In Monaco, where Lamborghinis hum past yachts and diamond-studded watches are standard fare, it takes something truly unusual to turn heads. Now, even driving lessons have joined the list of extravagances, with a local school offering students the chance to learn behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 Carrera. In a principality where even the most exclusive supercars blend into the backdrop, it’s a fitting evolution of everyday life.
Monaco Bonne Conduite, a driving school nestled in the heart of the microstate, has been offering Porsche lessons since March 31. The school’s founder, Paul Croesi, sees it not as a gimmick, but as a necessary step in driver preparedness. “Many students, after passing their test, came to see me in the following days with big engines,” he explained to Ouest France. “These are young people who passed their test with vehicles that have 60 or 80 horsepower and they come to see me afterwards with vehicles with 600 or 700 horsepower.”
Indeed, the roads of Monaco are no strangers to Bugattis, McLarens, and Rolls-Royces. Teenagers stepping out of private schools and into hypercars is more than just a trope—it’s a reality. The city’s decadent lifestyle, fueled by wealth from all corners of the globe, means that even the flashiest cars can go unnoticed. In this context, offering driver training in a Porsche is less a luxury and more an act of realism.
“We are driving instructors, but also road safety instructors, so it seemed important to make them aware of high-powered vehicles,” Croesi added. For €159 an hour—nearly triple the standard rate—students can experience what it means to handle serious horsepower. The aim is not just to pass the test, but to understand how to responsibly control a machine that can do 0 to 100 km/h in under four seconds.
Seventeen-year-old Louise, now on her fourth hour in the Porsche, shared her excitement: “Driving a Porsche is very different from driving a normal car. We see them a lot, but being in one is still something very different. It’s still very enjoyable.”
In Monaco, where everyday excess is the norm, even driving lessons reflect the lifestyle. But with this initiative, the goal is clear: amidst the glitz and glamor, a firm grip on the wheel—and reality—remains essential.
