Monaco’s Prince Albert II travelled to Mayenne in the northwest of France earlier this week to welcome the pretty town into the Grimaldi Historic Sites network.
On Sunday 5th and Monday 6th May, Prince Albert swapped Monaco for Mayenne by travelling north to peaceful French town that sits between Normandy and the Loire Valley.
The Prince is actually the Duke of Mayenne due to a 1777 marriage between Prince Honoré IV and Louise d’Aumont Mazarin, the Duchess of Mayenne.
This centuries-old link qualifies Mayenne as a member of the ever-growing Grimaldi Historic Sites network, a project launched in 2015 as a way of forging modern-day connections with the numerous locales across Europe that enjoy historic ties to the Principality.
A two-day tour of Mayenne
Prince Albert’s tour of Mayenne began with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque in the town centre and a visit to the Grand Logis, a private property formerly linked to the Grimaldi family.
Next came a stop at the imposing medieval Château de Mayenne, which is now a museum.
Despite the rain, many local people turned out to listen to the Prince give a speech on the beauty, heritage and virtues of Mayenne in the gardens of the castle.
His first day concluded with the Mayenne International Piano Competition, during which he was invited to present an award named in his honour.
The second day of the tour saw Prince Albert visit a local fabric manufacturer, Les Toiles de Mayenne, and a dairy industry museum, La Cité du Lait. From there, he travelled to the town of Laval to explore an exhibit showcasing Monaco’s links to the department of Mayenne.
Mayenne is the 75th commune to be formally invited to join the Grimaldi Historic Sites network.
Click on the images below to see more:
Join the Monaco Life community – sign up for the Monaco Life newsletter, follow our Podcasts on Spotify, and check us out on Threads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.
Photo credit: Axel Bastello / Palais Princier de Monaco