Did you know that the famous wine cellar of the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo was envisioned by a woman?

The impactful transformation started back in January 1874, when Marie Blanc, the wife of François Blanc, founder of the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, conceived and personally financed from her own fortune the cellar of the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo.

She travelled throughout Europe to observe the best of what was being done and had cellars dug into the Monégasque rock on the model of the Bordeaux wine cellars.

Realising Marie Blanc’s dreams took 18 months for nearly 100 workers. The cellar has become one of the largest cellars in the world. Even Princess Grace loved to receive guests there, and celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary there.