A very small principality

Two square kilometres, and everyone recognises everyone. That reality shapes how I behave here: I arrive separately, I do not linger in lobbies, and I never acknowledge a guest in public unless he has told me he would like me to. Several of the gentlemen I see in Monaco live or work here, and the value of an evening is measured as much by what does not happen as by what does.

Occasions

A gala at the Sporting, dinner in Monte-Carlo before the casino, a race weekend when the city becomes unrecognisable, or simply a quiet evening on a terrace above Port Hercule. My wardrobe covers black tie without notice, and I am at ease in company where several languages cross the table.

Arriving

Monaco is a short drive from Nice, and I travel in for the evening rather than staying nearby. For galas and race weekends, dates fill several weeks ahead; for everything else, two or three days of notice is usually sufficient. Extended and overnight engagements are considered after a first meeting.