Tell us about your experiences of visiting the Monte-Carlo street circuit.
You may wish to include:
- When you visited the track
- Where you watched from
- How easy it was to get to
- How much of the track you could see
- What support races there were
- What you liked and didn’t like
- How much it cost and whether it was good value
Please use the reply box below to leave your comments.
I have had a few experiences at Monaco. My first was at the Monaco Historique in 2000 where I was a photographer. As a snot-nosed 18 year old, the place blew me out of the water. As a photographer, I could get anywhere and my previous experiences working at race tracks in America were restrictive and uninspiring shots. Monaco was different.
You could go everywhere around the track and even stand at the famous hairpin. It was a pure dream. In 2002, I worked at the Historics and stayed down the coast with a friend for the GP weekend. I scored to watch the race from on top of the ING Bank at the Hotel Mirabeau corner. DC almost died in a plane crash the week before then won in Monaco. Guts of steel that not even das Schu could take away. My friend Mat scalped some fairly cheap tickets to watch at the first turn where saw (and felt) a young Felipe Massa loose his brakes and shunt HARD into the armco.
Monaco is a magical place and I have been to GPs around the globe and I would go back in a heartbeat. And no matter what people say, its negligable how much more expensive it is. Stay outside of Monaco, take the train, and bring your own food to the track. You’ll slick by for cheaper than you imagine.
I have read with interest your comments. I am in a slight dilema. I would like to arrange for partners 50th Birthday for next year and not sure which package to go for – I know to stay in Nice but where is best place to be K Grandstand?
I would appreciate a reply if possible, thanks.
TO PAMELA DUFFY: grandstand K offers a great view of the harbor from the tunnel exit to the first “piscine” chicane. It’s one of the widest view of the circuit from a stand. I think I can help you, cause I live near Monaco, I work in Monaco and I am marshall at the Grand Prix. If you like, contact me at firemarshall@hotmail.it I’ll be glad to help you for your partner’s birthday
Not sure if anyone will see this question in time but I am going to be in Paris for over a week surrounding the Monaco Gran Prix and thought about flying or taking a train down to watch qualifying. I would arrive in Nice at about 9 in the morning and leave Nice at 20 in the evening. Is this realistic? Can I get in and out of Monaco and actually see the cars in that time? I have heard the wait for taxis and trains is quite long in the days around the race.
Thank you
There is a bus from Nice airport to Monaco, leaves I think every half an hour and takes about 45 minutes. If you are going to watch the race that starts at 2pm and ends about 4pm you should be able to make it. But I would suggest to make the arrangements for transport out of Monaco earlier, the taxis are problem during the GP weekend.
A group of friends and I have tickets to the GP (Race Day) on stand E (chicane). I have a couple of questions…
1) We’ll be arriving from Italy by train. From Monte Carlo station where do we head towards in order to catch the free shuttle across the harbour to the stand?
2) What facilities are there around stand E, ie, toilets, bars and stalls?
3) Are there any restrictions in terms of bringing your own beers into Monaco/the stands?
Thanks
Went to Monaco in 2006. And while it was awesome as an experience, there are a couple of things I’d do differently.
For starters, due to the high ticket cost we elected to go general admin. Never again ! Mortgage the house if you have to & buy a grandstand seat. GA in Monaco is literally crouching in amongst the rocks and trees on the side of a cliff ! We could see about 50mtrs of the track from our vantage point, and although there was a giant screen much of it was obscured by trees. Also, once we had dug ourselves in, we couldn’t move or we would have lost our spot. There was prolly 5000 people crammed into a space for 200, so you couldn’t give up your hard won spot for anything. And we got there early !
Since there was only one support race prior to the F1’s, it was a pretty boring six hours sitting there in the dirt……
A friend went this year & sat at Stand K which had a great view of the cars coming out of the tunnel, plus over the bay. I’ll definitely sit there if I go again.
We stayed in Nice – far cheaper – and caught the train in which only takes about 15 minutes (although there was about a twenty minute queue to get on said train). The station brings you right to the heart of Monaco & it is easy to walk anywhere on the track from there. You can bring in your own food & drink although we found the stuff trackside to be reasonable price & quality. Plus really good value merchandise in the street stalls as you came out of the train station. Who cares that it was not genuine !
