Place des Moulins revamp: lift scrapped, owner talks begin
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
National councillors pressed the government on the Place des Moulins project, where the public lift has been dropped and talks with property owners are starting.
National councillors used a recent session to question the government on progress with the long-discussed restructuring of Place des Moulins, one of the more awkward pedestrian pinch-points linking the Larvotto area with the rest of the Principality. The public lift that had featured in earlier versions of the scheme has now been dropped from the plans, a decision that will disappoint residents who had hoped for an easier route up from the seafront towards Boulevard des Moulins and the surrounding streets.
With that element shelved, attention turns to negotiations with the owners of the buildings bordering the square, whose cooperation is needed before any reconfiguration can move from paper to pavement. Officials confirmed that discussions with these owners are only just beginning, meaning residents should not expect visible works any time soon.
What has not been resolved is the wider question of connectivity. Place des Moulins sits at a junction of several districts, and councillors pushed the government on how the redesign will actually improve movement between them rather than simply reshaping the square itself. For anyone living or owning property in the area, the practical impact of the project, easier or harder access on foot, remains the open question the government has yet to answer in detail.