Born of an ambitious project led by Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, the Monte-Carlo Cigar Club will open its doors on May 28, right in the heart of the iconic Casino de Monte-Carlo. Conceived as one of the most prestigious clubs in the world for cigar enthusiasts, this exceptional venue will offer an ultra-exclusive experience to its members. It is part of Monte-Carlo SBM’s high-end diversification strategy.

For Bruno Moinard and Claire Bétaille, designing this new temple to the cigar within Charles Garnier’s architectural masterpiece was a challenge as thrilling 
as it was demanding. “We’re in Charles Garnier’s house!” they like to remind us, fully aware of the heritage to be honored while envisioning a space destined to become a true institution.

Following One Monte-Carlo and the legendary wine cellar of the Hôtel de Paris, this new project marks another milestone in the fruitful collaboration between Moinard Bétaille and Monte-Carlo SBM—always guided by excellence and the art of living.

SEGMENTED YET TRANSPARENT: 
A JOURNEY INTO ULTIMATE REFINEMENT

From the moment one enters, the visitor is immersed in a world of absolute refinement. The reception vestibule, with its counter combining stone and fine wood, sets the tone: tobacco-colored walls alternate with tall glass panels, offering a glimpse to the left of the smoking lounge. The guiding principle is visual  continuity: while the layout complies with regulations requiring tobacco consumption to be confined to the smoking lounge, there is no question of disrupting the enchantment of Havana wisps.

Even when passing through the vestibule between two rooms, the slender columns—clad in pleated leather as fine as the best cigar wrapper—frame glass panels that mirror those in adjacent spaces, like illusions in a hall of mirrors where one never loses their way. Cornices and moldings, preserved or recreated, reveal to those who look up the original layout of the rooms, still intact.

COLOR PALETTE: HAVANA-ON-THE-RIVIERA

As always with Moinard Bétaille, the treatment of colors, materials, and light has been executed with extreme care. The palette—composed of pinks, blues, reds, and bronze—evokes the vibrant streets of Havana as well as the old towns of the Côte d’Azur.

In the smoking lounge, a library spans one wall; its compartments, cleverly arranged, feature these shades in a harmonious and joyful patchwork. These vibrant colors contrast with the deep browns of the walls, ceilings, and floors, and with the entire chromatic range of drying tobacco—from green to bistre. Light  animates and enlivens them, pouring in from the large openings that overlook the terrace, as if streaming directly from the sea.

EPICUREANISM AT ITS FINEST

The heart of the Cigar Club naturally lies in the spaces dedicated to the passion for cigars and the sociability it inspires: the smoking lounge and the bar. The goal was to create a retreat from social fuss, where the selfish pleasure of the finest cigars could be shared in a close-knit circle. Deep, patinated leather armchairs, as pleasing to the eye as to the touch, surround a few tables conducive to hushed conversations. Between the smoking lounge and the bar, a wall of individual lockers made of precious wood—each with a key held only by its member—serves as an olfactory library of fine cigars.

At its center, like a tabernacle, stands the grand locker reserved for the Prince. Through the glass cutouts between and above the lockers, one can see the bar on the other side of the wall: a long onyx counter flanked by comfortable stools, topped by an impressive collection of exceptional whiskies, cognacs, and rums displayed on glass shelves.

On either side, two vertical columns in the shape of giant cigars, sheathed in dark tawny leather, house illuminated display cases. Their cigar-shaped glass doors open with a rotating motion. The smoking lounge and bar open through large French doors onto a terrace reserved exclusively for the club, offering one of the most spectacular views of the sea. Its blue, paired with the green of abundant plants, elegantly extends the interior color scheme.

EVEN THE CIGARS ARE PAMPERED…

The most pampered guests of the club may very well be… the cigars themselves. Just past the entrance, a unique room houses the humidor, also accessible  from the casino. This true treasure of the Cigar Club contains the world’s finest cigars, carefully stored and available for purchase in custom-designed furnishings, within an environment where climate conditions are rigorously controlled. With the Monte-Carlo Cigar Club, set like a jewel in the heart of the Casino, Moinard Bétaille delivers a creation as captivating in personality as in the unique experience it offers.