It’s been a cold winter! With snow in the forecast for Monaco this week and warm places like Texas receiving 6 centimetres of snow recently, many Monegasques still remember one fateful day in 1985, when the Principality was hit with a record-breaking 40 cm of snow! Everything from the sandy Larvotto beach to the regal Prince’s Palace took on a whole new look on that frosty day.
The entire Côte d’Azur had woken up 8 January 1985 to a pristine blanket of white. On the Audiovisual Institute of Monaco’s website, viewers can be taken back to that crisp, winter’s day. A super 8 video which has been digitized is playable from their website. The footage was captured by experienced amateur filmmaker, Eric Marangoni in 1985.
The video shows how snow dramatically transformed different districts across Monaco. From the Place de la Crémaillère, he filmed the casino gardens and the bust of Charles III covered in snow, while the hotel staff who had gone out to clear the sidewalks could not resist a snowball fight.
After observing how the white coat blended in with the red and white flags and ornaments of the Principality, the filmmaker concluded his walk on the terraces of the Casino which offered a breathtaking view of the snowy surroundings of the Rocher and the Port d’Hercule.
Some Monegasques donned skis for the day, while other brave souls ventured into the frigid Mediterranean waters for a dip! Many others stayed indoors and watched the snow from their cozy homes.
While 40 cm of snow fell on Monaco, more than 50 cm were recorded in parts of the Alpes-Maritimes. Sub-zero temperatures at the Exotic Gardens meant the tropical plants had to be protected by a canvas coverings. The streets had to be cleared using construction trucks. By the afternoon, life had mostly returned to normal in Monaco.
