Travel & Leisure

Secret Charter Destinations

Monaco Historic Grand Prix

Some destinations are actually events, like the Monaco Grand Prix. But unless you’re a Grand Prix insider, a celebrity well known in Europe or you have impeccable contacts, it’s tough to get one of the coveted (and expensive) moorings overlooking the track. The fun of having a yacht at the Monaco Grand Prix is being able to Med-moor and watch the cars howl past just off your stern while you sip Krug Clos du Mesnil and nibble Tsar Imperial caviar, so finding yourself stuck out at anchor in mid-harbor is going to be disappointing. Here’s an insider’s tip for the best race-watching ever: Go a week early. The Monaco Historic Grand Prix is held every two years on the weekend before the Formula One Grand Prix and if you go then you will have more fun for several reasons. First, the older cars are more open, so you can actually see the driver in the cockpit wrestling the wheel on the narrow streets. Second, it’s more relaxed so you can get closer to the pits. Most important, it is much easier (and less expensive) to get a prime mooring. If you are of a certain age, the names Connaught, Lotus, Tyrell and Maserati may bring back memories. Since there was a Monaco Grand Prix for sports cars in 1952, there’s also a class for cars like C-type Jags and Talbot Lagos. Tip: If you stay ashore, ask for a harbor view at The Hermitage and you may get a room in which scenes from the classic movie, Grand Prix, were filmed.