The Principality’s Grand June 2nd Opening Celebration has Arrived – What to See and Do

The grand day has arrived, June 2nd. It is a celebration of the opening of bars, restaurants and museums in the Principality – and in France too. At last, you can go to the market, for example, have your favourite coffee outside while browsing through the pages of a magazine and waving hello to friends, or visit the Oceanographic Museum. And, of course, what better way to celebrate than visit the Café de Paris from 10.30 am after the new Place du Casino is inaugurated. Clink those glasses of champagne to toast the occasion! 

Monaco has been a fortunate place to be, even during the lockdown. Coronavirus struck relatively few, and also with the rare unfortunate outcome. Even during the quarantine, though the rules were strict, the ambience felt more relaxed and one could exercise without a certificate – and we thankfully came out of the lockdown a week earlier than France. At school, students of Première and Terminale were the first back with their teachers, unlike our neighbours. And the Principality continues to chart its own path again with subtle differences emphasizing health and security as bars and restaurants reopen. 

Find Out What to Visit in Monaco and France

Lots of bars and restaurants are eager to welcome us on opening day, but not all. You may have to wait a little while longer for Sass or Rascasse, for example. And visitors from France might find to their surprise it is necessary to reserve a table in advance – not so in France. 

For the moment, it is necessary to wait a while for your favourite gym to open in Monaco. However, residents who are used to exercising at Monte Carlo Country Club in Roquebrune or World Class in Cap d’Ail are a little fortunate, as France has given the green light already for their gyms to open.

If you take your swimming seriously, the Principality is a good place to be with the sports pool of Louis Stade welcoming you.

But if you like to swim just for leisure, at the moment France is more liberal – so those fortunate to be members of Monte Carlo Country Club, which is in Roquebrune, will find, provided they book their time-slot in advance, that they can indeed have a leisurely swim, provided they do not crowd the pool. Swimming pools in Monaco stay closed.

Sunbathing on the Beach

Larvotto would be the natural place to sunbathe, but the Principality remains cautious with respect to gatherings of sunbathers. In any event Larvotto is having a makeover, so it’s a moot point. If you do want to spread your towel choose the Solarium Beach, the concrete beach at the end of the Antoine I wharf.

In the meantime France takes a more liberal approach to sunbathing on the sand – so expect on a sunny day to see neighbours in Cap d’Ail or Nice and Cannes availing themselves of the opportunity; it would be wise to social distance none-the-less. 

Cultural life

Prudence rules in Monaco. Generally, it is by exception for the moment for theatre and ballet or a concert. It would require special authorization and only if it posed no health risks.

In the meantime, France has given a green light for its theatres to open right from the start, at the get-go on June 2nd, and their cinemas can open on June 22.

One fine place to visit, and great for families too in the Principality, is the Oceanographic Museum which is ready to welcome you. And NMNM’s Villa Paloma has opened the intriguing Eugene Frey expo. 

Casinos

The Principality has put a lot of thought into how to operate its Casinos safely. So from June 5th, unlike France, the Casinos will be welcoming guests, though under strict sanitary rules – with constant sanitizing of anything that can be touched, including buttons, chips and cards – and distances between players on gaming machines will be widened. 

Enjoy this June 2nd’s grand reopening celebration – especially at the newly redesigned Casino Square.