The Prince's Government is extending the Darse Sud at Port Hercule with a platform of about 2,500 m² facing the Rascasse, built from November 2026 to April 2027 for the 2027 Monaco Grand Prix.
The photograph travelled widely this autumn: machinery on the water at the foot of the Rock, where boat owners used to keep their vessels moored all year round. Announced on 21 October 2026, the works reclaim space from the sea for a race that lasts a single weekend.
For an owner or a buyer, the real question lies elsewhere: what does this public investment say about the value of the harbourfront? Our answer is that, by securing the Grand Prix, the Principality protects what sets the harbour buildings apart from every other sea-view apartment.
Key Takeaways: Darse Sud extension
Six months of works for an event secured until 2035. What it changes for the harbour, its buildings and its boat owners.
- On 21 October 2026, the Prince's Government announced the extension of the Darse Sud, the southern section of the Port Hercule quays, facing the Rascasse.
- The platform will cover about 2,500 m², as a concrete slab on piles, built from November 2026 to April 2027.
- It will house an electrical substation that replaces the 15 generators brought in every year for the motor races.
- Around a hundred boat owners on annual contracts are being relocated during the works, and about thirty will then be offered a new berth within the Ports of Monaco.
- The Monaco Grand Prix is secured on the Formula 1 calendar until 2035 and will host its first sprint race from 4 to 6 June 2027.
- On our observations in the field, a large apartment overlooking the circuit can let for up to €100,000 for the four days of the event.
- An apartment on the harbour carries no right to a boat berth: moorings are managed by the Société d'Exploitation des Ports de Monaco.
What does the Darse Sud extension involve?
The Darse Sud, a sheltered basin (darse, from the Italian darsena) in the southern corner of Port Hercule, is gaining an esplanade of about 2,500 m² set over the water, opposite the Rascasse bend. The Prince's Government has opted for a concrete slab on piles. According to the government, this method allows a six-month build, from November 2026 to April 2027.
The works have been organised to limit disruption on land. Most of the construction is carried out from the sea, and road deliveries go through a restricted logistics area at the quayside. The Prince's Government says the aim is to spare local residents and the events held in the area. The platform will serve the Grand Prix, but also other harbour events.
The project has a less visible side. It will include an electrical substation, intended to replace the 15 generators installed every year during the motor races. The race's carbon footprint improves as a result. Why, then, would the state commit to such works for one weekend a year?
Why is Monaco investing in Grand Prix space?
Monaco is investing because the Grand Prix is guaranteed for a decade and the event is short of room. On 5 September 2025, Formula 1 and the Automobile Club de Monaco extended their agreement until 2035 inclusive. The 2027 calendar adds a first: a sprint race, from 4 to 6 June. Our Grand Prix guide for spectators remains useful for planning this three-day weekend.
The need for space shows in recent works. In spring 2026, the demolition of the former International School of Monaco building freed up the Quai Antoine Ier for additional paddocks. That move, which we followed by listing the buildings close to the new International School of Monaco, therefore benefited the circuit.
The Darse Sud completes this arrangement. The Prince's Government says it wants to meet Formula 1's requirements so as to keep the race in the Principality for the long term. The previous edition, won in June 2026 by Kimi Antonelli on the same layout, was a reminder of the global audience the Principality intends to keep. The table below traces the stages of this strategy.
From the 2035 contract to the Darse Sud platform
Source: Prince's Government, Automobile Club de Monaco and Formula 1, announcements from September 2025 to October 2026.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 5 September 2025 | Formula 1 and the Automobile Club de Monaco extend the Grand Prix until 2035 inclusive. |
| Spring 2026 | Demolition of the former International School of Monaco building on the Quai Antoine Ier, freeing space for additional paddocks. |
| September 2026 | 2027 calendar: Monaco Grand Prix from 4 to 6 June, with a first sprint race. |
| 21 October 2026 | The Prince's Government announces the extension of the Darse Sud. |
| November 2026 to April 2027 | Construction of the platform on piles, mainly from the sea. |
| 4 to 6 June 2027 | Target: platform in service for the Grand Prix. |
Proprietary analysisTable by Petrini Exclusive Real Estate Monaco. Dates taken from official announcements; delivery in 2027 is a stated target.The timeline shows a tight sequence: just over fourteen months separate the contract extension from the start of works. For harbour owners, the signal is clear. The state treats the Grand Prix as permanent infrastructure, and it is reshaping the harbour accordingly. The question is which buildings stand to benefit.
