Author Archives: kevinhin

Picture of the Day: Monaco’s new sea extension

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If you have already visited Monaco, you will have noticed the intense building work that is constantly taking place, it’s part of the life here that keeps the Principality independent, prosperous and dynamic, even though things can sometimes get pretty noisy and cause traffic jams! There are currently huge ships in the sea just off the Fairmont hotel and the Grand Prix tunnel, these are here to build a new land reclamation shaped like a peninsula which will take shape over the next 5-10 years and will change the appearance of this very central neighborhood, hopefully in a positive manner. These huge concrete blocks currently being shipped in are going to be ballasted and sunk into a positive to create an underground sea wall. It’s a massive project using interesting construction techniques, you can find more information here on this video in English – Monaco never shies away from progress and new ways to innovate!

Picture of the Day: Genoa, Italy

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This is a beautiful photo illustrating the elegance of the city of Genoa in Italy and the lovely Piazza Ferrari. Located only around 2 hours drive from Nice, this lovely coastal city, the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, has had plenty of influence on the historical development of the eastern part of the French Riviera, notably Monaco. Its UNESCO heritage city center is unforgettable, as are the views and the food. I’m planning to write a proper article over the coming weeks about my recent visit, so watch this space! 

Picture of the Day: quick run along the coast in Cap d’Ail

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I recently got up early on a beautiful Saturday morning just before heading to Genoa in Italy for the weekend to go for a 5km run on the coastal path just west of Monaco, following the Mediterranean from Plage Marquet in Cap d’Ail to the magical Mala Beach: this stunning view is just an example of what you can see on this trail which is perfect both for walking and for running, perched between the mountain and the sea with stunning Belle Epoque villas – for more information, check out this article!

Picture of the Day: the classic Monaco panorama from Roquebrune

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THE iconic angle looking west over Monaco, taken from the former Vista Palace hotel in Roquebrune, an eagle’s nest perched 330m above the Mediterranean. To get here, you need a car and drive up towards the motorway access ramp in the direction of Italy – lots of construction work near the hotel which is being rebuilt going on but it is worth it, especially at sunset!

Picture of the day: the market of Menton

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Forget the bling-fest that is normally associated with the French Riviera. I much prefer the down to earth way of life that has made this area thrive from generation to generation… And what better way to discover this than by walking through a typical market where the locals buy fresh produce that ensures that the best products end up on their dinner tables? This weekend I visited Menton and had a lovely walk through the local market, a great way to get a feel of the real French Riviera!

Picture of the Day: sunset in Monaco

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Beautiful February sunset captured in Monaco! One of the unfortunate particularities here is that you never actually see the sun set as the Principality faces east towards the sea and the sun drops down in the evening behind the 550m wall of the Tête de Chien mountain located to the west. However there are certain evenings, especially in winter, where the cloud patterns over the Italian mountains capture the final rays of the setting sun and set the sky on fire in a truly splendid manner – this is a perfect example and great to reminisce over as I fly towards Sofia in Bulgaria, my home for the next 5 days (perhaps some of the next daily pictures will come from there!).

Picture of the Day: crossing the Franco-Italian border in Menton

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It’s the start of the week and I’m already thinking of escaping! Actually, one of the great advantages of the French Riviera is that it’s really easy to escape plenty of wonderful places within a short drive, especially in Italy, something I take advantage of a lot. Each time I drive down the motorway, past Menton, into this tunnel and emerge from the tunnel into Italy, I definitely feel like I’m experiencing the dolce vita as one can immediately feel the change of vibe and scenery, even on the motorway. I recall in the 1980s when I came here on holiday crossing the border by train, having a passport check and then changing money from French francs into lira – so much nicer no longer to have all that hassle, I hope that we don’t go back on this in the future as from a purely practical perspective, a united Europe is brilliant!

Picture of the Day: 3 February 2019

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This rather bizarre lunar landscape caused by both sea and wind erosion can be observed at the tip of Cap Martin, between Monaco and Menton. On a stormy day, the views looking west towards Tête de Chien and Cap Ferrat in the distance are particularly stunning! The walk from Monaco to Menton via the tip of Cap Ferrat takes around 3 hours along the Sentier des Douaniers and is a great breath of fresh air, just make sure that you bring plenty of sun cream and water in the summer – find out more in this article.

Picture of the Day: 2 February 2019

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Place Massena in Nice early on a January morning, bathed in the winter sunshine… The main square of Nice, located just 2 minutes from the Promenade des Anglais, is named after André Massena, duke of Rivoli, a Napoleonic general born in the city in 1758 when it was still part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Built over the mouth of the Paillon river on the ancient location of the “Pont Neuf”, it achieved its current look in 2007 when it was pedestrianised for the construction of the Nice tram line and is now the major hub of the city and where most major events take place, such as the Carnival in a couple of weeks. Some people dislike the modern sculptures (which are undoubtedly a hub for bird droppings!) but I personally like the cleaner appearance of the current square and feel that it really represents the vibes of this unique city. Read more about Nice in the essential guide of Nice in a nutshell.

Picture of the day: 1 February 2019

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The Casino of Monte-Carlo in all its splendor on a sunny January afternoon: the legendary facade overlooking Casino Square continues to fascinate and remains one of the lasting emblems of the Principality of Monaco. What is less known is that this is the second iteration of the casino: the first version was opened in 1963 in a distinctly blander style and after 15 years of only moderate success, an opera house was added in 1878, the Salle Garnier named after its Parisian architect, Charles Garnier and modelled on the eponymous opera house in the heart of Paris. Finally this third and final version of the facade was completed in 1889/90 by Charles Touzet and lives on to this date…

Want to find out more about the difference between Monaco and Monte-Carlo? Then check out this short article…