Monaco Grand Prix with a Baby – Would I do it again?

Many people laughed in my face when I told them I was travelling to Monaco Grand Prix with a baby.  And again, I must admit it is not the first place that springs to mind when you think of things to do as a family of three.  You will probably notice a theme with our travel, holidays and outings – we tend to just book the things we want to do and drag the baby along as opposed to looking for family friendly settings.

So would I do it again … take the baby to Monaco for the Formula One?  Truth be told, probably not, and that is mainly because we paid a small fortune for our tickets … think along the lines of one months rent!  However, we had a fantastic day and made the most of the situation.  So it just goes to prove that you can do whatever your heart desires once the baby arrives, you just have to accept that it might not be exactly as it used to be.

This is the second time that we have been to Monaco for the F1 so it helped that we knew what to expect.  We often get asked who is the petrol head in the relationship, but we both just love the atmosphere at the races and Monaco is the highlight of the racing calendar each year.  We were not the only parents at Monaco Grand Prix with a baby – we even bumped into some fellow Aussie parents at the train station!

The Race

The seats we purchased were excellent (Grand Stand T2) and I would highly recommend them to anyone who makes it to the event (baby or no baby).  We had a great view of the pit lane and could see all of the drivers getting in and out of their cars, as well as several celebrities.

The seats themselves were about half the size of an airline seat and when the sun came out it became somewhat unbearable for all three of us, so half way through the race I took the baby under the grandstand for some respite. I could still see and hear the cars and once I walked through to the habour side, I also had a view of the TV.

We decided to leave the circuit with about 15 laps to go and found a little bar just outside of the gate where they brought us beer and wine to the table.  And whilst we could still hear the race, we watched the final laps on the TV whilst the baby made friends with a little boy on the table next to us. All in all, it was a very memorable day to mark our daughter being 10 months old.

Highlights

• Watching our home grown hero, Daniel Ricciardo, win his first Monaco Grand Prix!
• Spotting Tom Brady in the pit lane … no sign of Gisele though.
• Enjoying all the glitz and glamour of Monaco – I have never seen so much Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Chanel in my life!

Lowlights

• Changing a nappy on our laps in the grand stand – that takes true skill.
• Getting caught up in the sea of people trying to catch the train back to Nice – not ideal with a tired and hot baby and wishing I hadn’t had that extra glass of wine which was now pressing on my bladder.
• Being told off by the angry French security man for the baby not wearing her ear defenders – good luck trying to get a baby to wear them.

Links and Information

• We purchased our tickets in advance online from BookF1.com.  Children under the age of 6 are admitted free to the Monaco Grand Prix without a ticket, provided they sit on the parent’s lap.
• We stayed in an Airbnb in Nice, France and caught the train to Monaco.  Return train tickets were available for purchase on the day at the station (Gare de Nice Ville) and there were lots of attendants to assist.  The journey is approximately 30 minutes and the circuit is walking distance from the Monte Carlo train station.
• As recommended by the event organizers, we purchased special Banz Baby Ear Defenders for the baby from Amazon.  We opted to carry the baby in the BabyBjorn as opposed to manage the logistics of a pram as the streets are very busy and crowded.  She was dressed in lightweight cotton clothing and smothered in Baby Soltan Suncream from Boots.
• You may take food and drink into the circuit.  There are plenty of options in the streets prior to entry, however very limited vendors and options available once inside – water, beer, soft drinks and hot dogs just about sums it up.

If you enjoy reading about our crazy travel adventures with our baby, you will love ‘Why Santorini is always a good idea … even with a baby‘ and ‘Plane Spotting in St Maarten – A Day at Maho Beach‘.

Linking up with Truly Madly Kids for Cultured Kids