“He stood on the shore of the desert waves
, full of high thoughts and looked into the distance…”
Alexander Sergeevich
Pushkin’s lines are not accidental here – the poems of the great poet are perfect not only for Peter I and the founding of St. Petersburg, but also for Prince Rainier III of Monaco and the emergence of the city of Fontvey.
Today, looking at the diversity of office centers, sports ports, shopping arcades, swimming pools and other new buildings, it is hard to believe that some half a century ago, waves splashed serenely in this place, and only a small fishing village hinted that people live nearby.
Surprisingly, the perseverance and hard work with which the inhabitants of the principality, under the leadership of Renier, for 7 whole years – from 1965 to 1972 – conquered land from the sea. As a result, due to special embankments, it was possible to increase the territory of the principality by 22 hectares. For us Russians, this area may seem ridiculous (of course, for some domestic farmers, potato fields take up more space), but for a tiny principality, as many as 22 hectares have become a real breakthrough.
Holidays in Fontvieille
However, no less a miracle is how effectively this small piece of land is used. Today, Fontvei is one of the busiest cities in Europe, where many tourists from all over the world flock every year: small yachts and tourist ships stop by the ports, cars and buses come from the continent. By the way, another inexpensive and quick way to get to Fontvey is by helicopter flights, which provide a constant connection between the principality and Nice.
According to Wholevehicles, the city of Fontvieille offers entertainment for all tastes. Holidays here will be remembered not only by fans of roulette and Formula 1 (which have long become the hallmark of Monaco), but also by:
- connoisseurs of beautiful landscapes, outdoor activities and camping. Nearby are the Grimaldi cliffs, popular with rock climbers. Climbers can climb Mount Agel, which is located nearby. You can also admire the city, mountains and sea from a bird’s eye view – by ordering a helicopter ride or sitting in a hang glider.
- avid football fans. Fans of Zidane and French football will not be disappointed at all: the football temple (otherwise it is simply impossible to call this huge stadium) named after Louis II was opened in 1985 and has continued to delight local fans ever since. By the way, the majority of the male population of the principality cannot imagine their life without football, so you will probably be able to talk with them on interesting topics.
- collectors and connoisseurs of vintage cars. The Museum of Vintage Cars, created by Prince Rainier III, will not leave indifferent even the most jaded connoisseur of vintage cars. In the neighborhood with a hundred collectible steel “animals” there are quite living animals: nearby is a zoo, spread among hanging gardens.
If we recall the Russian classic once again, we can compare Fontvieille with a miracle island that magically arose from a completely empty place, as in the fairy tale about Tsar Saltan. Yes, however, the way it is, the only difference is that all this was done by the people themselves, with their own hands, and you can see this miracle with your own eyes.
In other words, although Fontvieille is considered the industrial area of the principality, there is always something to see here: for example, the Maritime Museum with a collection of copies of famous ships, the Museum of Philately and Numismatics, the zoological garden, landscape park, etc.
