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onjour ! We are devoting this month’s newsletter to a tiny monarchy: the Principality of Monaco.
It is only the size of a postage stamp on the map of Europe, yet also inseparable from France.
When visiting the French Riviera, one must make a stop at these two cities that are only twelve
miles east of Nice: Monaco, “The Rock”, a land steeped in history and the envy of many for centuries,
and Monte Carlo, a Mediterranean mini Las Vegas.
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Saint Devota, Patroness of Monaco
In 304 A.D., Corsica - a rugged island off the French and Italian coasts - was a Roman trading post.
It was governed by a cruel man known as “the Barbarian” who persecuted Christians. One of his victims
was a young girl named Devota. He had her mouth crushed, then had her dragged through rocks and brambles.
She suffered greatly and died from her injuries. The Barbarian then ordered her body be burned according
to the pagan rite. But priest Benedict and deacon Apollinaris took possession of the young martyr’s body
and snuck it onto a boat bound for Africa, where Christianity was flourishing. Unfortunately, after
having rowed all night, the men fell asleep and the south wind pulled the frail vessel towards the coast
of Liguria, to the territory known today as Monaco. The men awoke at dawn to see a dove escape from the
wounded mouth of the Saint. They followed it to the valley of the Gaumates, where they buried the body.
A charming little church was built in this sacred place and Devota became the patron saint of Monaco.
Every year since then, in the presence of the sovereign family of the Principality, a fishing boat is
burned and a white dove symbolizing her spirit is released.
The Much-coveted Rock of Monaco
This rock, standing tall and unaffected by the fury of the elements, has always impressed those
who have come to it and thereafter referred to it as "The Rock". From the time when it was still
called "Monoïkos", this land belonged to Ligurian tribes who controlled several city ports of the
south of France, including Nice. At the height of its glory, the Roman empire appropriated this
territory to make it a trading station. It was then repeatedly besieged by the barbarians and
invaded by the Saracens, before becoming German property in the twelfth century. Frederick Barbarossa,
emperor of Germany, offered the sovereignty of Monaco to Genoa, and so it became Italian. But at
the time Italy was divided into two violently warring factions, each claiming possession of this
territory: the Ghibellines, allied with the German Empire, and the Guelphs, who were fierce defenders
of the Pope’s authority.
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| Recipe
for October 2004 |
Scallops "à la Provencale"
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Cooking SOS !
If you run into trouble with one of our recipes, send an SOS e-mail to
911@FranceMonthly.com
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The Grimaldis' Ruse
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The Grimaldis were a great Mediterranean family. They were prosperous businessmen, as well as
clever politicians. Several consuls and ambassadors of Genoa bear this illustrious name. Rooted
in Monaco, they were Guelphs who were forced into exile when the Ghibellines took over power
in Genoa, in 1295. Under the Ghibellines’ rule, the little Monacan territory became a true
pirate’s lair. But François Grimaldi’s ruse allowed the family to take back The Rock on Christmas
eve 1306: he disguised himself as a monk and while all the inhabitants were at church, took the
guards by surprise which enabled his troops to penetrate the fortress. He thus gained the nickname
of "Malizia" (the Cunning), and since that memorable day the Grimaldis continued to consolidate
their dominion, even though they still had to defend their supremacy for centuries. This family
still reigns over "The Rock" today...
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Albert I, Learned Prince and King of the Oceans
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Prince Albert 1 was a remarkable statesman as well as a great scientist. He was an early oceanographer
fascinated by the maritime world. At the age of 25, traveling on board his ships, the Hirondelle and
the Princess Alice, he undertook numerous expeditions, which earned him the nickname of "King of the
Oceans". His contribution to oceanography was such that in 1909 he was elected to the Academy of
Sciences in France, and several years later, to the Academy of Medicine. It is thus that "the King of
the Oceans" became "the Learned Prince". The erection of an Oceanographic Museum in 1986 was the
culmination of his life’s work. Its impressive façade majestically engages the sea. It was Commandant
Cousteau who continued the work of Prince Albert 1. This museum, unique in the world for the richness
of its collections and its many aquariums of rare and exotic species, is the most visited cultural
site of the French Riviera.
