Tag: monaco

Posted on

Raphael Rouget

Growing up in Monaco, Raphael Rouget was captivated by motorsport. It wasn’t just the “machines adorned with exceptional details” but observing the “emotions, determination, and willpower of the drivers that fascinated me from a young age,” says the new general manager of Marius Monaco.

“Sports with its values and competitive spirit have always been the core of my life. This passion initially led me to pursue a professional career in football. And a memorable encounter with Michel Platini further reinforced this ambition and encouraged me to follow that path.”

WATCH VIDEO ABOVE: RAPHAEL ROUGET INTRODUCES BANKSY ROOM AT MARIUS MONACO

A car accident would abruptly end Raphael’s football dreams but he redirected his focus towards the hospitality and restaurant industry. “I joined my father in a profession that has been in our family for three generations,” says Raphael. His first job was working alongside his dad at the 5-star Hôtel Richemond in Geneva, Switzerland. “More than just a job, the restaurant business is a world of excellence, a powerful medium for connections and exchanges.”

It was a good fit. “I thrive in fast-paced environments where creativity, service, and attention to detail come together to make every moment unique. “My positive attitude is a constant, and I’m quick to react, always looking for solutions and ways to enhance the experience.”

For ever-energetic Raphael, an exceptional restaurant comes down to three things. First, making every detail count. “I believe it starts with high-quality cuisine—fresh ingredients, expertly crafted dishes, and a unique culinary identity that sets it apart.”

Second, the role service plays. “I strive for attentive, welcoming, and knowledgeable staff who make guests feel special and valued. A seamless, coordinated effort between the kitchen and the front-of-house ensures everything flows perfectly.”

And third, the vibe. “A thoughtfully designed space that reflects the restaurant’s concept, paired with the right lighting, music, and comfort, enhances the overall experience. Ultimately, it’s about building that connection with guests, ensuring they have a remarkable experience that makes them want to return again and again.”

Raphael is one of the rare species outside North America who believes the customer is always right. “In a restaurant, the customer is always right in the sense that their expectations and experience should be taken seriously and respected. However, this doesn’t mean that every request is automatically valid or realistic. The key is to adopt a balanced approach, where you listen carefully to the customer while staying true to the restaurant’s standards, vision, and operational capabilities.

“That said, it is essential to show empathy and professionalism when faced with dissatisfaction, as an unhappy customer can compromise the positive experience for others. The goal is to always find a solution that respects both the customer’s needs and the realities of the service.

He should know. He has built his career opening restaurants all around the world, from Japan and Brazil to Qatar and Lebanon, and in the US, Dubai, Switzerland, and France. “These range from small units to large-scale operations including a restaurant for the Bocuse Group with over 800 seats and a capacity of nearly 3,200 covers per day in Lyon.” Raphael has seen it all. “From fast-casual dining to international cuisines of various origins, all the way up to a Michelin three-star restaurant ranked in the top 20 in the world. In each case, I dedicated myself to maintaining an exceptional level of excellence, always striving for perfection.”

Clearly, there is a learning curve. “Every opening reminds me of the importance of building a strong team, maintaining clear communication, and always keeping the goal of providing an exceptional experience for every guest, no matter the type of restaurant.

“It’s about balancing vision, preparation, and adaptability. It’s crucial to have a clear and ambitious vision for the concept, but it’s equally important to be flexible and able to adapt to the unexpected challenges that arise – and they do – whether they are related to management, teams, or customer satisfaction.”

The father of two came on board as the general manager of Marius Monaco in December, six months after Sebastien Sanjou opened its green doors. “When I arrived, the challenge was immense. It was a case of mistaken identity. We were having nights with only two customers in the restaurant, which seemed completely crazy given its iconic history.”

“Art is very important for us. We have many permanent works on display at the restaurant, from Jean Cocteau to American artist Sam Francis. And from April 15, we have a new piece from the Nice-born artist Arman, who designed bottles for Taittinger. We also have the Banksy room, is a new private dining room that seats 10 people.”

– Raphael Rouget, general manager Marius Monaco

He wanted to wake this “Sleeping Beauty” of a restaurant that had been dormant for some time and was determined to bring it back to life and make it shine again.

“Marius Monaco has a unique identity, deeply rooted in Mediterranean tradition while embracing innovation. The focus is on the freshness of local and seafood products, with a culinary expertise that combines simplicity and excellence.”

