Saint-Martin Gardens

Leave the crowds behind and step into the Saint-Martin Gardens, hanging on the southern cliff of the Rock. Laid out in the early nineteenth century, they are considered the principality’s first public garden. Shady paths wind between Aleppo pines, olive trees, agaves and prickly pears, with the turquoise sea below. Around a bend you will meet a bronze statue of Prince Albert I, shown at the helm of a ship, gazing out to sea: a nod to his passion for the oceans. Further on, small lookouts invite you to sit and listen to the surf. In spring the blossoms are glorious, and in summer the shade of the pines is precious. It is also the best spot on the Rock for a quiet picnic. Take a moment to watch the gulls gliding along the cliff and, if you are lucky, a sailing boat passing by under full sail.

History

The Saint-Martin Gardens are the oldest public gardens in the principality. They were created in the 19th century under Prince Honoré V, who reigned from 1819 to 1841, at the top of the Rock’s south-west cliff, below Avenue Saint-Martin. They stretch between the cathedral and the Oceanographic Museum, nearly 60 metres above the sea, facing Fontvieille. Their winding paths hug the steep rock face, as if suspended above the waves.

The site is far older than its paths: a cave in the gardens has yielded prehistoric remains dated to the Holocene, the geological period that began after the last Ice Age.

Art and architecture

Here art and botany go hand in hand. The paths follow the cliff face among Aleppo pines, olive trees, holm oaks, carob trees, cypresses, oleanders and myrtles. Further on, cacti, agaves and succulents reflect the mild climate, while ponds hold papyrus and water lilies.

The best-known statue shows Prince Albert I as a navigator. This bronze by the sculptor François Cogné dates from 1951. The prince stands at the helm on a prow-shaped promontory, as if sailing the whole Rock across the Mediterranean. Other bronze sculptures line the paths and, together with the plants, form a genuine open-air museum.

Anecdotes

Another bronze hides a touching story. Entitled Maryse au miroir ou le Temps inaltérable, it was installed in 1990 at the request of Prince Rainier III. Its sculptor, Cyril de La Patellière, portrayed Maryse Saretta. Her father had helped Princess Charlotte, Rainier III’s mother, care for the war orphans housed in the palace during the Second World War.

The gardens take their name from Avenue Saint-Martin above them, and the building of the neighbouring Oceanographic Museum in the early 20th century had to respect this already old garden.

What to look for

Look for the statue of Albert I at the prow: it is the best spot for a photo, with the sea behind. Then stroll to the small ponds and stop on a bench facing the open sea.

From the viewpoints you look out over the port of Fontvieille and the coast. In spring the beds are in bloom, and in summer the shade of the pines is truly refreshing.

Try to identify the trees and plants as you walk: the pistachio, the Monterey cypress from California, the fig trees and the ferns that like shady corners. Each season changes the scenery a little.

Practical

The entrance is along Avenue Saint-Martin, a few minutes’ walk from the cathedral and the museum. The paths slope, with steps in places, which can make things awkward with a pushchair.

It is a public garden whose opening hours vary with the season: check the official website visitmonaco.com or the Monaco town hall.

Nearby

Continue to the Oceanographic Museum, created by the same Prince Albert I, then to the cathedral where he rests. If you love gardens, Monaco’s Exotic Garden, on the other side of Fontvieille, extends the discovery of acclimatised plants.

On the Rock itself, other smaller green spaces await you, such as the Ramparts Garden and the Sainte-Barbe promenade, perfect for a break between two visits.

Test yourself

Sources

• Wikipédia : Jardins Saint-Martin
• Musée océanographique : infos pratiques

Information checked on 30 September 2026.