Arthur and Camille Laure officially opened the doors to La Bookinerie on August 27. The shop’s name is a clever play on the French word bouquin, which means book.
The space at 1 Promenade Honoré II (steps from Starbucks La Condamine) sells French-language books of all genres, including a decent-size children’s selection. Arthur and Camille say more stock is on the way, and in English, too.
“We want a space where everyone can pick up a book to sit and read. And children are most welcome here,” say the proud parents to 6-month-old Simon.
ARTHUR LAURE GIVES A TOUR OF LA BOOKINERIE. VIDEO BELOW.
Monegasque Arthur and Camille, who is from Cannes, both have a scientific background but had an idea to open a bookshop four years ago, during the Covid pandemic when, according to The New York Times, “many communities rallied around their local bookstores in a time of crisis.” Turns out in 2021 “publishers sold nearly 827 million print books, an increase of roughly 10 percent over 2020,” according to NPD BookScan.
Arthur and Camille saw this as a heartfelt opportunity and the couple hopes La Bookinerie will serve as a convivial meet-up for literary gatherings and author readings.
MORE THAN BOOKS! WATCH VIDEO ABOVE. Beyond books, they sell gifts (candles from Grasse, stationary, tote bags), and the friendly-feel café serves coffee, tea, juices and kombucha.
Follow La Bookinerie on Instagram (website goes live soon). Open Monday 14h-19h; Tuesday to Friday 10h-19h, and Saturday 10h-16h.
Article first published August 28, 2025. Photos and videos copyright Good News Monaco.
ARTHUR’S READING RECOMMENDATION. WATCH VIDEO BELOW.
The first Monaco edition of International Women’s Sports was celebrated on Friday, January 24, at the Prince’s Car Collection with what FIA called an “influential Monaco event celebrating women in motorsport”.
The not-for-profit conference introduced female students in Monaco, ages 14-22, to possible careers in motorsport with World Rally Vice-Champion Michèle Mouton as the guest of honour.
Iron Dames go-karter Vicky Farfus, 13, interviewed race car driver Marta Garcia (Iron Dames and F1 Academy 2023 Champion), which was followed by a panel on roles in motorsport.
Video participation integrated a welcome from Burcu Cetinkaya, Chair of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, Ella Häkkinen Champions of the Future go-karter and Iron Dames rally driver, Sarah Rumeau, who was participating in her first Rallye Monte-Carlo.
The event rounded off with a special thank you to Michèle Mouton by Tiffaney Perlino, President of Women in Motorsport Commission ACM, and Lacey Da Costa, co-founder Carob Tree Publishing.
BeSafe Monaco co-founders Camille Gottlieb, Margaux Grundstein and Laura Dias were also present. Founded in 2017, BeSafe Monaco is a non-profit Association for the Prevention of Drink Driving.
BeSafe Monaco co-founders Margaux Grundstein and Camille Gottlieb with Nancy Heslin.
Although supported by Iron Dames and FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, this independent event to provide access to students with women in Monaco working motorsport was co-organised by (picture below with Prince Albert at event: R-L) Martine Ackermann (Child CARE Monaco), Valérie Closier (Director Prince’s Car Collection), Tiffaney Perlino (President of Women in Motorsport Commission ACM) and Nancy Heslin (Co-founder Carob Tree Publishing).
Many of the women featured in the book were guests and there was an opportunity to meet and greet speakers, and have books signed.
Following the student event, a cocktail with HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco marked the official launch of 100 Years of Women: Motorsport & Monaco. The Prince wrote a preface for the book and was presented with a copy by Lacey Da Costa.
On behalf of the Automobile Club de Monaco, Prince Albert presented Michèle Mouton with a lifetime club membership.
100 Years of Women: Motorsport & Monaco writers L-R: Suellen Grealy, Rebecca McVeigh, Paula Farquharson, Nancy Heslin, Lanie Goodman and Chrissie McClatchie. Absent: Carla Ackermann, Suzanna Chambers and Annette Ross Anderson. Photo: P/ Farquharson.“100 Years of Women: Motorsport & Monaco” writer Carla Ackermann with ACM Steward Sophie Bensa (left) and ACM Secretary to the Monaco Marshals Joanna Luong.
This 240-page hardcover in English features the world’s greatest female drivers, from rally to F1, who have competed in Monaco since 1925. Some 65 timeless stories of women written by 9 women offer an inspiring narrative filled with glamour, adventure, and triumph in a male-dominated sport. There is also an unprecedented chapter on the women in Monaco and their roles in motorsport.
As Iron Dames founder Deborah Mayer wrote in her introduction: “This book is not only an important reminder of how far we’ve come, but also a beacon of hope and unlimited potential for the next generation and for all women who face obstacles in any traditionally male-dominated field.”
The book retails for €50. A portion of sales will support next-gen female talent in motorsport. Buy or donate a copy here.
Article first published January 30, 2025. All photos copyright Ed Wright Images.
