Charter a Private Jet to the Monte Carlo Rally

How would you like to see a car race that is rich in history in the place with the largest number of millionaires per capita in the world?

If that sounds delightful, Paramount Business Jets can arrange a flight that will whisk you in style to the Monte Carlo Rally. It is held every January in Monaco where one in three residents are millionaires and most of the rest of the population works for them.

When the race began in 1911 – at the behest of Prince Albert I – competitors would set off from different corners of Europe and rally to Monaco, the city-state on the French Rivera so tiny it would fit inside New York City’s Central Park.

Prince Albert I came up with the idea for the race to draw visitors to Monte Carlo, the gambling center and the largest of Monaco’s four quarters. At the time, most tourists went to the nearby French resort town of Nice. The prince also saw the race as a way to test automobile technology under harsh weather conditions and show the improvements and innovations being made to the cars.

We Can Get You There

If you want to hang with the wealthy in one of the most beautiful places in the world, Paramount Business Jets can arrange a flight for you into one of the nearby airports, including:

• Heliport Monaco, LNMC, Monaco, Monaco (1 miles)
• Cote D Azur Airport, LFMN, NCE, Nice, France (12 miles)
• Mandelieu Airport, LFMD, CEQ, Cannes, France (28 miles)
• Albenga Airport, LIMG, ALL, Albenga, Italy (41 miles)
• Levaldigi Airport, LIMZ, CUF, Cuneo, Italy (57 miles)
• Le Cannet Airport, LFMC, Le Luc, France (58 miles)
• La Mole Airport, LFTZ, La Mole (St Tropez), France (60 miles)
• Pierrefeu Airport, LFTF, Cahors, France (74 miles)
• Le Palyvestre Airport, LFTH, TLN, Hyeres (Toulon), France (78 miles)
• Genova Sestri Airport, LIMJ, GOA, Genoa (Genova), Italy (84 miles)

Why the Monte Carlo Rally is One of the Most Loved Races in the World

The Maritime Alps mountain range makes for unpredictable weather conditions in Monaco where the average high in January is 54 degrees and the average low is 46. Competitors must choose the right tires to grip on snowy and icy roadways as well as dry asphalt.

The mountain pass of Col de Turini is a favorite spot for watching the race. It is where competitors cross the mountain summit going into the final leg. Getting there requires drivers to maneuver a series of 34 hairpin turns up the side of the mountains along one of the world’s most scenic drives. It’s one of the most dangerous stages in the rally.

During the first race, officially called the Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo, in 1911, 23 drivers set off from 11 different cities, all converging some 600 miles later on the finish line in Monte Carlo.

Winners were judged not only on the time it took to get to the finish line but also on subjective things such as the condition of the car when it got there, its elegance and passenger comfort.

Today, the 870-mile race starts and ends in Monte Carlo. There were 119 cars in 2015’s rally.

Things to do in and around Monte Carlo and Monaco while attending the Rally

There is a lot to see before you leave Monaco, the independent city-state that, at 1.25 sq. mi., is the smallest in Europe, not counting the Vatican. It lies on the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded on its other three sides by France. Although best known for its casinos, there are also yacht-filled harbors and luxury car-filled streets to see and top-of-the-line boutiques and restaurants to check out.

Other points of interest include:

• The cathedral where Princess Grace is buried in the Old Town area.
• The incredibly ornate Opera House.
• The Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium, which is perched high atop a cliff and is famous for its former director, explorer Jacques Cousteau. In the basement is an enormous tank where they are trying to grow a coral reef. On the roof is an incredible view.
• The five casinos in Monaco, including the famous Casino de Monte-Carlo. See them for their opulent décor even if you don’t gamble.
• Popular beaches including Larvotto Beach, which is a free public beach, with pebbles instead of sand, just a short walk from Monte-Carlo. Don’t be afraid of the undertow because the tides aren’t strong but do be prepared for topless sunbathers and very large crowds.
• Just to say you did it and maybe to impress your friends, you can visit three countries in one afternoon. Monaco is walking distance to France and biking distance to Italy.

By the way, Monte Carlo was a favorite of both James Bond – “Bond, James Bond” – and Alfred Hitchcock. The Casino de Monte-Carlo was featured in the Bond films, “Never Say Never Again” and “GoldenEye.” And, in Hitchcock’s 1954 classic, “To Catch a Thief,” Grace Kelly, the future Princess Grace of Monaco, zooms dangerously around the steep winding roads of Monaco before stopping for a kiss with her co-star and passenger, Cary Grant.

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