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An Automobile Circuit Downtown
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At the beginning of the twentieth century, the director of the Automobile Club of Monaco, Anthony Noghès,
came up with a far-fetched idea: to organize a Formula 1 motor race in the streets of the Principality.
With the aid of a famous Monacan pilot, Louis Chiron, he imagined a course particularly complex: the
sportsmen had to drive through streets - sometimes narrow, sometimes wide, punctuated by hair-pin curves
and occasionally interrupted by tramlines - at more than one hundred and fifty miles an hour. The
Englishman Williams Groover won the first Monaco Grand Prix in 1929.
The Monaco circuit is still today considered one of the most formidable automobile challenges in
the world. It is said that winning this race redeems one for all prior defeats. Each weekend of the
Ascension holiday, hundreds of thousands of spectators from all over the world come to this rendez-vous
of emotion and festivity when the sunny streets of Monaco, until then quiet, come to life with the noise
of the roaring motors.
Would you like to read more about France? Click here.
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A Street as Border Line
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After having been in turn Roman, Germanic, Italian, and Spanish, the Principality of Monaco is today so
enmeshed in the territory of France that its border is sometimes surprisingly unnoticeable... In fact,
it is not a border checkpoint that separates the French communes of Beausoleil or Cap d’Ail from that
of Monte Carlo. Today, one passes from one territory to the other by simply crossing a street. For example,
at Beausoleil, the "Avenue Général Leclerc" side of the street is French. The opposite side, "Boulevard de
France", is in another country, since it is in Monacan territory. A bit confusing…but is it really foreign?
People speak the same language in both countries; as a matter of fact, the French and Monacan education
programs are identical. Where then lies the attractive difference between the two? It is an invisible one:
the Principality of Monaco is more than just a fiscal paradise – it is also a real banking, fiduciary and
judicial one. Truth be told, the Monacans pay no tax on income or on wealth, their country’s legislation
accomodates off-shore companies, and transactions are processed anonymously.
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Monte Carlo, the "Las Vegas" of the French Riviera
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The Principality of Monaco has two main areas: Monte Carlo and Monaco. Mid-nineteenth century, Monte Carlo
was very far from being the symbol of elegance, luxury, and vibrant night life that it is today. Back then,
it was just a charming humble place on the French Riviera, with an economy based on fishing and agriculture.
Prince Florestan and his wife Caroline bought this beautiful unspoiled territory for a very modest sum.
Their plan was to open a casino and build luxury hotels worthy of the great European bathing resorts. A daring
but successful wager! Soon after, the world’s rich and powerful came to be seen and to try their luck on the
green baize. In the main hall of the Grand Hôtel de Paris, there is a very interesting curiosity: a bronze
equestrian statue of Louis XIV, with a very peculiar shine on the horse’s knee. There is a supertitious ritual
behind this: it is a tradition for the players to touch this knee for good luck before visiting the casino,
and in so doing over the course of many years, they have imparted a high polish to it.
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Invitation to Travel
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The Principality of Monaco is made up of five neighborhoods: the Grimaldi palace sits proudly on "The Rock",
a limestone peninsula seven hundred meters long, sixty meters high above the sea ; "la Condamine" - the port
district ; "the Fontvielle" quarter which was completely built out over the sea and is known for its celebrated
sports stadium; "the Moneghetti", where the exotic garden is found; and "Monte Carlo" where the famous Casino
is located. These are visits not to be missed! Park your car and wander along the narrow medieval streets to
visit the palace and witness the changing of the guard, every day just before noon. But beforehand, when
arriving from Nice, do stop at the Monaco Exotic Garden, one of the natural marvels of Europe. It offers an
unparalleled view overlooking the city and the Monacan coastline. In Monaco, all is refinement, luxury and
elegance... you are guaranteed an unforgettable and enchanted experience!
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