Monaco Classic Week put on a spectacular display of sail and motor on the French Riviera this week. A celebration of traditional sailing yachts, vintage motor yachts, vintage motorboats and 12′ dinghies were hosted in the glittering marina as the Yacht Club de Monaco towered over the fleet.

La Belle Classe, instigated in 2005, helps to preserve the Classic yachting heritage and respect for naval etiquette.

Names synonymous with the Classic circuit including Mariska, Belle Aventure, Hallowe’en and Mariette convened in the Principality. Partridge and Kismet from the UK also turned heads. Across four days a veritable feast of William Fife, Charles E Nicholson, Herreshoff, Sparkman & Stephens and more designs were showcased on the Bay of Monaco. Race starts were positioned in front of the Hotel de Paris and Casino before heading west on laps past the Oceanographic museum. A light breeze on the opening day was surpassed by darker clouds and subsequent hail that curtailed the race. Day two saw racing get under way succinctly that produced tight racing particularly in the P-Class. Champagne sailing ensued for the forty-five strong fleet.

Of equal importance was the elegant shoreside ambience and hospitality. President of the Yacht Club de Monaco, H.S.H. Prince Albert II viewed the “Yachting & Cinéma” exhibition linking both the nautical and worlds of film. Cafés, live music, relaxed seating, straw boating hats and red and white striped shirts added to the nautical theme. A vast Welcome party lit up Port Hércule setting the scene for the week with a white dress code. Various restored ‘motherships’ alongside Rivas, Cris Craft, Thorycroft UK and more fanned out in front of the village of exhibitors showcasing nautical craftsmanship, shipyards and artists.

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston chaired the jury that presented ‘La Belle Classe Restoration’ won by SY Italica. A similar jury assessed the etiquette, style and respect for the Art de Vivre la Mer lifestyle at sea and presented this Concours d’Élégance trophy to Classic yacht Anne-Sophie.

The allure of the event is a combination of charm, a bon-vivant ambience and competitive racing on the Côte D’Azur. Nestled in the classic yachting calendar biannually, Monaco Classic Week is unique in inviting not only a fleet of Classic yachts but of Vintage motor yachts, with their classic lines and timeless luxury, represent a pinnacle of premier yachting. In a world of high-octane, foiling, fast-and-furious speeds of carbon racing on the circuit today it was a joy to be captivated by a regatta that harped back to a graceful and stylish Golden Era of yachting.

by Ingrid Abery