Villa Bellevue: the humble beginnings of Monaco’s first casino
© Luigi Crette - Monaco Palace Archives - IAM
Before settling in Monte-Carlo, the casino was originally located in the La Condamine neighbourhood.
Just a stone’s throw from Monaco station, at the end of a little alley in La Condamine, you’ll find Villa Bellevue at 49 rue Grimaldi. The small building, which is now made up of flats, is often overlooked by people in their hurry to explore Monaco. However, it played an important part in an extraordinary story that would make Monaco wealthy: it was the Principality’s first casino. Before Monte Carlo became the symbol of luxury and gambling, it was here that Monaco first placed its bets on a prosperous future.
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A humble but ambitious project
In 1856, in a Monaco that was a far cry from the busy hub we know today, Prince Florestan I, encouraged by Princess Caroline, took the bold decision of authorising the opening of a casino to replenish the Principality’s coffers. At the time, Monaco had just lost a large part of its territory through the secession of Menton and Roquebrune in 1848, plunging the country into economic difficulties.
Inspired by similar moves in Europe, Prince Florestan hoped the gaming establishment would attract visitors and boost the local economy. A location was quickly decided, and it would become the Villa Bellevue (it is said to have also been called the Villa Colombe when it was built in 1852), one of La Condamine’s first buildings. The project was entrusted by Sovereign Order on 26 April 1856 to two Parisian journalists, Albert Aubert and Léon Langlois.
According to the Annales Monegasques, they were to open “a room for gaming, concerts and other entertainment (…) in return for a quarter of the profits and a guaranteed minimum of 25,000 francs.” The contract also stipulated “the construction of hotels and villas, a printing works publishing a newspaper at least weekly, the creation of boat and omnibus services from Monaco to Nice” as well as the development of the port.
Difficult beginnings
Despite initial ambitions, the first casino struggled to make a profit, and the demands were probably too exacting. Situated far from the major transport links of the day, it failed to catch the tourists’ attention. La Condamine, a popular and lively district today, had neither the aura nor the infrastructure to compete with other European destinations.
Just a year later, the journalists sold their shares to Augustin Frossard de Lillebonne, who in turn sold them on a few months later to Pierre-Auguste Daval. Daval decided to move the casino, which was only three years old (1858), to the Hôtel de Russie on the Place du Palais.
Such was its success that the Casino soon became too small and a more substantial building was required. And so, in 1863, the Casino de Monte-Carlo was born, thanks to François Blanc, who took over the reins of the project. The casino was strategically located where it still stands today, offering spectacular panoramic views as well as easier access, particularly with the arrival of the train just below in 1868.
Changing times
Today, Villa Bellevue is a discreet reminder of a little-known past. While the Casino de Monte-Carlo is often in the spotlight, the Principality’s first gaming establishment also deserves its place in history. It was here, in this modest building, that Monaco gambled on its future.