Category: Humans of Monaco

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Valerie Closier

Valerie Closier may have grown up in Lésigny, some 50 kilometres southeast of Paris in the Seine-et-Marne department, yet she could not be more deeply rooted in Monaco’s car culture.

Valerie Closier with Prince Albert February 6, 2024. Photo: Facebook Automobile Club de Monaco

A model child in school who was “a bit of a tomboy”, Valerie played on the tennis team and was coached by the first trainer of Guy Forget (he helped France win the Davis Cup in both 1991 and 1996). Her dark hair and eyes earned her the nickname Gabriella as she resembled Gabriella Sabatini, the former world No. 3 who played from the mid-80s to mid-90s.

Yet it was her love of dance – classical, modern jazz and tap – that earned Valerie her first win at a national level with her dance class in 1989. 

It was thirteen years before she won another French national title, but this time it would be as a rally co-driver. 

“I first became interested in rallies with my dad, Michel. He drove an Alpine A110 Berlinette co-piloted by a childhood friend. I would take photos and videos because I was passionate about video editing at the time,” recalls Valerie, Director of the Prince’s Car Collection since December 2019.

One day, as she explains, a friend of her father, none other than Jean Charles Rédélé – son of Jean, the creator of the Alpine automotive brand – was racing in the French Véhicule Historique de Compétition (VHC) when he put a helmet on young Valerie’s head and snapped a picture. “A few weeks later, my dad received the photo in the mail with a note on the back scribbled, ‘She’s ready.’ My dad asked if I wanted to try a rally and off I went to co-drive with him in the Berlinette. We did this for about 10 years.”

Valerie’s first rally memory is the Grand Caunet, a special stage of the Sainte Baume Rallycircuit in Marseille, where, unfortunately, at the arrival check point the head gasket prevented the daughter-dad duo from continuing.

“I was left hungry. Motor racing and speed provide adrenaline and such exceptional and exhilarating emotions. That’s when I finally understood the expression voir la route par les portières [seeing the road through the doors].”

The year after the Rallycircuit, in 2002, Valerie and her dad took part in the VHC rally championship and she became the French national VHC co-driver champion. “When the car works well, and the pace notes for speed and distance fall into place and the driver is confident, it is though the car is flying, and it is an extraordinary feeling. A total osmosis between the driver, the co-driver and the car.

“And teaming up with my dad in the car and my mom at the refuelling station was great. It was a fabulous few weeks of racing but returning to reality on Sunday evening was much less exciting.”

The accomplished rally competitor was also co-driver for Jean-Claude Andruet in a Porsche 3l in the 2010 VHC rally cup final in La Rochelle. The pair made all the scratches and won the rally ahead of Dominique Depons and Jean Ragnotti. They teamed up again at the 2023 Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique in an Alpine A110 Group 4 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Andruet’s 1973 victory in Monte-Carlo with Alpine.

This year, Valerie will be participating in a special capacity for ACM’s 2024 Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, which officially kicks off February 1. Unlike last week’s 2024 Rallye Monte-Carlo, the historic version features cars driven in the Monte Carlo Rally between 1911 and 1983.

“The historic rally is for the fastest but, above all, it’s about a passion for cars, conviviality, helping each other, good humour and meeting like-minded people. I like the whole atmosphere.”

For Valerie, this passion for automobiles “has contributed to Monaco’s international prestige” as proven by the legendary Rallye Monte-Carlo created in 1911 by Prince Albert I. “At the time, it was a way to attract the European jet-set to Monaco. This was followed by the Monaco Grand Prix in 1929 inaugurated by Prince Louis II.”

She adds, “At the beginning of the 1970s, the rally took place according to a schedule that would endure nearly 25 years: first a course of concentration where crews would drive day and night to arrive towards the city of Monaco before then leaving for a second course, which was timed and used by all drivers in the regions of Isère, Drôme and Alpes-Maritimes.

“Nowadays, the historic rally starts in cities like Reims, Bad Homburg, Milan or Glasgow, and competitors converge towards Monaco and then head onto mountain roads, often snow-covered, where they have to know how to control the climb to stay on the road to get back to the Principality on the finishing podium.”

Although the rally runs until February 7, Valerie will co-pilot a special car on February 6 at 8 pm. “HSH Prince Albert II will have the honour of taking the wheel of a Deutsch-Bonnet Frua Coupe during the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique . And I will have the privilege of being beside the Prince to take a tour of the Principality. We will then return to the closed rally car park so that the Sovereign can give the start to official competitors of the 2024 historic’s last stage: the night of Turini.”

This exceptional event is part of the commemorations for Prince Rainier III’s centenary of his birth. In 1953, and under his real name “Louis Carladès,” Prince Rainier and his mechanic Mr. Benit entered the Tour de France automobile at the wheel of a Deutsch-Bonnet Frua Coupe. A few years ago, the Car Collection acquired an old Deutsch-Bonnet to restore for the occasion.

Valerie Closier with Prince Albert February 6, 2024. Photo: Facebook Automobile Club de Monaco

“Prince Rainier built up a large personal collection of vintage cars, depending on opportunities and his favourites,” informs Valerie. “He collected and restored some 100 vehicles, a large sample of models built by the most famous European and American carmakers. He said, and I quote, ‘It’s not a car museum but a personal collection of cars of all ages and from all countries. Popular or prestigious, they marked their era and I liked them.’”

In July 2022, the Prince’s Car Collection moved from Fontvieille to its new home at 54 route de la Piscine along Port Hercules. The space offers “an unforgettable historical journey” of the princely family through private and unpublished photos and videos. The relocation gave “a new lease of life and a more modern scenography” and Valerie’s goal is to bring “this magnificent place to life and make it shine not only in Monaco but also in France and abroad.” Last year visitors numbers increased by more than 80% compared to 2022.

The first Monegasque Formula One driver for Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, donated his single-seater in which he won Spa and Monza in 2019 to the Collection. It is in pole position on the mezzanine’s F1 zone. Valerie shares, “It’s the ‘WOW! factor for visitors when they first enter and are surprised to see Formula One single-seaters on the wall. People are fascinated by the incredible size of these F1 cars when they see them up close.”

