Help with Monaco Grand Prix please.......

toozie_2

Hi

This May my OH is celebrating a special birthday. As I supprise I have booked a week in an appartment in Nice, Wednesday to Wednesday with the GP at the weekend. I've also managed to get really cheap Easy Jet flights. So far everything has cost less than £450.

But now my problems start, I didn't realise quite how expensive the tickets were. I know he would just love to be standing near the pits. But I don't know that much about the race (usually go out when they are on!!!)

I need some advice regarding buying 2 tickets as cheap as possible (I know none are CHEAP-but I hope someone understands what I mean!!). The best site, the best place, the best day apart from race day. We are going to go to Monaco on 2 days by train from Nice, would the Friday be better to walk round at no expense, then slash out on the Sunday???

Any advice and help would be really gratefully appreciated.

Thank you

PeteMc

I absolutely love Monaco but as you know it ain't cheap.

GP weekend will hike the prices up even more and with current exchange rates I think you are being very brave!!! It was €14 a pint at the Cafe de Paris a couple of years back in February.

Anyway it costs nothing to take in the atmosphere and stroll amongst the rich and famous (though they look different when you see them in the flesh...shorter, fatter, spottier etc). You'll walk round Monaco in a couple of hours but you can 'import' some French baguettes, cheese, ham, vin etc and picnic up by the Palace if you can grab a bench.

Can't help with the tickets but I walked round all the bits of the finishing area the day after, though I doubt you can do it the day before as they are practising. I was treated to Champagne and Canapes at the Hotel de Paris on the day after by some fairly influential people in the Principality. Thankfully, I didn't have to pay.

Whatever you do, enjoy the place, yes the wealth is obscene but that's the way it is.

toozie_2

Hi, Just wondered if anyone knew anymore about this.

Thanks in anticipation

Incapuppy

You should find quite a lot of info if you read through this forum:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g190405-Monaco.html

barney2201

I have worked the Grand Prix weekend a couple of times on the yachts, never been as a spectator

Monaco is a wonderful place to be for the Grand Prix weekend there really is no place like it, yes prices will be steep but with a bit of careful planning it need not break the bank.

Good advice from previous poster bring your own packed lunch and head to to the hill side below the palace, as far as buying tickets is concerned I am not sure where you will get the best deal. The main race will usually sell out a few weeks in advance, and ticket touts are everywhere. Monaco is very clever in screening the race from view, if you don't have a ticket it is virtually impossible to see anything, espcially round the harbour. I think (could be wrong) the one exception is the hill under the palace, I think you can watch for free from here, however people arrive in the middle of the night to get a place. I am sure other people will give you far more information regarding where's best to buy tickets.

If you really want a treat for you OH I would reccomend hiring a car on the Friday, head down the coast road from Nice towards Monaco, stop off at Cap Ferrat port for a little lunch then drive onto monaco late afternoon once the main crowds have died down. At 5pm after the practise they reopen all the track to normal traffic, your husband can then drive around the full circuit, I have done this many times and as an F1 fan still get a buzz from it. If you are going to do this, do it between 5 and 7 as the traffic builds up again for the evening pose round the harbour, or do it much later in the evening!

Have a great weekend, you will love it!

taba

A couple of years ago we were on a cruise which docked at Villefranche so I brought tickets for my partner and son.

Have a look at www.visitmonaco.com, there is a link to the Automobile Club they were the cheapest site for tickets I brought tickets for Stand A2 this year they are Euros 270!

From looking at the site you can buy tickets for the Thursday for Euros 70, you can choose seats so maybe you could select some near the pits. At least you would experience the atmosphere. We visited one year shortly after and it was difficult crossing roads etc because all the barriers were still up so I would imagine that week the whole place becomes quite inaccessible

As we had visited Monaco before the reason I selected stand A2 was because it is nearest the train station and I did not want them to miss the ship, they left as soon as it ended and were back in Nice (caught the wrong train) by 1700hrs, they then caught a taxi back to the ship so it wasn't a problem.

They still talk about it now saying it was one of the best events they have ever been to so if you can afford tickets even for the practice day on Thursday I would say it is worth it. My initial plan was to pay the Euros 70 for standing tickets but after reading trip advisor decided it was worth the extra money for a seat.

dangers

We went a couple of years ago to the south of France and visited Monaco on the Mon or Tues before the race. All the stands were up and the starting grid marked out (it takes 6 weeks to build). We went round most of the circuit on the land train which was great; my husband then drove round the track later on.

itzmee

We're going to be in Monaco for the free practise session on the Thursday but I'm confused now as some people are saying buy tickets, but why would you buy tickets if it's a free session? We're assuming there are places where you can go and watch for free.

Mands

itzmee wrote: »

We're going to be in Monaco for the free practise session on the Thursday but I'm confused now as some people are saying buy tickets, but why would you buy tickets if it's a free session? We're assuming there are places where you can go and watch for free.

"Free practice" refers to the teams and drivers, not spectators. The free practice sessions are ones where the teams are able to learn the circuit and experiment with the set-up of the cars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_racing

It's very unlikely you would be able to find a spot to watch the race for free. A standing, not grandstand seating, ticket would cost from 40€ for Thursday's session.

Mands