Monaco’s Prince Albert II spent the end of last week in northeastern France, where he visited the small city of Belfort on a trip that combined historical links and innovative new ideas. 

Belfort, a city of just over 46,000 inhabitants in the northeastern region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, not far from the Swiss border, welcomed the Monegasque sovereign on 3rd October.

The Prince was greeted at the town hall in the morning by the local mayor, Damien Meslot, and Florian Bouquet, the president of the Departmental Council, before he unveiled a commemorative plaque that signifies Belfort’s entry into the Grimaldi Historic Sites network.

Prince Albert then headed off on a tour of key industrial sites in Belfort, such as the Alstom site, where he was introduced to the group’s hydrogen projects and shown the new TGV M engines, which represent the future of rail transport.

“This visit provided an opportunity to explore initiatives related to the energy transition, with a stop at a renewable hydrogen production and distribution station that powers part of the Belfort area bus fleet,” said a representative for the Palais Princier de Monaco.

The Prince concluded his visit with a trip to the Citadelle de Belfort, a 17th century fortress that offers panoramic views of the city and the surrounding countryside.  

To see photographs of Prince Albert’s Belfort trip, click on the images below:

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Photo credit: Axel Bastello / Palais Princier de Monaco