First held in 1994, Monaco Classic Week took shape from an idea of the Yacht Club de Monaco to mark the first motor-boat meetings of 1904 to celebrate ten years at the helm of Club President Prince Albert II.
Nowhere else do we see together in one harbour the full spectrum of boats of yesteryear, from the small recreational craft to the luxury units: a serene fleet of classic yachts led by the Club’s flagship Tuiga, powerboats whose steam-powered whistles resound around the port in concert with the back-firing of super-charged runabouts, alongside those symbols of a certain art de vivre that yesteryear’s motor-yachts represent.
This is a festival at sea and ashore that stretches all along Quai Antoine 1er. For a whole week, everyone is racing, parading and preparing exquisite meals. One of the big attractions of Monaco Classic Week is that the harbour does not empty with the departure of the classic yachts each day. A jury composed of princesses and artists selects the most elegant crew, not only in what they wear but how they behave in applying the rules of naval etiquette.
Between tradition and the art de vivre la mer lifestyle, this is a week for strolling along the southern quay of Port Hercule to enjoy the ambiance of those early 20th century meetings.