Place du Casino, Monte-Carlo

Monte-Carlo's set piece is one square: the casino, a Belle Époque palace of cream stone, towers and gilded ironwork remodelled by Charles Garnier, the architect of the Paris Opéra; the Hôtel de Paris on one side and the Café de Paris on the other; and in front, gardens sloping down in lawns, palms and water towards the sea. Supercars pull up at the hotel door and stay there as part of the scenery, which is half of what people come to photograph.

The square and the gardens are open to everyone. The casino, the hotel and the café terraces are private, and their guests' privacy is strictly protected, so the session works from the public side — and the gardens give the best angle on the facade anyway, with the casino framed by palms. Early in the morning the square is close to empty; from late morning it is full of visitors, and after dark the facade is lit and the cars come out.