Sport in Monaco

For fans of sport, living in Monaco means being able to attend events of international stature and also practising a number of sports chosen from a very wide array of disciplines, under the guidance of competent supervision.

The Principality has endowed itself with sports amenities which do not reflect its modest size:

• The Louis II Stadium, inaugurated in 1985, hosts football matches for the French first division and the international athletics meeting called “Herculis”. Its multi-disciplinary facilities make it possible to play table tennis, squash, basketball, volleyball, and to practice boxing, martial arts and swimming.
• The open-air Rainier III Nautical Stadium on the Promenade du Port is comprised of an Olympic-size swimming pool with a high diving board, right at the heart of the Principality, with panoramic view of the mountains, the Rock of Monaco and the sea.
• The 40 courts at the Monte-Carlo Country Club host one of the most important and highly-endowed tournaments on the professional circuit, many players who reside in the Principality and enthusiastic fans.

• All water sports : Windsurfing, water-skiing, wakeboard, ski bus, sea scooters, jet-ski, parachute rides over the sea (from April to October, Plage du Larvotto and Monte-Carlo Beach) ;  all these cool sports activities can be pursued in the Principality.
• Sailing : with the Monaco Yacht Club, sailing is an easy proposition, with supervision provided by enthusiastic professionals. 
  http://www.yacht-club-monaco.mc
• The best way to discover the richness of Monaco’s underwater secrets is diving with the ”Club d'Exploration Sous-Marine de Monaco”  (Tel : (377) 92 05 91 78).
• Fans of jogging can use a 1.4 km trail with a soft surface, above Avenue Princesse Grace and overlooking the shore, or a health circuit 2.5 km long, situated near the Exotic Gardens and equipped with 20 areas with physical exercise amenities in an olive-grove of 6,600 m2. Access to both is free of charge, open every day.
• Hiking : Thanks to long-distance trekking trails, the Via Alpina links the Principality of Monaco with the town of Trieste in Italy !  On this itinerary, hikers cross 8 countries in the Alpine Arc : France, Germany, Austria, Italy, the Principality of Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Slovenia and the Principality of Monaco.
  Here in Monaco, arrivals and departures take place on the square in front of the Prince’s Palace. The itinerary, clearly signposted, passes through the Saint-Martin Gardens and along Avenue de La Porte Neuve, crossing the Place d'Armes to reach the Exotic Gardens, then  continuing into France towards La Turbie.
  The itinerary is composed of 8 sections in the Alpes-Maritimes, from the mountain-pass of La Lombarde to La Turbie.
• Skiing : the mountains, so close to the Principality, offer the possibility of practising this popular winter sport. Within a 2-hour drive, you can choose from the French resorts of Peira Cava (57 km), Gréolières (68 km), La Colmiane (89 km), Valberg (103 km), Isola 2000 (110 km) or Auron (116 km), or the Italian resorts of Limone (82 km) or Monesi (123 km).
• Rainier III Swimming Stadium, Quai Albert 1er
  MC 98000 Monaco
  Tel : (+377) 93 30 64 83
  Swimming pool with qualified instructors-rescuers.
  Olympic-sized pool of 3,000 m3 with treated sea-water heated to 26° C – Pool size 50 m. x 25 m.
• Monte-Carlo Golf Club
  Route du Mont Agel - La Turbie +33(0)492 41 50 70
  18 holes - Course : 5679 m - par 71 – Situated at an altitude of 900 m, the Monte-Carlo Golf Club benefits from an outstanding site with a unique panoramic view of the Mediterranean. Highly technical course. * Club open to non-members * Private tuition * Group tuition * Proshop * Hire of golf clubs * Hire of karts * Practice range * Restaurant
  Open daily.
  Handicap : men : 24 – women : 28 – Fees : approx. 45.7 to 61 €
• Tennis : Monte-Carlo Country Club
  155 avenue Princesse Grace
  06190 Roquebrune Cap Martin
  Tel : 04 93 41 30 15
  www.mccc.mc
• Squash : Monte-Carlo Squash Raquette Club
  www.squash.asso.mc
• Archery : Fédération Monégasque de Tir
  Immeuble le Triton
  5 rue du Gabian
  Tél : + 377 - 92 05 30 30
  www.fmtir.org
• Para-sailing
  www.roquebrunailes.com
• Parachute rides over the sea
  In Monte-Carlo, nothing’s easier than pracising water sports on the Mediterranean waves ; from the most classic to the most fun, all techniques are possible ! 

 
International sports events

• Car racing is the N°1 sports activity in the Principality, thanks to the Automobile Club de Monaco.
  In January, the Monte-Carlo Rally is held on roads up in the Alps. Since 1911, a lot of ground has been covered ! Competitors now chalk up incredible performances, and today’s top-notch driving conditions always offer legendary confrontations which count for the world championships.
• Monaco’s Formula 1 Grand Prix needs no introduction ! Every year, for four days in the month of May, the eyes of the entire world are focussed on this town which is transformed into a race track,  a track that transforms the town.
• Monaco’s Historic Grand Prix, a kind of retrospective of the golden age of motor-racing, is held every two years in the month of May on the famous F1 track , with cars built from 1934 to 1979. A smell of paraffin, leather helmets, shiny chrome, this is always a splendid nostalgic event.
• The Tennis Masters Monte-Carlo was organised for the first time in the Principality of Monaco in 1897 ! More than century old, this henceforth traditional rendez-vous is deeply anchored in the history of international tennis. Every year in the month of April, the world’s top seeds come to serve, lob, smash and demonstrate their most powerful straight shots on the Central Court and Court des Princes at the Monte-Carlo Country Club. An event of suspense and thrills !
• In the spring, Monte-Carlo’s International Show-Jumping event brings together accomplished riders who have to face the obstacles on the world’s smallest arena. In parallel to the competitive event, demonstrations of the equestrian art are also on the program.
• Swimmers from all over the world converge on Monaco in the month of June for the International Swimming Meeting, one of the heats in the “Mare Nostrum” event.
• “Herculis” now ranks as the 2nd most imortant  international meeting of the year, with thousands of spectators coming to watch the exploits of hundreds of athletes from all over the world. In the arena of the Louis II Stadium, these sportsmen confront each other in the sun and heat of July.
• Cheering on the team all year round at football matches at international level is possible at the Louis II Stadium, thanks to the “Association Sportive de Monaco”. This great team has been taking on the best since 1924.