Prince Albert speaking with Iron Dames go-karter Vicky Farfus in front of her cart.L-R: Lacey Da Costa, Valérie Closier, Laurie Clog, Tiffaney Perlino, Sara Mariani, Michèle Mouton, Christine Dacremont, Delphine Biscaye, Cathy Muller Ehrlacher and Anne-Charlotte Remy. Front: Martine Ackermann and Nancy Heslin.Legend Michèle Mouton with MyCrown Collection founder and book sponsor Sophia Vaharis
Francis Wright at Remembrance Day spot on Avenue Grande Bretagne with bust of Sir Winston Churchill behind. Photo: Ed Wright Images.
Born in Monaco in 1927 on what is today known as National Day, Francis Wright passed away this week at the age of 98. There will be a service at St. Paul’s Church Monaco on Monday December 8 at 11 am.
A few years ago, Francis shared his story with me about growing up in Monaco in the 1930s and when Italy declared war on France.
His childhood, he said, consisted of walking from his home at Rue de la Source to Lycée Albert 1er up on the Rock, every morning, lunch and evening.
“We had homework to do over lunch which we had to recite at 2 p.m. Punishment was having to go back to school on a Wednesday, our day off, for one to three hours. I was punished once and had to write what the teachers told me,” Francis recalled.
When the weather was warm, Francis and his older brother, Peter, would swim early in the morning in the Condamine harbour, where Ubaldi is now, and then walk up to the Rock for classes. “That was our joy. Before the war, there were no parks or reserved places for children to play in Monaco. We weren’t even allowed to walk around the Casino in shorts, you had to wear a tie and proper clothes,” he reminisced.
In those days, men went to work and women looked after the house and the children, who were left to their own devices to entertain themselves, like playing football or marbles in the street. Shopping was a daily occurrence. “There were at least four épiceries along rue des Roses. There were no Frigidaires at the time, so butter would melt at times. I don’t remember milk.”
Francis’ father had come to Monte Carlo in 1924 to set up a garage to service the cars of tourists who drove cars from England and through France on gravel roads. In the lead up to the war, British Motors at 5 Rue de la Source had fewer and fewer customers as there were no cars from either Great Britain nor tourists, and his business collapsed in the Thirties. “He took on a job as driver for Madame Westmacott, which took him all over France and other places. Mother looked after us alone, and that was hard.”
Francis said he will never forget June 10, 1940, the day Italy declared war on France and Great Britain. “My two brothers and I had already been badly treated by the Italian scholars because we were British, but the mood worsened, especially after Mussolini’s shouting speeches on the radio, and we weren’t welcome. The school closed that day and it was a frightening scene as the Monaco police – there was no military – rounded up all the fascists, including the baker, who were all taken to Fort Carré in Antibes.”
Francis described, “It was the first day we had air raids. Sirens went off as a warning as Italian warplanes passed over Monaco flying to Cannes and elsewhere to do some bombing, I suppose. We would hide in the garage, others hid in their caves.”
Then came the phone call.
Fleeing France: 1 ship, 900 people, 2 toilets
On June 16, which happened to be Peter’s birthday, Francis’ father received a phone call from the British consulate advising the family leave the country as the Nazis had entered Paris. He explained that there were two ships leaving Cannes for England at 8 a.m. the following morning. “They had to make the decision then and there,” says Francis. “I remember mother and father sitting around the table and it must have been a hard decision for my father to make, to leave the garage, leave the home … we had to give away our Siamese cat.”
They were allowed one case each (the boys packed a few toys for the long journey) and the only clothes they took were the ones they wore. And so, the next morning, 12-year-old Francis, Peter, 15, and their parents fled Monaco being driven by their neighbour in their old Citroën. (Francis’ oldest brother Alan had joined the Royal Air Force in 1938 and in 1940 escaped France via Cherbourg during the Dunkirk operation.)
“It was hot and we had a trunk full of sardines,” recollected Francis about the drive to Cannes that morning. “My father had thought of escaping the Italian invasion by driving into the middle of France somewhere and mother had said the best food to take would be cans of sardines. And we took with them on the ship, which was a good thing. The only rations on the ship were a couple of slices of corned beef, slices of bread, and biscuits.”
Picture of the ship Francis Wright, along with his brother Peter and his mother and father, embarked on from Cannes to Liverpool as the Nazis invaded Paris.
On the ship Saltersgate, there were only two toilets for 900 Brits and no washing facilities. “We didn’t wash until we got to Gibraltar. We were going to disembark at Oran, but the captain said we could not land there because ‘France had capitulated and we are now in French Algerian waters, enemy waters.’” Francis saw the British fleet leave Gibraltar and later discovered they were, in fact, part of Operation Catapult, which helped defeat the French fleet in Oran so their ships would not fall into the hands of the Germans.
