Tour de France - Alberto Contador Wins!

Later today, the Tour de France will be over for another year as they cycle down the Champs Elysées in Paris. The winner - Alberto Contador. Last year in Monaco we saw his rivalry with Lance Armstrong - this year, with the courageous Andy Schleck.

These photos were taken one year ago in Monaco. Well done Alberto - another year, Andy...!

Pause

Nap time...

Tour de France Memories

Can it be a year ago that the Tour de France started in Monaco? It was the best fun and let's hope it comes back to Monaco one day.

Meanwhile, this year's tour couldn't be more exciting with only an 8 second gap between Andy Schleck and Alberto Contador.

This photo was taken at an exhibition of Tour de France paraphernalia held when the tour was in Monaco last year.

All that glitters...

A perspex sign outside a second-hand jewellry and repair shop on le rocher saying they buy gold, watches, etc.

Sign of the Times

Closed since 2006 this beautiful old hotel has an uncertain future. Renovation, demolition? One day we'll find out.

The Ancient Anchor

This stone Greek anchor was discovered in La Baie d'Anao (Beaulieu) and dates back to the 6th century BC. It's on display by the harbour where it was found - Beaulieu-sur-Mer.

The Sea Club Spa

Fancy a swim or a workout? This is the entrance to the Sea Club Spa and Fitness Centre that is part of the Meridien Beach Plaza Hotel on Avenue Princesse Grace.

Champagne and Succulents

Champagne bottles and succulents atop an old wine barrel on the pavement terrace of Wine o'Clock, a wine bar in avenue Saint Laurent.

Romero Britto in Beaulieu

This happy chappie welcomes you to the port of Beaulieu-sur-Mer. He was created by the Brazilian Pop Art artist, Romero Britto and given to the town in 2007. Do click on the link to read more about this fascinating artist and his charitable works. Prince Albert of Monaco is a collector of Britto's work.

Sass Café

A sight the nightbirds probably never see, Sass Café having its windows cleaned. Take a look at the website HERE or click to read a REVIEW of this trendy Italian diner and piano bar on Avenue Princess Grace - a favourite hangout of the F1 crowd and many celebrities including Brad and Angelina, and Bono.

Posh Frocks and a Pellagrino

Reflections in a dress shop window on Avenue Princesse Grace.

Footballers' Footprints - 2

Two of the greats - Maradona and Zidane. See yesterday's post for more details of the Footballers' Walk that runs along the back of the Grimaldi Forum.

Footballers' Footprints

Ignore the ladies' legs, ignore the hotel in the background - look DOWN and you will see brass plaques depicting famous footballer's footprints. If you haven't had enough of football, that is!

We are on the walkway running along the back of the Grimaldi Forum. This is the Champion Footballer's Parade. Take a look at the Golden Foot competition - each year a different footballer is chosen to have his footprints imortalised in a brass plaque. Click on Voting 2010 to see who is up for it. I see David Beckham is on the list.

On the left - George Best's footprint.

The Open Air Cinema

Tucked away in a corner of le rocher and next to the Oceanographic Museum is the open air cinema that shows films in English every night during the summer months. Films start at 10 p.m. and you can choose a normal chair, a more comfortable chair or a luxury lounger - you can order a drink too. We watch our films in comfort in Monaco! I've shown a photo of the cinema before but that was in 2007 so really this is for newer readers of this blog. It's great fun catching up with friends before the film starts and then sitting back and watching it under the stars.

Here's this summer's programme.

Fun and Games off Larvotto

It's that time of year again with the Med awash with luxury yachts. This is the Nero. In the main photo and the small one, she is moored opposite Larvotto Beach and in the last photo, she is near the entrance to the port of Beaulieu-sur-Mer.

Nero is 90.1 metre long (295.6 feet) and was built in China in 2008. She would cost you between 385,000 and 420,000 euros to hire for one week's fun and games on the Mediterraean.

Click on the link to see photos of this yacht's luxury interior.

White on the Red Carpet

We've popped back in time nearly two weeks to the Horse Jumping Show on the port and this good looking lady walking down the red carpet. Do all Monte Carlo ladies talk on their portable phones all the time?

Femme Habillée

A clothed Botero - whatever next! There are so many wonderful nude Boteros around Monaco so this one was a surprise. She stands on Port Hercule outside the Marlborough Gallery and not far from Stars n Bars. She was sculpted by the Columbian master in 2003.

Cool Dude

Don't you love the turquoise slippers...

The Hidden Beach

One of Monaco's surprises - this tiny beach which is below le rocher, between the Oceanographic Museum and the beginning of the new digue (pontoon). A lot of steps to walk down - and then up! - and perhaps with curious tourists looking down at you but why not...