In 2023, the Car Collection held several exhibitions, from cars (the 75th anniversary of Porsche and a mini Bugatti expo) to art (by former rugby player Jean-Pierre Rives), and served as a runway for Monte Carlo Fashion Week in May.

The cars are also lent out for charity rallies (Child CARE Monaco vintage rally), or on display at concours d’elegance competitions and car shows, like Top Marques Monaco or Rétromobile in Paris. Valerie also develops the Collection’s private capacity, with exclusive dinners and cocktail receptions, such as the launch of The Monegasque magazine last December.

Valerie, who can be found sipping un café or deux at the Café de Paris in the winter months (or at Larvotto’s La Note Bleue when warmer), is known by everyone for her positive, dynamic and enthusiastic personality. “When I have an idea, a desire, a proposal, I go for it, with audacity and determination. And often it pays off.”

She draws her motto “nothing attempted, nothing gained” from her family. Her parents lived in Monaco (“My mom worked at Radio Monte-Carlo as an assistant to Bernard Spindler and my dad was a diver in Cousteau’s team. He was even the diver on duty during the F1 Grand Prix in 1959 at the tobacconist”) and her aunt owned the Monte-Carlo Bar at Place d’Armes.

“Without passion, life has no flavour,” she insists. “And it is thanks to this drive for motorsport that I meet incredible people. These are genuine emotions and precious moments of sharing and joy.”

The Aquarius talks about how in recent years there have been more and more initiatives to support women and girls to get a foot in motorsport. “It’s not easy to move the lines because it’s a very male-dominated field. I am delighted that women like Susie Wolff with the F1 Academy and Deborah Mayer at the head of Iron Dames are raising their voices to open new paths for women in this field.”

Then there is the More Than Equal initiative co-founded by 13-time F1 winner David Coulthard and entrepreneur Karel Komarek to finance an ambitious program aimed at giving women drivers the means to access Formula One. “This is real progress which, I hope, will gradually succeed in changing the somewhat archaic mentalities of motorsport.

“I’d like to think we are on the right track but there are still a few turns and speed bumps to cross.”

The Prince’s Car Collection is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm (7 pm in July and August. The 26th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique takes place January 31 to February 7.

Article first published on February 1, 2024. Photos and video copyright Good News Monaco.

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Warmies Prayer Bear

“I have a 100-year plan,” admits Father Hugh of St. Paul’s Monte Carlo. “How does this church serve the community in a hundred years’ time when I’m dead?”

WATCH VIDEO: Father Hugh talks about the Warmies® Prayer Bear Centenary campaign.

As the Oxford native explains, “You create a structure which sustains itself, which is outlooking, confident in its own identity” he explains. “And that confident position allows me to go out and do what I do.”

And he certainly has a gift to “do what I do”. Anyone who’s been to the Anglican church at 22 avenue de Grande-Bretagne since Hugh Bearn arrived in April 2023 would agree.

Under his direction over the past 18 months, all the memorials that were previously sitting on the church floor have been restored and hung by using panels of reclaimed wood from skips. “We are very conscious of not wasting and chucking things away,” he says, adding, “The icon was restored anonymously; all the furnishings were put in anonymously.” Additionally, the 60 x 8-metre church pew cushions were replaced, anonymously, with the previously-loved ones being donated to the SPA (Société Protectrice des Animaux) Monaco.

The three stained-glass altar windows are each being restored, with the third and find panel to be completed in January. “A woman and her half-Scottish husband in Castillon are really superb artists. They restored the windows of Mary Magdalene’s cave up the road [in Sainte-Baume].”

As Father Hugh says, “Slowly slowly, lots of little changes make a big difference.”

It’s not just the aesthetics that are getting all the attention. Father Hugh has put his efforts equally on boosting the calendar of church events. There was the Exeter College Oxford Alumni choir and the Danish Boys choir, a visit from Prince Edward, and Prince Albert, and the Churchill family who attended the inauguration of a memorial, funded by the International Churchill Society, installed in September to mark 150 years since Winston Churchill’s birth. “I think people understand it’s about the church serving the Principality and getting the community together.”

He adds, “When people are focused not on themselves, they can see the goodness of what’s going on.”

Which leads to the Warmies® Prayer Centenary Bear and “a little idea I had”. First, St Paul’s is gearing up for its 100th anniversary – it was built on avenue des Fleurs and dedicated by the Bishop of Gibraltar on February 19, 1925, when the street was re-named avenue de Grande-Bretagne for the occasion. Second, created in 1995, Warmies® is a heatable plush toy that provides a soothing and therapeutic warmth. Warmies® are popular with all ages and were named in February 2024 as GiftBeat’s Best-Selling Toy in the USA for the second consecutive year. And thanks to a member of the congregation, 600 Warmies® were generously donated to the Prayer Bear Centenary Campaign.

“The bear has lavender inside and you stick them in the microwave for maybe 15 seconds,” says Father Hugh. “They’re really good for kids with autism, kids who can’t sleep, adults who can’t sleep.”

The words God is Love in English and Dieu est Amour in French are written on the bear’s chest, with St. Paul’s Church Carlo on the its paw. 

For Father Hugh, the Prayer Bear is a way of engaging with the community, engaging with young people and old people. “Who doesn’t want a teddy bear? And with a message of a prayer that says you are never alone. A lot of people are really lonely.”

The church will give the bears to women’s refuges and “people who have real needs, where where they have a really unpleasant existence”.

“The idea is that there’s a 6-year-old kid who gets this teddy bear in La Trinité in Nice. Fast forward 10 years and he’s getting into sex, drugs and rock and roll and he looks at this teddy bear and thinks, ‘Why did someone give me this bear that has God is Love on its paw?’ It’s that sense of sowing a seed of which we will never see the results.”

The bears can be adopted for a donation of €30. The funds raised will go to the St. Vincent de Paul association in Monaco, to help with their homeless and refugee projects. “The teddy bear is a gift that parents can give knowing where the money is going so it’s a win-win good-good situation.”

Father Hugh is most excited about selling the Prayer Bear not online or through social media, but “people having to come and collect them. That physical connection is really important.”