In Gibraltar, they were able “to freshen up” — the hospital served as accommodation — and passengers were served a meal of bacon and eggs. “It was the best meal I’ve ever had, I’ll always remember that. My father fell ill with the dysentery and we thought we’d have to leave him in Gibraltar. But he recovered and on the City of Cairo ship, we had a cabin for the four of us. We left the cabin to mom and father and Peter and I slept on the deck. We landed in Liverpool on July 14 or 15.”
Francis said, “When we left Cannes, my mother had a lovely full head of brown hair. When we arrived in England three weeks later it was white.”
“Francis’ memories of the journey to freedom echo those of Somerset Maugham, who took the same journey on the same ship.” – Historian Maureen Emerson
The family stayed briefly Liverpool and then headed to Pinner in Middlesex outside of London where an aunt lived. “My mother took me to Lewis, the men’s shop for trousers, and it was the first pair I’d ever owned. I still remember that because I had always worn shorts in Monaco.”
Francis’ father found a job in Warrington as a transport manager to an air drone base, which would become one of America’s biggest bases in England. “The airplanes would arrive in crates from the U.S. to be assembled at the Burtonwood air depot, like toys being put together.”
Peter went to night school and eventually joined the RAF and Francis attended grammar school in Farnworth. “I didn’t like it at all. I was nicknamed ‘Froggy’ because of my name. It was big change and I stayed until age 16.” He spent a month in hospital having contracted pneumonia and pleurisy, and at one point he was placed on the dangerously ill list for a week. “I remember my father came to see me every night and I appreciated that very much.”
Once he “got over that” he began to work at an aviation company, working on Barracudas, where he gained great insight of airplanes and the air force.
Meanwhile Warrington was having air raids every night. “It was worse when the full moon lit up the Manchester ship canal, which if German Luftwaffe followed would guide them to the Burtonwood air depot. Liverpool got a packet during the war.”
There were no restrictions on movement or curfew and “the rationing was just about adequate, we didn’t starve. But the worst thing was the blackouts in the winter, you couldn’t see anything, not even cars and buses. I remember a blackout so intense once that biking home from work after work Peter ended up on the main railway station platform in Warrington.”
The return home, or what was left, in Monaco
Post-war, Francis moved back “home” early 1949. “There was nothing left of the apartment in Monaco, it was an absolute disaster.”
His dad had returned in 1947, alone, travelling by train all the way back to Monaco and found his garage business empty, the cars stolen by the Germans, who apparently left a note saying “something like when the hostilities were finished, we’ll hand them back to you.” (Francis still has the note.)
“There was nothing left in the apartment, the cupboard with my toys had been emptied. We had to sleep on mattresses on the floors. And we started work on the garage.”
Francis has lived through three reigning Princes in Monaco. “I was too young to remember Louis II but Rainier had a pretty good relationship with the people, and decided that buildings built during his reign were not to be more than 13 floors high, except the Millefiori.”
As Rainier had a Rolls Royce, Francis met him through the garage. He and Peter (who returned in 1948 after leaving the Air Force) were also the ones who collected Princess Grace’s Rover from Paris to Monte Carlo “to check for any faults to sort out before Monte Carlo.”
“Princess Grace brought the Americans here and Monte Carlo changed completely. She put the country on the map because the Americans loved her marrying a Prince. Americans wanted to come and see where was this place Monte Carlo.”
One of the first things Grace did was to stop the live pigeon shooting, which took place at a range above the train station, where the Fairmont is now. They substituted real pigeons for clay but ended up packing the whole thing in. “They turned the shooting range into an open-air cinema, but if two people in the film were talking quietly and a train went past, you couldn’t hear.”
Monaco then and now
For Francis, Monaco was just “a town like every other town” with commerce and workers commuting in. “It is the press, not the people, that created the image that Monaco is full of glamour, cocktail parties every night, champagne everywhere, and full of rich people. Monaco is a working town, there are lots of people that are poor, lots of people better off, and some are struggling more than others.”
Looking back, Francis felt fortunate but admitted that living in Monaco was a career choice, coming back after the war to work with his dad at the garage. Their customers were ordinary people (although Sean Connery did bring his Rolls Royce in for service). “It was successful, but we made it successful because we worked damn hard. Peter and I would do all the paperwork on the weekends.”
General Motors was the big seller in the 1950s and the American car company set up in Monaco, across from where the Marché U is now, on Boulevard Princesse Charlotte “Peter saw their showroom window and said that would be a dream to have. Then business slowed down because of space in Monte Carlo and GM went caput.”
For Francis, there were too many buildings in Monaco and not enough green spaces. “Everything is concrete now, which gives it too much heat in the summer. The Hotel de Paris had the Camembert garden/roundabout, then they got rid of it and it is just concrete. Why not have a little green space instead of a building?”