Which harbour buildings have a front-row view of the Grand Prix?
Around ten buildings line the track around Port Hercule, from the boulevard Albert Ier to the Quai Antoine Ier. We describe them in detail, with their surroundings and shops, in our guide to the Port Hercule district and in our building profiles. The following table sets out where each stands in relation to the circuit.
Port Hercule buildings facing the circuit
Source: Petrini Exclusive Real Estate building profiles and map of the harbour buildings.
| Building | Position relative to the circuit |
|---|---|
| Palais Héraclès | Faces the Grand Prix start; the princely box is set up in front of the building every year. |
| Palais Majestic | Home to the headquarters of the Automobile Club de Monaco, which organises the race. |
| Les Hirondelles | Terraces facing a section of the circuit, near the entrance to the Automobile Club. |
| Shangri-La | 11 boulevard Albert Ier, on the start straight. |
| Les Caravelles | 25 boulevard Albert Ier, on the harbourfront. |
| Ermanno Palace | 27 boulevard Albert Ier; thirteen storeys built in 1960. |
| Ruscino | 14 Quai Antoine Ier, on the paddock quay leading to the Rascasse. |
| Le Panorama | 57 rue Grimaldi; large terraces over the climb of the avenue d'Ostende, in the second row. |
| Le Bristol | Eleven storeys near the Sainte-Dévote church, the circuit's first bend. |
| L'Albatros | Part of the Les Sauvagine complex, set back from the track, near the rue Princesse Caroline. |
| Beau Rivage | Harbourfront; plans for an additional storey and a restyling. |
Proprietary analysisTable by Petrini Exclusive Real Estate Monaco. Positions described from our building profiles; the view varies with the floor and the aspect of each apartment.These addresses do not all experience the same race. The boulevard Albert Ier has the start straight, the Quai Antoine Ier the Rascasse and soon the new platform, while the Bristol and the Panorama look onto the climb after Sainte-Dévote. Within a single building, the floor and the aspect make all the difference. What, then, is a view of the circuit worth?
What is a view of the circuit worth to an owner?
A view of the circuit is an asset our clients look for and pay for. In the field, we have never seen a buyer turn down an apartment because of the Grand Prix. We see the opposite: clients who buy on the harbour precisely to watch the race from their terrace.
Grand Prix week bears this out in figures. On our observations, a five-day let sometimes brings in the equivalent of several months' rent. The largest apartments with a direct view let for up to €100,000 for the four days of the event. These amounts reflect our observations in the field and vary with floor area, floor level and terrace.
This exceptional income comes on top of an already tight market. To place harbour prices within the Principality as a whole, our analysis of the Monaco property market in 2026 sets out the year's benchmarks. Letting remains subject to each building's co-ownership rules, which should be read before any property is let.
Underlying demand, for its part, comes down to the clientele. In our analysis of the millionaire boom we examined what the growth in large fortunes means for Monaco property. The Grand Prix draws precisely this clientele, every year, beneath the windows of the harbour.
Paolo PetriniDirector, Petrini Exclusive Real Estate MonacoEvery square metre given to Formula 1 strengthens the showcase from which the harbour buildings benefit
Our reading is simple: the more the Principality invests in the Grand Prix, the further its benefits spread, from the country's image to buying demand on the harbour. Formula 1 is a strategic showcase for Monaco's standing, and if the space is being enlarged, it is because the event needs it. This reading has its limits. Setting up the circuit disrupts traffic for a few weeks a year, and some buyers avoid the commotion. For harbourfront properties, we nonetheless regard it as a lasting driver of value.