Damien Hirst's Temple

You can hardly avoid Damien Hirst's sculptures in Monaco this summer - his Virgin Mother stands proudly in the port of Fontvieille and here, his 'Temple' stands outside the Oceanographic Museum on le rocher. So far 200,000 people have visited the exhibition of his work which includes various animals in formaldehyde.

Don't you love the woman on the bench in the lower photo - doing her crossword puzzle and totally oblivious to this gentleman's bright red equipment!

The Super Yacht Party - Phocea

Photographing a sailing yacht that is 246 feet long whilst she is wedged between other boats is impossible - at least it was for me - so this is the best I could do but do please click on the link to see the beauty of this wonderful sailing yacht at sea.

The Phocea was the host ship for the Super Yacht Party. She was built at the Toulon Naval Dockyard in 1976 for the well-reputed, single-handed yachtsman Alain Colas. Shortly after competing in the Observer Single Handed Transatlantic Race she was converted into the charter yacht Club Mediterrannee, and then in July 1997, she was purchased by her current owner, Lebanese Mouna Ayoub, ex-wife of Nasser Al-Rashid who owns the Lady Moura, one of the largest yachts in the harbour of Monaco. He partly paid for the $17 million refit of the Phocea, when he sold 'The Mouna', a 112 carat (22.4 g) record-breaking diamond.

The Phocea began her transformation into a luxury sailing yacht at Lurssen. Whilst retaining her unmistakable identity, she has undergone major interior and exterior upgrading. Her opulent interior includes some exquisite David Linley furniture. The Owner's suite, commanding fine views, is situated on the main deck whilst the VIP guest cabin and four other double cabins, all with full ensuite facilities, are located on the lower deck.

Phocea crashed into rocks off Sardinia in August 2005 while Prince and Princess Michael of Kent were aboard. Three people were seriously injured. The yacht was damaged below the waterline.

The Super Yacht Party

The Phocea, one of the largest sailing yachts in the world, played host last weekend to a get-together of the world's super yachts.

Tomorrow: the Phocea

Multi-tasking

We've not had a Monte Carlo lady for a while. This attractive lady seems to be multi-tasking with a vengeance. A phone under her ear, another in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

Summertime...and the livin' is easy!

Something tells me summer has arrived with a vengeance. Here we are on Larvotto Beach. The building in the distance is the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort.

Reverse Reflections

Reflections of the sea on the side of the boat - rather than the other way around! We're in the beautiful port of Beaulieu-sur-Mer.

Today is Theme Day in the City Daily Photo community. To see how others around the world have interpreted the theme of 'reflections' do click on the link. You won't be disappointed. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Water Sports

Last weekend saw the Festival of the Sea in Monaco although the water skiing you see is always available off Larvotto Beach. Another day, we'll see close-ups of this big ship and I'll tell you about her.

Show Jumping on the Port - the Riders

These two look like the heroines of a novel called Riders by Jilly Cooper. Rupert Campbell-Black (he was the lothario in the book) will surely walk into the scene any minute...

Show Jumping on the Port

Monaco had a busy weekend - Show Jumping in front of the port, the Festival of the Sea on another side of the port and a big weekend for the super yachts on the other side.

But first the show jumping. It's stunning to see these beautiful horses against the backdrop of the yachts in the harbour.

In the first and third photo, the horses are in the practice ring. The horse in red won its heat and came from the UK.

Interestingly, Charlotte Casiraghi, who is Princess Caroline's daughter, is a very keen and successful horsewoman and no doubt she would have been riding later in the day.

A Corner of Beaulieu's Port

Beaulieu-sur-Mer is such a pretty port with many beautiful Belle Epoque villas on the hillsides.

We'll be back in Monaco tomorrow as there is much going and lots to show you but we'll be back in Beaulieu, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Villefranche soon.

R.M.Elegant off Cap Ferrat

Take a quick look at yesterday's post and you'll see this mega yacht, built for charter in 2005, in the top left-hand corner.

RM Elegant is 72 metres (237 feet) long and flies the Greek flag. She has 15 cabins accommodating 30 guests with a crew of 31. For parties the yacht caters for 100 guests at anchor and 150 when berthed. There's a 12-person spa pool, a gym, massage room, a beauty salon, sauna and of course a helipad. She cruises the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Cost: 455,000 euros a week in high season and a mere 420,000 euros a week in the low season.

The Wake of a Boat

We've passed Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and are headed towards the port of Beaulieu-sur-Mer. There's something about the wake of a boat on the Mediterranean - or anywhere, come to that - that is simply fabulous.

Tomorrow - we'll take a look at the yacht in the top left of this shot.