With a laugh, he adds, “If you go into my vicarage, you may open the cupboard and find a bear staring at you.”

Article first published December 15, 2024.

Wednesday December 18 at 5:15 pm: Sunday School Christingle.

Christmas Eve at 7:30 pm: Holy Communion and Carols with refreshments afterwards in St Paul’s House.

Christmas Day at 8 am: Holy Communion.

Christmas Day at 10: 30 am: Holy Communion and Carols with refreshments afterwards in St Paul’s House.

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Philippe Verdier

NFL’s Philippe Verdier. Photo: Nancy Heslin

Geologist Philippe Verdier first came to Monaco in July 1995 to develop Gramaglia Assurances, which specialises in corporate risk.

Over the past 25 years, Philippe has become a widely admired personality in Monaco for creating the popular fundraising event, No Finish Line. For each kilometre a participant runs or walks over the 8-day event, his non-profit association Children and Future donates one euro to support disadvantaged and sick children through various projects.

For 58-year-old Philippe (who shares his birthday on Halloween with his twin sister), benevolence has played a part of his life since junior high when for seven years he was a Sea Scout in Rouen. “Being a scout taught me to show solidarity and how to set up projects for groups of five or six friends.”

And although his family wasn’t particularly sporty, in school he did everything from ping-pong and handball to windsurfing and sailing, becoming an instructor in the latter in St Vaast la Hougue (Normandy). In fact, growing up Philippe dreamt of sailing and being a skipper of a boat from his hometown of Rouen in the Tour de France.

At the age of 30, he did his first marathon and finished with a time of 2:49. This would launch his passion for mythical ultras – UTMB (6th,), Marathon des Sables (15th), Badwater USA (4th), 100km Ventoux (1st) – completing around 60 with 80% podium finishes by scratch or category.

Combining the two elements of sport and solidarity, Philippe put on the first No Finish Line (NFL) in Monaco in 1999. His original idea was to have one person at all times on the 1-kilometre circuit over eight days. But in 2002, a bank sponsored the event for €20,000 and 18,000 km were completed, which lead to the concept of a sponsor donating one euro for every kilometre. This has been the formula since NFL 2004.

“The NFL concept is simple and can bring together all types of personalities – runners, walkers, athletes or not, children, elderly, pets – all for the soul purpose of helping sick or disadvantaged kids. Even those who are not athletic walk 400 km, with some taking a week off work or others hitting the circuit every night.”

Philippe says he is most pleased when he sees groups of friends or business associates coming together every day on the course, chatting while walking or running, while they help to change the world.

In the year of Covid, it would be impossible to maintain social distancing for the hundreds of participants on the 1.3-km circuit in Fontvieille. So the 21st edition from November 14 to 22 will be virtual. “The show must go on! For this first connected NFL Monaco, I would be happy with 4,000 registrants and 200,000 km. In post-containment Paris in June, we had 3,000 registrants who completed 123,000 km.”

It’s only €12 to participate and individuals can register online until noon on November 22 but teams need to do so before November 11. You’ll need to then download the ZAPSPORTS app and register for “No Finish Line Virtuelle” and start the stopwatch. All the kilometres you run or walk 24/7 from November 14 at 3 pm to November 22 at 3 pm will be automatically saved.

Super important to note also is the NFL Toy Drive at Fontvieille Big Top from Saturday, November 14, to Saturday, November 21. This is to collect as-new condition toys for the kids affected by Storm Alex (some of the NFL proceeds will also support this cause.)

Since 1999, NFL Monaco participants have covered a total distance of nearly four million kilometres (3,799,042) to raise more than four million euro (€4,018,092) for various charities, including the Cardio-Thoracic Centre Monaco, Aviation sans frontiers/African Rencontres, the Chaîne de l’espoir, Maison de vie Carpentras, and the Monaco Red Cross.

From the get go, Philippe has said he would love to see one NFL event for every week of the year. “I know 52 NFLs is hard to imagine but it’s what gets me out of bed every morning.”

In addition to Monaco, there are five 5-day NFL fundraisers in Europe –Paris (2015), Oslo (2016), Athens (2017), Nice (2018) and Bratislava (2019, where a connected edition takes place this week with at least €30,000 donated) – which have raised a combined total of €874,259. Philippe hopes that 2021 will see new NFLs outside of Europe.

Children & Future was founded by Philippe in 2001 to promote the protection of children’s rights around the world, and to finance projects that improve their condition, education, health and lifestyle. In addition to NFL, “NFL Danse,” a friendly dance competition in Monaco, was launched to also support the cause.

For Philippe Verdier, the dedication of his association and all the volunteers who all give so much during the week of No Finish Line is well rewarded. “One year, a child who was operated on and recovered only a few days earlier at the Cardio-Thoracic Centre Monaco, came to the NFL start line and was then carried by the winner of the 8-day total distance during his last lap. Every one of us was crying seeing the smile on his face.”

Article first published November 12, 2020.

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Les 5 Saveurs à Monaco

Alexandra Rinaldi, who owns Les 5 Saveurs à Monaco on rue Basse, is no stranger to the Monaco business scene. The Monegasque took over her parents’ business, Rinaldi Ship Chandler, which opened in 1970 on Quai Antoine, and before that, in 2010, she ran Les Trésors de la Mer, a clothing and decoration shop on rue de Millo in La Condamine.

Having sold both businesses, she had the opportunity to open a boutique in Monaco Ville that could cater to both Monaco residents and tourists. “The community on the Rock is elderly but we have people who know our history and share their stories in the streets.”

In March 2019, Alexandra opened Les 5 Saveurs à Monaco with her dog Bella at her side, selling scents of Provence, food and cosmetics. But things were a bit tight. “I ended up having to add some souvenirs to make ends meet. Tourists love anything that says Monaco,” she says.

The first year for any business is never easy, but then Covid hit. Streets typically filled with the bustle of tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the Prince were at a standstill. Shops and restaurants, some having to pay out €6,000 a month in rent, faced extinction. As one elderly Monegasque women summed it up: “Monaco Ville est mort.”

