Inside The Ultra-Exclusive Monte-Carlo Cigar Club: A Jewel Box For Aficionados

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Monte-Carlo’s latest jewel isn’t a high-stakes poker room or a penthouse suite—it’s smoke-filled, swathed in leather, and reserved for a select few. On May 28, the Monte-Carlo Cigar Club opens its doors inside the legendary Casino de Monte-Carlo, a bold new venture from Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer designed to reimagine what a cigar club can be. Think old-world glamour meets Riviera modernism, with interiors as indulgent as the cigars themselves.

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Conceived as one of the most elite cigar clubs on the planet, the space is the latest chapter in Monte-Carlo SBM’s strategy to elevate luxury to new heights. Designed by the always-exacting Bruno Moinard and Claire Bétaille, the club is nestled within the architectural grandeur of Charles Garnier’s masterpiece—a setting that comes with its own set of reverent expectations. “We’re in Charles Garnier’s house,” they say with equal parts awe and responsibility, knowing full well that the history here must be honored even as something entirely new is born.

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The Monte-Carlo Cigar Club follows in the footsteps of design-forward triumphs like One Monte-Carlo and the Hôtel de Paris’s legendary wine cellar. But this time, the brief was to build a haven—an intimate, escapist space where time slows down and cigars aren’t just smoked, they’re celebrated.

From the very first step inside, you’re enveloped in refinement. The reception vestibule sets the tone with a warm interplay of stone, fine wood, and tobacco-colored walls, interspersed with tall glass panels that tease a view into the private smoking lounge. Pleated leather columns mimic the texture of a cigar wrapper, while glass reflections create a kind of visual mirage—a dreamlike continuity that blurs the lines between rooms.

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And then, the palette: pinks, blues, reds, and bronzes—a nod to Havana’s faded grandeur and the sun-washed villages of the Côte d’Azur—come alive against rich browns and the entire spectrum of tobacco, from fresh green to deep bistre. Sunlight floods the space, spilling in from large windows that frame views of the Mediterranean and connecting indoors and out in one effortless sweep.

At the heart of it all? The lounge and the bar, naturally. These are not just spaces—they’re sanctuaries. Designed for those who understand the value of a good draw and a great conversation, they invite intimacy and indulgence in equal measure. Deep leather armchairs wrap around low tables, perfect for lingering. Along one wall, a series of individual cigar lockers—each one key-access only—sits beside the centerpiece: a larger-than-life humidor reserved for the Prince himself.

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Through carefully cut glass panels, the bar reveals itself: a sleek onyx counter, flanked by plush stools and crowned by backlit shelves displaying an envy-inducing lineup of whiskies, cognacs, and rums. On either side, dramatic columns shaped like oversized cigars house illuminated cases—design details that double as quiet winks to those in the know.

And then there’s the terrace: exclusive to members, it’s a private perch with views that stretch to forever, where the blues of sea and sky meet the greens of lush foliage and the colors of the club’s interiors subtly echo outdoors.

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Even the cigars are treated like royalty. Just beyond the entrance, a dedicated humidor—also accessible via the casino—sits like a secret chamber, storing the world’s finest blends under meticulously controlled conditions. Every drawer, every detail, every degree has been considered.

The Monte-Carlo Cigar Club isn’t just a new venue—it’s a masterstroke of mood and design. It’s a temple to craftsmanship and a love letter to the slow pleasures of life. In the hands of Moinard Bétaille, this is more than a cigar club. It’s a modern-day legend in the making.

Photo Credit: montecarlosbm-a.dupra