Tickets and suggestions for Monaco

I am going to be in the "neighborhood" at the time of the Monaco grand prix and wanted to know what would make it the most pleasant experience - ie, where can I get good tickets, what's the best location to watch, is practice worth while, can I get to the pits, how far ahead before start time should you arrive, the must have (other than camera, sunscreen and Ferrari cap), any value in being member of the US Ferrari club?

All opinions welcomed - thx
Franck

 

Not sure whether you can still get tickets, so I would suggest show up for practice regardless.

Also bring a rental car along and drive the track for instance on Monday morning: It is all public roads and the stands etc will still be in place and give you the perspective of the real drivers. With the exception of two small traffic islands, you can drive exactly the original track.

Also make sure you visit the bar "Stars" in the harbor. Very neat collection of F1 memorabilia.

And the best of course: Even if you don't get a ticket for raceday, show up: You will find exotics and Ferraris in every street of the town.

 

give the the grand prix restaurant ( formerly la raccasse) a call. they may still be able to seat you for thursday. no place better. and you can't beat the price. thursday's great fun. smaller crowds and the whole scene is more relaxed.

 

Tickets can be purchased in person from the

Automobile Club de Monaco
BP 464 - 23, blvd Albert Ier
MC 98012 Monaco
Principality of Monaco
Tel: (+377) 93 15 26 00
Fax: (+377) 93 25 80 08
Web site: www.acm.mc

Ordering ahead is great, but a little short of time now. Friday is a free day - no charge. You can move around a bit on Thursday and Friday. Saturday for qualifying, you will need a seat nad for the race your seat is your only choice to watch. Get your wandering done early.

I was able to buy tickets for the weekend in stand K on the outside of Tabac (biggest stand they have). Tickets for Thurs at 70 euro, Sat. 220 euro and Sunday 430 euro. Lower seats are cheaper. Have fun!

Bars: Rosies - halfway up the hill - and the Tip Top - on the way down the hill out of Casino.

 

The cheap tickets on the hill overlooking the rascasse give a view of the circuit from the tunnel exit to the Rascasse. There's also a fantastic atmosphere there as that's where the Italian tifosi congregate. You need to get there very early on race day to bag a good spot though!

 

Just a brief reply as I'm slammed at work today, but feel free to PM me if you want more details and I'll try to reply by tomorrow. I've been attending the GP de Monaco since '92 and know the drill pretty well.
Good seats from the ACM ticket office are long gone by now, but you can readily buy seats on the street. As stated above, Friday IS a free day, but there's no F1 activity that day. As for watching practice (Thursday)/qualifying(Saturday)/race(Sunday), it's ALL worthwhile IMHO, and the whole town revolves around the race, with excitement building each day during race week.
If you can't buy tickets or don't want to take a chance with the location of the seats available (I prefer the K grandstands down by the harbor, as they have an expansive view and a giant screen too, but a high row in a low section number, i.e., K1, 2, 3, vs. K7, 8, is vastly preferable), consider buying space on one of the balconies overlooking the course, or at one of the adjoining restaurants.
If you won't be staying in Monaco, come into town EARLY on Sunday- trains have become sketchy (you may need to book a reserved seat), and parking is a hassle. If you're leaving town afterwards, consider sticking around for dinner, as it's almost impossible to drive out for hours after the race ends, and the trains are jammed.
Hope this helps. As I said, PM me if you need any further details (I have plenty). I'm around until next Tuesday, at which point I leave for Monaco, but can be reached via cell or at the Hotel Alexandra in MC thereafter. Have fun!
P.S.: Forgot to mention that there's been a pit lane walkabout on Friday the past couple of years, but you must show a raceday (Sunday) ticket to be admitted so plan accordingly. Also, if you want to check out the various car dealers in town let me know and I'll point you in the right direction. The Ferrari dealer (Monaco Motors) is a must.

 

Ira, good info, thanks. We are staying in Antibes, and the drive can be fun, especially with the interesting traffic. Any restaurant suggestions? Someone mentioned Formula 1 Restaurant, but my search found nothing. My wife wants to visit Hotel de Paris for a drink, so we'll probably cruise through there.

 

"Interesting traffic", as in the old Chinese curse, "may you live in interesting times"? The "grand prix" restaurant mentioned below (f/k/a La Rascasse) is now called Cafe Grand Prix, and the view is terrific- you might still be able to book a table . . . Most of the relativley casual food around MC is Italian- lots of pizza and pasta. Try some of the small restaurants up on the Rocher- if you're looking for something more elegant than crepes and pizza/pasta, try Le Castle Roc (nice views looking down over the Fontvielle and Condamine neighborhhods).
The Hotel de Paris is beautiful, but getting in and out during race week sometimes requires a pass verifying that you're a hotel guest- sometimes being sufficiently well-dressed will suffice! Personally, I think having a drink at the Cafe de Paris looking out on Casino Square is a must. The past couple of trips I've taken friends there to guzzle Champagne and people-watch, and it's been big fun.
Let me know if you need more info.- I'm off shortly to meetings all afternoon, but will be around tomorrow.

 

Ira, thanks again. I've been to Monaco 5-6 times, but never for the F1. Been to LeMans several times and the F1 at Magny Cours years ago when Andretti was there, so Monaco will be a real treat (it was my surprise Christmas present).

 

Hmm . . . better than the LEGO F1 car I got for Christmas!

 

Don't forget your earplugs!!!! Also, you might try having lunch or dinner in Eze at the Chevre d'or. It's fantastic food with an unbelievable view of the harbor. See you there!!

 

Good point- Eze is certainly worth a stop for those who haven't been there before.