Monaco-Ville — The General's Shadow
Uncover the General's shadow haunting Monaco-Ville. Decode his final orders hidden across palaces and forts to expose a thwarted coup that nearly toppled the Grimaldis.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 19th-century Monaco-Ville, General Barthélemy Catala, a shadowy French military figure loyal to Napoleon, plotted a daring counter-move against the rising Grimaldi dynasty
Monaco-Ville — The General's Shadow
You are a loyal agent of François Grimaldi, dispatched to the Rock of Monaco in 1297 to aid "Malizia" in thwarting a conspiracy threatening his family's legacy.
Delve into the millennia-old layers of Monaco-Ville, where every stone of the Genoese fortress recounts seven centuries of the Grimaldi dynasty.
« God our protector »— Grimaldi Family, Official motto of the Principality of Monaco, inscribed on the coat of arms since the 17th century
The story that haunts this land
Your quest begins at the Place du Palais, the beating heart of Monaco-Ville, where the changing of the guard takes place daily at 11:55 AM since 1910. This 2,000 m² square, paved with local marble, offers breathtaking views of the Mediterranean and Port Hercule. It is here, in front of the Prince's Palace of Monaco, that the Grimaldis have celebrated their official ceremonies since the 17th century, on the foundations of a 1215 Genoese fortress. The palace itself, the official residence of the family since François Grimaldi's seizure of power in 1297, spans 37,000 m² and has 200 rooms, including the Throne Room decorated with 1524 frescoes by Francesco Salviati, one of the most important Monaco-Ville monuments.
Continuing towards Rue Basse, you traverse the ancient arteries of Monaco, where each narrow alley evokes the medieval past of this Grimaldi World Heritage site. Your route then leads you to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée, consecrated in 1875. Built in the Provençal Romanesque style, it stands on the site of the 1297 Sainte-Marie-du-Rocher church. This site is the tomb of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace Kelly since 1982, an essential place of remembrance for understanding the history of Monaco. With its 85 meters long and 20-meter high vaults, the cathedral, featuring a 35-stop organ installed in 1967 by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, can accommodate 1,000 worshippers, testifying to the spiritual importance of Monaco-Ville.
The Saint-Martin Gardens, created in 1816 by Prince Honoré IV on a former 16th-century fortified bastion, offer a green interlude in your Monaco-Ville thematic circuit. Over 1.2 hectares, 200 Mediterranean plant species thrive. Roman archaeological remains were discovered here in 1994, proving a much older occupation of the Rock of Monaco. The open-air theater, inaugurated in 1951 for 300 spectators, is a cultural venue that extends the history of this site. Your stroll then leads you towards Rue Émile de Loth, an artery that brings you closer to Fort Antoine, another historic monument in Monaco.
Fort Antoine, built in 1708 by Prince Antoine I, is a military fortification restored in 1951. Its 3-meter thick walls and 25-meter height earned it classification as a Historic Monument in 1949. This fort houses an archaeological domain featuring 6th-century BC Greek pottery, evidence of ancient Mediterranean exchanges. Since 1971, an open-air performance hall with 200 seats has been set up there, merging military history and culture. Along the coast, you reach the Chapelle de la Miséricorde, built in 1633 by Prince Honoré II for the Confrérie de la Miséricorde, founded in 1427. This chapel, restored in 1993, has maintained the tradition of the white penitents for 600 years, a vibrant testimony to local faith.
Your exploration of Monaco-Ville's heritage concludes at the Palais de Justice de Monaco, built in 1864 by architect Charles Lenormand in a neo-classical style. The interior frescoes, created in 1865 by Monegasque painter Émile Flach, illustrate justice and law. This building, an appeals court since 1919, has 12 courtrooms and its facade is adorned with allegorical statues of Justice and Law dating from 1864. This "Shadow of the General" circuit will have provided you with an interactive Monaco visit, offering a deep discovery of Monaco's history through its monuments, leaving you with a renewed understanding of the Grimaldi motto, "Deus protector noster".
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
The game downloads to your phone on start. Once the "✓ Downloaded" indicator appears, everything works without data — narration, AR, GPS and puzzles. Perfect abroad without a data plan.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
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Practical info
Why this route?
Princely Charm
Discover Princess Grace's subtle role in Monaco's international influence.
Border Crisis
Experience the tension and stakes of a border under diplomatic pressure.
Historic Compromise
Reconstruct the elements that led to the final agreement, preserving Monaco's autonomy.
Untangle the threads of a forgotten intrigue.
Monaco's destiny was sealed by words. Will you find them?
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need an app or a paper guide?
Neither. Everything plays in your browser (Safari, Chrome) after you tap your activation link. No PDF to print, no download. The trail lives in your phone, that's it.
Q02How many stops are in Monaco-Ville — The General's Shadow?
Eight stops total. At each stop you find a camera clue, solve the puzzle, collect a fragment of the final code. With all eight, you've got the answer.
Q03Is Monaco-Ville — The General's Shadow suitable for a challenge-seeking teen?
Absolutely. The puzzles aren't obvious — a curious teen will sweat just enough to be proud of cracking them. Progressive hints prevent frustration: if stuck, unlock hint level 1, then 2, then 3.
Q04What's the best time to start?
Morning between 10 and 11, or early afternoon around 2 PM, is ideal. You still have daylight ahead, Monaco-Ville, Monaco is less crowded, and the light is better for camera clues.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Delve into the millennia-old layers of Monaco-Ville, where every stone of the Genoese fortress recounts seven centuries of the Grimaldi dynasty.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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