Monaco is bracing for a significant shake-up to traffic, parking and public transport this week, as the Port Hercule area hosts the filming of a major film production from Sunday, August 23, to Friday, August 28, prompting a wide-reaching set of temporary restrictions across the Principality.
Pedestrians will be the first to feel the impact, with Quai Albert 1er closed to foot traffic entirely from midday on Sunday, August 23, through 11:59pm on Friday, August 28.
Vehicle restrictions follow a rolling schedule throughout the week, generally in effect between 5am and 10am each day, though residents will largely be exempt, aside from short, strictly necessary pauses in traffic during filming. On Monday, August 24, closures affect Avenue J.F. Kennedy, Boulevard Louis II, and Route de la Piscine between the Louis Chiron car park and Quai des États-Unis. Tuesday, August 25, brings the most extensive closures of the week, covering Boulevard Albert 1er, Avenue de la Costa, the Costa slip road, Avenue d’Ostende and the Sainte-Dévote roundabout, Passage de la Porte Rouge, a stretch of Boulevard de Suisse, the Rocher-Albert 1er tunnel, Avenue Henry Dunant, part of Avenue Princesse Alice, sections of Rue Suffren Reymond and Rue Louis Notari, and Rue Princesse Antoinette. On that day, vehicles arriving from Quai Antoine 1er will be directed toward the Rocher-Noghès tunnel, those from Boulevard Louis II toward Route de la Piscine, and several one-way streets in the area will see their direction of travel temporarily altered or converted to two-way circulation.
Wednesday, August 26, sees closures along Avenue des Citronniers, part of Avenue Princesse Grace, a stretch of Avenue de la Madone, and Avenue des Spélugues. Thursday, August 27, brings the widest single-day closure list, covering Place du Casino, Avenue d’Ostende, Boulevard Albert 1er, Avenue de Monte-Carlo, Avenue des Spélugues, part of Avenue de la Madone, Avenue des Citronniers, part of Avenue Princesse Grace, Avenue Princesse Alice, Avenue de la Costa and the Costa slip road. On Friday, August 28, closures shift to Avenue des Spélugues, Avenue des Citronniers, Avenue d’Ostende, Avenue J.F. Kennedy, Boulevard Louis II, part of Avenue de la Madone, Avenue Princesse Grace, the Portier roundabout, and the Larvotto and Costa slip roads, with the direction of travel through the Portier roundabout also temporarily reversed from Rue du Portier toward Avenue Princesse Grace. Organisers have cautioned that further changes may still occur depending on the needs of the production.
Parking will also be affected throughout the week. Space directly opposite 4bis Quai Antoine 1er will be unavailable for the full duration, from midday Sunday through to 11:59pm Friday. Further parking suspensions apply on a rolling daily basis, generally between 3am and 11am, affecting Quai des États-Unis, Avenue J.F. Kennedy and Boulevard Louis II on Monday; Boulevard Albert 1er, Rue Princesse Antoinette, Avenue de la Costa, Avenue Henry Dunant, Avenue d’Ostende, Rue Louis Notari, Rue Suffren Reymond, part of Rue Princesse Florestine and Square Beaumarchais on Tuesday; parts of Avenue des Citronniers, Avenue de Grande-Bretagne, Avenue de la Madone and Avenue des Spélugues on Wednesday, with Avenue des Citronniers remaining off-limits continuously from Wednesday morning through to Friday night; and further restrictions across similar streets, along with Avenue de Monte-Carlo, on Thursday and Friday.
Public transport will also see disruption throughout the working week. From the start of service until 10am each day between Monday and Friday, several CAM bus stops will be skipped entirely across Lines 1, 2, 3 and 5, including stops such as Place d’Armes, Stade Nautique, Princesse Antoinette, Kennedy, Portier, Les Spélugues, Citronniers, Place du Casino, Square Beaumarchais, Ostende, Place Sainte-Dévote and Princesse Florestine, depending on the route and direction. Line 6 and Line X3 will not run at all until 10am each day, while Line 4 and Line X1 remain unaffected. Line X2 will terminate early at Monte-Carlo, skipping its Portier stop.
Regional Zou! coach services will also be affected between Monday and Friday, with several stops along Line 600 and Line 80 replaced by alternative pick-up points, including Pont Sainte-Dévote, Crémaillère, Honoré II, the Tourist Office and Place des Moulins, depending on direction of travel. Buses normally starting or ending their route in Monaco will instead depart from the Saint-Roman MC stop for the duration of the disruption.