Getting home was not a problem – sure it was slow moving out of the track, but thats the case anywhere. And we didn’t have to wait for a train (they put on extra services).
Great track, great experience. It has to be top of anyones GP wish list.
I have race day tickets for this year, but can you purchase seated tickets for practice and quali on the day – even if you’re not too fussy about which stand to go to.
Do you know if there are any restrictions on still photography (not video which I believe is restricted).
Many thanks
I did the same in 2008. Backpacking around meant I couldn’t afford 300-400 Euro for a grandstand ticket (AU$ > Euro exchange rate not real flash) so went for 70 Euro on the hill (beware of scalpers just metres away from the official ticket office selling the same for 80 euro). On top of those drawbacks it was raining a bit too. Crappy view of the race (but nice one of the whole place overall, go for a walk up there afterwards), not comfortable, didn’t really know what was going on in the race. Glad I did it but would never go on the hill again.
After the race is over, you can walk around the track before its opened to cars again, recommended… the teams are loading up trucks outside the pits, go pose for a photo on the podium, check out the boats in the harbour (might even get invited to join one of the parties), watch a few Ferraris & Porsches race when they do open the road again,…
Getting from Nice to Monaco & back was easy on the train, the special services for the race, the wait in the line to buy a ticket was longer than the rest of the journey (something common to French rail I was to discover)
I’ve been a couple of times, 2004 & 2008. I did the same as pink peril & went for Gen. Admission tickets both times. Last year i sat on a rock for 9 hrs & got a numb bum. There are areas where you can sit comfortably on the side of the hill, but you’ll need to get there very early to get them (8am, or before). Next time i’m planning on paying a bit more for the other gen. area(stand z i think),right next to tabac, only prob no tv screen in sight.
Last year even with the exchange rate, i managed to do the weekend for £250 plus spending money.
I went by train, eurostar & SNCF, cost just under £100, theres a night train from Paris gets you to Monaco about 9am. Got travel info from seat51.com.
If you don’t mind camping, theres a campsite at Menton on the French/Italian border, £6 pp per night last year. Its basic, but got OK bar/restaurant with outside dining area overlooking the med. Only downside is its on a platau overlooking the town, although there is a bus service its only a couple of times a day, & not great times for race days. Its about 10 mins by train to Monaco, & if you look up the local map theres a shortcut making it a 10 min walk to the station.
As for Monaco itself, its only expensive if you want it to be, use the street vendors, for the occasional cold beer, or sandwich, or take your own, the only restriction i noticed was a ban on glass bottles for obvious reasons. On Friday afternoon theres no racing so its a good time to walk the circuit, also both times i’ve been they’ve opened things up on a Friday afternoon once it was the pitlane & the other the access area to the paddock on the quayside. So you get to see the background bits if you’re interested.
Went in 2003. Stayed in Ventimilla (sp?) just across the Italian border. Great hotel. Not very expensive. Great food. Stayed in Nice for a week after the race. Again, not expensive and great food all around. All in all, a most memorable experience and well worth the effort. Monaco has a very pronouced historic vibe which made it seem not so commercial.
Saw the 1979 Monaco GP.
I was in school in Geneva with several other Americans. A group of us rented a car and drove down to Monaco. The Lowes stay was courtesy of a friend’s father, a WWII Army buddy who owned the Lowes.
Favorite memories:
Topless women at the Lowes pool. Thank you. I think about you late at night, sometimes in the shower.
Watching the Lauda/Pironi wreck. Lauda didn’t get past the front of the Lowes but Pironi coasted to a stop where the road goes under the hotel. He was helped from his car and, because he thought he was out of the view of the stands, he zipped down and ****** next to his car. Very funny.
