Summer Pool Days in Monte-Carlo

The Principality of Monaco offers more than just luxury shopping and sports cars. It's also a haven for those seeking fitness and leisure by the pool. Whether you're looking to swim for exercise, relaxation, or both, Monaco provides numerous swimming options for the public, catering to various budgets.

For public pools, the Stade Nautique Rainier III, located in the port, features a 50-meter Olympic-sized heated seawater pool with diving boards, a slide, and sun loungers. It also offers a variety of activities and events. Entry fees range from €4.50 to €12 for adults, with discounts available for Monaco residents, students, and seniors.

Another option is the indoor-outdoor Piscine Saint-Charles on Avenue Saint-Charles. Entrance rates start at an affordable €4.80 for adults and €3.10 for children aged three to 17, with discounted prices for Monaco residents and other select groups.

Additionally, the Stade Louis II facility at Monaco's main sports venue offers three different pools to choose from. Prices start at €3.10 for adults and €1.80 for children. Opening hours may vary due to the frequent hosting of sporting events at this swimming center.

For those with a bigger budget, here are a number of other swimming pool choices in Monte-Carlo.

Offering panoramic views, at the Fairmont Hotel is Nikki Beach Monte-Carlo. The rooftop swimming pool is open from 11 am to 8 pm, with poolside sunbeds priced at €220 per person, plus a minimum spend requirement of one bottle for two people or one magnum for four people. For more information, call +377 93 30 07 00.

At the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, situated between the Carré d’Or and Port Hercule, guests can unwind by the heated saltwater pool with stunning Mediterranean views. The facility also features a solarium, jacuzzi, sauna, and hammam. Access to the Wellness Area is priced at €150 per person.

The famous Monte-Carlo Beach, a glamorous forty-room hotel located at the eastern edge of Monaco in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, offers an exceptional swimming experience.

Built in 1930 and run by SBM, this site features an incredible Olympic-sized, ozone-treated saltwater pool heated to a perfect 28°C from May through October. It's an ideal place for a family day out, with two diving boards for the adventurous and numerous sunbeds for those looking to relax and enjoy some people-watching.

The ‘Sea and Sun Day’ package costs €135 per person and includes €60 worth of food and drink. The ‘Dolce Farniente Day’ package for two starts at €95 per person, while the ‘Signature Day’ offer, which includes a Beach Club cabana, starts at €171 plus entrance fees. For more information, call +377 98 06 51 00.

The legendary sandy-bottomed lagoon at Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort is also open to the public. Adult prices start at €140 on weekdays and rise to €180 on weekends.

During the peak summer months of July and August, a day pass to this stunning outdoor swimming area costs €185 for adults and €145 for children, compared to the usual €90. Children under three years old can enter for free.

And next to Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort is Le Méridien Beach Plaza, which has two pools – one indoor and the other a heated outdoor pool – both are open daily between 9am and 6.30pm, as well as a children’s pool. The day rate here is €65 for over 12s. For more information, call +377 93 30 98 80.

Cool down and enjoy your time at any of these pool locations.

Menton's Promenade de la Mer Private Beaches Reopen to Public

 

Menton, the pearl of the Riviera, just became even more enticing. After 10 months of renovations along the Promenade de la Mer, Menton’s private beach restaurants and clubs are welcoming back their loyal customers.

With summer well underway, beachside restaurateurs in Menton are relieved by the reopening of this coastal stretch.The Promenade de la Mer project began late last summer, forcing beach clubs and restaurants to end their season early. This upset many of the owners and management companies due to lost income and client disruption.

The resulting legal claims put the city at odds with these businesses, who were asked to contribute to the €6.8 million renovations, which were, in any case, completed.

Despite missing the June deadline, the new-look Promenade de la Mer was officially inaugurated on July 15th, much to the relief of the bar and restaurant community.

Featuring palm trees, wooden walkways, lush plantings, and improved access for disabled visitors, the renovation has revitalized the city and made the area more accessible to a broader range of tourists, locals, and beach enthusiasts. 

Currently, four of Menton’s private beaches have reopened to the public, with more expected to follow in the coming days and weeks. The final two beaches are anticipated to reopen next year, and likely under new names and management.

Bathhouse Babylon - Full Release

 

During whatever spare time I could find over the past hectic year, I rewrote Bathhouse Babylon for a final, full release.