The vice president of Monaco’s Hospitality Association (AIHM) adds, “The 1500-square meter restaurant is in a prime location and offers an intimate and elegant atmosphere, but what distinguishes Marius is its commitment to offering a true immersion into the Monaco lifestyle, where every detail matters, including impeccable service.

“I am someone who embodies diplomacy, always striving to maintain a calm and respectful demeanour in all situations. I am approachable, available, and deeply attentive to my clients’ needs, ensuring they feel heard and valued. So the experience that I offer to guests is one of closeness, friendliness, and warmth, in line with the expectations of Monaco, whether for a meeting or celebrating a milestone.”

Open every day for lunch and dinner, Marius offers Happy Hour weekdays from 5:30 to 8pm and live music with new artists performing on Saturday nights and this summer, will offer “a surprise” on the spectacular outdoor terrace (which opens after the Monaco Grand Prix). WATCH VIDEO (SCROLL TO TOP) FOR INSIDE SCOOP.

Raphael, whose wife is Australian, is truly a breath of fresh air. “When it comes to customer service, it is important to listen and to understand the situation from the perspective of your team in order to prepare the most appropriate response. By turning a negative situation into a positive one, you show the guest that their concerns matter and help build a stronger relationship with them.”

Raphael lives by his words; “I’m committed to giving my best at every moment, ensuring that each interaction, whether with guests or my team, is a reflection of my dedication to excellence.”

As he says, “I want Marius to be the must-visit address in Monaco, a place that people return time and time again.”

Article first published April 15, 2025. Photos and video copyright Good News Monaco.

Posted on

Carlo App

It’s been nearly six years since Antoine Bahri launched Carlo, Monaco’s first mobile app that rewards consumers for buying goods and services locally. The Monaco resident wanted to create “a smart currency for Monaco” through an incentive program that offered a 5% cashback from purchases at one of the Carlo-affiliated shops in Monaco.

The engineer-turned-entrepreneur has always been motivated to build bridges for small and traditional businesses to digitally integrate and grow. Before Carlo, Antoine co-founded a payment application for the restaurant sector in Barcelona. “Entrepreneurship is a journey filled with ups and downs. It requires resilience and unwavering belief in the value you’re creating.”

Launched in July 2019, Carlo now works with 680 businesses, about 80% of all merchants in Monaco, according to Antoine, and can be downloaded from the App store. “We’ve also built a thriving community of approximately 80,000 users, including residents and those who interact regularly with Monaco. Over time, Carlo has evolved into a full-fledged payment solution for the principality, distinguished by its innovative closed-loop cashback program.”

Antoine admits one of the most meaningful moments of his career came when he onboarded merchants in Monaco he used to visit as a child. “Seeing those businesses join Carlo made me feel we were truly making an impact. Another unforgettable moment was the first time overhearing someone at a nearby table at the restaurant ask to pay with Carlo. Hearing them talk about it made me realise that the app had become part of daily life for many people.”

Antoine Bahri (front row, right) launched the Carlo App in July 2019. The company has grown to 16 people, including the development team as well as the teams in Bordeaux and Aix-en-Provence.

Antoine says the growth of the free Carlo App has been fuelled in large part by a strong partnership with the government of Monaco, which began after the Covid pandemic to support local merchants. “This collaboration has continued because Carlo has proven to be an effective tool for the government to boost local commerce and generate TVA.”

The government has argued recently that it is impossible to quantify how much TVA is generated by Carlo purchases that would not have occurred otherwise. “While it’s challenging to calculate the exact amount of TVA Carlo generates, we have several strong indicators,” Antoine highlights. “For instance, a survey we conducted with over 4,000 responses revealed that 50% of users’ shopping and 35% of their dining through Carlo would have taken place elsewhere – online or outside Monaco – if Carlo didn’t exist. Using these insights, we can estimate the new TVA Carlo has helped generate in Monaco, and the results indicate that the more likely scenario is a net positive outcome for the government.”

He also emphasises that the government’s support is directed at merchants, not Carlo. “We are the service provider delivering a payment and loyalty solution under the terms of a contract designed to benefit the local economy.”

The government of Monaco is currently debating whether to change the way in which the 8.6% Carlo platform fee is shared. At present, 1% is paid by the affiliated retailer while the State covers 7.6%, for a reported total of €10 million a year. It envisions that in 2025, the cost to retailers could rise to 3.6% with a possible cap on monthly spending.

