1953 · Founded
2,500 members
82 countries
Monaco Classic Week is organised by the Yacht Club de Monaco, a prestigious maritime institution that has been a pillar of international yachting for more than seven decades. Founded in 1953 by Prince Rainier III and presided over since 1984 by HSH Prince Albert II, the Yacht Club de Monaco holds a central place in the yachting world, both locally and internationally. The event reflects the vitality of Monaco’s maritime heritage and the Principality’s attachment to the values of excellence, tradition and maritime craftsmanship.
The Yacht Club de Monaco was founded in 1953 by Prince Rainier III, marking a major step in the institutionalisation of Monaco’s maritime tradition. Since its creation, the Y.C.M. has held a central place in the yachting world, establishing Monaco as a centre of attraction and a point of reference for the global nautical community.
Since 1984, the Yacht Club de Monaco has been led by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, who serves as its President. Under his visionary leadership, the Y.C.M. has strengthened its role as an essential reference at the heart of the global yachting community, consolidating its commitment to maritime excellence and the preservation of nautical heritage.
The Yacht Club de Monaco’s commitment to the maritime and yachting world remains unwavering. This constancy reflects a deep conviction that preserving and promoting maritime tradition is a fundamental mission that transcends generations.
The Yacht Club de Monaco has 2,500 members from 82 countries, reflecting the institution’s international reach and its central role in the global yachting community.
Monaco Classic Week, organised by the Yacht Club de Monaco, pursues five fundamental missions that define its identity and its commitment to maritime heritage.
The first mission is to preserve the maritime heritage represented by these often century-old boats, the last authentic witnesses of yesteryear’s yachting, which have come down through the centuries. These historic vessels exist thanks to the unwavering passion of their owners, who have chosen to keep these witnesses of the past alive.
This mission affirms that maritime heritage is not a static relic but a living reality, sailed and celebrated by enthusiasts who are its guardians.
The second mission is to safeguard maritime craftsmanship, with the involvement of many trades that are tending to disappear. Artisans specialising in the restoration and maintenance of classic yachts – shipwrights, sailmakers, painters, specialist mechanics – are the guardians of irreplaceable technical and artistic expertise.
Monaco Classic Week celebrates these trades and affirms their value in the modern world.
The third mission is to rediscover the joys of traditional sailing, through nautical events inspired by those of the last century. These races allow today’s sailors to enjoy an authentic experience, using the techniques and methods their predecessors employed in the golden age of yachting.
The fourth mission is to share this passion with the general public, through free access to the quays and the Exhibitors’ Village. Opening up the event in this way ensures that maritime heritage is not reserved for an elite, but accessible to all who wish to discover, learn and marvel at these exceptional vessels.
The fifth mission is to bring owners and crews together ashore for convivial moments in the pure tradition of Monegasque savoir-vivre and its “Art of Living the Sea”, a fundamental concept of the Y.C.M.
This mission recognises that classic yachting is also a matter of community, sharing and perpetuating a certain philosophy of maritime life.
