Monaco is bracing for weeks of high-speed glamour — and gridlock — as it prepares to host the 8th and 9th Monaco E-Prix on Saturday, May 3 and Sunday, May 4, and the 82nd Formula 1 TAG Heuer Grand Prix from Thursday, May 22 to Sunday, May 25. As ever, the motorsport action comes with a sweeping overhaul of the city’s streets, with extensive road closures, strict parking bans, pedestrian restrictions, and public transport reroutes.
Vehicle access will be heavily curtailed during both race weekends, with key thoroughfares like Quai des États-Unis, Route de la Piscine, Appontement Jules Soccal, and Darse Sud completely closed to traffic. On Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 May, further bans will hit high-traffic areas including Boulevard Albert Ier, Avenue de Monte-Carlo, Boulevard Louis II, and Place du Casino, among many others. Only emergency vehicles and those with accreditation will be granted passage while the circuit is active.
To accommodate the displaced traffic flow, temporary changes will be made to the direction of certain streets. Roads such as Rue Princesse Florestine, Rue de Millo, Avenue du Port, and Rue Saige will have their one-way systems reversed, while Rue Grimaldi will briefly function as a two-way street to absorb the redirected traffic.
Parking will be virtually non-existent in and around the circuit for the duration of the events. Dozens of streets will have parking bans in effect from Wednesday, April 30 through to Sunday, May 25, including key locations like Rue Princesse Antoinette, Avenue de la Madone, Rue Suffren Reymond, Avenue des Citronniers, Boulevard Charles III, and the area surrounding Place du Casino. Temporary signage and enforcement officers will be on high alert, so motorists are advised not to risk it.
Pedestrian access will also be restricted in key areas during racing hours. Those without valid tickets or passes will be turned away from zones such as Quai des États-Unis, Quai Albert Ier, Avenue de la Costa, and other areas within the immediate racing perimeter. Even stairways like the Escalier Sainte-Dévote will be off-limits.
Public buses run by the Compagnie des Autobus de Monaco will operate on altered routes for the duration of both events. Details for the May E-Prix weekend are already available on the CAM website, while updates for the Formula 1 Grand Prix will be published closer to the date.
Electric vehicle owners aren’t spared either. Monaco ON charging points in locations such as Avenue de la Madone, Rue Grimaldi, Quai des États-Unis, and Avenue des Ligures will be deactivated during select dates from the end of April until the end of May, depending on location.
Drivers, pedestrians and commuters alike are strongly encouraged to plan ahead and consult real-time navigation apps such as Waze for live updates. If in doubt, the safest bet may be to leave the car at home and embrace Monaco’s most iconic month on foot.
