It is not only the Principality itself that benefits from the economic boost of the Monaco Grand Prix, but surrounding towns.

Menton, in particular, does very well over the week, with most hotels fully-booked from Wednesday through Sunday. Some hotels devote their rooms to certain teams, like the Hotel Riva, which has accommodated the Porsche team for a week each time over the last 20 years.

Thomas Laurenti of the Riviera Hotels Association said every hotel in Menton is fully-booked from Thursday through Sunday. Many of the clients are Italian or Swiss.

He added that Russian clients have always preferred Monaco or Cannes, so their absence this year has little effect on Menton or Beausoleil, a venue favoured by Brits and Germans.

Last year was a different story as the Grand Prix took place under strict coronavirus regulations and local hotels were only partly-occupied.

One abiding problem for hotels is the lack of staff, from receptionists to cleaners. During the pandemic many workers left the sector and it takes some time to turn this around, hospitality professionals say.

PHOTO: Helpful ladies at the Menton Tourism Office