Benjamin Mazati's trip to the Côte d'Azur
Glitz, glamour, Cannes. A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending my days at the Festival Theatre of the legendary Cannes Film Festival, which is currently, at its 75th edition, home to acting greats such as Tom Cruise and Woody Harrelson on the red carpet. Together with two colleagues from Bruckmühl, I took part in a chess tournament with 320 participants from 25 nations on four different continents. Seeded first was one of the world's greatest chess talents, the 17-year-old grandmaster from India: Nihal Sarin. It was a unique opportunity to get into this famous building, as it is not normally open to the public. Despite our accreditation, we had to undergo a professional security check, as you would normally do at an airport, before entering. However, it was worth the effort. We played at the very top of the building, and from the adjoining terrace you have a wonderful view over the harbour of Cannes with all its luxury yachts.
The view from the fortress, the so-called Château de la Castre on the other side of the harbour basin, was similarly stunning. We visited this on one of the days.
And of course the beach, the sea and nice restaurants with good food for the evenings.
All in all, it was a great experience to have seen Cannes and it also went relatively well from a sporting point of view. I played one of the most exciting matches of the tournament, in which all the sacrifices that are possible in chess were played. Pawn sacrifices, two piece sacrifices, a rook sacrifice, several quality sacrifices and even a queen sacrifice! The whole repertoire of the great game of chess in which the position and activity are more important than the nominal value of the pieces.
The gallery was not found!One day we also visited Monaco. Of course, we had to walk the race track. They were very special moments as I had never been to the Principality before. I wanted to take part in the Monaco Kart Cup in 2011, but unfortunately it was cancelled that very year. So I drove the Formula BMW in a shoot-out in Valencia. That was obviously great, but it was always a shame that I was never able to come to Monte-Carlo. Now, more than ten years later, I was finally able to make up for it and close this gap on the world map. The first stop was of course Turn 1, the turn's namesake, the Église de Saint-Dévote. A really beautiful little chapel.
Afterwards, we visited the statue of William Grover, the winner of the very first Monaco Grand Prix, on the opposite side of the road. We then headed up the hill towards the casino, which is much steeper in real life than it appears on television.
Then the casino, but only from the outside, before we made our first pit stop. Breakfast in a small boulangerie near the Mirabeau bend. Afterwards, the legendary hairpin, which probably remains in the memory of anyone who has ever watched the Monaco GP or played it on a PC or console.
We continued towards Portier, although we had to take a short diversions past the Japanese Garden due to the construction of the new Anse du Portier neighbourhood, which is developing a six-hectare area of the Mediterranean. We took a second break there. Enjoying the tranquillity of the garden in an otherwise hectic principality. It felt like being in another world. After that, it was back out into the traffic and the legendary tunnel.
We continued through the harbour chicane, past all the yachts. Here we were also able to observe a mooring manoeuvre by one of the luxury ships.
Afterwards, the swimming pool was curved around, which now served as an ice rink on which a competition took place, towards the legendary Rascasse. From there, however, the route did not go to the last bend and the start finish, but instead turned off opposite the pit entrance and went up the hill to the Prince's Palace. From the top, you not only have a good view of the monarch's residence, but also a fantastic view over large parts of the small state and, of course, the race track.
I continued through small alleyways, past the Chocolaterie de Monaco and the Oceanographic Museum to the Fort Antoine Theatre. Nearby, I discovered a fitness area with a perfect view of the harbour and all the yachts. Of course, I had to do a little workout here before heading back to the Antony Noghes, the last bend of the city circuit.
Once we arrived at the start and finish, we walked across the painted town squares to the start and finish line. There, on the left-hand side in the direction of the Grand Prix, was the Automobile Club of Monaco. Our last stop.
Now we went back to the Saint-Dévote curve, where the entrance to the Principality's underground railway station is located, and took the train back to Cannes. That was one lap and half a day of Monte-Carlo. In the footsteps of the record winner of the Monaco Grand Prix, Ayrton Senna. A fantastic experience after having to wait so long for it.
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