But for many visitors, showing off is the name of the game. Then comes the racing. For anyone who hasn't been at a Grand Prix, it is impossible to imagine how loud a Formula One car is, and within an urban environment such as Monaco, this is the closest thing to an explosion. These days, the first practice session now starts later in the morning, but the effect is nevertheless startling. For a whole day, part of the city becomes a playground and the rest of it tries to keep functioning.
Bus lines have to choose different routes, and most shops are open despite the holiday.
Grandstands are still half-empty, and already Monaco seems crowded. But this is only the beginning. On Friday, things initially seem to quieten down a bit. F1 cars are confined to the secrecy of the paddock, now closed to visitors, and other racing series own the track for the morning. A more relaxed atmosphere can actually be felt, helped by the fact that grandstand access is free that day.