A treasure trove of glitz and glamour awaits on an exclusive two-mile stretch of coastline along the Mediterranean. Though full of fancy sports cars, luxury apartments, super yachts and unlimited entertainment, Monaco, this rocky promontory, is not short of culture and history. The ruling Grimaldi family makes sure that the princely heritage of the principality is preserved and appreciated. And its extravagant opulence is simply equal to its charm. The newly designed by Foster + Partners, Yacht Club de Monaco stands in stark contrast to the monumental Baroque building that houses the Musée Océanographique de Monaco. The Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, which exhibits the most contemporary works of art, is a complete 180-degree turnaround from the Prince of Monaco’s Palace, which dates back to the 12th century. Yet it all exists harmoniously within two hundred hectares of land.

The list of Monaco’s patrons resembles the guest list at the ultimate private party; Aristotle Onassis, Grace Kelly, Sir Roger Moore, Tyra Banks, Frank Sinatra, Rudolf Nureyev, Bjorn Borg and Ringo Starr, to name a few. Whether attracted by the top races (Grand Prix Monaco, Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters) or the not-to-be-missed events (Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Monaco National Day), or the iconic properties of the Société des Bains de Mer (Monte Carlo Casino, Hôtel de Paris Monte Carlo, Monte-Carlo Beach) or the Michelin-starred restaurants (Le Louis XV, Rampoldi, Pavyllon Monte-Carlo), the world’s celebrities keep coming back again and again.

With exclusive images from the palace archives and a foreword by Prince Albert II of Monaco, Ségolène Cazenave Manara’s Monte Carlo, published by Assouline, offers readers a front-row seat with VIP access to the jewel of the French Riviera.

Ségolène Cazenave Manara is a writer and journalist. After starting out in the publishing industry working for Glamour (France), Première magazine and Libération, she joined France Televisions, the French public national broadcaster, where she worked in art direction for almost twenty years. Since 2010 he has been living in Monaco, where he decided to pursue more personal writing endeavours.

Photos Courtesy of Assouline