The other standout memory for Francis was when the relationship soured between Prince Rainier and Charles de Gaulle (France celebrated the 50th anniversary of his death on November 9) because of French companies evading taxes by having offices in Monaco. “There were plaques of French businesses on buildings, like the Victoria, and they didn’t pay any income tax. De Gaulle came down and sorted it out with Rainier. Suddenly Monaco had frontiers. Margare, my sister-in-law, would look out the window and see the old women carrying their baskets up the public steps leading up from rue de la Source, where French gendarmes were checking to see if they had anything to declare.”
Remembering and Remembrance
For Remembrance Day commemorations, Francis and his two brothers often laid wreaths on avenue Grande Bretagne or were flag bearers at the war memorial in the cemetery in Menton.
“For me, Remembrance Day is about the pilots during the Battle of Britain. If we had lost, that would have been the end of it all. The Germans would be in England, the Americans could never have come over to create a base in England and it would have changed the direction of the war in the German’s favour. There would never have been a D-Day.”
He always thought back to getting on that ship in Cannes in 1940. “It was the biggest event in my life getting on that ship, crossing the Atlantic as a convoy, all night the horns would blow, which meant changing course in a zigzag formation to confuse any U boats.”
“We didn’t like it but we had to live through whatever they threw at us.”
A heartfelt thanks to Ed Wright for assisting in the interview of Francis Wright.
Article first published November 19, 2020.
It’s A Date! Monaco National Day
Photo: Nancy Heslin
Since 1857, Sovereign Day in Monaco typically coincided with the day of the ruling Prince’s Patron Saint. Prince Louis II broke this tradition when he ascended, however, as Saint-Louis day was on August 25, during summer holidays. He instead chose January 17, the day of Saint Anthony the Abbot, the Patronal Feast of his granddaughter, Princess Antoinette.
When Rainier took over, the feast day of Patron Saint Rainier d’Arezzo fell on November 19, and so this date was consecrated National Day in 1952. Prince Albert decided to keep the same date as it also marked the second part of his investiture in 2005 when he was enthroned at Saint Nicholas Cathedral.
“Spreadsheets have never really been my world,” says Julie Mascha, “but meaningful objects and artistic expression always have.”
WATCH VIDEO: Julie Mascha on celebrating womanhood and a Monaco pop-up.
The 31-year-old grew up in Lyon but her path has taken her around the world – from Brazil to the US, and then to Spain, where she spent five years living between Barcelona and Madrid before returning to Paris. Her career began in the luxury industry, where she learned the importance of storytelling, placing the client at the centre, and creating experiences that feel both personal and unforgettable.”
The idea for Sculptée Paris, the company Julie founded in September 2025, came to her during a trip to Amsterdam to visit her childhood best friend. “I discovered a similar concept and instantly felt that this was what I wanted to build – a project where craftsmanship, femininity, art, and luxury meet. On the train back to Paris, I was already drafting the business plan. That was a year ago.”
Julie fuses innovation and tradition to capture the female body, its beauty but also its power, especially during pregnancy “because, to me, it is one of the most striking moments of transformation and femininity.”
Her unique sculptures reflect both artistic sensitivity and the authentic shape of every woman, thanks to a high-precision 3D scan. Every detail is captured, right down to a beauty mark. The digital model is then refined by hand. “With my artistic eye, I work on the skin texture, softening certain areas.”
Julie, who is bilingual in French and English, says her role is to guide her clients through the creative process – the pose, level of smoothing, final finishes – but “the final piece must be a reflection of the client.”
It all starts with the 3D-modelling session. “This is one of my favourite moments of the entire process, because it is incredibly intimate. Clients often arrive slightly intimidated – and understandably so, as they reveal their bodies at a deeply vulnerable time of their lives. I feel a great responsibility in honouring the trust they place in me, and I make sure the experience feels warm and empowering.”
From this model, Julie creates a mould using advanced 3D-printing technologies. Depending on the chosen finishes, the sculpture then passes through the hands of several specialised artisans, from the art foundry to the master gilder, and sometimes a painter for the final patinas.
“I’ve surrounded myself with passionate artisans and artists, to offer the highest level of quality. For the gold-leaf finishes, for example, I collaborate with a master gilder who works with 24-carat Florentine gold – a delicate and noble material – and who also crafts for some of France’s most prestigious luxury houses. This level of craftsmanship is part of Sculptée Paris’ DNA.”
Bridging the two worlds of cutting-edge 3D scanning technology and centuries-old craftsmanship has not been without its challenges. “In the artisanal sphere, these technologies are still relatively new, so we had to create a workflow that allowed the sculpture to move seamlessly from digital precision to hand-crafted artistry. Also, we use the age-old lost-wax casting method, and it took many trials before identifying a material that could preserve every detail of the 3D model.”
From December 9 to 11, Julie will be in the Principality to meet with women who may be interested in the Sculptée experience. “For three days, I will welcome clients by appointment only to a beautiful, cocoon-like studio –very private – located just five minutes from the Monte Carlo Casino.” You can book an appointment online here.
In January 2026, Sculptée Paris will participate in the “Ateliers Futures Mamans” in Brussels – a wellness-focused event designed as a nurturing pause for expectant mothers. The workshops include prenatal yoga sessions, discussions with a physiotherapist about pelvic health.