Antoine remains confident in the government’s commitment to this partnership. “The collaboration has been a clear success, uniting merchants and consumers on one platform and fostering a vibrant local economy. That said, this is a new government, and it’s natural to review ongoing projects and explore ways to optimize them. On our side, we’re fully committed to working hand-in-hand with the government to find solutions that enhance the project while keeping the mission’s core values intact for the benefit of local merchants.”

For Antoine, the biggest challenge has been navigating the company through different phases of growth and external changes. “Challenges are also what drive us forward. They push us to learn, adapt, and create new features and solutions that keep Carlo innovative and relevant.”

Recently, Carlo introduced a new payment opportunity in Monaco for users to make donations directly to associations. “With thousands of users already accustomed to using the app for payments, this was a natural extension of our platform’s functionality,” Antoine states.

“Associations have been requesting an easy and digital payment solution for some time, and we’re thrilled to now provide one. Users can select their preferred association from a list of participating organisations and donate seamlessly without using or earning cashback, which remains exclusively dedicated to supporting local commerce.”

This initiative is already off to a great start. “We’re proud to have partnered with the Princess Charlene Foundation and the Rotary Club of Monaco for this launch, and we look forward to helping more associations streamline their fundraising efforts.”

Antoine also took the model beyond Monaco in 2023. “We successfully launched Carlo in Aix-en-Provence, where we now partner with more than 200 merchants. Most recently, in October 2024, we expanded to Bordeaux, where we’ve already onboarded 50 merchants. We’re excited to replicate and adapt this Monaco-born innovation in new markets.”

Now a team of 16 people, the company is also launching a white-label version of its payment solution, opening up opportunities for other industries like hotel groups, ski resorts, or any organization with a closed-loop network. “This is an exciting step as it allows us to extend the impact of Carlo’s technology to new sectors and geographies.”

In parallel to developing Carlo, Antoine has co-founded Maliz.ai, an AI solution focused on data sovereignty that allows companies to deploy AI tools on their own servers, giving them full control and protection over their data. “With Maliz.ai, organisations can create chatbots or other AI-powered solutions hosted within their own environment, ensuring security and transparency,” Antoine explains.

“We’re particularly focused on serving Monaco, where there’s a clear need for independent AI solutions that align with the principality’s emphasis on privacy and trust. Our mission is to empower companies in Monaco with cutting-edge, locally hosted AI tools that combine innovation with data security.”

Article first published on February 16, 2025. Feature photo by Nancy Heslin. Article photos courtesy of Carlo App.

Posted on

Rachael Dickens: the woman who can sort out your sore back

Rachael Dickens understands pain.

The English Osteopath was 28 when she broke her back while playing tennis, an accident that resulted in temporary paralysis in both legs for six months. It was thanks to an osteopath that she began to walk again and found herself on a life-changing road to recovery.

“Lying in bed thinking I’d never walk, work, or love again, I had to make a decision to thrive. I turned off my emotions and got on with it,” Rachael describes.

She quit her job with the Daily Mail Group, where she was the youngest commercial publisher at the time, and spent the next five years training at the British School of Osteopathy.

Speaking French since the age of 7 and having studied at the Institut de Français in Villefranche, Rachael moved to Antibes in 2001 and set up her first English Osteopath clinic at 4 rue Vauban. She has since become the only clinic in Antibes to be approved by the Norwegian Government to issue Seafarer Medical certificates required by all yacht crew.

With a large portion of clients driving from Monaco, the ever-energetic brunette opened a second clinic in 2010 at 11 bis avenue Generale de Gaulle in bordering Beausoleil. She then initiated the Frozen Shoulder and Chronic Fatigue clinics and set up an association for those with limited income to have access to free osteo healthcare for their children and babies (all her osteopaths are trained in paediatric osteopathy).

With a bilingual team of 16 between the two locations, Rachael was heavy-hearted having to shut down the two locations during the first Covid confinement that began in March. “It was tough on my business and tough on the patients having their treatment programmes disrupted. I spent a lot of time on Zoom walking patients through their pain, which worked surprisingly well, and some were even cracking their own backs! Luckily the pharmacists were open and I could arrange with our clinic doctor to get them the right medication.”

