Monte Carlo is situated on a prominentescarpment at the base of theMaritime Alps along theFrench Riviera. Near the quarter's western end is the "world-famous Place du Casino, thegambling center ... that has made Monte Carlo an international byword for the extravagant display and reckless dispersal of wealth".[1] It is also the location of theHôtel de Paris,Café de Paris and Salle Garnier (the casino theatre which is the home of theOpéra de Monte-Carlo). The quarter's eastern part includes the community of Larvotto with Monaco's only public beach, as well as its new convention center (theGrimaldi Forum), and theMonte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. At the quarter's eastern border, one crosses into theFrench town ofBeausoleil (sometimes referred to as Monte-Carlo-Supérieur), and 8 kilometres (5 mi) to its east is the western border ofItaly.
The initial casino opened in La Condamine in 1862, but was unsuccessful. It relocated several times, before reaching its present location in the "Les Spélugues" (The Caves) area of Monte Carlo. Success came slowly, largely because Monaco was inaccessible from much of Europe. The railway, installed in 1868, brought with it an influx of people, and Monte Carlo grew in wealth.[3]
Saint-Charles Church on Monte Carlo's Avenue Sainte-Charles was completed in 1883. It was restored in its centenary year.[4][5]
The municipality of Monte Carlo was created in 1911, when the constitution divided the principality of Monaco into three municipalities. Monte Carlo encompassed the existing neighborhoods of La Rousse/Saint Roman, Larvotto/Bas Moulins, and Saint Michel. The municipalities merged in 1917, after accusations that the government used them to "divide and conquer". Since then, they becamewards. Today, Monaco is divided into 9 wards, which are grouped into 4 quartiers.
Monte Carlo has an area of 28.14hectares (0.28square kilometers or 69.19acres) and faces theMediterranean Sea, bordered to the west by Ravin de Sainte-Dévote and La Condamine, and to the east by La Rousse and Larvotto.
Monte Carlo is home to an ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament during the clay court season usually played during the end of March through mid to late April. Monte Carlo is a popular tax haven for many tennis professionals and home to many active and retired athletes. Monte Carlo is host to most of theCircuit de Monaco, on which theFormula OneMonaco Grand Prix takes place. It also hosts world championshipboxing bouts, theEuropean Poker Tour Grand Final and the World Backgammon Championship as well as theMonaco International Auto Show (Fr:Salon International de l'Automobile de Monaco[10]), fashion shows and other events. Although theMonte Carlo Masters tennis tournament is billed as taking place in the community, its actual location is in the adjacent French commune ofRoquebrune-Cap-Martin. TheMonte Carlo Rally is one of the longest running and most respectedcar rallies; from 1973 to 2008 and again from 2012, it marks the start ofWorld Rally Championship season, having also served as the curtain-raiser for theIntercontinental Rally Challenge between 2009 and 2011. The rally, however, takes place outside the Monte Carlo quarter and is run mostly on French roads.
Monte Carlo has been visited by royalty as well as the public and movie stars for decades. Monte Carlo is one of Europe's leading touristresorts, although many of the key tourist destinations are in other parts of Monaco, including such attractions asMonaco Cathedral, theNapoleon Museum, theOceanographic Museum and aquarium, and thePrince's Palace, all of which are inMonaco-Ville.
TheOpéra de Monte-Carlo or Salle Garnier was built to designs of the architectCharles Garnier, who also designed the Paris opera house now known as thePalais Garnier. Although much smaller, the Salle Garnier is very similar in style with decorations in red and gold, and frescoes and sculptures all around the auditorium. It was inaugurated on 25 January 1879 with a performance bySarah Bernhardt dressed as a nymph. The first opera performed there wasRobert Planquette'sLe Chevalier Gaston on 8 February 1879, and that was followed by three more in the first season.[11]
The hotel has 106 rooms divided into four groups based on type of view, decoration and luxury.[13] The Exclusive City View offers 20 rooms, the Superior Courtyard has 29 large rooms, the Exclusive Sea View 59 and the Exclusive Casino has six.
Additionally, there are 74 suites and junior suites which are grouped similarly, offering more luxury than the rooms. There are single and double suites as well as courtyard junior suites and Sea/Casino Junior suites.[13] There is also one Presidential suite.[14]
In October 2014, a renovation project began, to create a garden courtyard, add a new spa, fitness and pool area, exceptional suites, and a “rooftop villa” with a private garden and pool.[15]
Monte Carlo is featured inEdith Wharton's novelThe House of Mirth (1905) as a backdrop for the leisure activities of New York's upper class in the early 20th century.
The first few chapters of theGothic novelRebecca (1938) are set in Monte Carlo.
La Dame de Monte Carlo is a monologue for soprano and orchestra composed byFrancis Poulenc in 1961 based on a poem fromJean Cocteau’sThéâtre de poche.[20]
The Bold and the Beautiful series (1987–) featured a number of episodes filmed on location in the city in 2016 and 2017. It is the location for the annualSpencer Summit.
^Hough, John (2 April 1990),A Ghost in Monte Carlo (Drama, Romance), Sarah Miles, Oliver Reed, Christopher Plummer, Samantha Eggar, Gainsborough Pictures, The Grade Company, Turner Pictures (I), retrieved28 February 2021
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