Princess Charlene and twins Jacques and Gabriella open Monaco's Christmas Village

The magic of Christmas has taken over Monaco’s harbour with a Christmas Village called “Pain d’épices et gourmandises” (Gingerbread and delicacies), which will be open to all ages until 5 January. Princess Charlene, Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella explored the enchanted walkways.

The Principality’s Christmas festivities continue! The Christmas Village was inaugurated on Friday 6 December at Port Hercule. Princess Charlene and the twins joined the Mayor of Monaco, Georges Marsan, and members of the Town Council for a blend of fun and tradition.

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The 2024 edition, on te them of “Gingerbread and delicacies,” wraps visitors of all ages up in a warm and delicious world. With 23 food stalls, 24 vendor chalets and a host of attractions (including a Ferris wheel, merry-go-rounds, a fun trail and ball fishing), the village promises to delight visitors throughout the festive season. Families can also enjoy concerts every Friday evening, creative workshops for the children and open-air shows.

In his speech, the Mayor expressed his gratitude to the staff who have worked hard to ensure the popular event runs smoothly, before handing over the stage to La Palladienne, who treated the guests to two dances to Christmas tunes.

An eco-responsible approach throughout the festivities

In keeping with its environmental commitments, Monaco Town Hall has introduced a number of measures this year to reduce the Christmas Village’s ecological impact. The decorations are made from recycled polystyrene, the lighting is provided by LED garlands with timers and all the trees will be collected after the festive season to be turned into compost.

In addition, Mégot Boxes have been installed to collect cigarette butts and shopkeepers are using plastic-free, returnable eco-cups. Visitors can also look forward to a new feature: little boxes to take home unfinished meals, to help reduce food waste.

Photo credits : Prince’s Palace – Eric Mathon and Communication Department– Stéphane Danna.

Practical details:

When: Friday 6 December 2024 to Sunday 5 January 2025
Where: Quai Albert Ier, Monaco harbour
Times: Sunday to Thursday from 11 am to 10.30 pm. Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am to 11 pm.
Exceptions: Tuesday 24 December from 11am to 7.30 pm and Tuesday 31 December from 11am to 2am.
The full schedule of events can be found on the Town Hall website.