In round two of confinement in France, which started October 30, the clinics are allowed to remain open. Thy are busier now than ever and are seeing a type of pain that the therapists describe as a physical manifestation of constant low-grade stress and anxiety, the result of poor at home office work stations or the result of looking at screens more than usual, as all other healthy physical activities have been curtailed.

In Monaco, with people travelling less, patient frequency has increased while in Antibes, where the yachting industry is at a standstill, there has been a slight drop in appointments.

Still, across the board, the intuitive Rachael has noticed a change in recent weeks. “I see a rise in stress. You know, the expat community is already isolated and I think the reality has just sunk in that people can’t go home for Christmas to see their families. Our ability to cope with pain is different when we are sympathetically aroused, like we are now. This means we are gearing up to face an attacker, and Covid is one that we can’t see, so it’s fight-or-flight.”

In Antibes, where cafés and restaurants are closed, Rachael has opened the Waiting Room Café at the clinic. “People need to connect so while a patient is waiting, there’s a Nespresso machine, cookies and even beer, and a table for one – we are hoping for TripAdvisor reviews! – and if someone needs to talk, we’ll sit and have a chat and a coffee.”

In addition to running to the two English Osteopath clinics and doing call outs (even on weekends), Rachael is the lead medic for Supporting Wounded Veterans, a U.K. charity that supports 26 veterans a year through Skiing with Heroes – a “skibilitation” week – and also providing each veteran with a mentor and treatment at the only Wounded Veterans’ Pain Management Programme in Britain. “This program gives veterans confidence and a chance to start new lives,” she says, something she knows first hand.

Over the last five years, she has raised €100,000 for Supporting Wounded Veterans through a 5-day “Mountains to Monaco” bike ride and two quiz nights in Monaco, one held at Stars’n’Bars where Gilly Norton, founder of the founder charity, told me, “Some 87% of those who participate in our Pain Clinic and/or Skiing with Heroes programme return to work or training.”

Rachael says that the charity is currently fundraising “to take part in very exciting research” using psychedelic drugs, such as MDMA, as part of a therapeutic approach to treat PTSD. “If this trial continues to produce results, it will be a game-changing breakthrough in helping those suffering with this terrible mental health condition and who haven’t responded to other Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapies currently available.”

Article first published July 2024. Photos: Nancy Heslin

Posted on

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.

Posted on

From Fugitive to Fame: a lecture at Princess Grace Irish Library

Paula Farquharson with chalice for Irish Mass at the Palatine Chapel. Photo: Courtesy of PGIL/Michaël Alesi/Palais Princier

Recently discovered in a cardboard box and auctioned in the UK, the chalice will be the subject of a lecture at the Princess Grace Irish Library by Dr Krasnodębska-D’Aughton, University College Cork (UCC), on Wednesday January 22, at 7pm.

Meet old and new friends at the library and discover the mystery behind one of the few remaining chalices from the 15th century.

Earlier in January, the Ó Learghusa Chalice was used to celebrate mass in the private chapel of the Prince’s Palace in Monaco in the presence of Prince Albert II and the Princess of Hanover. And, as Paula Farquharson, director of the Princess Grace Irish Library, points out, it was the first time that mass was celebrated in Europe with the chalice for centuries.

“Before King Henry VIII’s divorce led to the reformation and forced the Catholic Church in Ireland to go underground, this medieval chalice was used in friaries and monasteries in Ireland,” explains Paula.

“Later such religious items were either hidden or sent to mainland Europe for safekeeping. Many didn’t survive and were melted down for their silver and gold. This lecture has all the excitement of a turbulent era in history and the audience will have the unique opportunity to see this rare chalice for one evening only before it goes to Ireland for permanent display at Kylemore Abbey.”

Since its purchase in 2021, the chalice has featured in articles and on television in the United States, where it has also gone on exhibition at top universities.

Dr D’Aughton is a Senior Lecturer in the School of History, UCC, who specialises in the cultural and religious history of the Middle Ages. She has published internationally on the Irish mendicant orders, liturgical silver, Irish illuminated manuscripts as well as on manuscripts in Polish libraries.

Tickets €10 (includes a drink after the 45-minute talk) available at the door or online.

While at the library, make sure you check out 40th Anniversary Princess Grace Irish Library: A Tribute To Princess Grace of Monaco (2024; Éditions Des Archives Du Palais De Monaco. The 128-page limited-edition commemorative book will take you on a journey of discovery about Princess Grace from Ireland to America and to Monaco.