We had checked out of the room and loaded the car before the race started. The car was parked in the lot in front of the Lowes, right where the race course makes the curve, by the old casino. Wanting to get a jump on traffic and get on the road back to Geneva and term finals, we jumped in the car immediately after the race ended. The only way out the front lot was onto the track so, since no one stopped us, off we went. There were still safety vehicles and disabled race cars on the road. Course workers were blowing whistles at us and waving caution flags. I was driving and I didn’t care (20 yr old punk). Right out the Lowes parking lot, around the hairpin, accelerate past Pironi’s wreck and under the Lowes to the start-finish line. The crowd cheered and the gendarmerie/coppers politely urged our exit from the course. Closest I’ll ever have to driving a GP.
I participated with American film company based in London in the filming of the wet and wild 1972 Grand Prix Monaco. Clients were Marlboro, British Racing Motors and Prince Ranier. Rode with Princess Grace following race from her viewing stand in her convertible. Partied atop Hotel de Paris. What a night!
I went to the GP this year. Awesome. I only went to Monaco on the Sunday. I was in Grandstand L which overlooked the pits, so before and after the race I was able to hang over the balcony and get a good look at what was going on in the pits. Saw a number of the drivers, team principles and a few famous folks like Max Mosley and Richard Branson.
For the race, the grandstand was very good. Had a nice view of the track, a bit of the pits and in the background was the marina. There was also a big screen on the side of the opposite grandstand, so I could watch the race when cars weren’t right there.
It is louder than Belgium, probably because the tall buildings and cliff faces capture and echo the sound back. They give out ear plugs with the tickets, but if you are sensitive to noise, you might want to bring your own.
Beer, water and food is available once inside the track, and it isn’t too expensive.
Heikki Kovalainen hit the wall just in front of us. I was impressed with the guys who ran out and started picking up the pieces of the car while the cars were still cruising by at high speeds. Strangely, I went to Belgium in 2008 and saw Nelson Piquet Jr. spin out as well. Apparently I am bad luck for the drivers!
I stayed in San Remo, Italy. I took the train. You need to transfer in Ventimiglia. The cost was €1.90 San Remo – Ventimiglia and €2.50 Ventimiglia – Monaco. The train rides are 13 minutes and 22 minutes respectively, but the arrival and departure times are synchronized so well, so it’ll probably take around 60 minutes to get there.
I would suggest looking for a place to stay in Ventimiglia, that would be better than San Remo just because it cuts out the transfer.
Pictures can be seen if you follow the link above to my blog, which is linked specifically to the Monaco GP entry.
Cheers,
Greg
Monaco was always going to be expensive, but this year the Euro exchange rate didn’t help at all. My son & I rented an apartment in Nice & travelled to Monaco by train. We had race day tickets and bought tickets for practice and quali at the track. This had the advantage of our being in Casino Square grandstand for practice and the L stand overlooking the pits for quali. In both stands, it was possible to move around after initially taking your seat – it was too packed to do that in Stand K where we had race day seats.
Photography during the race was limited, but we both got some good shots from the other stands. Overall a great trip – take earplugs – you’ll need them.
I am looking at tickets for 2010 and they have packages for a 3 day pass = Thursday/Saturday and Sunday.
This may be a really silly question but why is Friday not included and why is Thursday? What happens on these days?
There’s no racing on the Friday. That doesn’t mean nothing happens – best to check on the day if any events are planned, but you won’t see cars on the track.
If you have a 3 day pass you might like to consider sitting in different grandstands – see my earlier comments.
I went tot the Monaco GP in 08. Awesome! I sat between Rascasse and Hodges just across from the pit entrance. It was a great place to watch. You get to see all the drivers and celebrities coming into the pits from their off site quarters. I stayed in Nice and used the train. Very easy to get to. I used the VRBO (vacation rental by owner) to rent an apartment. Great way to go.
Me & my wife went to the Monaco F1 Grand Prix we used a company called Exclusive F1 Experiences we bought balcony tickets from them, but this year they are also selling places on Yachts! We had the most amazing weekend the views were out of this world and we felt like VIP’s drinking Champagne watching the best race in the world in luxury!
We will never go back to watching the race from general admission or grand stand seats again. has to be one of the best holidays we have ever had together.
Exclusive F1 Experiences. They were really good, we booked a VIP balcony and
What is it like working for that company you’re promoting above? Any good?
