Updated on June 18, 2025
Today, as the morning sun shines down on the sea, the gentle breeze blowing from the Larvotto is guiding us towards a district unlike any other. Mareterra – Monaco’s most recent and most ambitious eco-district – spans six hectares of land reclaimed from the sea. Here, the city advances towards the horizon in a subtle display of transparencies and perspectives: structured, yet never overpowering. Parasol pines cast their majestic shade across open squares, while water, ever-present, appears in every vista like a thread linking nature and architecture. Join us for a stroll through this new Monegasque gem, designed specifically to create a haven of nature and modernity.
Contents:
- Calder: where art meets architecture
- The murmur of water and vegetation within a Provençal garden
- A feat of engineering for the good of the living world
- Promenade Prince Jacques: concrete as art
- Lights beneath stone and silence surrounded by quartz: two secrets of Mareterra
- A “ship” named Renzo
- A lively neighbourhood open to all
- An example for the world
Calder: where art meets architecture
It all starts on Place Princesse Gabriella. Before us, a mobile sculpture catches the morning light. Its red, yellow and black blades dance gently in the sea breeze. “That’s the Calder,” explains Guy-Thomas Levy-Soussan, Managing Director of SAM L’Anse du Portier. “Acquired by the House of Grimaldi in the 1960s and installed in front of the Centenary Hall, the installation was later dismantled, subsequently spending many years separated from a setting worthy of its status. Disappointed by this state of affairs, and thanks to the invaluable help of the Calder Foundation and Renzo Piano’s teams, we have put it back here, in the open air, in its rightful place”. The work, called Quatre lances (Four Spears), now enjoys pride of place in the square, surrounded by Mediterranean pines. It gives Mareterra a breath of artistic, poetic life. “It’s an open-air museum with no barriers.” Here, the view of the Renzo, as if poised to set sail, is striking.
The murmur of water and vegetation within a Provençal garden
As we descend towards the sea, a quiet trickle draws our attention. It flows alongside dry-stone walls, winding between cypress trees. “It’s a small waterway inspired by Provençal gardens,” explains Guy-Thomas Levy-Soussan. Here, the stone comes from La Turbie; the trees from Tuscany. More than 1,000 specimens were carefully selected and reared for five years at a seaside location near Florence. “The idea was that the trees had already experienced life: we didn’t want them to be “babies” when first planted. And you can tell. The neighbourhood looks like it’s always been here. The lush vegetation gives the impression that the district has always existed.
A feat of engineering for the good of the living world
In Mareterra, nothing sands on solid ground. The entire district is built atop 18 giant reinforced concrete caissons, designed to hug the seabed using marine backfill. Cast in Marseille and moved to Monaco, the caissons were positioned with centimetre-level precision, creating a stable platform capable of supporting buildings, roads and public spaces. “It was the project’s biggest challenge. We delivered six months ahead of schedule, without going over budget. That’s unprecedented.”
“We moved a 400 m² Posidonia seagrass meadow, which was a world first. And it blossomed again.” At Maraterra, on land as at sea, nature is no mere backdrop: it is an active part of the project.
The caissons themselves have been manually roughened to welcome fish and algae. Marine corridors have been created. A marina certified with the “Clean Port” label completes this commitment.
Promenade Prince Jacques: Monaco’s longest pedestrian walkway
The path leads to a wide pedestrian thoroughfare: the Promenade Prince Jacques. Here, the vegetation gives way to a clear, taut, almost mineral line. Walking on the caissons themselves is like floating above the huge blue expanse of the Mediterranean. Runners, families and walkers pass by, carried along by the breathtaking perspective opened up by the curve of the concrete.
“What’s amazing is that we’ve saved two kilometres of coastline,” says our guide for the day, Guy-Thomas Levy-Soussan. It’s hard not to marvel at the fluid lines and the reflections of the sun on the façades. Everything here has been designed with pedestrians in mind: no cars, no noise. Just a kilometre-long loop, dotted with benches, sculptures and fountains.
Big names from art and architecture
Valode & Pistre Architectes, Renzo Piano Building Workshop and Michel Desvignes all played their part in developing this innovative, resolutely forward-looking district.
Lights beneath stone and silence surrounded by quartz: two secrets of Mareterra
On the promenade, an arched passageway opens onto a semi-submerged area. This is the Blue Grotto. “We wanted to show off the structure. These caissons are “chambers” designed to absorb the sea swell. But we felt it was a shame to hide them. So we left an open space. When the sun beats down, the water turns blue. It’s magical.”
A little higher up, in peace and quiet, is a very special space: the meditation room. Created by Vietnamese artist Tia-Thủy Nguyễn, it encourages contemplation. “The sovereign wanted it to be a multi-faith space. So we chose to offer a space for contemplation, without specific connotations. A room sculpted in quartz, bathed in natural light.” Sculpted in white, pink and mauve quartz, bathed in natural light that reflects atmospherically off the walls, the room exudes a feeling of eternity.
A “ship” named Renzo
The Renzo, glimpsed from afar at the start of our visit, is now very close by. This time, we are at its feet. The structure, designed by Renzo Piano, rises in crisp curves that open toward the sea. Once again, architecture engages in dialogue with its surroundings. The concrete, the transparency, the volumes... everything seems to breathe. “Renzo Piano agreed to let the building bear his name, which is unprecedented,” says Guy-Thomas Levy-Soussan. The Italian architect even fine-tuned certain details right up to the last minute, giving the place a rare harmony between architecture and landscape.
Mareterra in figures
6 hectares reclaimed from the sea
3% more surface area for the Principality
80% natural resources for heating and cooling
12 shops
5,000 m² of solar panels
200 electric vehicle charging stations
A vibrant district open to all
Mareterra also includes villas, flats and townhouses. But almost half of the area is public: promenades, pine groves, parks. “It’s a bet that’s paid off,” our guide says softly. “The Prince wanted the area to attract new residents, while at the same time remaining accessible to Monegasques.”
The Grimaldi Forum has gained 10,000 m² of exhibition space, the port is waiting for a dozen shops to add to the soul of the district, and underground car parks will round out the infrastructure. “Everything is above sea level, except for one retention basin. We wanted to avoid infiltration. That, too, is forward thinking.”
Spotlight on Marlow
Welcome to Marlow, an oh-so-British restaurant in the heart of Mareterra. What makes it so charming? Its reimagined Anglo-Saxon menu, of course, its sea-view terrace, of course, and its irresistible atmosphere, obviously... But also – and most importantly – it’s the story told by the restaurant: a flirtatious mixture of cheek and chic, courtesy of Lady Marlow!
An example for the world
Mareterra is an open-air laboratory. The techniques developed here – posidonia transplantation, multi-purpose caissons, energy from seawater – are already inspiring other countries. “A delegation from Tahiti came to see us. They have the same issues,” continues Guy-Thomas Levy-Soussan.
By 2050, the sea could rise by a metre. Mareterra is ready. It shows the way forward. “It’s our way of telling the world that it’s possible. That you can build on the sea without betraying it.”
Other walks... other districts
Want to find out more? Take a stroll through Monaco's other iconic districts, with their history, architecture and art of living. Monaco City, La Condamine, Le Larvotto... always in the company of personalities who share their unique perspective on the Principality.
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