This article takes us back to the past with Monaco Classic Week. And once again it has been proven that nothing is impossible for a miniature principality, even when it comes to turning the clock back. On Saturday, 16 September, during the final stage of the week of classic yachts, the port of Hercule was completely imbued with the spirit of the 1920s. The “Elegance” parade brought together the most incredible sailing boats of the late 19th and early 20th century from all of Europe: Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, France and many others.

Monaco Classic Week

The first part of the parade was marked by dozens of iconic motor yachts, Riva Aquaramas, which circled in the waters of the yacht club of Monaco. The launch of a hundred turquoise balloons into the sky symbolised the fact that the yacht owners paid tribute not only to the organisers of the Classic Week and the “Elegance” parade, but also to the creator of these special yachts, Carlo Riva.

Monaco Classic Week

Next, the bay received the first vintage sailing yacht. With the sounds of the orchestra performing jazz hits, the Dutch “Siren”entered the harbour. Everyone who was on board was moving to the rhythm of music in the spirit of the ‘30s. Dresses shone in the sun and there was an unshakeable feeling that, right in front of your eyes, there was a live scene from a black and white movie. After the “Siren”, there came the even bigger and older ships. French twins in the red and green colours of the late 19th century arrived just on time to the celebration. Furthermore, the embankment began to resemble a museum, where each piece was special.

Monaco Classic Week

Among the guests of the celebration were a famous Spanish aristocrat, a member of the royal family of Spain, a sailor and an Academic Member of the Royal Academy of the Sea, ÁLVARO DE MARICHALAR, who was pleased to share his impressions of the “Elegance” parade in Monaco.

Monaco Classic Week

“I come to the yacht club of Monaco every year as a sailor from 1984 on my little boat. For me, this event is that important procession that preserves the tradition of old sailing, and I think that this is very important. The maintenance of vintage yachts is a big task. It takes a lot of effort and a lot of passion. In addition, it takes plenty of time and lots of monetary resources. Nevertheless, I think that it’s not just about money, but about passion and love for beauty. The materials in these vessels were not designed for a long “existence.” I am pleased that today we see so many well maintained ships on the parade. I am very impressed by the Spanish boat with the name “España” from 1909, which belongs to the King of Spain and the classic Monegasque boat “Twiga”. The elegance contest is very well organised. It is impossible not to enjoy it, as we are surrounded by beautiful people in incredible retro outfits and, of course, stunning sailing boats”.

Monaco Classic Week

Philippe Nourrissat, member of the Yacht Club of Monaco for 30 years, told HelloMonaco about the main goal of the event: “This event was established in 1994. Its main goal is to thank all amateur yacht owners who are trying to preserve the historical traditions of yachting. This parade includes large classic sailing boats, small sailing yachts, as well as motor boats. Today for a special edition of the Classic week we will have boats that are more than 100 years old. Today we will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the 3 large sailing ships “Xarifa”, “Creole” and “Trinakria”, which were designed by renowned designer and architect Charles Nicholson. In addition, this year we wanted to pay tribute to the founder of Riva, Carlo Riva. Today the vibe brings us back to the 1920s, where you can see several jazz groups and themed outfits. The reason is that we wanted to give a kind of historical dimension to the event in the Yacht Club of Monaco”.

Monaco Classic Week

Each of the guests received a unique opportunity to see not only historical vessels, but also rare retro cars, masterpieces of local artists and sculptors who created thematic art objects exclusively for the Monaco Classic Week, as well as enjoy a variety of Mediterranean delicacies.

Monaco Classic Week

To sum up, according to the results of the regatta Monaco Classic Week the winner was the yacht “Trinakria”, the second place went to the “birthday lady” “Creole”, and the last in the top three was the yacht “Morwenna”. It’s clear that Monaco Classic Week was a huge success and fans received a real visual treat of vintage luxury.

Monaco Classic Week