The Principality of Monaco has a wide choice of athletic activities fitting every taste and budget.
Majority of expats prefer to work out at the hotels’ gyms. They go there with their personal coaches, sweat it out at the treadmill every day, or circle around in the swimming pool. For the stay-at-home moms and wives this is part of their everyday self-care routine. The long-term residents and locals prefer the fitness center in Larvotto, though the facility does not have a swimming pool, or go to the Stade Louis II in Fontvieille, where one can choose out of a bunch of special sport classes for both kids and adults. This is the most affordable option moneywise. Below is our review of the most popular places, and as usual we will be happy to read your comments & comments.
The most prestigious (and expensive) of all the clubs is the Theremes Marins Monte-Carlo, though strictly speaking, this is not a club but rather a spa center with certain elements of a sport program. The Thermes provide services to the customers of two hotels – the Hotel de Paris and the Hermitage, as well as those who are willing to buy the annual membership (which costs around 3 000 euro). The swimming pool with salt water is at your disposal, and a small gym with exercise equipment, group aquatics classes, and saunas. One can get a daily pass and see whether you are willing to invest into the annual membership.
The Thermes are known in Monaco as the favorite place of the ‘on the older side’ who like to nap here at the loungers, and the kids are not allowed to have loud games at water here.
The staff is very upscale, and the receptionists speak multi-languages and will be happy to assist you, though you should keep an eye on your belongings and not leave your bags and jewelry at the loungers without having someone to look after them.
Address: 2, avenue de Monte-Carlo – Across Hermes store, down the escalator
Phone: +377 98 06 68 68
Web-site: https://www.thermesmarinsmontecarlo.com/
Fairmont hotel fitness center is a popular choice for many of the active expats. They praise the excellent atmosphere, variety of exercise equipment, abundant gym size, clean and comfortable changing rooms, and unlimited number towels. What else matters is that the hotel’s policy permits working out under the supervision of the private coach, which is what many customers like. Besides, the membership holder has access to the open swimming pool on the terrace, and the discounts to all bars and restaurants of the hotel. One of the flaws is that in rush hour the changing rooms may get overcrowded. You will have to pay somewhere in the area between 2,500.00 and 3,000.00 for the pleasure of exercising. The fitness centers of other hotels (Le Meridien, the Monte-Carlo Bay), according to the reviews of an experienced coach, are small and have a limited choice of exercise equipment, and so people buy membership there for the mere purpose of swimming in the pool.
A tip: find a second person, and buy the membership as a couple.
Address: 12, Avenue des Spélugues, 98000, Monaco
Phone: + 377 93 50 65 00
Web-site: https://www.fairmont.com/monte-carlo/
The fitness club named Larvotto Gym is located in the vicinity of the Larvotto beach across the beach volleyball field. This is probably the most popular and affordable club where both Monegasques and the residents go. Here they have a wide choice of exercise equipment and daily group classes. You can buy one-time daily visits for 40 euro, and the annual membership for 1,100.00 euro. There is no swimming pool in the club.
Address: plage du Larvotto, 98000, Monaco
Phone: + 377 97 98 15 93
Web-site: https://www.larvottogymcenter.com/
Overall, the government in Monaco pays much attention to sports, so the municipal classes are available for both adults and kids, and are well funded. The Board of Directors of the Sport Association of Monaco – Association Sportive de Monaco, is located at the Stadium Louis II – Stade Louis II in Fontvieille. Here such Association classes as karate and taekwondo, athletics, basketball, ping-pong, boxing, triathlon, swimming, synchronous swimming, rugby, volleyball, bobsleigh (indeed ☺), and others are located. You can see the full list at: https://www.asm.asso.mc/
Signing up for the classes is in the fall. Do not miss this moment because the most popular sport groups get full soon. For a symbolic sum of, for instance, 70 euro per year for athletics, or 170 euro for aikido for adults (cheaper for kids), you will also improve your French: as a rule, the coaches do not speak English.
What’s your favorite place for training in Monaco?