“I want to continue to push the boundaries of sculptural art, merging cutting-edge technology with traditional craftsmanship to celebrate femininity,” says Julie.
Literary lovers take note: there’s a new book fair in town. The first edition of the Franco-Monegasque Book Festival is around the corner, on Saturday, December 6.
WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: HEIDI DE LOVE TALKS ABOUT THE BOOK FAIR.
Brought to you by a dynamic new association – the Franco-Monegasque International Literary Festival Association (FLIFM) – the Festival du Livre Franco-Monégasque will bring together more than 50 authors from around the world from 10am to 6pm.
The guest of honour and best-selling author, Bernard Werber, has sold more than 15 million copies of his books worldwide. His trilogy Les Fourmis (The Ants) has been translated into more than 30 languages.
“Bernard’s participation at this inaugural edition reflects the long-term vision of the organisers – to open the Principality to the great names of literature while giving visibility to emerging talents,” explains Raphaël Abenhaïm, FLIFM cofounder and vice-president.
Nathalie Cohen (Un fauve dans Rome) and André Peyrègne (Petites histoires féminines de la grande musique) will also be on hand for book signings and discussions, and the French-language literature promises to appeal at all generations and readers, including fans of manga and comics. Admission is free.
The first edition of the Festival du Livre Franco-Monégasque takes place at the Club Bouliste de Monaco in Fontvieille (across the street from Stade Louis II) at Espace Saint-Antoine, Avenue Marquet. Stay up-to-date with their latest news on their website and social media.
While you’re in the neighbourhood, don’t forget to check out the Christmas Kermesse at the Chapiteau de Fontvieille, also from 10am to 6pm.
Article first published on November 25, 2025. Photos and video copyright Good News, Monaco.
The Drama Group of Monaco has been performing English-language plays and pantomimes since 1965. The first stage production, the comedy Love’s a Luxury, was put on in 1974 at the Salle des Variétés in Monaco and attended by Prince Rainier and Princess Grace.
WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: “‘Oh no they are not!’” says Drama Group of Monaco president Andrew Riley.
Over the next decade, the non-profit organisation performed in Monaco and on the Côte d’Azur but things really took off when in 1985 the Drama Group was offered “The Green Room’” at the Stade Louis II for rehearsals, workshops and Play-Readings.
“In the early days of the Drama Group of Monaco,” recalls the current President, Andrew Riley, “the monthly readings of plays in The Green Room were extremely popular with the local English speakers because there was no satellite TV!”
These days, with streaming services and social media, the Drama Group of Monaco continues its battle to keep performing art alive. Membership (with in-house auditions) is open to all enthusiastic English-speaking adult thespians, and, since 2019, youth from the age of 9. “Although it is an amateur theatre association, we pride ourselves on the teamwork, enthusiasm, and commitment of every performing member. Our only aim is to generate pleasure and emotion to our often very discerning public.”
“Our Youth Theatre weekend workshops and performances have helped to contribute to a wider theatrical experience for the local anglophone community,” says Andrew. “Traditionally we devote an afternoon performance of the Pantomime to various classes of pupils at Monaco schools, in close collaboration with the Education Nationale.”
Born in the UK, Andrew studied English and French literature – which included Drama – at university, and came to Nice as a student, eventually settling on the Côte d’Azur and becoming a Monaco resident. He started working for Barclays Private Bank Monaco in 1981 and retired nearly 40 years later in 2019.
“I started acting at school, which was an all-boys public school, so I played both male and female roles, something that I continue to do today in the Pantomimes!”
Andrew joined the Drama Group of Monaco in 1984. His first stage performance that year was a farce – as he says, “appropriately called” – A Bedfull of Foreigners. He’s had the “opportunity and privilege” to perform in some amazing theatrical roles including in Macbeth and Henry V, The Elephant Man, and Dangerous Liaisons.
“I’ve been passionate about amateur dramatics in English in Monaco ever since my first show, juggling professional and family commitments with my love of theatre. My first Pantomime was in 1996, I played Abanazar, the Baddie, in Aladdin.”
The Drama Group’s most popular tradition is, of course, the Christmas Pantomime, a highly anticipated outing for the whole family, from the age of 5. The larger-than-life characters delight the audience with their extravagance and often outrageous costumes.
“This very British custom is a light-hearted bundle of laughs, slapstick, and dance routines roughly based on the dramatization of a well-known fairy tale or folk tale. Traditionally, some of the key roles are played by a member of the opposite sex. The ‘Dame’ is often played by a man, and the ‘Principal Boy’ is played by a girl.
“There is much actor-audience interaction. The ‘Baddies’ are booed and the ‘Goodies’ are cheered on, and there is lots of ‘Oh yes they are!’ versus ‘Oh no they are not!’”
