View from the lively Latin American-inspired restaurant and club Amazónico in Monte Carlo.
Photo: courtesy of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer
The Must-Visit Spots in Monte Carlo During the Monaco Yacht Show
A highlight of Monaco’s social calendar, the principality turns into a playground for the yachting and design world during the glitzy, four-day event kicking off September 25
The Monaco Yacht Show is the principality’s glamorous unofficial season closer. Superyachts cruising the Mediterranean throughout the summer make their way back from Croatia or Porto Cervo, Sardinia, and dot the French Riviera coastline like a constellation of stars while a steady stream of helicopters whir overhead.
During the September 25 through 28 event, 120-plus boats from elite builders and brokers will be on display in Port Hercule. A who’s who representing shipyards, designers, brokerage houses, and owners flock to the principality to see the best superyachts in the world and latest designs. Not to be missed is this year’s most expensive superyacht bearing a $327 million price tag. “Monaco Yacht Show is one of the biggest events in Monaco’s social calendar, perhaps second only to the Grand Prix weekend,” says Sara Gioanola, PR and press office manager of Heesen Yachts.
Below, an insider’s guide to the top places to dine, drink, dance, and, eventually, call it a night, during the Monaco Yacht Show.
The intimate sushi counter at L’Abysse Monte-Carlo. Photo: VERONESE
L’Abysse Monte Carlo
This summer, gastronomic great Yannick Alléno and renowned sushi master Yasunari Okazaki transported their sushi counter concept L’Abysse Monte-Carlo to Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, where it neighbors Michelin-starred Pavyllon Monte-Carlo, a restaurant by Yannick Alléno. Working with the four elements (fire, earth, water, and air) and seasonal ingredients from around Monaco and the Mediterranean, the duo crafted a menu of haute Japanese cuisine that unfolds around a 10-seat sushi counter. “In Paris, we learned to work together, using our respective expertise to create a unique experience and earn two Michelin stars,” Okazaki tells Galerie. “In Monaco, the idea is not to duplicate the concept, but to create an entirely new menu inspired by the local terroir.”
Working together with Paris architecture and design studio RoWin’ Atelier, Galerie Scene Ouverte’s founder, Laurence Bonnel, wanted to translate the restaurant’s concept—a powerful yet delicate blend of French cuisine and Japanese culinary traditions—into the décor. A centerpiece indigo carpet inspired by the dye produced on the Japanese island of Shikoku sprawls across the bright, light-drenched space, illuminated by artist Célia Bertrand’s duo of 6.5-foot-long raw porcelain white gold light fixtures. William Coggins’ large-scale, white ceramic Coral Wall installations, which resemble sand dunes and coral lining the ocean floor, are pieced together like tile on one wall, while four of French artist Caroline Désile’s Japanese-inspired sculptures from her Série Origami collection sit opposite, playing on the theme of light and shadow.
The Greece-inspired interior at Monaco restaurant GAIA Monte-Carlo. Photo: Courtesy of GAIA Monte Carlo
GAIA
The first international outpost of the Dubai-based haute Greek concept couldn’t be in a better location, unfolding on the edge of Monte Carlo’s Casino Square. A twist on a classic taverna, GAIA Monte-Carlo feels like it was plucked from one of the Greek islands. In Monaco, GAIA’s intimate rooms and covered terrace have become a local favorite just as much for people-watching as staples like honey-drizzled grilled feta and black truffle-infused tiropita, or phyllo cheese pie.
Part deux of the concept debuted this year when private members’ club NYX Monte-Carlo opened around the corner. The intimate venue exudes boudoir, Parisian vibes (plush red velvet couches, tasseled table lamps) with the glitz you’d expect from Monaco thanks to statement pieces like a bronze Nicola Rosini Di Santi sculpture—plus DJs (and big-name producers) spinning a curated selection of house and afro beats late into the evening.
Latin American-inspired restaurant and club Amazónico. Photo: courtesy of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer
Amazónico Monte Carlo
After a nearly two-year, $61 million renovation, legendary Café de Paris, the 150-year-old brasserie sitting across from the Belle Époque Casino de Monte-Carlo, reopened its doors in the fall. This spring, it welcomed the finishing touch—the lively Latin American-inspired restaurant and club Amazónico. The Amazon rainforest is the central thread for everything, from the tropical-style décor dreamt up by Lázaro Rosa-Violán to petiscos (small plates) like Peruvian corn bread with lobster and caviar and wagyu beef and black truffle cream empanadas. Take a seat on the rooftop terrace at sunset for one of the best views over Casino Square while live bands serenade in the background with jazz, bossa nova, and Cuban beats.
Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac at Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo. Photo: Studio Phenix
Le caviar et l'oeuf at Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac. Photo: Matthieu Cellard
Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac
Within nine months of opening at Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo in the Jacques Garcia-designed space formerly helmed by Joël Robuchon, Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac was awarded two Michelin stars. Cooking his way from Burgundy to Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Monaco in the Côte d’Azur, the namesake chef has spent nearly the past three decades perfecting his Riviera-influenced cuisine. “I learned and got inspired by the sauces, fish, olive oil—everything particular to Mediterranean cuisine, since it’s very different here than what you’ll find in Burgundy,” he explains.
Anchored by an open kitchen, the elegant ivory- and gold-toned space reflects the chef’s refined, lighter fare—which can be savored in the form a 13-course, tasting menu. Tables are dressed with eye-catching, sculptural amber handblown glass plates by Jeremy Maxwell Wintrebert, which beautifully complement dishes like the gold leaf-topped seam bream tartare and caviar cannelloni.
The infinity pool at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo’s Prince Rainier III Suite. Photo: Courtesy of Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo/The Leading Hotels of the World
Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
The grande dame Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, and neighboring casino helped position the principality as the luxury destination it is today. While it’s in good company with a few other five-star spots within walking distance, the Hôtel de Paris is arguably the most glamorous to post up in—especially during an event like the Monaco Yacht Show.
When the 209-room hotel reopened six years ago after a full, $280 million renovation, its fresh face proved exactly what Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer founder François Blanc hoped to achieve when it was built 160 years ago— “a hotel that surpasses everything created up to now.” With the addition of the two-bedroom, 5,651-square-foot Prince Rainier III Suite, the largest in the hotel, that goal is certainly achieved, especially when you glance out at the glittering casino and parade of luxury cars from the terrace’s heated infinity pool.
Cover: View from the lively Latin American-inspired restaurant and club Amazónico in Monte Carlo.
Photo: courtesy of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer
