Tips for Monaco '17
Discussion
I know these can get boring, so will try and make this as quick & painless as I can
Gf and I are heading to Monaco F1 this year, part of a France driving holiday
I got 2 x VIP tickets for qualy - decent seat, food, drinks... as I figured Qualy was best value and also most exciting part
Stuck on what to do for the race tho...
-my plan was to head to a nearby bar and have a relaxed drink/lunch whilst watching in on TV, then head down to the track when it's over and opens up for some milling, blagging and soaking it all up
-or, we could get GA tickets but from what I can tell you are squished onto a cramped hill with no view
-If we get Tribunes its 1200 euros minimum, which seems like really poor value for this particular race
I am not really a fan of the race itself, and GF doesn't care - we are going for the 'event' of it (and it's part 2 of the triple crown for me)
Just thought I'd check with people that had been - we could do a lot with that 1200 euros on the rest of our trip, but having never been I can't tell if my idea is secretly just really, really sh**
Gf and I are heading to Monaco F1 this year, part of a France driving holiday
I got 2 x VIP tickets for qualy - decent seat, food, drinks... as I figured Qualy was best value and also most exciting part
Stuck on what to do for the race tho...
-my plan was to head to a nearby bar and have a relaxed drink/lunch whilst watching in on TV, then head down to the track when it's over and opens up for some milling, blagging and soaking it all up
-or, we could get GA tickets but from what I can tell you are squished onto a cramped hill with no view
-If we get Tribunes its 1200 euros minimum, which seems like really poor value for this particular race
I am not really a fan of the race itself, and GF doesn't care - we are going for the 'event' of it (and it's part 2 of the triple crown for me)
Just thought I'd check with people that had been - we could do a lot with that 1200 euros on the rest of our trip, but having never been I can't tell if my idea is secretly just really, really sh**
Long time since I've been now (13yrs now) but you could drive round the circuit on the Thursday back then. May be able to now. Not at full whack of course - very processional. But worth doing.
I bought tickets at the circuit from the official booths a few days before the race. In the stands as it enters the swimming pool complex. Sato's engine blew right in front of where I was. Tickets were nowhere near 1,200Euros. IIRC they were a 2-300 quid. Not cheap but well worth it.
I much preferred Menton to the East than Nice. Stayed there a few days.
I bought tickets at the circuit from the official booths a few days before the race. In the stands as it enters the swimming pool complex. Sato's engine blew right in front of where I was. Tickets were nowhere near 1,200Euros. IIRC they were a 2-300 quid. Not cheap but well worth it.
I much preferred Menton to the East than Nice. Stayed there a few days.
I went a couple of years ago and the race was the least interesting part of the whole weekend, and we had decent seats overlooking the harbour which cost an arm and a leg.
Quali was great. We were sat at Anthony Nogues in an intimate little stand watching the pit entry/start finish straight with a big screen right in front of us.
If you aren't too bothered about having your whole weekend planned out, just take the cash and chance it for the race. We sat outside a cafe on Rue Grimaldi (just down towards turn one from the Boutique ACM) on race morning and there are tone of people (usually attractive girls) knocking about offering a balcony view/apartment with drinks etc for a couple of hundred Euros. It seems like there is always someone out to make a quick buck on race weekend.
Just chance it. That's what I'll be doing next time.
Where are you staying? Trains aren't too bad from Nice, just get a weekend ticket on Thursday or Friday when it's quiet at the station.
Quali was great. We were sat at Anthony Nogues in an intimate little stand watching the pit entry/start finish straight with a big screen right in front of us.
If you aren't too bothered about having your whole weekend planned out, just take the cash and chance it for the race. We sat outside a cafe on Rue Grimaldi (just down towards turn one from the Boutique ACM) on race morning and there are tone of people (usually attractive girls) knocking about offering a balcony view/apartment with drinks etc for a couple of hundred Euros. It seems like there is always someone out to make a quick buck on race weekend.
Just chance it. That's what I'll be doing next time.
Where are you staying? Trains aren't too bad from Nice, just get a weekend ticket on Thursday or Friday when it's quiet at the station.
Edited by Oz83 on Friday 21st April 00:26
Cheers guys - golden stuff
I'm committed to Nice so can't take the recommendation on alternatives, but will get that weekend rail ticket sorted (thanks Oz)
Also thanks for the tips - we have a sweet setup for Quali so as you suggest I think I will take enough cash with me and if the worst is taht we retreat to a bar, then we are both cool with that and my gf's face went white at the standard prices for seats - her exact quote was 'do you know how much wine that will buy?'
I also quite like leaving things a bit flexible, so that sounds like our winner
Really appreciate the help
sam
I'm committed to Nice so can't take the recommendation on alternatives, but will get that weekend rail ticket sorted (thanks Oz)
Also thanks for the tips - we have a sweet setup for Quali so as you suggest I think I will take enough cash with me and if the worst is taht we retreat to a bar, then we are both cool with that and my gf's face went white at the standard prices for seats - her exact quote was 'do you know how much wine that will buy?'
I also quite like leaving things a bit flexible, so that sounds like our winner
Really appreciate the help
sam
I'm also going for the first (and only given the cost!) time this year.