“It was very difficult. I closed on March 14 but had the right to deliver food — tapenade, artichokes, olive oil, jams, herbs de Provence — which wasn’t a huge amount but it helped to pay the rent.”

Alexandra, who has lived most of her life between La Condamine and Fontvieille, reopened post-confinement on May 4. “I was so surprised to see clients from Monaco come that first week to support us. They didn’t spend large amounts but it helped. But by July and August, locals stayed away from le Rocher as tourists slowly came back. From August, it became mandatory to wear a mask in all les ruelles of Monaco Ville. “You didn’t have to wear masks in other parts of Monaco so locals stopped coming altogether.”

Once again, Alexandra reverted to small deliveries to loyal clients. Then the French confinement Version 2.0 began on October 30, 2020.

Cleverly, she had started to develop her business by selling Italian sweaters and vests—for €29 to €35—from a supplier she has worked with for 15 years. “I tried to find something that you can’t find elsewhere in Monaco so to not be in competition with other businesses here and although it’s not same turnover, it helps. I am going to expand with clothes and handbags that will appeal to passers-by and people from cruise ships.” (In 2019, there were 182,436 cruise passengers in Monaco. From March 11, 2020 until 2021 cruise ships were banned from stopovers in the Principality).

Alexandra is forthcoming. She admits she doesn’t have the means to buy items in advance and can only sell clothing because it is on consignment.

“As commerce, we are stuck. We can’t buy stock in advance that we don’t know if we are going to sell. This is a huge problem for businesses in Monaco but especially in Monaco Ville with souvenir shops.”

Alexandra has resorted to putting her boutique up for sale — “I am a relatively optimistic person in life but it has become a hard battle” — but is continuing with business as usual.

Her line of Panier des Sens — natural cosmetics and scents of Provence hand creams, soaps and fragrances all made in Marseilles — is her top seller, for both clients in Monaco and tourists. “The products I love sell well.” The Colline de Provence products also a hit.

There is a scent for every budget here. And for Christmas, Alexandra will make up gift boxes from €10 to €150.

Open Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm or anytime by appointment on 06 40 61 80 28.

Les 5 Saveurs
6 bis rue Basse, Monaco Ville

Article first published November 2020.

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Father Hugh Bearn

If you ask Hugh Bearn whether an expat congregation is any different than a typical village parish, his response is straightforward. “I have been a priest for 35 years and it seems to me that people are the same the world over, driven by the same impulses and affected by the same concerns – the only difference is the wrapping.”

The Bearn family – Father Hugh with his wife Alison, youngest son Freddie, and, of course, their West Highland Terrier Cameron III – arrived in Monaco in April 2023. St. Paul’s Anglican Church Monte Carlo may seem like a world away from his former gig at St. Anne’s Tottington in Lancashire, UK, where he served “27 glorious years of dedication and energy” according to a tribute upon his departure, but Father Hugh seems to have adjusted to the sunny lifestyle here just fine. “With the kindness of others we have settled in very well thank you.”

Father Hugh spent 24 years as a volunteer hospice chaplain, which seems the antitheses of serving the wealthy and privileged Monaco community where it is sometimes difficult for people to remain grounded. From where he stands, there is no secret to making “a habit out of Joy” in this one life we each have. “The response that I would give as a priest is to quote Jesus’ two great commandments to love God and our neighbour as ourselves. There are so many ways in which to do that – I think that I would run out of words. St. Therese of Lisieux said, “That shall be my life, to scatter flowers, to miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love.”

The middle child of four siblings grew up in Oxford, where the family home was over the road from a monastery and from a young age sensed a calling to the priesthood. His vocation has taken him on a faithful journey beyond a hospice chaplain, to Army chaplain, Chaplain to the late Queen – and now King – and Chaplain at St. Paul’s Monte Carlo.

“I have had the privilege of serving the Church over many years and I have been blessed in meeting and sharing in the lives of so many people. I think that I might write a book with the title Tales from the Vestry. Two very early ones involved ministering to a lady in Christie Hospital in Manchester and another with the most-lovely family in Heaton in Bolton whose son committed suicide and whom I still hold very close to my heart. Truthfully, there are too many people that come to mind whom I have tried to serve and have, without realising it, have formed and molded my priesthood and to whom I owe an enormous debt.”

And then there are the four-legged creatures. “We have always had dogs in our family. Alison and I have had three West Highland Terriers in 34 years of marriage all with the same name – Cameron. Dogs are very intuitive as we say in Lancashire, very knowing. As for sensing our faith or helping to teach us about God and love, well that remains, I think, a divine mystery.”

In April, Father Hugh coordinated “Operation Pews & Paws,” donating some 60 x 8-metre church pew cushions to the SPA (Société Protectrice des Animaux) Monaco. “A couple from St. Paul’s kindly funded the replacement of all of the old furnishings in Church. I dislike waste and our throw away culture in the West, and was very happy to help. By the way, I have an additional cushion if anyone would like to collect it.”

WATCH VIDEO ABOVE IN FRENCH: Karine Manglou from SPA Monaco talks about “Operation Pews & Paws.” (By the way, the new SPA Monaco refuge in Peille was inaugurated by Prince Albert and Princess Charlene on September 18.)

At St. Paul’s Monte Carlo at 22 avenue de Grande-Bretagne, “The congregation is multinational, with a varied age, and the Sunday School continues to grow,” says Father Hugh. Regular Church of England services take place every Sunday, and during the week, with special events and concerts peppered into the calendar, like the upcoming Exeter College Oxford Alumni Choir on October 6 at 10:30am and 3pm pm and the Danish Boys Choir – Les Petits Chanteurs de Frederiskborg – on October 12 at 2pm, both of which are free entry. Then there’s the not-to-be missed Christmas celebrations in English, the nativity play, as well as the traditional Christmas Eve (7:30pm) and Christmas Day at 8.00 am and 1030 am services. (See info and dates below.)

Of course, the big news out of St. Paul’s Monte Carlo is its centenary in 2025 and along with the support of the dedicated Church Council, plans are being formulated.