It was presented to Prince Albert II and the Princess of Hanover on November 20, 2024, exactly 40 years to the day they inaugurated the Princess Grace Irish Library in the presence of their father Prince Rainier III.

The book is not available to purchase but a copy can be viewed at the library, or download a digital version at http://www.pgil.mc. QR codes lead readers to emotive performances by musicians and students from the Académie Rainier III in Monaco and Technological University Dublin, conservatoire, as well as a special music piece composed by Michael Flatley, titled The Princess Grace Set.

Article first published January 21, 2025.

Posted on

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.

Posted on

International Book Fair Monaco

Salon du livre de Monaco co-founders Raphaël Abenhaim and Yvette Cellario.

This year’s Monaco International Book Fair at the Grimaldi Forum brings together 140 authors from 12 countries across the globe. The 13th edition – which is free to the public – kicked off Saturday September 7 with opera, and acknowledgements from Yvette Cellario, a Monegasque who co-founded the event with businessman Raphaël Abenhaim.

The pair first launched the online bookshop, Librairie numérique de Monaco, back in 2011. Following its success, they decided to expand their literary activities and went on to create the Salon du livre de Monaco in 2012.

The objective was to promote all facets of literature. Yvette, who worked for twenty years in the Monaco Town Hall events department, published her first novel “Et Moi, Émois” in 2004. This was followed by an autobiography and several other titles.

Raphaël Abenhaim and the Librairie numérique de Monaco team are on hand this weekend to speak with book lovers about what the online bookshop has to offer.

Volunteer Heidi De Love gives the lowdown on the 10% discount promo on all books throughout September. WATCH VIDEO BELOW: ENGLISH

For the first time in Monaco, members of the Rencontres des Auteurs Francophones are taking part in the book weekend. Founded in 2020 by author Sandrine Mehrez Kukurudz, the New York-based platform is the world’s first French-language literary network set up to promote French-language culture. WATCH VIDEO ABOVE IN ENGLISH: SANDRINE AND RON KUKURUDZ.

One of the Rencontres entourage includes LA-based Dana Ziyashiva. WATCH VIDEO IN ENGLISH.

Another first-time participant is Swiss-based writer Laurence Berger, with a fictional thriller linked to Monaco published in both French and English. WATCH VIDEO BELOW IN ENGLISH WITH LAURENCE BERGER AND LAURENCE GENEVET.

Local authors include Laurence Genevet (the former managing director of Epi Communication), Mireille Grazi and Lucien Nasarre.

The Monaco International Book Fair runs from 10am to 6pm Saturday, September 7, and Sunday, September 8.

Writers from the Rencontres des Auteurs Francophones.
French author Lucien Nasarre.
Lawyer by day, writer the rest of the time, Laurence Berger.
Heidi De Love volunteering with the fantastic Librairie numérique de Monaco.
Well-known personality Laurence Genevet with her first book.
Dana Ziyashiva from LA.
The 13th edition of the Monaco International Book Fair.

Article first published September 7, 2024. All photos and videos copyright Good News Monaco.

Posted on

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.

Posted on

Fergus Butler Gallie

During his travels and life as an expat in Europe, the Reverend Fergus Butler Gallie stumbled across story after story of the most incredibly heroic clergy. This promoted him to write Priests de la Résistance (2019), a book that The Guardian calls: “A stirring compendium of the lives of clergy who stood up to Hitler.” 

“I realised that, with a couple of exceptions, their stories were totally unknown in the UK, indeed some of them had no record of their deeds written in English. So what began as an attempt to remedy that, became a wider project as I discovered more and more examples,” says the current Vicar of Charlbury with Shorthampton in the diocese of Oxford.

Oxford and Cambridge-educated Fergus has served in churches in Liverpool and Central London, plus in chaplaincy at a school in Kent. And although only 31, the author has penned several articles for major media and written two other books – A Field Guide to the English Clergy: A Compendium of Diverse Eccentrics, Pirates, Prelates and Adventurers; All Anglican, Some Even Practising (2018) and his memoir, Touching Cloth: Confessions and communions of a young priest (2023).

Father Fergus will be giving a talk about the clerical resistance in World War II “and some lighter tales” on Friday, July 12, at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Monaco. He was invited by long-time friend Reverend Hugh Bearn, who says, “Father Fergus is a highly entertaining, witty, a skilled raconteur and a serious historian – a young man who embodies the notion of a traditional priest in the Church of England.”

