About Monaco & Cap d'Ail

Monaco and Cap d’Ail have grown and intertwined to a point that it is hard to see where one ends and the other begins; however, they are in fact in two separate countries!​

Situated in France at the border with the Principality of Monaco, Cap d’Ail enjoys the privilege of being idyllically positioned between the sea and the mountains – distinctively overlooked by the Tête de Chien Mountains to the north, and at its feet, the Mediterranean Sea. Access to this marina by road is via Monaco.

Cap d’Ail Harbour covers an area of 47,000m² and provides 253 berths. There is a chandlery, and Caterpillar agent within the complex, as well as a de-luxe hotel, bars, restaurants, hairdresser / beauty salon and Monaco Heliport is just a short walk away. Regattas and sea festivals are organised during the holiday season, attracting many visitors.​

Minutes away, and seemingly meshed with Cap d’Ail, Monaco is set between the sparkling Mediterranean Sea and the majestic Alps, rising from the natural splendour as a tribute to man’s ingenuity. With more than 300 days of sunshine a year and temperatures rarely dropping below ten degrees celsius, it’s not surprising that 80% of its 38,000 residents are ‘foreigners’, who have come to Monaco for sun, fun, and tax breaks.​

It is difficult to believe now that in the middle of the nineteenth century, Monaco was the poorest state in Europe. Nothing useful could be grown on its rocky soil and it barely existed by selling salt and Custom rights to France. In 1856, in an effort to boost economic growth, Prince Charles III of Monaco established a sea-bathing facility for the treatment of various illnesses and built a casino in Monaco. Within three years of setting it up, the casino had earned enough money to ensure its peoples’ loyalty by abolishing direct taxation and military service!​

The Principality of Monaco presently covers just over 2 square kilometres, having gained impressive amounts of surface area by building onto the sea, bound by the French Riviera to the west and the Italian Riviera to the east. It is composed of 4 quartiers (quarters): Monaco-Ville, the capital (an ancient fortified town located on a rocky promontory extending into the Mediterranean); La Condamine (the section along the port); Monte Carlo (the principal residential and resort area); and Fontvieille (a port and park reclaimed from the sea). As the second smallest independent state in the world, (after the Vatican) Monaco is almost entirely urban, and remains the world's most densely populated country.​

An independent, hereditary principality, the Grimaldi family celebrated 700 years on the throne of Monaco in 1997; the most famous of her rulers, Prince Rainier III, took the throne in 1949. He became an international sensation when he married actress Grace Kelly.. Since 2005, it is his son, Prince Albert II, who has taken over the throne, following in his father’s footsteps with a celebrity marriage. His active commitment to the environment has made him a popular and well-respected Prince, and the people of Monaco are loyal to and proud of their Royal Family.​

There are two ports… the main one is Port Hercule, in the heart of Monaco, whilst Port de Fontvieille is situated immediately under, and west of ‘the rock’.​New for late 2019/20, will be the new marina Cala Del Forte in Ventimiglia, owned and managed by Monaco Ports. Only 8 nautical miles from Monaco, along the coast into Italy, this new build marina is well underway, and will offer much needed alternative superyacht berthing for yachts up to 70m LOA, with excellent security and services, as well as shops and a promenade.