February 2008
For the BF’s birthday, we spent 3 nights in Monte Carlo, arriving 2 days before the special day. We flew in from Rome to Nice. From there, you could get to Monte Carlo via a one hour car ride. Or if you feel like splashing out and arriving in style, you could take a 10-minute chopper ride over the breathtaking Mediterranean
We picked the quicker way, and “home” for the 3 nights was at Hotel de Paris. The front desk upgraded us to a Junior Suite. Sweet! The spacious room had a walk-in closet, his and hers vanity area kitted out with Hermes toiletries, 2 balconies overlooking the designer label stores, and we also got a partial view of the casino square.
We wasted no time exploring the principality soon after checking in. First stop was lunch, just across the hotel at Cafe de Paris. It was a cool day, the sun was out and there were a lot of stylishly dressed people dining outdoor. My beef stew provencale with pasta was just the comfort food I needed, and tasted rich, like it had been brewing in the pot for hours and hours.
Strangely, Monaco has a busy airspace, despite being the second smallest country in the world.
So I’m a big Formula 1 fan. And I love the Monaco F1 race, which is a must-watch event [on tv] no matter where I am. The race usually takes place late May. So after lunch, we made our way to the streets of Monte Carlo that forms the F1 circuit and went for a walk. We covered the starting grid, the F1 tunnel and the famous hairpin.
The photos below are just before the F1 tunnel, and then the Monaco Marina. It was a gorgeous day to be out and about in the playground of the rich and famous.
Later in the day we went to Jardin Exotique, French for Exotic Garden. Apart from flowers, the other attraction is The Observatory Cave, which involves some 300 steps! We got to the cave just in time for the day’s last guided tour. Alas, the guide only spoke French. That benefitted the rest of the crowd. But he was kind enough to pause every few minutes to try and find English words, to explain to me what was going on.
Basically, the cave has an amazing display of stalactites and stalagmites. Now, considering these things grow at the rate of 4 cm per year, some of them have merged to form columns within the cave. And that makes for a natural wonder.
The garden itself has a beautiful collection of flowers, offers a very good lookout point over Monte Carlo, and also makes for a romantic spot to take in the sunset.
Another must-do when in Monte Carlo, is a visit to the Oceanographic Museum. The exterior is impressive – it’s perched on a cliff top, so part of the museum structure directly joins the Mediterranean Sea. The interior houses a wonderful, colorful selection of marine life which had me mesmerized.
Just Beyond Monte Carlo
On day 2, we hired a car with a driver to take us around, for half a day. First stop was to Menton, which is the last French town on the map. After that, it’s Italy. It was a market day by the beach, and there were all kinds of artifacts, and antiques.
After Menton, the driver took us to St Agnes, which is the highest coastal village in Europe. We stopped in for lunch at a local cafe. It was quiet that day, only one cafe was open for lunch.
After St Agnes, we headed to La Turbie, to check out this monument called The Trophy of Augustus. It was built by the Romans in 7 BC. And that’s all the history you’re gonna get.
Next stop, breathtaking Eze. Wow! This town was founded in the 16th century, and still packs in the medieval charm. There were restaurants, with dining areas that looked like they were just perched on the cliff, overlooking the sea. It was too beautiful for words. I stood still, gobsmacked, for quite a while, just taking in the view.
Monte Carlo Dining
The hotel staff recommended SASS for dinner one night. It was a short walk from the hotel, so we ventured that way. On the server’s recommendation, I went with grilled Dorade, fresh from the Mediterranean waters and it was the best fish I had ever tasted! There was some butter sauce served with the fish, but all it needed was a touch of salt, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
The main dining highlight during the Monte Carlo stopover was the birthday dinner at Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse | Alain Ducasse. Yes, the Alain Ducasse Michelin 3-star Le Louis XV at Hotel de Paris. That one. And yes, we had booked way in advance. There’s just one seating for dinner service, and I think the capacity was perhaps for less than 20. Or maybe even less than 15. There were mostly couples the night we were there for dinner.
OK, where do I start? Alright the decor: very opulent, old European, with chandeliers and antique mirrors. I did feel like we were dining in a palace. The service: Oh my, what spectacular, orchestrated service. The reason I say that – the staff move around the restaurant in a one way traffic, they are very efficient and they move about quietly and they were also very friendly. Even though it’s a dining experience I am not accustomed to, they did not make me feel out of place at all. And they weren’t patronizing either.
And the food. My word! Every time I think about that dinner, I worship and curse the genius that is Alain Ducasse, at the very same time. Till this day, all the dishes I had that night, I’ve never found it anywhere else, to that exacting gastronomic standard. And, each course came with an accompanied dish, that wasn’t mentioned in the menu.
I had a salad to start with, and it was served with a black truffle crostini. 2 wafer-thin pieces of fried bread, with slivers of black truffle sandwiched between them. Just the appetizer alone got me heady. Main course – unbelievable! I went with fish, Sole. A delicate dish. It was served with a side of bite-size deep fried Sole and a thin slice of deep fried orange, presented in a paper cone. I was just blown away.
Another thing I most enjoyed at dinner, was the wine, which was a Chardonnay from Marseilles. The bouquet included the aroma of burnt coffee beans and to this day, I’ve never had anything like it, wouldn’t even know where to find it. Except in Marseilles I reckon.
And the dessert! Well this time I had refrained from ordering dessert. BUT the petit fours were endless! The server kept coming round with these sweet treats, and I didn’t know if I should stop, or hold off to see what was on offer next! So my long list of sweet indulgence included macaroons, chocolate cupcake with cherry, a brandy snap and nougat. And the freshly made lemon-flavored marshmallow was divine! We finished off with sorbet. Green apple for me, and the BF went for the mandarin flavor. And when we left, the staff handed us a bag of treats! It was almond-flavored meringue, which we had the next morning with coffee, ha ha!
When In Monte Carlo…
You gotta get your gamble on. So we popped across to the casino after the wonderful dinner at Louis XV. And the casino has a charming atmosphere, filled with well-dressed Europeans just out to enjoy the evening.
Au Revoir Monte Carlo
I had a good taste of Monte Carlo, and I’d definitely return. Maybe for the Monaco F1 someday. But that would be a very busy and crowded time of the year, with tons of mega-stars and A-listers, so getting into bars and restaurants would be difficult if not impossible. But we’ll see!
Always Pack Heels 