I've got balcony package with GPA, and we're staying in Nice. I've not done any pre-planning/booking - main thing I want to do is walk the circuit and try to soak up the atmosphere.
Any suggestions/thoughts?
Also - I assume any half-decent restaurant in Nice will be booked up now?
I've got balcony package with GPA, and we're staying in Nice. I've not done any pre-planning/booking - main thing I want to do is walk the circuit and try to soak up the atmosphere.
Any suggestions/thoughts?
Also - I assume any half-decent restaurant in Nice will be booked up now?
paua said:
Antibes is Nicer than Nicer than Nice ( sorry!) D
So's Juan Les Pins, but they're both a f
k of a longer distance away from Monaco than Nice!There are lots of restaurants in Nice. I'd recommend strolling in the old town and see what you find there. Some good local restaurants at the back of the town into the less salubrious areas though...
Not sure about the bars nearby - but after the sessions they were busy and unsurprisingly on the expensive side!!
The race is great - you might be able to do a deal when there - some people selling stuff or possibly sit on someones balcony (for about the same price as a tribune ticket!)...
Get there early and don't plan on leaving early - it gets VERY busy trying to get on the train.
We stayed in Nice - it was all that was available to us 3 years ago. Travelling in each day got busier and busier for each day. Sunday is crazy busy. Buy water etc... beforehand - although there are supermarkets (Casino) available, but on race day everything gets busy and it's hard to move around. Eating can be a bit of a pain as there are queues for everything.. and they like to move you along asap to get more bums on seats.
Hopefully I'm not making it sound to dreary - it's a great experience (I've only got Silverstone and Spa in terms of F1 to compare it to).
The race is great - you might be able to do a deal when there - some people selling stuff or possibly sit on someones balcony (for about the same price as a tribune ticket!)...
Get there early and don't plan on leaving early - it gets VERY busy trying to get on the train.
We stayed in Nice - it was all that was available to us 3 years ago. Travelling in each day got busier and busier for each day. Sunday is crazy busy. Buy water etc... beforehand - although there are supermarkets (Casino) available, but on race day everything gets busy and it's hard to move around. Eating can be a bit of a pain as there are queues for everything.. and they like to move you along asap to get more bums on seats.
Hopefully I'm not making it sound to dreary - it's a great experience (I've only got Silverstone and Spa in terms of F1 to compare it to).
Just thought I would stop back in to say thanks again, and report findings.
In short, the idea worked really well - the buzz was great around Qualy and had a sorted position on a rooftop terrace (VIP package); on race day we just wandered into the town literally minutes before the green dropped (missing all the train crush), easily found a few bars to have some drinks and food and watch the race on TV. We did have to wait a while then (till 8pm but I get the sense this time can move around a bit), then partied on the rascasse/swimming pool section till late and easily wandered up to the train back to Nice
One word of advice, a friend we met reported that the post-race trains (like an hour after) were very busy, and although the Monaco police were very good, the sheer weight of numbers would (to me) be worth avoiding by hanging around for an extra 2 hours post race.
Onto the next trip
In short, the idea worked really well - the buzz was great around Qualy and had a sorted position on a rooftop terrace (VIP package); on race day we just wandered into the town literally minutes before the green dropped (missing all the train crush), easily found a few bars to have some drinks and food and watch the race on TV. We did have to wait a while then (till 8pm but I get the sense this time can move around a bit), then partied on the rascasse/swimming pool section till late and easily wandered up to the train back to Nice
One word of advice, a friend we met reported that the post-race trains (like an hour after) were very busy, and although the Monaco police were very good, the sheer weight of numbers would (to me) be worth avoiding by hanging around for an extra 2 hours post race.
Onto the next trip
I missed this thread unfortunately, but i did MC this year just like the OP suggested, ie get good tickets for qually then watch the race in a bar.
we got T (just after piscine, also can see into the pits) for 150ish euro for Sat only.
I'm lucky enough to know someone who lives there so accom not a problem, and his pad is just above the irish bar (mccarthy's) which is about 100 feet from portier - outdoor seating and big screen.
Previous years we've done general entry for the sunday which is only 80 euros (rocher) where you get to sit up on the hillside - good views across the circuit but you're so far away it's not up to much, and you need radio/smartphone feed to be able to understand what's going on, hence why the bar idea isn't such a bad call. grandstand for the sun was c500 euros which is a bit steep - avoiding this means you dont feel so guilty having beers at 7 euro a pint..
we got T (just after piscine, also can see into the pits) for 150ish euro for Sat only.
I'm lucky enough to know someone who lives there so accom not a problem, and his pad is just above the irish bar (mccarthy's) which is about 100 feet from portier - outdoor seating and big screen.
Previous years we've done general entry for the sunday which is only 80 euros (rocher) where you get to sit up on the hillside - good views across the circuit but you're so far away it's not up to much, and you need radio/smartphone feed to be able to understand what's going on, hence why the bar idea isn't such a bad call. grandstand for the sun was c500 euros which is a bit steep - avoiding this means you dont feel so guilty having beers at 7 euro a pint..
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