Vogue’s Guide to Monte Carlo, From the Casino to the Côte d’Azur
Vogue · 2026-08-24
Vogue has chronicled Monte Carlo's allure for over a century, beginning with dispatches in 1917 and 1936 that captured its enduring glamour. Despite perceptions of being "vulgar, both nouveau riche and old rich," as Alan Jolis once noted for *Vogue*, its blend of fairy-tale charm and historical depth continues to captivate. Central to its identity is the Monte Carlo Casino, founded in 1863 by Prince Charles III and impresario François Blanc to rescue Monaco from financial straits after losing agricultural land. The district, christened Monte-Carlo in 1866, rapidly developed with the flourishing Casino and Hôtel de Paris.
The Casino, designed by Charles Garnier, architect of the Paris Opéra, became an extraordinary Belle Époque landmark in 1879, featuring 37-pocket European roulette tables and discreet corners like Winston Churchill's gambling spot. Attached is the Salle Garnier, a spectacular opera house built in just over eight months in 1878, which has hosted premieres like Puccini’s *La rondine* in 1917 and seen Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. Beyond the glitz, Monaco-Ville, "the Rock," traces its history to the Grimaldis in 1297, with the cathedral housing Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier's tombs. Modern additions include Mareterra, a six-hectare land reclamation project opened in late 2024, and revitalized areas like Larvotto beach, redesigned by Renzo Piano Building Workshop and reopened in 2021. Culinary highlights range from Alain Ducasse’s Le Louis XV, which earned three Michelin stars within three years of his 1987 arrival, to newer establishments like Amazonico, opened in 2024.
*The full article also explores specific local markets, modernist architectural gems like Eileen Gray's E-1027 villa, and further dining recommendations across the principality.*