I witnessed the GP from 1964 to 2004. Every year I enjoied the race that is unique all over the world. If you are a really fan of F1 races You MUST attend at least 1 time to this schocking spectacle!
Hey Everyone,
My bro and I are heading to the Monaco 2010 Grand Prix, for the entire weekend. Have flights and hotel booked in Nice.
Need info on Seat Numbers. We were going to go for GrandStand E High for qualifying and GrandStand O High for race day. My question is:
How does it work on seat numbers. If we purchase High, does that mean that the last few rows are High and whoever gets their first will get the highest seat, or is row and sit numbered already on your ticket which is really annoying because any site we have been to to buy tickets just says GrandStand O High without any info on row height or number.
I hope to god its first come get the best seat on the high row??.
Is there only 1 high row??
Thanks any info here.
Gary
Gary,
Generally speaking all the grandstands have stair access from underneath the seating area. Depending on the configuration you exit from the stair into the middle of the grandstand which slopes from the stair exit up for the high seats and below the stair exits would be low seats – we went for high seats & weren’t disappointed. My experience 2009 was that in quali the stands weren’t full and you could move around to some extent (but Schmacher wasn’t there this year) – on race day it was packed with no chance of going anywhere different. All the seats were numbered – you would need to check with your booking agent exactly where the seats are.
We watched quali from stand L which was great because you got good views of the pits – lots going on everywhere & take bino’s – you could also see the track pretty well.
Enjoy the race weekend & take the train to Monaco – it’s all set up for race fans.
Hi,
I am trying to book tickets for my husbands 30th for the Monaco GP and I can’t decide which Grandstand to go for? I think I have narrowed it down to Grandstand T or Grandstand K (High)… can any of you advise which one to go for???
Many Thanks,
Hi We are driving down to Monaco in our motor home & are looking for a campsite near the track. Does anyone know of anywhere that is near the race track? Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Try this link http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2007/jun/17/escape.france
We are coming to Monaco for the Grand Prix in 2010, are there any good restaurants in town to watch qualifying?
Thanks,
G
Hey Rachel,
We were thinking about GrandStand High O..It’s rite out on the docks, at the swimming pool & if I’l rite u should get a great view of them coming out of the tunnel, down to tabac, around the swimming pool & also my bro & i r going 2 try and crash a party or 2 on 1 of those yachts…Gotta be able 2 get onto 1….Monaco Baby…Monaco….& Sch is bad…..bring it on!!!!
Also GrandStand K looks good. Its’ at the corner of tabac, where they come out of the tunnel down the straight and turn into the swimming pool area. I read that u need to go GrandStand HIGH K, probably on the left hand side I think. that way u have unlimited views from the tunnel down to tabac, and then into the swimming pool area.
Thats our thoughts. GrandStand E is also another choice. Its the Grandstand situated where they come right ouf the tunnel. You have to get a ferry to it, no other way of getting out there i hear, but if you have tickets for high E you should great views.
Any thoughts here people??.
Also someone where to stay. We started looking at hotels in Nice, somewhere near the train station, NICE-GARE but they say that Monaco Prices have yet to be determined, so my Bro, it has to take credit for this thought about hostels.
Here’s a link, very cheap, all we want is a bed and you can book a private book just for 2.
http://www.hostelworld.com/findabed.php?Search=1&DateStart=2010-05-14&NumNights=2&ChosenCity=Nice&ChosenCountry=France&
If you click on the Map link on that page it will show u exactly where the hostels/hotels are relate to the train station. We picked Chambres Chez L’habitant, got great reviews, ight at the train station, very cheap…
Hope some of that was helpful
I’m thinking on your wave length, surely one party must be crash-able???
I ll be in St Tropez the week of the event so will be doing some serious SAS type surveillance but from what I can gather the days before the race is open to some serious parties. I will be out their on my own from the Friday of the race so will be up for a big shin dig so will be trying Rascase. If you think the more the merrier is the way to role I will be up for the crashing. Let me know!!!
Hi am looking to take my dad to Monaco for his 60th. I know that is a great gift but i would love to get something personal signed by a f1 driver. Does anyone know if the drivers are about the week of the race or example walking the track on wednesday etc.