The Chaplain in Monaco, who once described himself as “short of height but high of profile”, has an open vicarage door policy: he is ever available for a pot of tea and a chat. But plan to stay a while, for whatever you wish to discuss with the Father Hugh, a delightful detour of dialogue will ensue. And for the record, I’d be the first to buy his book.

Article first published September 24, 2024.

St. Paul’s Monte Carlo Church Calendar

Sunday September 22, 10:30am:
Thanksgiving service and dedication of a stone memorial for 150th anniversary of the birth of Sir Winston Churchill.

Monday Sept. 30, 6pm:
Centenary launch at Metropole Hotel.

Sunday October. 6, 10:30am & 3pm:
Exeter College Oxford Alumni choir singing. Evensong at 3pm.

Saturday Oct. 12, 2pm:
Danish Boys Choir – Les Petits Chanteurs de Frederiskborg – free entry.

Sunday Oct. 13, 10:30am:
Lord Chartres Confirming Bishop.

Sunday Oct. 20:
Harvest Festival to support St. Famille in Nice.

Friday Oct. 25, 7:30pm:
Trafalgar Night social evening at the Vicarage. 

Friday November 7:30pm:
In the English Library Padre David Coulter former Chaplain General of the British army talk on the faith of Earl Haig.

Remembrance Sunday Nov. 11:, 10:30am:
Remembrance Service followed by service at Churchill bust on avenue de Grande Bretagne, Evensong 6.00pm.

Saturday December 7:
Handel’s Messiah full orchestra and choir.

Sunday Dec. 15:  
Nine Lessons and Carols.

Tuesday Dec. 24, 7:30pm:
Christmas Eve service.

Wednesday Dec. 25, 10:30am:
Christmas Day services.

St.

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Rokethon Monaco

“In Mauritius, people are kind, maybe too much so, and naïve,” Sylvia Sermenghi says on her native island nation in the Indian Ocean. “So I learned to be tough.”

Sylvia moved to Monaco in 1980 and admits that it was “not easy to make your mark”. In the reign of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, “Monaco was a different scene but maybe the whole world was different then.”

At age 20, Sylvia worked at the hotel Loews Monte Carlo (the Fairmont Monte Carlo today). After the birth of her son, she decided to be a stay-at-home mom until he started school and it was during that period she worked in fashion, first as a model in Paris, and after on the business side. She set up her own company, Gloria Prod and organised event launches in Monaco – the Dresdner Bank inauguration with Prince Albert and the opening of Zelo’s nightclub (now Twiga) – and in France, like the fundraising Par Coeur Gala hosted by French NBA basketball player, Tony Parker.

In 2012, Sylvia created her fashion label, Legends Monaco. “Two years later we were in the Haute Couture Week calendar, putting on fashion shows twice a year in Paris alongside Dior, and Chanel.” Today the brand offers tailor-made clothes to a private clientele.

Yet for as long as she can remember, animals have played the biggest role in her life. One reason, she says, is because growing up on an island you are “very close to nature and its creatures”. As Sylvia describes, “I was a wild child, climbing trees to pick fruit and bringing home abandoned dogs on the way home from school. We had a farm behind our house with all kinds of animals.”

Another big factor though was her father. “His passion for animals became mine when he died at a very young age.” Over the years, Sylvia has channelled this passion into benevolence. “As an adult, my first dog was an abandoned Dachshund I brought back from Corsica. During the ferry crossing back to Nice, I was so worried he would be frightened that I slept – if you can call it that! – with him in the hold all night.”

For Sylvia, a dog, or a cat, is our friend, our guardian and also our children. “They can’t speak our language, but they know very well to speak to our heart. I have always thought that animals bring out the best in us, the part of our original deep nature which is made up of the good and not so good. For me, it is very simple: I can talk with them, and I can feel instantly when they have a problem. This, I think, is love.”

Sylvia, who volunteers with the not-for-profit Jeune J’Écoute Monaco to help with PR, says the Monaco community love their dogs and that the mentality has become more open towards adopting abandoned dogs.

She created Rokethon Monaco., an association calling for responsible animal ownership and to raise awareness about dog abandonment. Rokethon – the name stems from the Creole word roqué, rock, as the Patron Saint of the dogs is St Roch – is a walk/run that will take place for dogs and their humans on October 5th, 10am, at the Chapiteau de Fontvieille.

Registration (by donation) is at the entry and only one dog per person can sign up. Fifty percent of registrant donations will go to the Société Protectrice des Animaux (SPA) in Monaco and the other half to associations supporting animal causes.

“When I adopted my three dogs, Roquette, Sunshine and Tough, from Ukraine last year they came from bombs of the war and minus 40 degrees in winter to join my six adopted dogs, my horses and my goats. I decided I could do better, for all families, young and old, with their doggies on a leash. They can come run or walk but let’s all get together for the animal cause – adopt don’t shop!”

There will also be a “Village Rokethon” with entertainment for young and less young with pets, animal art, dog communicators, agility therapists, and a Brigitte Bardot fashion show with abandoned dogs to adopt.

“In France, the Assembly National reports 12 domestic animals are abandoned every hour. In my opinion, and what should be everyone’s opinion, this is way too much and this is why I’m hoping many people will come out to support this cause and, why not, adopt one of our little hearts looking for home and family.”

For more information about Rokethon, see the website or email Sylvia Sermenghi .

Article first published September 13, 2024. Feature photos: Lacey Da Costa.

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Kate Powers

Our friend Kate Powers died on August 30, 2021.

Outside of my immediate family, few deaths have impacted me like the news about Kate on Monday. It was not unexpected yet, still, my knees buckled and time seemed to stop, as if the world was trying to readjust to losing one of its biggest beating hearts.

As expats, few people can share your grief when a person in your native country dies. Friends here can empathise with loss, but it is rare they knew the person or can share stories to help you keep their memory alive. With Kate, we are all mourning and instead of being sad alone, we can be sad together.

Kate made each of us in the community feel like we mattered in this world. We felt special because the core of her being was special, this was her superpower. There is a shared sentiment in the role Kate played: “Kate was the first person I met in Monaco.” “Kate treated everyone the same way, no matter who we are.” “Kate had known my kids since they were babies and always asked how they were doing.” “Une bonne personne, toujours au service et un petit mot pour ses clients.” “Kate introduced me to other people when I didn’t know anyone.”

