Anyone been to Monaco

G-Money

Hello,

I know I started a thread about Spa and I got some good responses to that. I'm also considering going to the Monaco race next year. From what I can see, most people fly into Nice and either stay there and travel down on the train to Monaco or stay elsewhere.

So anyone who's been there, send on your tips for where to stay, where not to stay, what part of the track to get race tickets for etc.

Cheers

mikedragon32

I'm a very regular visitor to Nice and Monaco, but I've never been to the GP. Hoping to do it in the next couple of years.

I would definitely stay outside Monaco, it's really a $hithole once you leave the Harbour or Casino Square anyway. Staying anywhere between Nice and Monaco would be fine, but staying in Nice would be cheaper.

Plenty of decent hotels at any budget and given that you'd want to stay near the train station: http://www.venere.com/france/nice/#o=default&r=0&m=0&f=C000100000000000&sb=1&ms=2&mz=565818

Handy thing about staying around the station is direct bus from Airport to there for €4. Be warned though, it's not the nicest part of Nice, but then again what city's nicest area is in the immediate vicinity of the main train station!

gwenuska

I would love to get to Monaco next year. Is it cheaper to book everything yourself i.e. tickets, hotel, flights - or as a package?

Is the free Friday practice session actually free entry or does the 'free' stand for something else?

G-Money

I think the Friday free practise session is only free for the drivers It's a term the FIA use. It doesn't mean it's free for spectactors to attend, sorry

Although Monaco is a bit weird in that I think they have practise on the Thursday, then no F1 action on the Friday, followed by qualifying on Sat and the race on Sunday. Most other circuits have practise on the Friday, then qualifying on the Sat and the race on Sunday. So its normally 3 days straight with F1 action, but Monaco doesn't have any on the Friday as far as I know.

Anyway to answer your question, if you get a 3 day ticket (or whatever its called) that will most likely allow you to see the cars for the entire duration of when the ticket is valid for. I've been to two F1 races (Melbourne 03, Monza 09) and each time I bought a 3 day pass. This allowed me entry for all 3 days. I'm not sure what the Monaco tickets are like. Although this site below says Monaco tickets are on sale now:

http://www.bookf1.com/

I think that site does packages but it's possible they may sell only tickets. Normally you can buy tickets from Formula1.com, the circuit itself (not sure who sells them for Monaco though), or as part of a package deal. Also one thing to consider is that you can buy single day tickets for race day only. You might be able to do the same for the other days, I'm not sure.

I've never booked a package trip so I can't tell you if it's definitely more expensive than booking everything yourself but if I had to guess, I'd say it's cheaper to book everything yourself. That's what I've done when I went to both races and it's what I will be doing next year as well if I go to a race.

Monaco is one of a few races I'm considering going to next year (including Spa, Monza and Singapore) so you never know, I might see you there.

gwenuska

Thanks for the info. Has anyone used the Rocher general area? What are the best areas to get tickets for? (not too expensive though)

G-Money

Not sure about which area is the best to get tickets for. I reckon the cafe at La Rascasse would be good but shockingly expensive

I was checking that BookF1.com website and the prices for Monaco tickets are extortionate. That doesn't mean I wouldn't still pay for one though!

But a race day only ticket for one particular place was in the region of about 450 euro. That's nuts. My 3 day pass for Monza with a seat at the first corner grandstand was about 340 euro. I don't think I'll be buying a 3 day pass for Monaco at those prices.

If you check BookF1.com, other people have posted reviews of going to the race this year and where they got tickets for and their thoughts. Might help you decide.

iregk

Hey grandmaster,

I've been over to the Monaco GP, last season being the most recent. Forget about staying in Monaco. Almost all of the hotels are block booked for the next 10 years on GP weekend and any that are not are crazy expensive.

Best advice, stay in Nice and get the train into Monaco (about a 20min journey). Hotels in Nice are cheaper and you also the have the nice plus of Nice having a lovely sea side setting with plenty of bars and restaurants. Think holiday resort but a hell of a lot more upmarket, no hasstle and less noise/lights.

You can go direct, it would be cheaper and there is in general no problem getting tickets for the GP. As someone said Casino Sq and Rascasse are the top price seats. Rascasse is probably the best seat in the house but its also €1,500 for the race day alone! A good spot that I like is the swimming pool. €270 a ticket for race day but you've got a good bit of track section there to look at with some good corners at speed (huge crash for me there last year with rossberg). Also you have the plus of being in the marina so during sessions you can walk in and amongst the yachts and you can also see kinda into the pit lane.

The cheapest seat in the house is obviously Secteur Rocher. This is like O'Connel st on St Patricks day. If you get there by about 6am, pitch a tent get your deck chair out you'll have a good time. If not your squinting through trees to catch the odd glimpse of a car.

Getting back to the train some travel advice. If you get over there on say Thursday (not worth going to the thur practice as its quite crap) get down to Nice trainstation and get all your return tickets for teh entire weekend. Get yourself up with plenty of time on the Friday, Sat and particularly Sunday. Remember that there will be about 100,000 people all doing the same thing you are! The q getting into Nice trainstation is outrageous and I know plenty that have missed the GP because they undestimated what it would be like. Also most q up not realising its for ticket holders only. If you don't have your train ticket you'll have to leave the q (most likely after about an hour of standing in it) q, to get your train tickets (another hour) then q up again to get on!!! All in all, you've just missed the GP!

If you want any more info, pm me.

G

G-Money

Excellent advice about the train tickets, I never thought of that.

I'll have to check out a few of the other areas for tickets.

Mirror Image

spent 2 days in monaco last year didn't go to the F1
we flew to nice we stayed in the cote d' azur region and drove to monaco
you should defo go there but be warned its pricey-but well worth it!

iregk

Monaco is expensive but then again you have to remember your in a place where Ferarris and Lambourgini's are the norm and not the exception. I think we paid about €8 for a pint of beer but I've paid more in Paris! Food in Monaco (restaurants) is astonishingly expensive. If however you take a stroll there are tonnes of fast food vans, and small counters outside bars that are all around the track. These are not that expensive.

Nice, I didn't find expensive, i didn't find it cheap. Probably on par with Dublin really.

Nice is very