H.S.H. Prince Albert continued his tour of the Manche region yesterday, following in the footsteps of his ancestors. The day began in Percy-en-Normandie, where he was welcomed at the town hall by the mayor, Mr. Charly Varin, during an official ceremony.
The Sovereign then attended the blessing of a 17th-century bell, whose godfather was Honoré III of Monaco in 1751, recently restored in the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste.
Also in the morning, the Prince presented four new “Grimaldi Historic Sites of Monaco” labels to local artisans and merchants, then inaugurated the certified producers' market.
In the afternoon, in Torigny-les-Villes, H.S.H. the Prince was received at the Château des Matignon, now the town hall, by the mayor, Mr. Michaël Grandin. There, he attended a conference on the publication of a book dedicated to Jacques III de Matignon, Count of Torigni (1644-1725), on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of his death.
The Prince then paid his respects at the Church of Saint-Laurent, where several of his ancestors are buried, before viewing the restoration work on the chapel of the former Hôtel-Dieu, carried out with his support.
In the middle of the afternoon, the Sovereign Prince traveled to Calvados, to Saint-Martin-des-Besaces, the village where Prince Honoré V of Monaco lived between 1823 and 1841.
A street now bears his name in tribute to his historical contribution.
After a republican welcome, H.S.H. the Prince, alongside Mayor Alain Declomesnil and Deputy Mayor Éric Martin, unveiled the plaque formalizing the commune's entry into the network of Grimaldi Historic Sites of Monaco. The visit concluded with a tour of the Musée de la Percée du Bocage, dedicated to the 1944 Normandy D-Day.