For me, I had lived in the region for many years before I met “the” Kate Powers. I had heard so much about this American who owned a Tex-Mex restaurant in the port and was not only a childhood friend of the Prince but her mom was close to Grace Kelly. Slightly intimidating? What I remember in meeting her for the first time, and this has always stuck with me, is that Kate was the opposite of what I expected from the jet-set bling-bling crowd of Monaco – instead of resting on her laurels, she was a down to earth, open and a warm human being who instinctively knew when to hug at the right time. Like all of us, she had her insecurities although she was unaware of her beauty. “How can I help?” the tireless champion of kindness would always offer.

Of course pre-restaurant days, there was Kate’s made-for-the-movies life, one that she had hoped to share in writing or a series of video chats. Sitting with her and Annette Anderson one day talking about how to get all Kate’s stories out there, I remember my mouth dropping when she gave me a teaser: “Roman Polanski had called to ask me on a date and my mom grabbed the phone and told him to ‘F-off’ before hanging up. We were living in Switzerland at the time and I snuck out to the party where he was with Jack Nicholson. They were drinking too much so I left but as it was snowing outside and someone had left their keys in a car, I decided to drive home. I hit a snow bank so I had to abandon the car and walk the rest of the way.”

*******

On Monday night, as the tears rolled down my cheeks and dampened my pillows as I tried to fall asleep, I realized that while I wish Kate had stuck around much, much longer than her 68 years, she accomplished in life what we all hope for when we leave this earth: she made a difference. She did not wait until her diagnosis to live the life she wanted. She did not have to learn about spiritual awareness or quickly check off a Bucket List. No, Kate Powers had been evolving every day of her life, and gently nudging us along her path of change for the better.

She did not need to change. The Monegasque could have easily sat back over the years and let Stars’n’Bars, the restaurant she co-founded with Didier Rubiolo nearly 30 years ago, ride on the coattails of the Prince Albert connection. Instead, she rolled up her sleeves to transform the family-friendly eatery as a leading example of what she called “ecolution” in the Principality. It was the first restaurant to have its own urban vegetable garden, and to stop the use of plastic straws and non-biodegradable throwaway coffee cups.

When Covid hit last year, Kate told me, “Lockdown helped us wake up to necessary ecological changes that were more important than economical ones. We need to keep taking steps forward and raise awareness about wellness, whether its ours or the planet’s.” Stars’n’Bars replaced serving industrial sodas (Coca-Cola and Sprite) with only Fizz Bio organic colas made in Bordeaux, which some customers did not appreciate and would even walk out. “I try to explain that we are focusing on sourcing locally. When I tell people not to expect the taste of Coke with our organic soda, at first they are unsure but now they love it.”

That was the Kate effect. She had her way of doing things but she opened the floor for dialogue to educate; and she listened to learn.

*******

The first time I spoke to Kate after learning she had cancer, about six months ago, she was, typically, positive. Much of my connection with Kate was over our shared appreciation of nature and often I would send her a message describing some random observation, a text that I could never send to anyone else (including my husband) because they would think I was crazy. She got it.

Here is what I mean. The day after I learned of her illness, I went for a long swim along Cap Roquebrune, specifically with the intent of putting healing energy into the sea for her. This is my form of meditation. I focused on Kate for the entire 5 kilometres and when I returned to shore, I discovered my safety buoy was no longer attached. That had never happened in my seven years of open water swimming. From my apartment, I could see the orange buoy out there floating on the open sea. I texted Kate to tell her the story and said “Whenever you come across anything orange, know that the universe is your safety buoy.”

Kate replied: “I was biking earlier, talking to the trees and asking for their assistance. I looked up to see orange. Orange is Didier’s favourite colour and he is wearing an orange shirt now! The universe is definitely on my side.”

Half a year later, out on my run yesterday morning, the sunrise across the sea, with the clouds, captivated me and I thought “I’ll share that with Kate.” I stopped in my tracks for a moment before telling myself, I can still share these moments with her, just not in the physical world.

I will honour Kate by trying to follow some of her examples – to continue to raise awareness about our planet’s health, to be kinder and more helpful to each other and, as Kate was no fan of the news and its negativity, share good and positive stories with others. Really, to be the best version of myself possible.

Our friend Kate Powers came into this world with wings; she did not have to earn them, only spread them to get back home. And, knowing Kate like we all do, she will certainly raise the bar for all the other angels.

Article first published August 30, 2021.

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MonacoPride 2024

In the early hours of June 28, 1969, nine New York City police officers raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village. A search warrant in hand authorised them to investigate the illegal sale of alcohol, and – in accordance with a New York criminal statute –arrest people who were not wearing at least three articles of gender-appropriate clothing.

WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: Annette Anderson delivers spectacular speech at MonacoPride 2024.

Activist and photographer Mark Segal, 18 at the time, was at the LGBTQ+ hang out that day. He recently described the event to Katie Couric Media, saying it was “an ordinary night” dancing at the Stonewall Inn when the police “poured in, threatening and beating patrons … but instead of complying like they normally did when these altercations occurred, the crowd decided to fight back.”

He described, ‘“It was the most horrific, frightening scene I had ever been part of. My first reaction in my head was, ‘Oh gee, we better call the police’ – and then I realised these are the police. Realising that we gay people can be treated like this was probably one of the most depressing times in my life. [It felt like] no one cared about us, not even the police.”

The police barricaded themselves inside and called for backup as some 400 people rioted and set fire to the bar. The flames were extinguished in time but the riots continued for six days. This incident became known as the Stonewall Uprising, the tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the US.

In 1970, a year after the Stonewall Inn raid, activists commemorated the anniversary with what was the first gay pride march. Today, the Stonewall Uprising continues to be honoured worldwide with Pride Month in June.

In Monaco, across Pride Month, the Barclays Private Bank building lights up in the colours of the rainbow. It was Barclays Monaco who, in 2022, collaborated with Fight Aids Monaco and Stars’n’Bars to create MonacoPride, to provide an opportunity to educate Monaco decision makers about LGBTQI+ rights and to change the outdated laws that create serious hardships for many families of people working and living in Monaco.

