Inauguration of the Monte-Carlo Cigar Club

On Monday, 19 May, the Monte-Carlo Cigar Club was inaugurated by Stéphane Valeri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM), Albert Manzone, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Group, alongside Dominique Gyselinck and Frédéric Deschamps, founder and CEO of Dominique London, partner of this new establishment. The event was held in the presence of H.S.H. Prince Albert II, who unveiled the inaugural plaque of this historic venue. This space once served as the office of François Blanc, who founded Société des Bains de Mer exactly 162 years ago, at the request of Prince Charles III. Around one hundred guests attended the ceremony, including officials from the Principality, renowned figures from the cigar world, Mr. Randolph Leonard Spencer Churchill, the architects and artisans who brought the project to life, and the very first club members, welcomed by Jean Thomas, the club’s Director, ahead of its official opening on 28 May.

“It is often said that the planets align when everything comes together to offer the best. In this project, talent, expertise, and shared passion have generated a truly rare energy to create an exceptional venue — a cigar club destined to become one of the most prestigious in the world”, Stéphane Valeri said when he inaugurated the brand-new Monte-Carlo Cigar Club on 19 May.

The Monte-Carlo Cigar Club is a project that has been nurtured for nearly two years by Albert Manzone, SBM’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, and a true connoisseur of the cigar world. It was developed in partnership with Dominique London, the leading company in the distribution of luxury cigars and spirits, with the valuable support of Christophe Navarre, SBM Board Member and cigar enthusiast, and in close collaboration with Philippe Gatti, Director of Monaco’s Tobacco Authority (Régie des Tabacs). The objective was to expand the art of fine living as embodied by Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer by offering a cigar experience of the highest luxury, in a one-of-a-kind venue dedicated to true aficionados.

Featuring 275 handpicked references from the finest long-filler producers — Cuba, Nicaragua, Honduras, the Dominican Republic — and a total of 35,000 cigars, the Monte-Carlo Cigar Club offers a 100% handcrafted, ultra-premium selection, to be savoured in a sophisticated setting on one of the world’s most iconic squares. Located on the first floor of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, the 200 m² space opens onto the sea and features a large terrace. It was designed by architects Bruno Moinard and Claire Bétaille, under the supervision of SBM’s Department of Building, Design and Construction. Embossed leathers mimicking the texture of a cigar leaf, warm-toned larch wood, marble, and brass: the ultra-refined décor of natural materials and earthy hues invites guests into a timeless experience, where the finest expressions of the cigar world can be enjoyed in peace.