Ah Monaco, the glitz and the glamour. It’s the perfect place to arrive by helicopter and feel like a movie star, or possibly a glamorous spy. But did you know it can cost the same to hop in a chopper as it does to get a taxi from the airport?

I know, it sounds crazy, and I’ll admit that when I checked the prices I did a rather big double take. But bear with me, I shall explain.

A helicopter with Heli Air Monaco is €120 euros from Monaco to Nice or €130 from Nice to Monaco (no, I’m not sure about the extra tenner either), or you can get a return for €230.

A taxi, depending on the traffic, can cost between €90 and €120.

That means if you get a return ticket, you could save €10 compared to taking a taxi in heavy traffic.

Yes, I know I’m using the same kind of math that I employ when I save a fortune by buying a pair of designer shoes when they’re 75% off (they practically pay for themselves!).

And yes, my maths only works properly if you’re travelling solo. If you’re with a partner or a couple of friends you can of course split the cost of a taxi and then you’d be ahead.

But then you wouldn’t see the stunning Côte d’Azur from the air, or have your breath catch in your throat as you see the beauty of Monaco below you.

You wouldn’t feel the adrenalin course through your veins as you hear the whir of the helicopter’s blades, or feel like a rock star walking across the helipad. And you wouldn’t be able to share secret smiles with fellow passengers trying to keep their cool.

Of course, some passengers truly are cool with it. Including one man on my Nice to Monaco helicopter ride who immediately started wheeling and dealing loudly on his mobile when we got into the mini bus to take us to our hotels. Oh okay, he wasn’t cool. He was actually a bit of a tosser.

But then there were the guys on my return flight. We were all trying to exude “oh yes, I always take the helicopter” vibes, but then I broke as we walked out onto the helipad.

I hadn’t taken a photo on the way over because I didn’t want to show how excited I was, but I decided to trade in my cool chips for a souvenir snap. As I asked one of the guys if he’d mind taking my photo they all laughed and asked if I could do the same for them after. Yes, sometimes all it takes is someone to go first.

Not that we’re even close to the first to make this trip. Heli Air Monaco say they have flown more than 1,650,000 passengers safely over the past 32 years.

The only problem I can see with travelling with them is taking the helicopter doesn’t take long enough. There’s only seven minutes between taking off from Nice Côte d’Azur and touching down in the beautiful principality of Monaco.

But oh, what a lovely seven minutes it is. And how I look forward to doing it again one day.

Amanda Woods travelled as a guest of the Monaco Government Tourist Bureau and stayed as a guest at the Columbus Monte Carlo Hotel but as usual all opinions and thoughts remain her own.