Here are five questions we asked the Reverend Fergus on the subject.

Do you think history is repeating itself 80 years after the liberation of Europe from totalitarianism?

FBG: Well, I suppose so, but I think we ought to remember that much of Eastern and Central Europe experienced totalitarianism until 40 or so years ago, and Spain 55 years ago: history always repeats itself I think and the sad historical reality is that totalitarianism has actually been the norm, the question is how does one resist it?

History seems split on the view of Pope Pius XII. Some historians view him as ‘Hitler’s Pope’ but recently released historical documents show him as more of a shrewd politician who was able to safeguard the Catholic Church while also providing asylum for some Jewish people when he could. In light of your research, where do you fall on Pope Pius XII?

FBG: Gosh it’s very tricky. I think the real answer is that it’s complicated. I think either viewing him as entirely complicit with Hitler or as a hero are both inaccurate oversimplifications. What I would say is that almost all the leaders of Europe were on tightropes at the time. During the war itself I think the fact that clergy make up by far the largest section of the ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ and the horrific numbers of them killed in concentration camps, etc, speaks for itself in terms of the fact that the Church of which

Pius was head was perhaps the single most important organisation that resisted Nazism. However, I think what is perhaps more damning are his actions towards the end and just after the war where he appears to support clergy who were complicit in war crimes – in particular in Croatia – and allows, knowingly or not, the Vatican to be used as an escape route for those who should have faced justice. The truth is he was a conflicted, complicated character- probably too weak in terms of personality to ever become some sort of Catholic Churchill –but still trying to do his best and sometimes succeeding.

In your research, were any of the priests or nuns excommunicated by the church for helping those of the Jewish faith? If not, doesn’t that say something about the Catholic Church’s sympathies during the war?

FBG: No, clergy were never excommunicated for that and, as I say above, I think there’s is a strong argument to say that the Catholic Church in particular plays the most important resistance role of all in Europe during the Second World War. But I suppose it’s worth realising, as I say in the book, that the Church is about as diverse and widespread an institution as you can find by its very nature. There were plenty of clergy who collaborated very willingly alongside the heroes who resisted. The Church’s main issue is that it’s filled with humans who are, by its own teaching, fallible and sinful even when trying to do good.

If there is a worst-case scenario in Europe today and totalitarianism does spread, could you see members of today’s European clergy (Catholic or Protestant) making the same sacrifices?

FBG: I would hope so. I think the Church invariably comes into its own as a place where hope can spread when the political situation seems hopeless. I suppose the Church is less powerful than it was then but the fundamental truth that it proclaims – that we owe primary allegiance to God Almighty – has not gone away and one would hope it would inspire now as it did then.

When the war ended, were most of the priests and nuns that you wrote about celebrated as heroes or did they simply return to a quiet life within the Church?

FBG: Well, it varied. The wonderful Canon Felix Kir became a real celebrity – Mayor of Dijon for another two decades and, of course, having the blanc de cassis named after him because he drank so much of it. Others went on to run charities or parishes or religious orders, but the reality is that over half of those I wrote about didn’t survive the war at all. They were perhaps the greatest heroes.

To confirm attendance for the July 12 talk by Fergus Butler Gallie, contact hughbearn@gmail.com. A €10 entry fee at the door on July 12 will be donated to charity, and refreshments will follow at St Paul’s House.

Chaplain Hugh adds, “Father Fergus will be preaching at St Paul’s at 10:30 am on July 14 – the seventh Sunday after Trinity which is also Bastille Day – how apposite.”

Article first published July 9, 2024.

Posted on

Captain Rachel Burns

Rachel Burns remembers the exact moment she knew she wanted to be a pilot. “I was 8 years old, and I had seen a disaster movie about the plight of a 747.”

Rachel, who was a guest speaker at the Air League Monaco on June 21, was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire, and describes herself as an energetic kid, playing netball, the piano and joining the Air Training Corps run by the Royal Air Force.

As a captain for British Airways, she is the first in her family to enter the aviation field. “There are scholarships out there that require zero flight experience, and you only need English and Maths at GCSE or brevet level to get into those courses. But higher educational qualifications help to make you stand out amongst the applicants for very few places.” Rachel graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Durham University and went to get her Airline Transport Pilots Licence (ATPL), which you need in order to become a commercial pilot.

