Tende is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimesdepartment in southeastern France. Tende is located within Mercantour National Park in the French Alps. The mountainous commune is bordered by Italy to the north, with the boundary determined by the watershed line between the two countries. This line of mountain tops contains more than 20 summits exceeding 2,000 meters (6,600 feet). read more…
The Italian Riviera, or Ligurian Riviera, is the narrow coastal strip in Italy which lies between the Ligurian Sea and the mountain chain formed by the Maritime Alps and the Apennines. Longitudinally it extends from the border with France and the French Riviera (or Côte d’Azur) near Ventimiglia (a former customs post) eastwards to Capo Corvo (also known as Punta Bianca) which marks the eastern end of the Gulf of La Spezia and is close to the regional border between Liguria and Tuscany. The Italian Riviera thus includes nearly all of the coastline of Liguria. Historically the “Riviera” extended further to the west, through what is now French territory as far as Marseille. read more…
Monte Carlo officially refers to an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally the name also refers to a larger district, the Monte Carlo Quarter (corresponding to the former municipality of Monte Carlo), which besides Monte Carlo also includes the wards of La Rousse/Saint Roman, Larvotto/Bas Moulins, and Saint Michel. The permanent population of the ward of Monte Carlo is about 3,500, while that of the quarter is about 15,000. Monaco has four traditional quarters. From west to east they are: Fontvieille (the newest), Monaco-Ville (the oldest), La Condamine, and Monte Carlo. read more…
Fontvieille is the southernmost ward in the Principality of Monaco. It was developed by an Italian architect, Manfredi Nicoletti, between the 1970s and the 1990s. In contrast to the other city districts Monaco-Ville, Monte Carlo and La Condamine, Fontvieille was constructed, after Italian engineer Gianfranco Gilardini’s design, almost entirely on artificially reclaimed land and thus represents one of the younger parts of the principality. In order to combat the chronic land shortage in the extremely densely populated principality, the work was begun in 1966 to create new land in the Mediterranean Sea southwest of le rocher. In 1981, the then Crown Prince Albert (since April 6, 2005 Albert II, Prince of Monaco) laid the cornerstone for the new city quarter. The existence of Fontvieille, and its many public works projects, relates substantially to former Prince of Monaco, Prince Rainier III‘s reputation as the Builder Prince. read more…
Monaco City (French: Monaco-Ville) is the southcentral Ward in the Principality of Monaco. Located on a headland that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, Monaco City is nicknamed The Rock (French: Le Rocher). The name “Monaco City” is misleading, Monaco City is a historical and statistical district, not a city. Monaco City is one of the four traditional quarters (French: quartiers) of Monaco, the others are La Condamine, Monte Carlo, and Fontvieille. read more…
La Condamine is the central Ward in Monaco. The city district is located around Port Hercule (Port de Monaco) and is surrounded itself by the districts of Monaco-Ville, Fontvieille, Jardin Exotique, Les Moneghetti, Ravin de Sainte-Dévote and Monte-Carlo. Condamine dates from the Middle Ages, and means cultivable land. read more…
Monaco is a sovereign city-state and microstate, located on the French Riviera. France borders the country on three sides while the other side borders the Mediterranean Sea. Monaco has an area of 2.02 km2 (0.78 sq mi) and a population of about 37,800; it is the second smallest and the most densely populated country in the world. The highest point in the country is a narrow pathway named Chemin des Révoires on the slopes of Mont Agel, in the Les RévoiresWard. Monaco’s most populous Quartier is Monte Carlo and the most populous Ward is Larvotto/Bas Moulins. Through land reclamation, Monaco’s land mass has expanded by twenty percent. Monaco is known as a playground for the rich and famous. In 2014, it was noted about 30% of the population was made up of millionaires. Monaco’s mild climate, scenery, and gambling facilities have contributed to the principality’s status as a tourist destination and recreation center for the rich. In more recent years, Monaco has become a major banking center and has sought to diversify its economy into services and small, high-value-added, non-polluting industries. Monaco is not formally a part of the European Union (EU), but it participates in certain EU policies, including customs and border controls. Through its relationship with France, Monaco uses the euro as its sole currency (prior to this it used the Monégasque franc). Monaco joined the Council of Europe in 2004. It is a member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). read more…
Sanremo or San Remo is a city with about 57,000 inhabitants on the Mediterranean coast of western Liguria in north-western Italy. Founded in Roman times, the city is best known as a tourist destination on the Italian Riviera. It hosts numerous cultural events, such as the Sanremo Music Festival and the Milan – San Remo cycling classic. The city is widely accepted as the origin of the five-card stud variant telesina. The closest airport to Sanremo is in France, the Côte d’Azur International Airport in Nice, 75 minutes away by car or train. read more…
