Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène Inaugurate Monaco's Landmark 24,000m² Collège Charles III at Îlot Pasteur

A Generational Architectural and Educational Milestone for the Principality

LES MONEGHETTI, Monaco — Marking a prestigious cultural and civic milestone for the Principality of Monaco, Their Serene Highnesses Prince Albert II and Princess Charlène have officially presided over the solemn inauguration of the newly completed Collège Charles III, situated at 7 Promenade Honoré II within the monumental Îlot Pasteur complex. Joined by Minister of State Didier Guillaume, National Council President Thomas Brezzo, Minister of Public Works Céline Caron-Dagioni, and Archbishop of Monaco Monseigneur Dominique-Marie David—who solemnly blessed the premises—the Sovereign Princely family dedicated Monaco's premier secondary educational institution.

Replacing the legacy 1989 school on Avenue de l’Annonciade, the new establishment represents the culmination of five years of architectural design and over eight years of complex civil engineering. Spanning an astonishing 23,805 square metres across multiple vertical levels, the institution provides a luminous, state-of-the-art academic home engineered to comfortably accommodate between 1,200 and 1,500 students and over 200 faculty and administrative staff.

Exceptional Educational Infrastructure, Athletics, and Cultural Amenities

Designed to provide an unparalleled pedagogical environment, Collège Charles III houses over 100 fully digitalized classrooms equipped with interactive whiteboards and advanced fiber-optic multimedia systems. The curriculum is supported by 14 specialized natural and physical science laboratories, 6 technology workshops, dedicated fine arts and music studios, and a vast two-story multimedia library (CDI) overlooking Monaco's coastline.

The athletic and cultural amenities are unmatched in European secondary education. The complex incorporates a semi-Olympic 25-metre swimming pool with adjustable depth floors, an immense 1,000-square-metre multi-sport gymnasium, and a professional 300-seat amphitheater and auditorium for theatrical performances and civic assemblies. Elevated outdoor rooftop playgrounds and terraced recreation courtyards offer students secure, sunlit leisure areas with 360-degree panoramic vistas of the Mediterranean Sea and the Rock of Monaco.

Anchor of the Transformative Îlot Pasteur Urban Master Plan

Collège Charles III serves as the central civic cornerstone of the wider Îlot Pasteur urban regeneration megaproject, which transformed a formerly constrained railway wasteland at Monaco's western gateway into a vibrant multi-use civic quarter. In addition to the middle school, the integrated master complex houses the new offices of National Education, Youth and Sports (DENJS), a national postal sorting center, the Espace Léo Ferré municipal performance hall, an eco-friendly recyclable waste sorting hub, and a multi-level subterranean parking garage with over 900 parking spaces.

Constructed in strict compliance with the Prince’s Government’s environmental transition mandates, the building achieved prestigious High Environmental Quality (HQE) certification. Featuring bioclimatic glass facades, high-efficiency thalassothermal seawater heat pump climate control, intelligent energy management systems, and a self-service canteen prioritizing organic, locally sourced produce, Collège Charles III establishes an inspiring global benchmark for sustainable Mediterranean educational architecture.