Les Années Grace Kelly, Princesse de Monaco

This year, for the first time, Monaco is holding an International-scale exhibition in tribute to the late Princess Grace. Held at the Grimaldi Forum and open from July to September it's called 'Les Années Grace Kelly, Princesse de Monaco' and is organised in close collaboration with the Prince's Palace, which has unveiled never before seen items (letters, dresses, jewels, fashion accessories, film, photos...), this exhibition retraces all the periods and facets of her life, from Grace Kelly, Hollywood star, to Princess of Monaco.

At the same time, you'll find many beautiful photographs of the Princess displayed on the streets. The one above, taken in 1970, show Princess Grace taking Princess Stephanie to school, Rue Compte Félix Gastaldi.

Cannon balls!

What do you do when you've got a load of spare cannon balls? Here's the answer!

This is the Place du Palais (see yesterday's post) and is where you'll find rows of benches (with cannon ball support) under the shady trees.

Cannon!

Amidst the cannon and the cannon balls, visitors look down from the Rock, onto the port of Fontvieille. The palace is behind me - and to the left you can look down over the main port of Monaco. Tomorrow, I'll show you another use for cannonballs.

Musée Oceanographique

This is the back of the Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium. I'll show you a photograph of the front another day. Founded by Prince Albert 1, it was inaugurated in 1910. This is an amazing museum of marine sciences and not to be missed if you are visiting Monaco. The building rises majestically from the sea to a height of 279 feet and took 11 years to build, using 100,000 tons of stone from La Turbie, a village high above Monte Carlo. Part of the museum is dedicated to Albert 1, who was a major navigator. Here you'll find his laboratory ships and collections of marine fauna including a skeleton from a 66-foot whale.

In the basement, you will find the world-famous aquarium with its extraordinary show of marine flora and fauna. With 4,000 species of fish and over 200 families of invertebrates, the aquarium is now an authority on the presentation of the Mediterranean and tropical marine ecosystem.

Invitation

This sculpture called Invitation, by the Dutch artist and sculptor, Kees Verkade, stands in the Jardin Saint-Martin on Le Rocher. You see many sculptures by this Monaco resident around the Principality and can read more at this link. He specialises in the human form with emphasis on movement and emotion.

The gull dropped in for the photograph.

Brass and Bougainvillea

This brass plaque, peering out from the bougainvillea, tells us that here, on the Rock, you'll find the offices of the Minister of State - you can see the building below. The bougainvillea is for Isabella of Naples Daily Photo who loves this plant - see this link.

Jardin Saint-Martin

The St. Martin Gardens are on the opposite side of Le Rocher to the main port of Monaco - see yesterday's posting. Here we are, high up on the Rock, looking down to the sea from one of the many beautiful walks through this early 19th century garden. From this position, if you turned your head to the right, you'd see the Port of Fontvieille.

Digue

The Port of Monaco taken from Le Rocher (see yesterday's post). Monaco has only fairly recently been able to accommodate cruise liners as large as this, due to the new digue (floating dock). The largest in the world, it was built in Spain and towed to Monaco in 2002. The voyage took 13 days. You can read more at this link. I couldn't see the name of this enormous cruise ship when I took the photograph but driving home past the port, I saw it and by the time I got home had forgotten it - but it started with West...then something or other so if anyone knows? I'd like to know where she came from.

This morning I called a friend who lives opposite the port, and asked her to get out her binoculars but she said this ship left yesterday and today there is a new one in port, just as big, but with a white hull this time.

Note: Thanks to my friend Laura who tells me this is the MS.Westerdam - read more at this link.

Lunch break

We're on the Rock today. Le Rocher is the oldest part of Monaco and it's where you'll find the Palace, the Cathedral, the wonderful Oceanographic Museum and much more besides. Here is one of the tiny streets at lunch time.

Le Pêcheur

This sculpture (The Fisherman) stands near to Larvotto Beach on Avenue Princesse Grace and was created by the French sculptor, Gustave Dussart (1875 - 1952).

Proportion

This nicely proportioned building, with its pretty wrought-iron balconies and tall windows, is just behind the police station in Monaco - and one street away from the main port. Probably mostly apartments but there could well be some professional offices - dentists, lawyers, etc.

Meuuuble!

This cow, a piece of art on which to sit, hence its title 'Meuuuble' (Meuble being French for a piece of furniture and uuu being French, presumably, for moo - geddit?!) It's made of white bronze and sculpted by Stéphane Cipre, after a photo by Guillaume Barclay. This sits in the lobby of the Columbia Palace, an apartment building on Avenue Princesse Grace, facing the sea.

This talented Nice artist created another cow outside Stars 'n' Bars, which you can see at this link.

Monte Carlo Ladies - 4

Window shopping - a popular pastime in Monte Carlo. The dog, by the way, is a Porcelaine, a French hunting dog and you can see a better photograph of him here, at Riviera Dogs.

Doorway for a Prince

This photograph shows one side of the Casino building. The beautiful doorway is the Prince's private entrance to the Opera House.

Hôtel Hermitage

The Hôtel Hermitage is one of Monaco's most beautiful Belle Epoque hotels. Set back from the Casino Gardens, you'll find it at Square Beaumarchais. This is a side view of the hotel taken with my back to the port. The awnings below belong to luxury shops that line the road leading into Casino Square. One of the most beautiful features of the hotel is the Winter Garden Dome, designed by Gustave Eiffel - and we all know what else he designed. You can read more about this hotel here. You'll also see a photograph of the Dome on the website.

The Ubiquitous Crane

Cloud looms over the harbour in this photograph which was taken from the terrace of Les Thermes Marins de Monte Carlo - you can see a photograph of the pool at this luxurious spa here. The giant crane is a normal sight around Monaco - building work never stops and it has to be said, with all the work going on, it can be a very noisy place to live.

Christophe, from Bastia DP, was in Monaco recently and has posted some beautiful photographs on Bastia DP. Do go and take a look. I'd hoped to meet up with Christophe last Sunday but in the end it didn't work out with so many dogs here. Next time, Christophe, I hope to be able to come into Monaco and have the pleasure of meeting you.

Hot yellow

It seems logical, with all the luxury in Monte Carlo, to have a 'cars' section so here's one to add to it. Taken outside the Hôtel de Paris, this is (I think?) a Lamborghini - and if it isn't I know one of you guys out there will correct me! And thankyou to iBlowfish who, on Theme Day, pointed out that the Ferrari was a Ferrari Enzo and to Fabrizio who confirmed it. It's so usual to see a Ferrari in Monte Carlo but I knew that one was different! - but didn't know what the difference was. My favourite UK television programme is Top Gear, so I should know these things, shouldn't I?

And for those of you not into cars, I hope you enjoy the rather beautiful entrance to the hotel.

A large wheelbarrow?

Building work never stops in Monaco. Drive through and you'll hear the noise of diggers, you'll see cranes everywhere. In such a small area you wonder that it doesn't ever finish, but it doesn't. And nowhere is this more true than on the harbour - here you see how building materials are transported from one place to another.

Daily Photo Theme Day: The Colour Red

This was an easy Theme Day for Monte Carlo DP. Just take a stroll around Casino Square and you'll find a red Ferrari. You'll also find visitors queuing to pose with the car for a photograph! Mostly men, I might say although I chose to photograph a young lady doing her thing. Do please visit other Daily Photo bloggers who have seen red in their city. A total of 100 are participating in today's Theme Day. You can also take a look at the Daily Photo portal.

Fabrizio from Turin DP (this one's for you!)

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Another way in

This is an alternative entrance to the Hôtel de Paris, which is just around the corner from the main entrance. See that here.