I’m like a grandmother”: Adriana Karembeu reveals her everyday life in Monaco
We tend to picture a star’s life as an endless string of glamorous parties and red carpets. Yet Adriana Karembeu‘s daily routine in Monaco looks far more like that of an ordinary resident than a celebrity. At 54, the former supermodel has found in the Principality a simple, reassuring way of life.
A love affair with Monaco that goes back to 1993
It all started during a photo shoot at the Hôtel de Paris in 1993. That was the moment Adriana Karembeu first fell under the spell of the Rock. That initial infatuation would eventually lead her, years later, to settle there for good.
In 2013, she opened up to Le Parisien about that defining moment. She recalled coming with her parents, who had never known anything other than a communist country. Her mother, she said, was dazzled by the cleanliness, the safety and the lush greenery of the place.
That powerful family memory left a lasting mark on how she sees Monaco. It also helps explain why the Principality means so much more to her than just a place to live.
A refuge after a difficult period
In that same interview with Le Parisien, the presenter explained her reasons for moving there. She admitted feeling reassured, because things had not been easy following her break-up. Monaco gave her a stable anchor point.
She also wanted to set the record straight on a common misconception. Many people see the Principality as a kind of Disneyland for adults. But in her view, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“It felt like the perfect place to me, small and manageable. A village. It’s like living in a neighbourhood of Paris where you know every corner.”
Monaco as a human-scale village
For Adriana Karembeu, the Rock is not a frozen luxury backdrop. Above all, it is a small town where you quickly find your bearings. She readily compares it to a neighbourhood of Paris where you know every nook and cranny.
That human scale is precisely what draws her in. A small, manageable place, she says, where life organises itself naturally. Far from the bustle of major cities, she finds a sense of everyday serenity there.
- Discovered Monaco during a photo shoot at the Hôtel de Paris in 1993
- Settled on the Rock permanently after a difficult personal period
- Sees Monaco as a human-scale village, far from the Disneyland-for-adults cliché
- Daily life shared with her daughter Nina, her partner Marc Lavoine, her mother and her sister
- Simple pleasures: a scooter ride in the morning, coffee, croissants and churros at the fairground
The star’s “ultimate luxury”: staying home
In her Monegasque home, the star has built a routine she herself describes as the “ultimate luxury”. Getting up, tidying her kitchen, settling onto the sofa with a TV tray: that is what makes her happy. She describes her habits with humour as those of a grandmother.
She now shares that peaceful setting with her daughter Nina and her partner Marc Lavoine. Her mother and sister also visit regularly, filling the house with welcome laughter. The home has become a warm, family-centred space.
Scooter, coffee and churros: anonymity as a privilege
On the streets of Monaco, Adriana Karembeu savours an anonymity she perhaps never expected. She can walk through a crowd without being recognised. That rare privilege allows her to enjoy simple, carefree mornings.
Her morning routine is a far cry from the glitz: she hops on her scooter and goes for a coffee with croissants. The fairground right outside her window offers another everyday pleasure. She cheerfully admits to loving churros, and indulging rather too often.
This haven of peace remains her “little village”, a protective cocoon. Adriana Karembeu lives there happily and quietly, surrounded by the people she loves. For her, the Principality embodies not opulence, but the sweetness of a life chosen on her own terms.
