On 1 October 2025, in the council chamber, the Mayor of Monaco Georges Marsan unveiled something of an urban alchemy: a temporary layout for La Condamine Market, destined to host its vibrant life during a 13-month metamorphosis beginning January 2026. The idea: keep the market’s soul beating while its structure is renewed.
This is not merely logistical juggling. It’s a statement. Monaco refuses to let its market lie fallow; it will transplant it, like a living tree, into Place d’Armes, allowing the life of vendors and the buzz of customers to continue uninterrupted.
As Marsan put it:
“It’s essential that the venue … can continue to function! … it’s a place where people can swap ideas … I intend to make sure of it!”
Anatomy of the Temporary Village
What does a market in transition look like? Monaco’s planners have sketched a modest but ingeniously equipped village. Ten wooden kiosks will appear each outfitted for gastronomic needs, pizza ovens for socca, sushi counters and refrigerated booths.
Two large marquees will be erected, one 17 × 10 m for additional stalls and seating (65 places), a second 12 × 6 m for Solis Bio (a local organic food outlet). Total seating, almost 300 places, will exceed the current market’s capacity. Traders in the food hall will continue to operate through the year-end festivities before moving to Place d’Armes.
Two businesses will not return and the bar Le Zinc loses its licence as Monaco plans a wine merchant in its stead.
All utilities , water, electricity, professional equipment, will be provided free of charge, and stall fees waived for those moving into the temporary layout.
To shield neighbors from disruption, the works will be closely monitored: sensors, sound meters, a fully enclosed construction zone, and the adherence to Monaco’s Bâtiments Durables Méditerranéens standards. Access to lifts (via rue Terrazzani) and the underground car park remains open throughout.
A Living Marketplace, Not a Museum Piece
La Condamine Market is not just a fish counter or a butcher’s block. Since its origin in 1880, it has been a crossroads of lives, neighbours bumping carts, banter over tomatoes, midday solace over a café crème.
Three major renovations (1992, 2012, now 2026–2027) testify to its evolving role. The new overhaul is both technical and philosophical: improving comfort, renewing infrastructure, enhancing flow, increasing seating, preserving conviviality.
Financial Solidarity with Traders
To ease the strain on vendors displaced by construction, Monaco is absorbing much of the cost burden: exempting stall fees, providing utilities and equipment. The message: the city is not just building walls, it is holding hands.
Urban and Environmental Responsibility
Monaco is not building recklessly. The project is mapped to environmental norms, with dust and noise controls, restricted hours for noisy works, and full accessibility.
Moreover, the shift in provisional hours for the outdoor stalls (closing at midday) will free space for seating during lunch hours.
A Glimpse of the Future
If all goes as planned, January 2026 will witness the birth of the temporary market in Place d’Armes, and early 2027 will herald the inauguration of the revitalised market hall. The vision: a modernised, functional welcoming, yet grounded in tradition and social life.