When the first edition of the book was published in May 2021, it thankfully garnered global media attention for a solid year, and sales seemed to generate on their own long after.

Although I was pleased with how cathartic and interesting the process was, after some time, I believed I could make it even better.

I listened to feedback from friends and strangers who bought the book. With most of the requests from the LGBTQ community indicating a desire for more juicy scandal and sex stories.

So, I ventured deeper, and added a number of salacious chapters to provide even more bang for the buck.

Consider this a second cumming.

Drawing from my diaries and over 13 years of experience in the bathhouse industry across North America, Bathhouse Babylon offers an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at this unique world.

The book charts my journey from a regular customer to managing three gay sauna establishments, providing an insider's perspective that is as candid as it is captivating.

Bathhouse Babylon reveals the intricate subculture of bathhouses, a realm often hidden from the public eye.

Through vivid storytelling, it shares the unusual and shocking sex stories that are an integral part of this environment.

Yet, the narrative also delves into the sociological aspects, exploring the dynamics at play in a venue teeming with half-naked men in party mode. Topics such as drug use, money-driven owners, escorts, celebrities, diversity challenges, business competition, and sex addiction are examined in depth.

If you can imagine it, it happens in a bathhouse.

Bathhouse Babylon, can currently be found on Amazon as a paperback or ebook.

Championing LGBTQI+ Rights with Monaco Pride 2024

Earlier this week, I had the privilege of attending the third Monaco Pride event in the Principality. Despite being relatively young compared to other Pride gatherings, Monaco Pride grows stronger each year, drawing an international and diverse crowd united in championing LGBTQI+ equality rights.

Monaco Pride was initiated in 2022 through a collaboration between Barclays Monaco, Fight Aids Monaco, and the former Stars’n’Bars. Their goal was to educate Monaco’s decision-makers about LGBTQI+ rights and address the outdated laws that cause significant hardships for many families living and working in Monaco.

This year, on June 20th, Camille Gottlieb, Princess Stephanie’s youngest daughter, joined over 150 participants at Monaco’s third Pride event. The event was co-organized by Barclays Bank and the local Fight Aids association, and held at the newly opened Marius restaurant on the Quai des Artistes.

Speakers included Monserrat Marchetti, Team Leader of Barclays Private Bank Monaco, Hervé Aeschbach, Coordinator at Fight Aids Monaco Association, and Annette Anderson, former manager of Stars’n’Bars.

Barclays has long been a global leader in promoting workplace diversity and inclusion. According to Marchetti, “Making everyone feel comfortable in their work is at the heart of our culture. We foster this environment through various activities and initiatives, creating networks that allow colleagues to build connections.

Our ongoing relationship with PRIDE is just one of many ways we demonstrate our commitment to the LGBTQI+ community.” As in previous years, the façade of the Monaco bank will be illuminated in rainbow colors throughout June in observance of Pride Month.

Hervé Aeschbach reported that since the last Monaco Pride, LGBTQI+ residents have been meeting regularly to discuss educating decision-makers about civil inequalities in Monaco. These inequalities create severe financial difficulties for many, including the lack of spousal rights for widows or widowers in same-sex marriages recognized in other countries and the denial of medical benefits for children in same-sex families.

Monaco is consistently rated among the worst countries in Europe regarding LGBTQI+ civil rights. Aeschbach emphasized that Princess Stephanie, President of the Fight Aids Association, denounces all discrimination and defends the right to equality for all Monaco citizens and residents.

Annette Anderson thanked the courageous members of the Conseil-National and the High Commissioner for Protection of Rights for their efforts in fighting for equal rights for the Rainbow Community. However, she stressed, “It is OUR responsibility to fight for OUR rights.” She applauded the creation of the new Mon Arc En Ciel Association, which aims to educate decision-makers about LGBTQI+ rights and advocate for changing the outdated laws that burden many families in Monaco.

This year’s Monaco Pride highlighted the urgency of bringing even basic LGBTQI+ equality rights to the Principality. Despite the serious conversations, there was a hopeful and positive spirit among the group, with live music, dancing, laughter, and drinks, as participants enjoyed the early evening overlooking Port Hercules in Monaco.

Group photos courtesy of Frédéric Nébinger