Monaco's Christmas illuminations begin going up across town
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
The mairie's events team has started installing festive lighting across the Principality, with decorations already in place near the Saint-Roman flame.
Residents walking along the Saint-Roman seafront will already have noticed the first signs of Christmas: the flame structure there has been fitted with its festive decorations, marking the start of this year's citywide illumination programme. Teams from the mairie's animation department are now working through the rest of the Principality, district by district, ahead of the holiday season.
The installation typically continues through November, with lights switched on in phases rather than all at once, so different areas of Monaco will light up at different times over the coming weeks. For those who live here, it's a familiar seasonal marker, usually arriving just as the days shorten and the harbour begins to empty of summer visitors.
As in previous years, expect the main commercial districts, Place du Casino and the Condamine market area among them, to receive particular attention, with smaller installations extending into residential neighbourhoods. Anyone planning events or deliveries in the coming weeks should factor in occasional lane restrictions as cherry pickers and installation crews work through the town.