After nearly 30 years, the Drama Group of Monaco is bringing back Aladdin. Written by Ben Crocker, directed by Andrew Riley and Miranda Dawe, and choreographed by Celia Riley, the pantomime will be performed by 30 members, including 16 youth, on Thursday December 11 and Friday December 12 at the Salle des Variétés, starting at 8pm. “The text and the jokes of a Pantomime are continually evolving, so any returning audience is rarely disappointed,” says Andrew.
To get your tickets for Aladdin on Thursday December 11 and Friday December 12 (8pm) at the Salle des Variétés, go to the Drama Group of Monaco’s website.
Article first published November 20, 2025. All photos and videos copyright Good News Monaco.
Monegasques Andrée and Michelle outside the palace in Monaco Ville. Photos: Nancy Heslin
To celebrate National Day on November 19, Andrée and Michelle – the “Mamies of Monaco Ville” – share their stories about growing up on the Rock and how Covid has impacted the community.
Andrée and Michelle are sitting on a bench outside the palace, nearby the marble statue of tribute from foreign colonies presented to Prince Albert I on the occasion of his 25 years of reign in 1914.
“When I was a child, I used to climb that statue,” Andrée points. “Everything has changed. This used to really be a square.”
“Well, it was different,” says Michelle. “When I was younger, we would bike and roller-skate in the square. You know, the other morning, there was no one here except for a few kids from the painting school (Pavillon Bosio Visual Arts School) who were sitting in front of the palace on the sidewalk with their papers and pens, and the teacher was there. I saw a Carabinier approach and tell them they had to leave. The gentleman said he was a teacher here in Monaco-Ville and the students wanted to draw the palace a little. The Carabinier replied, ‘No, it’s out of the question.’ I found this completely absurd.”
“When I was young and in the month of Mary (May), we would all go to the Cathedral. There are arches at the top of the church tower and you can see there is a floor. There was a door and so we would go up and look at the choir sing. Now, you have to show your credentials everywhere. It’s not like before.”
These days, Covid also makes life different for the two women. Before the health pandemic, Andrée and Michelle would usually meet with friends every day for coffee. “We would meet up every morning at 9 at the San Remo bar,” says Michelle. “Before Covid, Monaco was far more lively. I think that with lockdown, we realise that apart from tourism, there’s not much on the Rock. Even people from Monaco, they are not going to come here to buy souvenirs. Although, some have come in a stand of solidarity.”
“In our day, it wasn’t like that,” shares Andrée. “There were grocery stores, a stationery shop, florists, a cobbler … we had everything. Souvenir shops practically did not exist. But it changed in the Sixties, they took away all the stores.”
Michelle agrees. “Monaco-Ville used to be a village but it gradually changed and is now essentially touristic. I’m going to tell you the honest truth. At the time, we were a bit fed up, because you couldn’t walk in the street in the summer, in the middle of August. Between the restaurant’s terraces and the groups, going out was really annoying. Frankly, we were bothered by this but when you look around now, it’s obvious that it is dying with sadness.”
Andrée adds, “I think, there is going to be a reversal. It’s necessary for the souvenir shops to do something else.”
“But some can’t close because they have big management,” Michelle remarks.
Village Life
“Before, all the families used to all know each other in Monaco-Ville. Now we no longer do,” says Andrée. There are many foreigners who have bought as secondary residences.
“The old grannies would take their chairs,” Michelle describes, “and bring them in the street and they would be in front of their doors, chatting. I remember that.”
“I can see them now,” recalls Andrée, “with their aprons, and they would shell peas or beans…”
Michelle remembers how the women would wash laundry. “You’ve seen the Parking des Pêcheurs? There was a lavoir there. I saw women who would leave their house with the thing on their heads and they went to wash their linen there.”
“Not my grandmother,” says Andrée, “because we had the bassine on the terrace.”
“Well, Claudie, with her sister, who are roughly my age, they would go there,” Michelle responds.
Andrée adds, “Not so long ago, some people still didn’t have toilets at home, they would still go wash to the washhouse. And there was a lavoir at Sainte Devote church, you know where the stairs go up behind, there were toilets there. They removed them, and there was a washhouse.”
Michelle says she sold her 3-bedroom apartment on Boulevard des Moulins to buy another apartment on the Rock for her son “because I couldn’t see myself living at Palais Miramar. For me, my stronghold is here.”
“My neighbour can see me in my bed,” Andrée, who has one daughter, laughs. “It doesn’t bother me, it’s been like this since I was born. Where I lived before, my neighbour was Madame Augusta, and when I opened my windows, there she was. ‘Hello Madame Augusta,’ I would say … My grandfather bought the place I now live in 1921, I have the deed. I wanted to leave because I had back pain and I have four floors. But at my age, I couldn’t picture myself moving.”