The mother of two started working for BA in 1998 and has remained with the airline ever since. “In 1997, BA footed the cost for my cadetship. I spent around 18 months training before I joined the company. BA paid for my training, and I was bonded to the company for the first 5 years of employment.”

Rachel recalls her first passenger flight as surreal. “Everything is exactly the same as the simulator until you see the passengers. Then the terror sets in!”

She credits her most beautiful in-flight moment to the day she passed her command check. “At the end of the flight, the training captain gave me my captain’s stripes and told me to go and say goodbye to the passengers. Then he made an announcement to the passengers that they were saying goodbye and thank you to British Airways’ newest captain. After the huge amount of work and effort to achieve the rank, it was such a touching moment, and the passengers all congratulated me as they disembarked.”

Captain Rachel Burns with Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou at Air League Monaco event on June 21, 2024.

And with so many hours in her logbook, she is sympathetic to passengers who have a fear of flying. “It’s an unknown to many people. In a car you can see out of the windscreen the world ahead of you but in a plane, you see very little through the window so it’s hard to get that sense of what’s going on and it causes a feeling of loss of control and panic. It’s a shame people can’t come to the flight deck any more during the flight because in the days before 9/11 frightened passengers could come and see what’s actually going on and with was the full horizon rather than the partial view of either land or sky that you see through a window.

“We cured many a nervous flier back then. Also, you should think of turbulence as a potholed or cobbled street. The car bounces as it goes over it and may dip into a pothole but you’re still supported by the road. It’s the same in the air. The unsettled air causes bumps under the wings and that feels like the bumpy road.”

Over the years, her nerves of steel have served her well. Once she operated a flight from Heathrow to Denver with one of the air conditioning packs not working. Normally two packs working at a higher flow rate was equal to all three working in the basic mode. It was hot on the plane, and she expected it to cool once the engines were running and the aircraft airborne. It never cooled. “It was 29°C throughout the plane. The crew took off their ties and unbuttoned the tops of the shirts. I had to walk through the cabin to explain to people the situation. It was fantastic to see the turnaround in the passengers’ attitude when they spoke to the pilot. Initially they were largely angry and frustrated but by the end they were all having a fun bonding experience laughing about having cocktails and suggesting new crew uniforms including grass skirts or shorts. We landed in Denver and got off the plane to 30°C weather!”

Since the birth of her children, Rachel has worked 50% part time, taking work trips during a 14-day period then having 14 days off. She explains that a full-time roster will be around six 3- or 4-day trips or four to five longer trips. “When you’re on ‘home standby’ you need to be able to reach the airport within two hours. As I live abroad – outside of Nice – this means on home standby I have to be in a hotel near Heathrow. For short-haul crews there is also ‘airport standby’ where pilots have to wait at the airport to fill in for uncrewed flights immediately.”

By law, pilots can only be at the controls of an aircraft for a certain number of hours. “On long flights we have a spare pilot who takes over from one of the operating pilots to enable them to have a break. The break is taken in a bunk. On the 777 the flight crew (pilot) bunk is above the first few rows of seats. The cabin crew have bunks at the back of the plane in the roof above the last few rows of seats.”

According to the British Airways Gender Pay Gap Report 2023, the UK’s flag carrier has approximately 6.6% female pilots, which is above the national average of 5%. In 2023, the airline introduced the Speedbird Academy, a fully-funded pilot programme, to support our drive to improve representation in the pilot community. “When I joined in 1998, there were less than 50 females out of about 2,800 total pilots, which equates to just over 1%. As a women pilot, I do think I have to work harder and be better in order to be taken seriously although whether that is my perception or genuinely required is up for debate,” says Rachel.

“It is a male dominated environment but I have always been a bit of a tomboy, so I fit in anyway. I only ever once experienced offensive sexism at my time at BA. It was from a male captain who later lost his command due to incompetence. Karma is sweet!”

Rachel adds that the sexism she encountered came from outside the industry. “Before I became a pilot, people used to say it was an impossible job for me. At school or talking to people in general, there was a lot of opposition.”

And if she had listened to the naysayers? “I would have been a primary school teacher. I’m glad I never had to be though!”

Article first published June 23, 2024. Photos courtesy of Vanessa Ilsley.

READ ALSO: Air League Monaco welcomes Jo Salter, the UK’s first female fast jet pilot.

Jo Salter