an exponential rise in the number of parcels handled in Monaco (up 150% in four years), La Poste Monaco and the Government are working on practical solutions. “For the last ten years or so, we’ve been looking at the last kilometre,” explains Marc Lea. This “last kilometre” would be a service for delivering parcels to residents from a centralised point on the outskirts of the town. “This should see the light of day between the second half of 2024 and 2025.” Not forgetting the objective of a greener Monaco. “All the journeys will be made in electric vehicles,” says Marc Lea.

In 2025, La Poste Monaco will also be moving to new premises in the Ilôt Pasteur. The move will not only save space and time, but also improve working conditions for staff. With the creation of this single sorting centre, as opposed to the two existing ones, plus the management of the “last kilometre,” Marc Lea promises: “We will be able to satisfy 99% of the demand.”

Facial recognition — coming soon to Monaco?

Sovereign Order n° 10.283 dated 20 December 2023 confirmed his appointment. 

Salim Zeghdar now officially holds the position of Prince’s Estate Controller. He had served as acting controller since the Prince’s Palace confirmed that Claude Palmero was leaving the position last June. After his dismissal from the Palace, Claude Palmero sued Prince Albert II before Monaco’s Supreme Court. Prince Albert II, in turn, announced that he was taking legal action against Claude Palmero, together with his sisters, Princesses Caroline and Stéphanie.

Salim Zeghdar is a well-known businessman in the Principality with several strings to his bow. CEO of Top Marques Monaco, Managing Director of Monaco Live Productions and founder of the Sérénissimes de l’Humour comedy festival, he is more recently referred to as the Executive Director of TV Monaco, the latest channel to appear in Monaco’s media landscape.

Prince Albert II: ‘Dossiers du Rocher’ broke camel’s back

In a previous Sovereign Order, Valentina Moro was appointed Attaché to the Prince’s Estate Administration as of 1 January 2024