A golden age of travel, with all the pleasures of modern luxury.
Art Deco suites, champagne after dark and a new journey along the French Riviera. Belmond is bringing back the pleasure of getting there.
There was a time when travelling was an occasion in itself. People dressed for the journey, meals came on proper plates and nobody considered arriving at the airport in their pyjamas an acceptable sartorial decision. Fast-forward a few decades and travel has become something to get through rather than enjoy. Between security queues, shrinking legroom and the indignity of unpacking your toiletries into a plastic bag, the glamour has rather fallen by the wayside.
“The Orient Express doesn’t just bring back the glamour of travel. It reminds us that getting there can be the best part.”
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, however, has other ideas. Think champagne in crystal glasses, dinner served beneath the glow of Art Deco lighting and a pianist playing long after most of us would have surrendered to another episode on Netflix. Here, the journey is every bit as enticing as the destination.
And from May 2027, Belmond's legendary train is adding Monte Carlo to its European itinerary, travelling overnight from Paris before sweeping along the French Riviera. It's a fitting new destination for a train that has always understood the art of making an entrance.
So, what does a night aboard one of the world's most glamorous trains actually look like? Imagine arriving at a Parisian platform to find those unmistakable midnight-blue carriages waiting, their polished brass catching the light. A uniformed steward welcomes you aboard, and within moments the familiar business of travelling gives way to something altogether more interesting.
Inside, polished wood, intricate marquetry and richly upholstered seating create the atmosphere of a grand European hotel. The sort where you'd instinctively lower your voice on entering, before remembering you're actually supposed to enjoy yourself.
As the train leaves Paris, the city gives way to open countryside. You might settle into your cabin with a glass of champagne, or follow the narrow corridors to explore the carriages, catching glimpses of beautifully laid tables and Art Deco details along the way.
The accommodation is an experience in itself. In the original Historic Cabins, plush banquette seating transforms into cosy sleeping quarters after dark, while the more spacious Suites and Grand Suites offer private bathrooms and interiors dressed in sumptuous fabrics. For those inclined towards something truly extraordinary, L'Observatoire, the private carriage designed by artist JR, comes complete with a freestanding bathtub, library and secret tearoom. A secret tearoom on a train is precisely the sort of unnecessary detail we find entirely necessary.
An Evening Worth Dressing Up For
By evening, the train has taken on a different character. The dining cars glow beneath Art Deco lamps, and the soft clink of crystal announces the beginning of an evening that deserves considerably more thought than deciding which takeaway to order.
Dinner is a suitably grand affair, with crisp linen, polished silver and beautifully prepared courses served as the French countryside disappears into darkness. There's something rather wonderful about the idea of sitting down to an elaborate dinner while travelling across Europe, with no need to give a second thought to the journey itself.
Afterwards, you might find yourself in Bar Car '3674', cocktail in hand, listening to the pianist as the train continues south. It's a scene that could have been lifted from another decade, although the pleasure of spending an uninterrupted evening together feels very much of the present.
Eventually, your steward prepares the cabin for the night, transforming the space into a beautifully appointed bedroom. Outside, the train travels through the darkness towards the Mediterranean.
By morning, the scenery has changed completely. Imagine waking to the first glimpses of the Côte d'Azur, breakfast arriving as the red cliffs of the Massif de l'Estérel appear beyond the window. The train follows the coastline past Cannes and Nice, with stretches of the Mediterranean coming into view between the towns and hillsides.
There's something wonderfully romantic about the prospect of waking up somewhere entirely different without ever having left your room. One minute you're enjoying coffee in bed, the next the French Riviera is unfolding outside your window.
And then, Monte Carlo. A destination that hardly needs an introduction, although arriving aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is certainly one way to make an entrance.
For a wedding anniversary, a milestone birthday or that long-promised escape without the children, it's a rather fabulous proposition. An evening dressed to impress, dinner that stretches into cocktails and a morning spent watching the Mediterranean slip past your window. Sometimes the most memorable celebrations are the ones where the experience is the entire point.
With Monte Carlo joining Belmond's annual itinerary from May 2027, there is now another reason to find a suitably special occasion. Although, frankly, we're not sure we'd need much persuading.
Prices start from €4,870 per person, based on two guests sharing a Historic Cabin, including overnight accommodation, meals with the sommelier's choice of wine, soft drinks, transfers and dedicated steward service.
For further information and reservations: Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, A Belmond Train.
