Anyone ever been to Monaco?

[J.McClane]

I was wondering cos I am thinking about going next year maybe.
For the whole F1 weekend.
How much (roughly) is it gonna cost, travel, hotel the whole thing?

I have always wanted to go to Monaco but I keep putting it off. And if you are gonna go see a GP race, then do it in style

[Knowlesy]

I haven't been, but it's got to be worth going to surely?
I've heard it's one of the cheaper grand prixs to attend if you work on it.

[Red]

It definitelly isn't the cheapest... But not the most expensive either.

I've been in Monaco a few years back but not on GP week. I can tell that the prices are relatively "normal", certainly not much bigger than in Paris and definitelly not outrageous. As for hotels.... 350 EUR for a single room? If you want to watch the GP from your window (Hotel de Paris-great place, I reccomend it ) You definitelly can find cheaper hotels.

The only serious problem you'll encounter is that actually you'll have to book your tickets and hotel rooms with 6 months in advance, otherwise Monaco is a pretty normal city. Don't be fooled by the legends. Of course, if you need a new shirt and you decide to buy it from Cartier or whatever, you really need a gold credit card, but otherwise you're OK. And do have a neck tie, even if you don't use one. You won';t be able to enter the Grand Casino without one. (they will borrow you one at the entrance, but at least be sure you have a regular shirt, not a T-shirt )

[JGM]

I went to the GP about six times in the 70s. It was possible to camp near the circuit - at a beach to the west of the town centre.I expect this facility will have been closed down by now. Ticket prices were a lot more than for the usual GP, in fact the whole town seemed to regard the GP as an excuse to rip all the visitors off. I recall after one GP wanting to find a toilet and the fierce little female toilet attendant standing outside her toilet demanding 5 francs entry. That sort of finished it for me and I never went back. Nevertheless it is certainly worth going to once.

[J.McClane]

I think it may have changed a little since the 70's. Maybe that toilet lass aint there anymore.

The cost don't really bother me. If you are gonna do it, do it in style. I could go to the casino and pretend I am James Bond too.

[Bleu]

I was at Monaco last year, but not during the GP weekend.

[Asp]

Monaco hotels can get very expensive during GP weekend - obvious reasons, so what a lot of fans do is set up camp in Nice instead - and there are regularly Grand Prix coaches too.

Might be best for a first event to go with tour company, as they'll make sure that you have a roof over your head and can get to the race - Page & Moy is the most popular.

[Attila]

We used to sell tickets to Monaco two years ago. They were tickets to yachts where you could stay for the whole weekend. The ticket cost about $3500 if I recall it correctly, but of course that was all inclusive. Other than that, if you want to stay in a hotel book it well in advance.

[dretceterini]

Not cheap. You can stay in San Remo or another smaller town, just over the border into Italy for a lot less money than in Monaco proper.

[Logrence]

I quite fancy having a place in Monaco - wouldn't want to live their all the time like, but it would be nice...

[MrSal]

My wife and I went last year with Page and Moy. We decided to get the best possible grandstand tickets despite the cost. We were sat in the Casino Square on the Thursday and by the swimming pool for qualifying and the race. The cost of the tickets for the 3 days were about £400 each and I think the flights/hotel etc through Page and Moy cost about £1000. Please note this is a pretty expensive way of seeing the Grand Prix and it would be a lot cheaper going independantly.It seems that the tour operators tie up most of the hotels on this weekend in Nice and it very difficult to book a hotel on the net(do NOT getted ripped off by staying in Monte Carlo unless you are a millionaire)However there are plently of hotel places in Nice if you just fly there and ask a taxi driver to take you to a reasonable Nice city centre hotel. The train service to Monaco from Nice is fantastic and we trained it in rather than use the Page and Moy bus. If you haven't got the courage to travel without a pre-booked hotel then book one in one of the hotels further up the coast on the railway line. As I say the train service is very cheap, extra trains are obviously running for the grand prix, and there is no queueing even at peak times. Flights from the UK to Nice are dirt cheap through Easyjet.
Hope this helps.
MrSal
ps wish I was there now!!

[jonboyG]

We have a place in Eze, which is about 10 minutes west of Monaco. I went in 2001, and my little sister is there with her BF this year (I would have gone but I thought I'd have to move to boston next month so didn't plan on it).

Tickets are a lot cheaper than Silverstone - in 2001 a grandstand seat was just shy of £250, whereas my tickets (on beau rivage) were about £90. Airfare was about £120, and accomodation wasn't a problem for me.

If you do go and you aren't staying in Monaco, the train is the easiest way to get in. From Beaulieu it took about 10 minutes and cost about ?6.

After the race, head down to the public beach there and enjoy the rest of the day whilst waiting for the crowds to die down a bit. If its rainy you're on your own.

My trip in 2001 was made even better as RickP was in the Clio race and showed me and my mate round the clio and supercup paddocks.

Next year I'm damned if my sister is getting my tickets again, she doesn't even like motorsport. If anyone else is there and fancies meeting for a beer, let me know.

Edit - I found that easyjet weren't close to being the cheapest flight out there, BA was about £60 less than them, plus you get to use an airport that has proper transport links.

[chezza]

Monaco is one of the of the places I'd most like to go. I have been a couple of times near GP weekend but never actually when the GP has been there.

Wish I could afford to go, it looked so nice on the TV last night!