Monaco Classic Week 2025: the sea as a stage of elegance and tradition

Every two years, the bay of Monte-Carlo transforms from a postcard-perfect setting into an open-air theatre like no other. This is Monaco Classic Week – La Belle Classe, the biennial event created by the Yacht Club de Monaco which, since 1994, has celebrated the art of living the sea, blending history, beauty and passion.

From September 10 to 13, 2025, the 17th edition will unfold, offering a true journey into classic yachting. Around fifty “voiliers de tradition” will sail the waters of the Principality: the majestic Créole (1927), the historic Invader (1905), the romantic Zaca (1929), the refined Puritan (1930) and the impressive Elena of London (2009). Among them, Partridge (1885), celebrating its 140th anniversary, and the timeless Tuiga (1909), ambassador of the Yacht Club marking 30 years under Monaco’s flag. Alongside them, legendary motor yachts such as Kalizma (1906), once the floating home of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, or the sumptuous SS Delphine (1921), shine next to dozens of vintage “canots automobiles”, including the iconic Riva Aquarama. Completing the scene, the elegant Dinghy 12’, a former Olympic class.

The charm of Classic Week also unfolds on shore: the exhibitors’ village, open to the public, becomes an open-air salon where painters, sculptors, photographers and master shipwrights showcase their craft. Evenings are refined yet convivial, with dinners and parties turning owners and crews into the protagonists of an exclusive lifestyle, where tradition meets modern elegance.

The program also features prestigious competitions: the Prix La Belle Classe Restauration, chaired by navigator Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, will reward the most meticulous restorations; the Concours d’Élégance, directed by Allegra Gucci, will crown the yacht that best embodies the chic spirit of life at sea; while the Concours des Chefs will see crews competing in the kitchen, blending creativity and fine taste in a convivial ritual.

More than just a return to the golden age of sails and grand voyages, Monaco Classic Week 2025 is a celebration of maritime heritage and the refined art of living by the sea — an unmissable event for anyone who considers the sea not only a place, but a way of life.