From Brittany to Calabria: Prince Albert II celebrates 150 Grimaldi sites
Fulvio Gazzola, mayor of Dolceacqua (left) and Cyril Piazza, head of the Association des Sites Historiques Grimaldi (right) © Frédéric Nebinger / Prince's Palace
Prince Albert II gathered the elected representatives from the Grimaldi Historic Sites on Friday to mark a decade of territorial cooperation regarding the Princely Family’s shared heritage.
Ten years after its creation in Menton, the Grimaldi Historic Sites of Monaco network now includes almost 150 French and Italian local authorities. On Friday evening at the Yacht Club de Monaco, accompanied by the mayor of twinned town Dolceacqua and Cyril Piazza, head of the Association des Sites Historiques Grimaldi, Prince Albert II celebrated this decade of rapprochement with elected officials from Alsace, Brittany, Normandy, Piedmont and Puglia.
“For a long time, knowledge about the Grimaldi Historic Sites was limited to mere names,” said the Sovereign, referring to the “former fiefdoms” of the Grimaldi family. Launched in July 2015 by the former mayor of Menton, Jean-Claude Guibal, who has since passed away, the aim of the initiative was to revive those little-known ties.
United by history and more
The network took on a concrete dimension with the creation of the annual Rencontres (Gatherings) in 2018, followed by the emergence of distinct national associations in France and Italy. A Monegasque federation, chaired by the Prince, was created in 2022 to coordinate the whole.
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In addition to the historic aspect, visits by the Prince and Princess provide an opportunity to address “a variety of issues” common to Monaco and the different territories: “mobility, environmental sustainability, energy, maritime issues and cross-border relations,” Prince Albert II said.
Heritage that transcends borders
The intervening decade has seen heritage sites restored, exhibitions organised and historical works published. A promotional film directed by Yann-Antony Noghès will now be shown in the member municipalities’ tourist offices. “Let’s make sure we carry on together as a family,” concluded the Prince in his speech to the representatives of this Franco-Italo-Monegasque community.
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