Monaco’s main automobile collection is once again on display
The collection of cars belonging to the princely family of Monaco can be discovered in a new permanent exhibition space on the Rock.
For nearly thirty years, the car collection of the main family of Monaco was exhibited, a little cramped, on the Terrasses de Fontvieille. The hundred vehicles that make it up have just been moved to a new location, located by the sea along a route taken by the principality’s F1 circuit. More spacious and brighter, these premises offer a more modern setting. Here, film extracts serve as the background for the cars. There, F1s are attached to the wall. And F1 cars, there are a lot of them, not surprisingly. We notice the presence in number of single-seaters from the 2000s, whether they are acronyms Ferrari, McLaren, BMW or Toyota, but cars from all eras rub shoulders, whether they are road cars or track racers.
Cars for all tastes
Lamborghini, Maserati, Porsche and other Alpines will delight sports enthusiasts while Delahaye, Delage, Hispano Suiza or Cadillac will satisfy luxury enthusiasts. Grace Kelly’s Renault Florida, at the wheel of which Prince Albert II came to inaugurate the premises, brings a touch of glamour. Some popular stars such as the Citroën 2CV and the Renault 4CV are also present, and some original features such as a 1921 propeller Helica or a 1943 Weasel tracked vehicle used for Paul-Emile Victor’s polar explorations punctuate the visit. The one that the establishment has set up as its star is one of the 18 “strawberry red” Mercedes 300 SLs produced, dating from 1956.
Accessible to the public since July 8, 2022, the collection is now on display at 54 route de la piscine, in Monaco. Admission costs €10 at full price.