A haven for billionaires

• A haven for billionaires

2015 declared the Year of Russia in Monaco. Here is a very respected Russian culture, and even more - exported from our country money, partly because of which it is a dwarf state confidently in the lead in Europe in terms of the cost of housing. Walk through the streets and quays of this unusual city-state, and at the same time ask the price of the apartments people here - from modest studios to luxury penthouses defiantly.

Walking through the city on the French Riviera, where the houses are buying only the rich, the whole construction spot, and square meter of housing costs as a three bedroom apartment in large Russian cities.

The Principality of Monaco - dwarf (. Area of ​​1, 974 square kilometers), the state, located on the Mediterranean Sea, surrounded by the land area of ​​France. It is both the most populous state in the world (18 thousand inhabitants per square kilometer..) And the country with the world's highest GDP per capita (about 170 thousand dollars -. Assessment of the IMF).

If you go to Monaco on the ground, it appears like a mirage. After kilometers of cozy little coastal towns, which is built up almost the entire Cote d'Azur, its huge residential complexes grow out of nowhere as soon as you cross the invisible border between France and the Principality. Like building density does not exist anywhere else on the Mediterranean coast.

According to the consultancy Savills, in the last year of Monaco has set its own record on real estate transactions - only here it has been sold residential and commercial premises at 2, 4 billion euros. According to estimates of Savills, the average cost of real estate in Monaco today is about 90 thousand. Euro (6 million) for the quarter. meter. Expensive housing and offices in Hong Kong only cost - the price in New York, for example, one-third lower.

His wealth of Monaco is required to partially gambling business, which is thriving here since the middle of the XIX century, but above all - friendly fiscal policy. city ​​residents pay no local taxes, except for VAT (which is paid only in case of purchase and sale transactions). The only exceptions are citizens of France, with whom the Principality has an agreement that does not allow to use it as a tax haven. For the rest, the rich do not have this problem, and they are willing to acquire property here.

Virtually all housing (95% of the total area) of Monaco was presented apartments, detached homes - is a rarity and unimaginable luxury. Scary to even think how much can cost a square meter in a two-story mansion on the site where it was possible to build compact dvadtsatietazhku housing 90 thousand. Euros per square meter. m.

In spite of the modest size of Monaco includes as many as 10 areas with their characteristics, features of buildings and atmosphere. The high cost of land makes developers to climb into the mountains, and the government - to expand the territory of the Principality through new areas reclaimed from the sea. For example, Fontvieille district (Fontvieille, 22 ha) is completely built on the spot where 40 years ago the waves splashing.

The oldest area of ​​Monaco - Monaco-Ville, is an oasis of old buildings remaining on the seaward large rock. It is also the Prince's Palace and other tourist attractions. Despite the proximity to the court, apartments here are not too expensive (by local standards). For example, the site www.property-for-sale-monaco.com we have found here several studios area of ​​about 30 square meters. m and cost "only" 650-750 thousand. euro. This is understandable - is objectively inferior quality of these apartments that are located in the modern residential complexes.

The most expensive area of ​​Monaco - Monte Carlo (that there are famous casino). According to Savills, the price of apartments here start at € 4 million. In this part of the city has no one else like appearance: solid, 3-4 floors, old buildings, which can be found in every major French city, here stand side by side with new apartment complexes, and released to the bakery with a large flea pensioner likely would be a multimillionaire.

District La Condamine (La Condamine), adjacent to the Port Hercule, characterized by an abundance of restaurants, bars, clubs - here boils night life of the city. Missing here and a relatively new housing estates with green terraces and sea views. Again, the happy owners of parking spaces for boats (it is more expensive than flat) may be on board his ship in a matter of minutes.

Almost the entire territory of Monaco is built up, so no shopping centers on the outskirts is not here. And in the center of a few large shopping centers are forced to hide underground, such as the three-level Le Metropole, entrance to which is little more than the usual entrance to the station of the Moscow metro.

In some places the desire for ultimate compactness takes an unexpected kind for residents of Russia. For example, the police station in the "Gardens Casino" gave shelter to the public toilet, which is located in the basement of the building (Inputs, however, are different).

As such green areas in Monaco a little part of the city at all resembles a concrete jungle. And looking at some apartment buildings it is difficult to imagine that the apartments in these albeit fairly comfortable "hen houses" are as much as a spacious villa a few kilometers further east or west along the coast.

It is ironic, but there is in Monaco and its "industrial zone" - the inner part of the district Fontvieille (pictured 3rd Industrial Street). In Monaco industry already 3 thousand. People are employed. As a rule, these are small innovative companies involved in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, production of components of high precision and so on. D.

The cheapest (200 thou. Euros) apartment in Monaco, which we found in open sources, located in the Cape Martin. The area of ​​this studio of 35 square meters. meters, it is located on the second floor, with windows looking out on the tennis court, and it has a terrace. So live in Monaco, most likely, those who have to serve the inhabitants of the more luxury housing.

So already looks quite decent, though still relatively inexpensive (2, 8 million euros) "odneshka" (more precisely, one bedroom apartment) of 80 sqm. m. The apartment is on the fifth floor, so that part of the sea cover standing closer to the water home. The house is in the eastern part of the city, near the border with France.

The most expensive of listings found - a penthouse of 823 square meters. meters (467 of which falls on the terrace) and 4 bed 4 parking spaces belonging to the cost. It costs 59 million euros (4, 1 billion rubles). With this money in megacities can, in principle, to build a small residential district.

You can find in Monaco and proposals on commercial real estate. For example, on the site now! Prian.ru have an offer to purchase the restaurant area of ​​160 square meters. m 2, 3 million, store 2, and 7 million hotel and 13, 8 million. With a work force of the city of millionaires do not have problems - about 40 thousand people come here every day from neighboring France and even as far Italy..

Despite the hefty congestion in Monaco ample opportunity for outdoor activities. Here was a place for the stadium (the local football team, by the way, belongs to the Russian businessman Dmitry Rybolovlev), golf course, several small parks. A local cycling enthusiasts (pictured) seems to draw inspiration from the "Formula 1" design race cars, one of which phases are also held here.

According to the Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies of Monaco in the Principality today live about 500 Russians. Among them, a member of the Federation Council, the representative of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area Vladimir Pichugov, world champion pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, holding President Finstar Oleg Boyko and other difficult people. Those who have the opportunity to buy an apartment here yet, are completely free to come here just to take a look.