If there is one landmark event in the classic yachting world it is Monaco Classic Week – La Belle Classe, a meeting where time slips by without a trace. This one-of-its-kind biennial yacht fest was launched 1994 and has established itself as one of the most important gatherings of traditional boats (sailing and motor). Every two years, Yacht Club de Monaco offers fans and owners a voyage back in time synonymous with a certain ‘Art de Vivre la Mer’ lifestyle, that everyone can share in the village that is open to the public (free entry).
Around 100 boats are expected to descend on the YCM Marina, bringing all the pageantry and colour of a bygone era to the quays. As crews rival each other for elegance aboard, the familiar sound of shrouds clacking against masts mingles with the roar of engines on period motorboats. Monaco is preparing for a week where time stands still, recalling those first powerboat meetings held in the Principality from 1904.
As the 100th anniversary of the death of Prince Albert I approaches, the YCM in partnership with the Albert Ier 2022 Committee is organising an exhibition of lithographs, posters, photographs, restored old postcards, and trophies and medals relating to those meetings in the early 20th century.