Speakers Monserrat Marchchetti (Barclays Private Bank Monaco), Hervé Aeschbach, (Fight Aids Monaco) Annette Anderson (former manager of Stars’n’Bars) with Camille Gottlieb (representing her mother Princess Stephanie), Christophe Glasser (Fight Aids Monaco), Lorenzo Turco (Barclays Private Bank Monaco) and (Marina Ceyssac (High Commissioner for Protection of Rights).

Every year since, on June 20, MonacoPride brings together residents and workers to celebrate the LGBTQI+ community. The annual cocktail continues to grow larger, more dynamic, and this third edition invited an unprecedented 150 guests to the new port restaurant, Marius.

It’s a party with a purpose, a reflection on the year’s achievements – like the welcome creation of the new Mon’Arc En Ciel Association – but also to focus on the road ahead as Monaco is consistently rated among the worst counties in Europe in terms of LGBTQI+ civil rights. 

Hervé Aeschbach, director of Fight Aids Monaco (WATCH VIDEO BELOW), pointed out how there are no spousal rights for widows or widowers of a spouse in a same-sex couple legally married in other countries and same sex families who are denied medical benefits for their children.

In a riveting speech, Annette Anderson thanked the “many courageous members of the Conseil National as well as the [Marina Ceyssac] High Commissioner for Protection of Rights who have fought for equal rights for the Rainbow Community” but went further to say, “It is OUR responsibility to fight for OUR rights.”

Mon’Arc en Ciel cofounders Isabelle and Anais Berruti, Cynthia Salvanhac and Laure Bernardi.

Annette also commended the Isabelle and Anais Berruti, Laure Bernardi and Cynthia Salvanhac, the thirtysomething cofounders of the country’s first LGBTQIA+ association, Mon’Arc en Ciel. 

When Mon’Arc en Ciel launched a month ago, Anais said in an interview, “Monaco is small, people talk. I have never been uncomfortable saying that I’m in a couple with a woman. But we are young. We are not the same generation as older people who have maybe had different experiences.

“Some individuals feel there’s a risk of being regarded negatively, so they keep quiet. We understand, and that’s why we created this association. To tell these people that, even if they don’t want to speak out, the association will do it for them.

Article first published June 21, 2024. Photos and videos copyright Good News, Monaco.

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Marius Monaco

“I have a great respect for the past but I move forward,” says Michelin-starred chef Sebastien Sanjou. “The past must be respected, not ignored, but I only speak about the future.”

And the future is Marius, a new Provençal restaurant that from June 14 will take over Conscientiae (formerly Stars’n’Bars) at 6 Quai Antoine 1er. “If you asked me six months ago if I’d like to go to Monaco, I would have said, yes, it’s a dream. Monaco is an incredible place, at the crossroads of the world. All restaurant concepts are possible, there is a level of cuisine, of service, infrastructure and hotels that is unbelievable.”

WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: Chef Sebastien Sanjou explains the Marius Monaco concept.

For the moment, Monaco is not yet a dream come true for 41-year-old Sebastien. “Monaco is a village, with its own population, it’s particular. You need a lot of humility. It’s a lot of stress and worry. Paris is easier than Monaco!”

Conscientiae opened its doors nearly a year ago, in July 2023, and Sebastien insists that the Marius transformation is the result of opportunities, meetings and things happening. He’s referring to Conscientiae/Stars’n’Bars founder Didier Rubiolo and managing director Marc Dussoullier (owner of the iconic Plongeoir in Nice and he runs La Tonnelle on Île Sainte-Marguerite, a restaurant owned by the monks), who he met working on high-profile events in the region.

“I am happy,” says Didier. “Sebastien will do well and I will stay on representing the environmental side. This gives me more time to do what I want and to develop my vision.”

Marc Dussoullier, Sebastien Sanjou and Didier Rubiolo. Photo: Photo Maki Manoukian.

Sebastien, who is a fifth-generation restauranteur, says at first glance the clientele in Monaco is very specific. “There are two types, the locals and residents, and the others who are interested in the jet-set. What we want is to have a beautiful setting, somewhere sincere. It’s a mix of know-how, the precision that comes with the experience of having a Michelin star combined with a sense of simplicity, taste and generosity.”

“The opportunity to have a Michelin-starred chef like Sebastien was a no brainer. The timing was extraordinary,” says community relations manager Annette Anderson. “There is an evolution, from the last 10 years of Stars’n’Bars, then the period of Conscientiae and now with Marius – what can we do to really improve our community, our planet, our health. There were a number of steps and Kate would be very happy, because this evolution was very important for her.”

It’s clear that Sebastien, one of France’s most renowned chef, shares the values upon which Conscientiae was built. “Notions of sustainability are obvious. Today we make a fuss about this but it’s part our DNA. It’s the heart of our activity. Chefs use ingredients that are around them, it goes without saying.”

The restaurant’s interior design will stay the same with some tweaks. The floor plan, for example, will change and tableware will reflect Sebastien’s eye for detail. The first floor will now offer additional seating, and no longer focus on wellness; the second-floor “deck” is for private events.

Marius has team of 16 who will work in rotation. “There is a loyalty of employees here that is rare. Some have been here for ten to 12 years. And they are happy with the challenge.” With the large outdoor terrace, there is total interior/exterior capacity of 120.

Outside of lunch and dinner service, beverages and a mini menu will be available from 11 am. The fixed weekday lunch menu starts at €31. In the evening, it will be à la carte with 6 or 7 starters, 6 or 7 main dishes and desserts which change with the seasons. Expect to pay an average of €80 a person without drinks.

“Our difference is that we do not plate up like in other restaurants. We have a selection of beautiful serving platters and bowls, ceramic, porcelain, silver, copper, which we bring to the table and the dishes can be shared – or not – but it lends itself to a sense of conviviality.”

