In Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, the animals visit Monte Carlo before joining the circus.
Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, and the penguins travel to Monte Carlo while searching for the penguins and chimpanzees. Their plan leads them into a casino, where they attract the attention of Chantel DuBois, a determined animal-control officer who pursues them across Europe.
After escaping Monte Carlo, the group encounters a traveling circus. To avoid capture and reach New York, the Madagascar animals pretend to be circus performers. The circus then becomes the setting for much of the film as they travel through Europe and attempt to reinvent their act.
Monte Carlo is sometimes confused with Monaco or with other European locations featured later in the story. Monte Carlo is a district of Monaco, while Monaco is the sovereign city-state on the Mediterranean coast. The film uses the casino district as its dramatic European starting point before shifting toward the circus adventure.