Monte Carlo

A gambling center that has made Monte Carlo an international byword for the extravagant display and reckless dispersal of wealth.

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Monte Carlo is an official administrative area of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, situated on a prominent escarpment at the base of the Maritime Alps along the French Riviera. While informally referring to the larger Monte Carlo Quarter—which includes La Rousse/Saint Roman, Larvotto/Bas Moulins, and Saint Michel—the area is globally recognized as a gambling center. Near its western end lies the world-famous Place du Casino, home to the Hôtel de Paris, Café de Paris, and Salle Garnier, the theatre that hosts the Opéra de Monte-Carlo. The quarter's eastern part features Monaco's only public beach at Larvotto, the Grimaldi Forum convention center, and the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort.

Quick Facts

Founded: 1 June 1866
Population: 15,200 (in the quarter); 3,500 (in the ward)

Lore & Background

The history of this location began in 1856 when Charles III of Monaco granted a concession to Napoleon Langlois and Albert Aubert to build a sea-bathing facility and a German-style casino. Although an initial casino opened in La Condamine in 1862, it was unsuccessful until relocating to the "Les Spélugues" area of Monte Carlo. Success arrived slowly due to inaccessibility, but the installation of the railway in 1868 brought an influx of people and wealth. The municipality of Monte Carlo was created in 1911, encompassing La Rousse/Saint Roman, Larvotto/Bas Moulins, and Saint Michel, before merging with other municipalities in 1917 to become wards. Today, the quarter faces the Mediterranean Sea, bordered to the west by Ravin de Sainte-Dévote and to the east by La Rousse and Larvotto.

Reader's Guide

Monte Carlo serves as the setting for numerous films featuring its famous casino, including Rebecca (1940), To Catch a Thief (1954), The James Bond films Never Say Never Again (1983) and GoldenEye (1995), and Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012). Beyond cinema, the quarter hosts significant sporting events such as the ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament (though technically held in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin), world championship boxing bouts, and the European Poker Tour Grand Final. It also features most of the Circuit de Monaco for the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix. While the Monte Carlo Rally is a respected event starting the World Rally Championship season from 1973 to 2008 and again from 2012, it takes place mostly on French roads outside the quarter.

Did You Know?

Salle Garnier was inaugurated on 25 January 1879 with a performance by Sarah Bernhardt dressed as a nymph.
The permanent population of the ward of Monte Carlo is about 3,500, while the quarter is about 15,000.
Monte Carlo has an area of 28.14 hectares (0.28 square kilometers or 69.19 acres).