Marius, from the Latin mare, meaning sea, is an ode to the Mediterranean and its Provençal traditions. “It is really the idea of an auberge. There will be the main dish in one serving platter and then in others the vegetables, the garnishes, mesclun and herbs. For dessert, if you want mousse au chocolat, I will bring you a silver dish of mousse au chocolat. Refined gourmet, but simple with quality produce. Sincere.”

Photo Maki Manoukian.

Sebastien admits he grew up “far from Monaco,” in the Hautes Pyrénées in southwest France.  He studied at the Lycée hôtelier de Biarritz then in 2002 moved to the Var at age 19 to take over Relais des Moines in Les Arcs-sur-Argens. He was awarded a Michelin star in 2013. (He also served in Chef Willer’s kitchen in Palme d’Or in Cannes and in 2006 was named Young Talent of the Year.)

“Like any good chef, I spent many years in the kitchen, knowing that sooner or later I would need something else.” In 2019, together with his strong team, Sebastien had an opportunity to work at The Residence at Maison Villeroy in Paris, a private restaurant.

The following year he opened Trente-Trois at Maison Villeroy and was awarded a Michelin star six weeks later. “It was the result of more than ten years work in conjunction with building confidence with Michelin. I called the editor of the Michelin Guide France, Gilbert Garin, who retired last year, to say that I was going to open in Paris. But as it was only for the hotel residents and club members, there was nothing at stake. Then once the restaurant was open to the public, I called him again. The chef, Romain Lamothe, had worked with me for ten years at the Relais des Moines and had been awarded a star there. So, it was not really just six weeks.”

The culinary genius adds, “Now, no one has contact with Michelin. No one knows the real director. All communication is cut.”

Sebastien also ran the Voile d’Or on St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat for three summers while it was being renovated and he opened an auberge in the Var, le Chateau Mentone. Earlier this year he took over a restaurant in Biarritz (formerly L’Atelier d’Alexandre Bousquet) which he opened in January with his ex-wife.

“I opened a Marius in Biarritz in January which is very successful. Biarritz is a mini-St-Tropez. People there are very well off, but they don’t want to show it. It’s like Monaco in that it is quite closed with a local, wealthy clientele who don’t like to be taken for a fool.”

Marius Monaco will have a Provençal menu featuring light, tasty, simple dishes – purple artichokes à la Barigoule, octopus stew, fresh langoustines, Piedmont beef fillet, sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, frozen lemon desserts with basil. “Provencal cuisine is defined by herbs,” explains Sebastien. “Thyme, bay, rosemary. Then it depends on the season – artichokes, tomatoes and all that the earth offers. I’ve invented nothing. Aioli is aioli. It’s just that I have mastered the technique to perfection. It’s light and tasty, without being overpowered by garlic.”

He points out that Provençal cuisine “naturally includes vegetarian dishes” and while it is important to adapt, “I’m not going in the vegan and vegetarian direction.”

Marius has an extensive wine list of 400 references, a selection exceeding that of the wine cellars found in many Michelin-star restaurants. Prices range from €40 to €3,000. “We have changed the way we think about selling wines. The more knowledgeable the clients are about wine, the more knowledgeable they are about the price. A client who wants to drink a Grand Cru de Bordeaux knows how much it costs and is fed up paying three times the price. So we have a very select wine list, for example, we have a magnificent selection of champagne – not Dom Perignon, that’s not for the wine lover – that comes from small vignerons, like Henri Giraud, that you don’t find everywhere. Or wine from the Domaine Valette, my neighbour in the Var.

“When I think about meals with my family when I was younger, the word happiness comes to mind,” recalls Sebastien. “Success for me is to have a full restaurant and happy clients who come back. Creating a fashionable restaurant is one thing, but making it last, a place where clients want to return again and again, is another.”

From June 14: Marius at 6 Quai Antoine 1er is open daily. Reservations recommended: +377 97 97 95 96 or contact@mariusmonaco.com. Valet parking from 6:30 pm. For more see their website.

Article first published June 3, 2024. Feature photo and videos copyright Good News Monaco.

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Cycling For Charlene

The 10th edition of the fantastic Champagne & Oysters Cycling Club’s charity bike ride took place Sunday, May 5. The enthusiastic group departed from St Tropez at 8 am and cycled 140 km to arrive in Monaco at 4:20 pm, as some 70 riders pedalled down Rue Suffren Reymond to a cheering crowd outside of Slammers.

Princess Charlene arrived shortly after to join Eddie Jordan and Terry Torrison on stage with a long list of thanks to the 700 cyclists who have participated over the years, as well as sponsors and supporters.

WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: Princess Charlene joins Eddie Jordan and Terry Torrison on stage to thank the 2024 COCC cyclists and supporters.

Last year, the COCC bike ride raised over €70,000 for the Princess Charlene Foundation but, for the first time, funds raised this year will be shared between the Princess Charlene Foundation and the My Name’5 Doddy Foundation, which funds motor neurone disease research and helps patients and families living with this devastating disease. Donations can be made here: COCC – Princess Charlene Foundation – COCC – My Names’5 Doddie Foundation.

WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: St Tropez-Monaco cyclists arrive at Slammers.

The street party with a paid BBQ and Oyster Bar was going strong with live music from the Paul Dobie Band and Caligagan Band. Sponsors of this year’s ride: Plurimi, McLaren, Banque Havilland, Lyon Skin Care, Designing Centre, Relevance, Levmet, Moore, Brash, Far East Commodities, GeeTech, Knight Frank, St Tropez House, iCrew Services, inter-nett and Monaco Projects.

WATCH VIDEOS BELOW: interviews with cyclists John Brash, Rumble Romagnoli and Tessa.

Street party photos

Slammers
Andrew Gallagher and Gareth Wittstock, Secretary General of the Princess Charlene Foundation.
Eddie Jordan.
Princess Charlene Foundation Ambassador Francesco Castellacci.
Princess Charlene signs Francesco Castellacci’s bike.
Zeynep Onder Castel-branco, Amanda Gallagher and Lisa DeRea Frederiksen.
Mark Thomas and Gareth Wittstock, Secretary General of the Princess Charlene Foundation.

Article first published May 5, 2024. All photos and videos copyright Good News Monaco.