“I don’t have neighbours opposite,” says Michelle, who has a son and daughter. “I have a view of the mairie. It’s my grandmother’s house and I was raised there, so were my children, and even my grandson. My grandparents used to live near Sainte Devote, at villa Lilly Lou, I think it’s still there. And they sold it to buy here on the Rock, a house with two floors. They bought the second floor first, because the first floor was rented. And I remember that later when they bought the first floor, there were always two apartments. I was raised in one of the apartments with my grandparents.”
Andrée, with Michelle, in front of the Palace statue she used to climb as a child.
Living With Lockdown
During the first lockdown, the women say they only did what was authorized, like went out to do shopping or a morning walk in front of the Carabiniers or around the garden and then home.
Andrée admits, “Confinement didn’t bother me the first time.”
“I have a terrace with the sun, I have a view on the mountain … there is worse,” Michelle says. “We are very privileged in Monaco. Even if things have changed, we are privileged, really.”
“You know,” says Andrée, “you have to be born in Monaco-Ville, because there are a lot of people from Monaco who tell you they would never live here. I can’t leave.”
“Things never change here, and never will,” says Michelle. “Except that they repaired houses but otherwise, you can’t touch Monaco-Ville. When we look at the old photos, it was a bit old-fashioned. Now, when you look, it’s all perfect. It’s all redone.”
Michelle adds, “Everybody dreams about coming to Monaco. It’s the only place where you can go out with your jewellery and not worry about your purse. Let me tell you something. We are all happy, even those who complain, in Monaco, everyone is happy. And everyone would like to live there. Aren’t I right?”
Andrée nods in complete agreement. “If you only knew how I hear from friends because we are less locked-down than in France.I don’t know, it seems that people are jealous,” says Andrée. “There is good and there is bad, it’s a bit like life.”
“I can’t stand when people criticise Monaco. I can’t stand it,” admits Michelle.
National Day
“The fête nationale in Monaco is something close to our heart,” says Andrée. “Every time we come to the square, there is a party. I was born on the Rock, really, and I’ve never seen this before.”
Michelle agrees. “We come to the square with a flag, we wait until the Princely couple stands at the window. This year it’s sad because it won’t happen. There will be a speech on television. They are doing the Te Deum but with distancing and that’s all. For the Prince’s Day, everything has been cancelled.”
Typically, in the days leading up to the National Day in Monaco, which has been on November 19 since 1952, there are rehearsals for the parade in the Place du Palais and the ambience is festive. As we sit near the Place du Palais two days before the big event, there is little activity. This year, there will be no military parade or symbolic wave from the window by the prince and his family. Mass at the Cathedral and the ceremony in the Cour d’Honneur will be broadcast live on Monaco Info.
“Every year, the Princely couple would stand at the window, sometime’s the whole family even,” Michelle points out.
“It was a family holiday,” says Andrée. There were two different days, on Wednesday and Thursday.”
“Back in our children’s time, they would have all the games at Place du Palais. There were things for children all day long.” Michelle says warmly.
I ask the ladies if they saw Prince Albert as a child at the window, and they admit seeing all three young siblings – Caroline, Albert and Stephanie.
Michelle recalls the birth of Princess Caroline. “I was at school and I must have been in 6th grade. I remember, with the teacher, there were cannons fired.”
“… to know if it was a boy or a girl,” Andrée chimes in.
“And then, after the cannon shots,” Michelle relives, “we all left school and came here to the square with flags, shouting. It really came from our hearts. We were kids.”
Andrée and Michelle say that before Princess Grace, “Monaco was not much.” For Michelle, “Grace is the one who brought about the renewal of Monaco that led to making Monaco known all around the world. The whole world was invited to Monaco. There were parties, there were galas, and it was sumptuous. Sumptuous. Even now, it’s not the same anymore. It’s not the same thing, it was a different era.”
Andrée adds, “At the time there was Le Bal de la Rose at the palace or on the square … we would see all the artists pass by, I saw Charles Aznavour.”
“In the morning, we would always see Princess Grace bring her children to school,” Michelle reveals. “We would meet them in the streets. One day, I was walking down the ramp and there came the Princess, such simplicity. She had a small scarf, flat shoes. You remember Andrée?”
“Yes,” Andrée replies. “We would often see them. I also remember her with Stephanie, and their dog, the little poodle.”
“We had the most glamorous period of Monaco,” Michelle says. “We were very lucky because we had a time, I think, no one will have again. It was the time of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace. It was magic.”
Words cannot express my gratitude to Andrée and Michelle, two characterful ladies who provided a rare glimpse into a very private world in honour of National Day. They only removed their masks for photos.
I wish I could organise a Rediscover Monaco-Ville day to encourage Monaco residents to explore and support the old town, to eat at the restaurants and buy some gifts and souvenirs for a Very Monaco Christmas. But alas, I cannot. So I will continue to share stories of real people and maybe, just maybe, we can make a difference together.
A spectacular 10-room hôtel particulier in Paris that once belonged to Monaco’s princely family has been sold for a record amount by the Kretz family of Netflix fame.
