Updated on June 23, 2025
Since January 2, 2025, Jean Thomas has been at the helm of the Monte-Carlo Cigar Club. Tasked with overseeing the transformation of the former offices of François Blanc – the visionary founder of the Société des Bains de Mer – he orchestrated the opening of this exceptional venue, inaugurated on May 28. A knowledgeable cigar enthusiast since the age of 30, this passionate Belgian now leads a team of ten dedicated to hospitality, service, and the art of cigar sommellerie.
A cigar club at the Casino de Monte-Carlo: it is hard to imagine a more beautiful setting!
Jean Thomas: It doesn’t get any better than this! This club on the first floor of the Casino de Monte-Carlo, where the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer company was founded, is nothing short of fantastic! It is a highly prestigious project.
What makes this project different from any other cigar club?
Jean Thomas: As someone who’s familiar with the cigar scene, I can confirm that no other cigar club has ever used such prestigious architects before. The interior was entrusted to Italian humidor specialist DeArt and to the Parisian agency Moinard Bétaille, which has just completed the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo’s wine cellars and, before that, the One Monte-Carlo residences. For me, it’s an extra challenge. This venue already meets the highest international standards and I believe that customers from around the world will want to have access to it. This club is going to be the most beautiful in the world!
How was the layout designed?
Jean Thomas: The cigar club will cover 200 m², with 90 m² devoted to the smoking room, bar and walk-in humidor and 110 m² to the terrace, which is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful in Monaco.
Cigar clubs are often quite dark places. We definitely didn’t want to replicate a cosy London club with its Chesterfields and large rugs. We wanted to incorporate elements that reflected the spirit of the French Riviera and the codes of the Casino de Monte-Carlo. Leather is present, but not in the English style. The period parquet flooring is exceptional and beautifully showcased. The sides of the lockers recall the coloured façades of the houses in Havana in gorgeous shades of red, blue and ochre. There is also an interplay of transparency and mirrors. The handles have been made to measure and everything is just extremely refined.
Can members store their cigars here?
Jean Thomas: Seventy-two individual lockers will be available in addition to the locker that is reserved for the Sovereign Prince. They are stamped with the club’s logo and a plaque can be engraved with the member’s name if they so wish. Each locker is like a safe, with the door alone weighing nine kilos. The ventilation, 72% humidity and temperature of 18 degrees are kept constant within. This is high technology.
What did Dominique London contribute?
Jean Thomas: Dominique London is Europe’s leading luxury cigar specialist. This Group of nearly thirty stores was founded by Belgian-born Dominique Gyselinck and oversees everything to do with cigars.
Will the range of cigars be as exceptional as the venue itself?
Jean Thomas: We will be offering 35,000 cigars spread over 250 product lines, which already makes Monaco’s Cigar Club one of the biggest in the world. 15,000 to 20,000 cigars will be displayed in a dedicated room, arranged in eleven metres of cupboards that extend from the smoking room. The rest will be stored, with a rotation planned to ensure all our products are presented.
Where do all these cigars come from?
Jean Thomas: They are all imported by the Régie des Tabacs et des Allumettes, which has excellent relations with Habanos in Cuba and all French importers. You can’t operate without the Régie, and that’s a very good thing. It is a department of the Monaco Government with access to virtually every cigar in existence, including the most exclusive ones. It manages its stock intelligently and with great skill.
What is the rarest item sold at the Cigar Club?
Jean Thomas: A Davidoff Oro Blanco made from 110-year-old tobacco leaves. To my knowledge, it is the oldest tobacco in existence. Its price tag exceeds 800 euros.
Is smoking in enclosed spaces is still possible?
Jean Thomas: Legislation no longer allows smoking in closed spaces like hotels or restaurants. It is important to note that the Monte-Carlo Cigar Club is not a shop or smoking room that is open to the public, but a strictly private place. Our smoking room is a secluded space accessed via an airlock, which prevents smoke from spreading to other areas. An ultra-sophisticated ventilation system filters the air, allowing smokers to smell their cigars without being bothered by other odours. These are ideal conditions for enjoying the ultimate cigar experience. Members are also allowed to smoke on the terrace.
Tucked away in our Resort are some truly exceptional places that embody Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer’s art of living to perfection. For our privileged guests, the Resort is opening the doors to these exceptional areas, which are usually reserved for a restricted circle of members. The Monte-Carlo Cigar Club located within the Casino de Monte-Carlo represents discreet elegance and is the very essence of refinement.
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