It just you see films on youtube of drivers just walking around the open circuit or at the football game (are tickets available for the charity match).
Thanks
Glynn
Myself and my wife are going to Monaco 2010. We would like to watch from a couple of grandstands on the Thursday as prices are around £70, not in the hundreds.
As there are two 90mins practice sessions, we wondered if anyone would like to swap grandstand tickets between the sessions.
We’d like to start with Casino Square and then try maybe Grandstand L next to pits and pool. E-mail daveentrican@googlemail.com if you’d like to do do this too and we can work out how and where to meet between sessions to swap tickets.
Thanks, Dave and Kath
Further to above post, we have booked 2 tickets on Thursday 13th May at Grandstand V.
This is opposite the corner leading to the main straight and is the closest you can get to the cars apparently.
As there is 2x 1.5 hrs of F1 practise on Thurs, it would be good if 2 other people wanted to meet between the sessions and exchange tickets, so we can both enjoy viewing from somewhere else on the track.
Reply here or email if you’d like to: daveentrican@googlemail.com.
Thanks
Dave and Kath
hi we are arriving in VILLAFRANCHE
hI
we are arriving in villafranch by cruise ship on the 13th May 2010 – we would love to catch some of the practice on the Thursday but have 2 boys 5 & 8 – how is the transport there and back – do you think it is advisable for a day trip – It is my partners birthday on this day as well – so was hoping to be a surprise present for him
I went to the Monaco GP in 2008. It was one of the best experiences of my life. My family did not follow F1 at all and we didn’t know that the GP was going to be happening while we were there so it was a wonderful surprise. We did Monaco on the cheap and so here are some tips for those wishing to spend as little money as possible:
-You do not need to buy tickets to any of the days except race day. If you look hard enough there are places you can watch the qualifying sessions from for free (one of the days we got into grandstands for free but I forget which day that was). You won’t be close up but because Monaco is so small and they put megatrons everywhere you can find spots across the harbor from the track near the aquarium gardens and still see and hear see the race just fine.
-On race day they crack down on security and all the spots we had searched out previously were closed to spectators. We broke down and bought General Admission (Le Rocher, or The Rock)tickets on the day of for 70 euro each.
-We arrived early on race day but Le Rocher was already packed even in the rain. Luckily, early on in the week I decided to pick up a cap for Lewis Hamilton and cheer for the McLaren team. I remembered seeing a whole section of people cheering for McLaren earlier in the week so I decided to search Le Rocher for them and see if they had spots for fellow fans. This particular group of people have come to Monaco for years and are established at the circut. They literally rope of the best seating of the whole section for them and their friends. They have the whole set up of food, drink, chairs, etc. I spotted them and yelled across the rock at them, waving my Lewis cap and asking if they had room for two more Lewis fans. After a slight hesitation they invited us in. Success!
-Because I was lucky to be invited into this roped off section my family had a wonderful experience sitting in General Admission and I would never choose to sit anywhere else. If someone invited me to their balcony or yacht I would pay them a visit to be gracious and then truck it over to Le Rocher for the real fun to begin. This is where the die hard F1 fans sit and the atmosphere is amazing.
-The Le Rocher section sees the pit lane and track entrance exit, has a big megatron adjacent to it, and has a view of the pool straight and a couple turns, as well as fabulous views of almost all of Monaco. They put food vendors here and there are bathrooms located further up the rock.
-If you decide to go all out and sit in Le Rocher be sure to prepare for the weather, bring good shoes and outdoorsy clothes (you are sitting on a mountainside, after all), plenty of food and drink, and a comfortable seating apparatus (towels, chair, etc). The most important thing, however, is a positive and friendly attitude.
-There is a small hostel in Cap d’Ail, the closet French town that is right next to Monaco. This is the closest, cheapest accommodations you can get. I also recommend camping in the area. Traffic is horrible on race day and trains are not always dependable so always have a backup plan.
just a few clips i took last year at monaco. this is from Venezia Cafe who have there own private grandstand http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6GSvO2H-IA and the next is from grandstand E just after the tunnel. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87P7RcL_ssc going again this year and will be staying in nice and taking the train to monaco. if you love f1 you have to go to monaco!!