| A great racetrack can turn a town into a must see | | | | the course as the cars accelerate up the hill at full |
| destination. If that town happens to combine | | | | throttle and have to take a sharp left turn at the top |
| motorsports and the weather of southern France, | | | | of the hill. You will notice that the turn is blind and the |
| then you have Monaco. The town of Monaco is | | | | drivers must negotiate this turn at about 100 mph. |
| actual a small country of its own. It is most famous | | | | This turn leads directly into Casino Square and heads |
| for decadent living and the race that occurs in the | | | | past the sculpture/mirror thing in the middle and then |
| summer of every year. In June, the whole world | | | | the cars dive down to the right and head downhill |
| watches as the most technologically advanced cars | | | | toward the sharpest turn in all of Formula One; the |
| on the planet line up to race through the city on the | | | | hairpin. From here, you continue downhill and to the |
| same streets that were being walked on just days | | | | right where the cars take another sharp right turn |
| earlier. I have been to Monaco and can tell you that | | | | and head straight into the tunnel. |
| the city and the track are just the beginning of what | | | | This tunnel doesn’t seem all that dark, but you |
| is a spectacular city. | | | | have to remember that you are not doing over 150 |
| The best way to enter the city if from the west, | | | | mph either and your eyes have time to adjust. If |
| this way you can come into the town from above | | | | you are going from bright sunlight into a tunnel and |
| and see the bay and the whole cityscape before | | | | then back into sunlight again in about 10 seconds, |
| you. Also, because you are coming into town this | | | | your eyes will barely have time to blink. This is the |
| way, you will find many more parking areas. It is best | | | | fastest part of the track and as you come out into |
| to find the first parking garage away from the city | | | | the sunlight on the other side, you will head down the |
| center that you can. The whole city has a series of | | | | hill toward the harbor. |
| elevators that you can take instead of walking up | | | | Here, you can make a sharp left and then a right |
| and down thousands of stairs. This will save your | | | | again to get onto the actual harbor road. You will be |
| feet for the journey ahead as you go to explore the | | | | standing next to multi-million dollar yachts while |
| track and the town itself. | | | | walking on the same track where multi-million dollar |
| Once you get down to the harbor, be sure to cross | | | | race cars drive at over 100 mph. Follow this harbor |
| to the other side of the street closest to the harbor. | | | | road around the Olympic swimming pool until you |
| This area with the red pavement is the pit lane on | | | | come to a restaurant called Rascasse. Take a hard |
| race weekend and behind you, on the street, you | | | | right around the restaurant until you come to a |
| can see the grid where the race cars line up before | | | | statue of a Mercedes W196 and Stirling Moss. From |
| the start of the race. Following the flow of traffic will | | | | here, you will want to turn right and head down the |
| bring you to the first corner of Sainte Devote. This is | | | | front straight. This completes one lap of the Monaco |
| a sharp right hand turn that goes immediately uphill. | | | | Formula One track. Now all you have to do is 77 |
| The steep walk will lead up toward the Casino and all | | | | more of those at high speed and you will be in the |
| those poker tables they have and give you a | | | | same boat as Formula One drivers. The course is |
| commanding view of all the ships in the harbor and | | | | demanding, scary and very beautiful to look at. It is |
| the city proper. This is one of the fastest parts of | | | | well worth the trip to this historic principality. |