Monaco in 7 anecdotes

1. Unlike most casinos, which have neither clocks nor windows - to distort the notion of time - the Casino de Monte-Carlo is an exception. Magnificent wall clocks adorn every room. Why is that? When the gaming establishment was created, the majority of players came by train... So as not to miss the return journey, the Casino has installed these clocks high up! The Casino de Monte-Carlo also has gaming rooms with panoramic sea views.

2. Luxury and the art of entertaining have always been an integral part of Monaco. The Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo was the first hotel in the world to offer hot water in its rooms. The words of François Blanc, who presided over the destiny of the Société des Bains de Mer at the time, still resonate today: "A hotel that surpasses everything that has been created to date, even the Hôtel du Louvre and the Grand Hôtel in Paris. I want people to speak of the Hôtel de Monaco as a marvel...".

3. The Princely Family is a family of top sportsmen and women! Prince Albert II is passionate about sport, and has competed in 17 disciplines, including five Olympic bobsleigh races (1988-2002). A football fan, he also took part in the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1985 and 1986. From a sporting lineage, his maternal grandfather, Jack Kelly, was a double Olympic rowing champion (1920, 1924), and his uncle a bronze medallist in 1956. On his father's side, bobsleigh was already a tradition with Guy de Polignac in the French team in the 1920s. His wife, Princess Charlène, an elite swimmer, excelled in international competitions, finishing fifth at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

4. As worthy sportsmen and women, the members of the Princely Family are never far from the Principality's best-known club: AS Monaco Football Club. Princess Grace was responsible for the unique design of the jersey. In 1960, the Monegasques won their first title, the Coupe de France, and Grace Kelly came up with this unique diagonal design. It was a jersey that brought Monegasque luck, as the club won its first French championship the following season.

5. Every year, the Principality celebrates its bank holidays on 19 November, Prince's Day. Established by Prince Charles III in 1857, the bank holidays corresponds to the date of the Sovereign Prince's birthday. Rainier III departed from this rule, choosing the day of his enthronement, 19 November also being the day on which Blessed Rainier of Arezzo was celebrated. On his accession to the throne in 2005, Prince Albert II decided to maintain the date of 19 November in memory of his father.

6. In 2019, the Principality became the first country in the world 100% covered by an operational 5G network, offering new opportunities to facilitate the daily lives of residents, workers and visitors.

7. A little geographical anecdote to finish with? Monaco covers an area of 2.08 km². The whole of the Principality fits into Central Park (3.41 km²). This territory, the second smallest independent state in the world after the Vatican, is constantly expanding thanks to projects to gain access to the sea.