As part of His regular visits to territories historically linked to His family, H.S.H. Prince Albert II visited Ollioules, "city of flowers and olive trees", in the Var department on Friday 10 March.
At the beginning of the morning, the Sovereign Prince was welcomed by the Mayor of Ollioules, Robert Beneventi, and by the Prefect of the Var, Evence Richard. At the entrance to the town, he unveiled, together with the mayor and Cyril Piazza, President of the French Association of Grimaldi Historic Sites of Monaco and mayor of Peille, the sign indicating that the town belongs to the network of "Grimaldi Historic Sites of Monaco".
H.S.H. the Prince and His delegation then walked to the church of Saint-Laurent to attend a ceremony in memory of Charles Grimaldi d'Antibes-Cagnes, Bishop of Rodez, who was buried there in 1770. His tombstone, which has just been restored to its original format, was unveiled during a blessing celebrated by His Grace Monsignor Dominique Rey, Bishop of Fréjus-Toulon, and by Father José Ansaldi, the parish priest of Ollioules.
The Sovereign continued his walk through the town to visit the "Le Château" primary school. Surrounded by the mayor, the local authorities, the headmistress Sandrine Fina, the teachers and the pupils, the Sovereign unveiled a third plaque which will commemorate His visit to the very place which, in the 18th century, was the home of a Grimaldi who served as a squadron leader in the Navy in Toulon, and who was the brother of the bishop of Rodez.
Then, after a meeting in the Town Hall with the local authorities, in front of a large number of the local population in the Marius Trotobas Square the Prince received honorary citizenship of the town as well as a magnificent olive tree, the tree which gave the town its name.
