03 August 2007

A Prince's Dream


Yesterday, we strolled along the battlements and today here is what we see as we look over the wall. This is Fontvieille, which is the area of Monaco reclaimed from the sea. This reclaimed area contains beautiful apartments, the famous circus tent, a football stadium, the Princess Grace Rose Garden and the heliport. Beyond the tall buildings is Cap d'Ail.

The charming harbour is far smaller than the large main port, which is the other side of Le Rocher. Below us, at the foot of The Rock, there remains a cove as a reminder of the port which in former times provided shelter for the fishermen's pointus.

It took dozens of years for the large-scale work to be completed and owes its creation to the visionary spirit of the late Prince Rainier, known as the 'Builder Prince.' You can see other views of Fontvieille HERE. Also, HERE - at this second link - you can see Le Rocher on the left, which is where we are standing today.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

interesting that reclaimed land is used. I assume that means the land was, at one time in history, dry land and melting polar ice caps or some other increase caused water to cover the dry land and that is what has been reclaimed. The reason I mentioned it is that there are places they call the land, "reclaimed" because they took it to build on but it was always covered by the sea. And those kinds of places are like living on the edge of a knife. You might be dry today but tomorrow you could be 20 feet under the sea as the sea reclaimes its own land.

Just wondered.

I just thought it curious.

Jilly said...

Fontvieille was indeed sea, Abraham. It tooks years and years and years reclaim it. Monaco now has a new project to reclaim more acres from the sea, in the area called Larvotto.

I found this written about Fontvieille:

A 222,000sq.m/265,500sq.yd area was laid down and protected from the sea by a dam 30m/98ft deep in order to create the district of Fontvieille. To the west, underneath the rock, on which the old town rises, is the newly laid-out Port de Fontvieille. Behind the harbor the Stade Louis II was opened in 1985, a modern sports stadium with 20,000 roofed seats.

Anonymous said...

Amazing feat to create the Fontvieille area. Thanks for the answer. Also, thanks for stopping at my blog.

Kate said...

This is an amazing photograph of great beauty and great opulence!

Ann (MobayDP) said...

Wow! What a view!

A lot of Montego Bay is also reclaimed land. From what I understand most, if not all, of the downtown area was once completely sea. And Abe has it right. It really is like living on the edge of a knife!

isa said...

"A Prince's Dream"...and mine, also ;-)

Coltrane_lives said...

Hey, I think I see the SS Minnow!

Ming the Merciless said...

I think I may have been on those docks before. Awesome view of the water front.

Cheltenhamdailyphoto said...

Stunning photo - i've always wanted to go there.

Fabrizio Zanelli said...

I love Monaco but totally not Fontvieille because I don't like when nature is too much altered (like Honk Kong airport). They're definitely more appealing in my opinion some old streets of Menton than this exhibition of cement.

Jilly said...

Fabrizio,

Yes, I too prefer older places but there are parts of Fontvieille that are charming, despite it being new - beautiful gardens, for instance - the small garden at the back of the circus tent is beautiful - also the Princess Grace Rose Garden and the port area is lovely to walk around. Fontvieille is also a lot quieter than the rest of Monte Carlo.

However, point taken - it's the feeling of centuries that appeal -therefore Menton and the old Rocher area of Monte Carlo are the real thing.

And Coltrane, you've got sharp eyes!

Fabrizio Zanelli said...

Thank you Jilly about your reply :-)

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