That week of income assumes the harbour remains a pleasant place to live for the rest of the year, works included. It is the question residents near the Rascasse are now asking.
Will the Darse Sud works weigh on life around the harbour?
We do not expect the Darse Sud works to affect viewings or rents in the neighbouring buildings this winter. The works take place out of season, mostly from the sea, and are due to finish before the harbour's most sought-after period. The Prince's Government nonetheless presents delivery for the 2027 Grand Prix as a target, and marine works remain exposed to winter weather.
In time, residents even stand to gain. Removing the 15 generators takes away a source of noise and emissions present at every edition. The activities of Port Hercule and the events held in the area are, according to the Prince's Government, to be disrupted as little as possible. Those most affected by the works in fact live on the water: the boat owners.
Does an apartment on the harbour come with a boat berth?
No, an apartment in Monaco carries no right to a berth in Port Hercule, even on the quayside. Moorings are managed by the Société d'Exploitation des Ports de Monaco (SEPM). The works illustrate how scarce they are: around a hundred boat owners on annual contracts are being relocated, and about thirty will be offered a new berth once the works are complete.
Our buyers regularly ask about a mooring. Depending on the size of the boat and availability, they approach Port Hercule or the port of Fontvieille, or consider Cala del Forte. This Ventimiglia marina, owned by Monaco Ports, has 178 berths, and a sea shuttle links it to Monaco in around fifteen minutes.
The photograph of the works on the water thus sums up Monaco's strategy. Short of land, the Principality is reclaiming space from the sea to keep at home the event that shows it to the world. For harbour owners, these 2,500 m² of concrete guarantee that the race will pass beneath their windows until at least 2035.
Sources for this analysis
Facts and figures checked on 2 November 2026 against the following sources.
- Prince's Government, extension of the Darse Sud, October 2026.
- Prince's Government announcement reported by NewsMonteCarlo, 23 October 2026.
- Automobile Club de Monaco, extension of the Grand Prix until 2035, 5 September 2025.
- Autosport, 2027 Formula 1 calendar, September 2026.
- Monaco Tribune, opening of Cala del Forte, July 2021.
- Building profiles and field observations by Petrini Exclusive Real Estate.
Further reading on the Monaco property market
The buildings of Port Hercule Our map of the harbour residences, building by building.
Price per m² in Monaco in 2026 Price levels by district and by property type.
Short-term letting in Monaco What to know before letting for a few days.
The Monaco Grand Prix The history and organisation of the Principality's flagship event.FAQDarse Sud
Darse Sud and the Grand Prix: your questions
When will the Darse Sud platform be completed?
The works run from November 2026 to April 2027. The Prince's Government aims to have the platform in service for the Monaco Grand Prix, from 4 to 6 June 2027. This delivery date is a stated target, and marine works remain exposed to winter weather.
What is the Darse Sud in Monaco's harbour?
A darse is a sheltered basin inside a harbour where boats are moored; the word comes from the Italian darsena. In Monaco, the Darse Sud is the southern part of Port Hercule, facing the Rascasse bend at the foot of the Rock. Its extension adds a platform of about 2,500 m², which will host the Grand Prix facilities and other events.
How much can an apartment earn in rent during the Grand Prix?
Based on field observations by Petrini Exclusive Real Estate, a large apartment overlooking the circuit can let for up to €100,000 for the four days of the event. A five-day let sometimes brings in the equivalent of several months' rent. Amounts vary with floor area, floor level and terrace, and any letting must comply with the building's co-ownership rules.
Does an apartment on the harbour come with a boat berth?
No. Berths in Port Hercule are managed by the Société d'Exploitation des Ports de Monaco, whatever apartment is bought. Owners also make enquiries at the port of Fontvieille or at Cala del Forte, in Ventimiglia, which belongs to Monaco Ports.
How long is the Monaco Grand Prix secured for?
Formula 1 and the Automobile Club de Monaco extended their agreement on 5 September 2025. The Grand Prix will remain on the calendar until 2035 inclusive.
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