Inside the legendary Casino de Monte-Carlo, famously frequented by James Bond

Cue James Bond theme. A tuxedoed Pierce Brosnan pulls up to the legendary Casino de Monte-Carlo in a classic Aston Martin, gazes upon a red Ferrari parked at the entrance, walks in and takes a seat opposite a beautiful woman with a thick Russian accent and plays a game of baccarat. 

That iconic scene from the 1995 film GoldenEye is pretty much what you can expect when you rock up to the most famous casino in the world.

Saunter past the parade of supercars gatekeeping Monaco’s mecca of glitz and glamour into a beautifully ornate world where the world’s richest gather in the hopes of multiplying their riches.

Built in 1863 by French architect Charles Garnier, the idea for the casino was first conceived by Princess Caroline as a way to save the Principality’s reigning House of Grimaldi from bankruptcy, following the acute loss of tax revenue after the nearby towns of Menton and Roquebrune declared independence from Monaco in 1848. To protect its citizens from avarice, the citizens of Monaco, known as Monegasques, were forbidden from entering the gaming rooms – a ruling enacted on moral grounds and still in effect today.

Curious visitors and tourists, however, are welcome to enter before 1pm each day and admire the Belle Epoque architecture and interiors of Casino de Monte-Carlo, which stands as a glorious specimen of the Gilded Age.

Stand in awe as you contemplate the rich tapestry of history that’s unfolded here over 161 years, enveloped by red velvet drapes, bas-relief embellishments and magnificent stained glass windows under high-domed ceilings. If these intricately-carved walls could talk, imagine the stories they would tell of the luminaries in time who have graced these gaming tables.

The games rooms open at 2pm and come nightfall, high-rollers try their hands under the warm glow of Bohemian crystal chandeliers. It is an exquisite aesthetic, indeed, and ripped jeans are certainly not welcome here, unless you’re an actual rock star, perhaps.

Now Monte-Carlo Casino may be most synonymous with the fictional British secret agent (also appearing in Sean Connery’s 1983 rendition of Bond in Never Say Never Again), but the institutional icon has also featured prominently elsewhere in pop culture, from the star-studded heist movie Ocean’s Twelve with George Clooney and friends to Kylie Minogue’s music video for On a Night Like This.

But it is the secrets held in the hidden passageways of the casino that hold the most intrigue.

SECRET DOORS AND HALLWAYS

There goes the James Bond theme song in my head again as Christian Barilaro, head of public relations of Monte-Carlo Societe des Bains de Mer Resort, which owns and operates the casino, escorts me past the visually-arresting public gaming rooms and handcrafted Black Jack and Punto Blanco tables on a private tour behind the scenes for a glimpse of what it’s like to be a VVIP here.

First, he shows me the side entrance that Prince Albert II and the royal family of Monaco use to access the casino from the inside of the wrought iron gate (heaven forbid blue bloods fraternise with the hoi polloi), as well as the secret elevators used to whisk celebrities, crown princes and other dignitaries from around the globe to private rooms so they can play their hands away from prying eyes.

Barilaro taps on a digital keypad on a wood-panelled wall and voila, a mirrored section of the wall opens a portal to a private playing room called the English Hall. More doors hidden in plain sight attest to the level of stealth wealth – and secret agent vibes – nestled in this ultra exclusive gambling den authorised for aristocrats. 

To play here, I am told, high net worth individuals from around the world are required to apply to do so weeks ahead of their arrival. They engage international agents to facilitate this process, submitting income and bank statements for accreditation, as well as to authenticate the legitimacy of their monies.

While Barilaro can’t reveal the storied names that have walked these hallowed grounds, it is left to my imagination as I take my leave of this living monument. And that, precisely, is the magic of Monte Carlo.