Visiting the Principality of Monaco at Avenue-Princesse-Grace: Remembering a Princess Who Lived 1929-1982
Remembering Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco
When entering Monaco by the coastal road westward from France from the direction of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, the visitor to the Principality is immediately reminded of the late Princess Grace of Monaco (1929-1982) — nee Grace Patricia Kelly — in the name of the herbaceous road which runs to the eastern limits of the small European state beside the Mediterranean: Avenue-Princesse-Grace.
Princess Grace was Consort from 1956 until 1982 to reigning Prince Rainier III of Monaco (1923-2005), who reigned from 1949 to 2005. Her untimely passing at a Monaco hospital followed an automobile accident in nearby France in 1982 (1). Renowned for numerous charitable activities, Princess Grace was mother to current ruling Prince of Monaco, HSH Prince Albert II (1958-). Prince Albert's Consort Charlene Wittstock (1978-) is today styled Princess of Monaco.
In addition to Avenue-Princesse-Grace, she is remembered in the name of many other establishments and features of the Principality. These include the Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco Town and the Princess Grace Rose Garden in the Monégasque suburb of Fontvielle.
Avenue-Princesse-Grace itself runs in a south-westerly direction close to the Mediterranean shore from the suburbs of Saint-Roman and Larvotto to part of Monte-Carlo, where Boulevard-Louis-II (named for Monaco's reigning monarch from 1922 until 1949) and subsequently Avenue-du-Président-Kennedy are the names given to the roadways close to the shore.
In the photo, supplied above, road signs showing the name of the Principality in both their French and Monégasque (2) spellings may be clearly seen.
It is hard to think that at her untimely passing in 1982, after having been so long in the public eye as Princess of Monaco and previously as a famous screen actress, Princess Grace was aged only 52.
January 28, 2019
Notes
(1) Princess Grace's gravesite in Monaco Cathedral of St. Nicholas is much visited.
(2) With a thriving literature, the Monégasque language would be described as closer to Italian than French. Interestingly, Monaco's Princes came from Genoa in the 13th century and in the 19th century the Principality was a protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia, then a regional power in southern Europe.
Also worth seeing
Monaco's cultural attractions are too plentiful to summerize adequately; however, also at Fontvieille, like the Princess Grace Rose Garden, are the Naval Museum (Musée Naval de Monaco) and the stamp and coin museum. The Napoleon Museum, in a wing of the Prince's Palace, and the Oceanographic Museum (Musée Océanographique) are located in Monaco Town .
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How to get there: Delta Airlines flies direct from New York to Nice, France (Aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur), where car rental is available. Bus links also exist from Nice airport to Monaco. The French railroad company SNCF maintains services to Monaco from Downtown Nice. For North Americans making the London, England area their touring base, airlines flying to Nice include easyJet, from London Luton Airport. Please be aware that some facilities may be withdrawn, without notice. Please check with the airline or your travel agent for up to date information.
MJFenn is an independent travel writer based in Ontario, Canada.
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