The green setting of the quartier de Fontvieille
With a total surface area of four hectares, the Parc Paysager de Fontvieille is one of the green lungs of the Principality of Monaco, alongside the Jardin Exotique, the Jardins Saint-Martin and Sainte-Barbe, and the Jardins du Casino de Monte-Carlo. While part of this area is given over to the Espace Fontvieille Big Top, home to the legendary Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival, the park can be explored from the Heliport to the pretty Place du Campanin. Rows of palms, Mediterranean trees and an aquatic pool add to the pleasure of strolling through this haven of peace, located below Monaco-Ville and close to the Port of Fontvieille.
In the middle of this lush garden stand the majestic roses that have made the Princess Grace Rose Garden famous the world over. Created in 1984, the garden boasts more than 450 varieties of rose, spread over 5,000 m², with areas dedicated to specific types of flowers: Grimaldi Family Roses, prize-winning plants from the International Competition of New Roses of Monaco and tapestry and shrub species all grow together in this must-see spot in the Principality.
A landscaped ideal for families
For a long time, the landscaped park was populated by venerable swans, who made the reputation of the site. Today, the garden's main pond, known as the " Bassin de Fontvieille ", which was renovated in 2020 and features a promenade accessible to people with reduced mobility, is also home to turtles, fish and ducks in clear water. Dragonflies can also be seen here, symbolising the rich biotope that constantly gravitates around the aquatic part of the park.
A play area between the Roseraie and the Chapiteau provides a relaxing moment for children during family visits. There are slides, swings and climbing walls in two areas, one for the under-fives and the other for the over-sixes.
An artisticrs
An aesthete and patron of the arts, Prince Rainier III turned Monaco into an open-air museum. The Rainier III Sculpture Trail, maintained by the Institut du Patrimoine, includes almost 200 sculptures that can be seen in every part of the Principality. The landscaped Parc de Fontvieille is the setting for some twenty works scattered along its paths. The ballerinas at Passo a due, not far from the Princess Grace Rose Garden, sculpted by Sauro Cavallini, remind visitors to the park of Monaco's penchant for the art of choreography. Another sculpture, another theme: the Universal Fountain of Children's Rightsinaugurated in 2000, is the work of Franco Maschio and features a clown surrounded by five children (symbols of the five continents). It's a wonderful way of honouring this major cause and highlighting the fountain's proximity to one of the world's leading circus venues!
And close to the ducks, swans and other animals of the Fontvieille basin, keen observers will be able to contemplate one of the most famous sculptures in the Fontvieille landscape park: La Grande Laveusesculpted by Richard Guino to a design by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. This pretty bronze with an aquatic theme recalls the many bathers painted by the famous French artist, who turned to sculpture towards the end of his life.
Blake Ward, André Masson, Victor Ochoa, Roberto Barni... Some of the biggest names in modern and contemporary sculpture are among the bronzes to be discovered at the Parc Paysager de Fontvieille. All you have to do is activate the geolocation function on your mobile phone and use the interactive map available at https://cheminsculpturesrainier3.mc/carte-interactive/ to discover the works of art dotted around the paths, lawns and ponds...
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