“We sold it two years ago, and now again this year for €33,850,000,” Valentin Kretz tells me. “The buyer is an American crypto genius in his thirties.”
The 500-square-metre urban mansion next to Hermès on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in the 8th arrondissement features an unfathomable 450-square-metre garden with sauna.
“This is the largest transaction in Paris in several years,” Valentin says. “The 2024 record was €25 million and that was all agencies combined. This is also one of the Kretz Agency’s biggest sales, although we have also sold at these levels in St. Barts.”
The reality star adds, “This shows that the ultra-luxury sector has not suffered a crisis, quite the contrary. There is so little supply in ultra-luxury that properties are highly sought after.”
Valentin, along with his parents and brothers Martin, Louis and Raphael, star in Netflix’s The Parisian Agency (l’Agence) now filming its sixth season. A spin-off of the real estate show, New Destinations, has been commissioned by TMC.
Axel Sategna is a Monegasque entrepreneur launching Monaco’s first social network. It’s called Intouch, it’s free, and it’s going live November 18.
WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: Axel Sategna talks about Intouch app.
Available soon from the App Store and Google Play, Axel says Intouch offers a simple solution to a universal problem: knowing what to do, where, when, and with whom – in just a few clicks.
The idea came to him during a business trip to Montreal where he spent a week interviewing for jobs in finance. He realised how difficult it was to find the right places to go out, where to go for a walk, or just to connect with others in person over coffee.
WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: Axel Sategna on how Intouch works.
“None of the existing social platforms – Meetup, Eventbrite, Instagram, LinkedIn, or others – truly filled that gap”, explains the 30-year-old. “Intouch’s mission is to fight boredom, reduce isolation, and bring people closer together through a living map of activities spanning sports, entertainment, culture, and volunteering.”
The bilingual go-getter became driven by an ambition to truly transform the way we connect but, like many startups, faced financial hurdles. Outside of his full-time job at UBS Monaco, he spends his waking hours developing the first social network developed and launched from Monaco with support from Monaco Boost.
After graduating from the International University of Monaco with a Master’s degree in Finance with a Hedge Fund & Private Equity option, Axel built a foundation in private banking, asset management, audit, and the Constitutional Reserve Fund of Monaco – with experience in both Monaco and Luxembourg.
He hopes the Intouch app will expand to other territories after finding success in Monaco.
WATCH VIDEO BELOW: Axel Sategna talks about special filters and chat group on Intouch.
Article first published October 19, 2025. All videos and photos of Axel Sategna copyright Good News Monaco.
The “ordinary” Kretz family has charmed Netflix viewers with its series The Parisian Agency (L’Agence) while showing exclusive multimillion-dollar properties in the most extraordinary locations across France, including a mind-blowing €120 million listing outside of Cannes. With three seasons on the streaming giant, they have opened their first physical office, Kretz Family Real Estate Monaco.
To mark the occasion, a cocktail party at the Palais de la Scala location kicked off the launch on Wednesday, April 5. Parisian Power couple Olivier and Sandrine Kretz, who founded the agency in 2007, were on hand with son Valentin.
WATCH VIDEO: Valentin Kretz of The Parisian Agency on Netflix talks about how the family ended up opening an office in Monaco.
Also at the meet and greet were the two dynamic women who will run the Monaco office, Elodie Stienlet and Elisabeth Kozulina, both partners of Kretz Family Real Estate Monaco.
Before Netflix, the Kretz Agency dealt mostly in and around Paris, and Montpellier, where Martin studied at university. Netflix picked up “The Parisian Agency” reality show from cobuyers TMC and TF1 and now distribute it in 190 countries with subtitles in 35 languages. After two seasons on the streaming giant, the family business started developing more in the international property market, which led to the Monaco office.
“We now get requests from owners to put their properties on the show because they understand that the top luxury estates are very hard to sell and this is an amazing new way to reach people,” says Valentin Kretz, who worked in investment finance before turning to commercial real estate in New York. When he joined the family business in 2014, older brother Martin was already onboard and younger brother Louis then started in 2017. The youngest of the boys, Raphael, graduated from high school last year and is now doing an internship with the family agency. (Even grandma Majo is a regular on the show.) They work out of their 1930s home office in Boulogne Billancourt and all the sales commissions go into one pot to be divided equally amongst the family.
WATCH VIDEO: Olivier and Sandrine Kretz at Monaco launch reminiscing about the early years.
Not being a franchise is a “huge advantage” and in sixteen years, the Kretz family now counts more than 30 people in their network from Normandy and the Mediterranean to the mountains (Annecy, Courcheval…) and islands (St Baths, Martinique…). They are big in London, Portugal and the US. “We have an extended family through our agency. We work with others who share the same values and there is no fighting, no competition. We follow our clients, and they have expanded everywhere,” says Valentin. Read more about the Kretz family.
WATCH VIDEO: Former BBC producer Rebecca McVeigh weighs in the popularity of The Parisian Agency at Kretz Monaco party.
