New establishments, cabaret evenings, Café de Paris.. Major announcements from the Société des Bains de Mer
The new Café de Paris Monte-Carlo © Monte-Carlo SBM
The group’s CEO, Stéphane Valeri, gave a press conference on Friday morning.
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It was his first public speech since his appointment on 24 January. On Friday 12 May, the new Chairman of the Société des Bains de Mer (SBM), Stéphane Valeri, convened the press at the Monte-Carlo Bay hotel.
He took the opportunity to give an update on the different projects within the group, which was recently restructured with, among other things, the appointment of a Managing Director, Albert Manzone, and a new Secretary General, Virginie Cotta.
“We are not like other luxury groups in the world,” began Stéphane Valeri. “We have a history, a heritage that we need to promote and protect better, to showcase our 150-year history.”
The historical and heritage aspect needs to be developed further in the future, but that’s not all! The group’s CSR policy should also be further improved to meet the highest international standards, for example through improved water conservation and encouragement of local agricultural production.
Monte-Carlo in the mountains?
Among the major announcements made by the CEO was the intention to export SBM’s brands internationally. The idea of expanding the group in the mountains, and more specifically in the Alps, is said to be on the table.
“We need to be where our customers go, so this would be a complementary offering to what we have in Monaco,” says Stéphane Valeri. “It would also be an opportunity to create a new clientele, in a prestigious resort, and then to attract them towards the establishments in Monte Carlo.”
This would also make it possible to retain seasonal workers, by offering them permanent contracts and accommodation to work in the Principality in the summer and in the mountains in the winter.
The CEO also announced that all the positions have been filled for this summer, thanks in particular to the vast recruitment campaigns organised by the Human Resources Department, but also the provision of accommodation for the 250 workers who had come from far away. A new building is due for completion over the next three years in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin to accommodate an additional 100 seasonal workers.
7 new luxury shops at the Café de Paris
Another major SBM project is the Café de Paris, which will reopen this autumn. With the Brasserie and a “bistro” atmosphere on the ground floor, a chic brasserie on the first floor and a “breathtaking” terrace, the Café de Paris is getting ready for its big comeback.
Of course, the SBM Chairman and CEO also mentioned the Amazónico, which, due to the vagaries of the construction work and the very ambitious initial schedule, will not open until April 2024. But Stéphane Valeri promises: the venue will be “incredible and exceptional for the fine weather.”
Latest announcement for the Café de Paris: the opening of seven new luxury shops. The goodwill will finance all of the building work, whose estimated budget is currently 55 million euros. While some of the seven brands wish to remain anonymous for the time being, others have been disclosed.
There will be Tiffany & Co and TAG Heuer (part of the LVMH group, which is a shareholder in the SBM group), as well as Zegg & Cerlati. “There will be very beautiful watches, very beautiful shoes and very beautiful ready-to-wear,” says Stéphane Valeri, adding that the shops will not open until November.
A bigger and better Salle des Etoiles
To mark the 50th anniversary of the Sporting next year, the Salle des Etoiles could be redesigned and extended: “to comply with European safety standards, the Salle des Etoiles, which was originally designed to seat 1,000 people for dinner, has had to reduce capacity by a third, with seating for around 670. If we want to continue to have major events in Monte Carlo, we need to extend the Salle des Etoiles.”
Stéphane Valeri has more ambitions: the Salle des Etoiles will in use more often this summer, especially in August. ” There will still be the big concerts, but there will also be cabaret-type shows every evening ,” said the Chairman. The programme includes shows with a cosy atmosphere for a smaller audience, with music and dinners in a unique ephemeral decor.
This programme is in addition to the open-air cabaret, Le Maona, planned for this summer as well as the Club La Vigie, whose menu will be prepared by the Michelin-starred chef Marcel Ravin.
There will also be a refurbishment for the chef’s 2-Michelin-starred establishment, the Blue Bay. The hotel’s breakfasts will no longer be served in the restaurant, which will be completely renovated, with a decor chosen by the chef himself.