Albert II traces Grimaldi roots, unveils heritage app
By Zak Jackson, MonacoViews Editorial
Prince Albert II completed a two-day tour of the Alpes-Maritimes backcountry tracing the Grimaldi de Beuil lineage and announced a mobile app for visitors to follow the same route.
Prince Albert II wrapped up a 48-hour visit to the Alpes-Maritimes hinterland on Tuesday, retracing the history of the Grimaldi de Beuil, a branch of the family that once ruled territories stretching well beyond the Rocher. The tour took in villages and fortified sites linked to this lesser-known chapter of Grimaldi history, far from the palace corridors most associate with the dynasty.
During the visit, the Sovereign Prince announced the creation of a mobile application designed to let visitors follow the same itinerary independently, tracing Grimaldi de Beuil sites across the backcountry with historical context along the way. No launch date was given, but the initiative signals a push to extend Monaco's cultural footprint into the surrounding region it has long been historically tied to.
For Monaco residents and those with an interest in the Principality's deeper history, the project offers a rare official acknowledgement of the family's roots beyond the coastline, in territory now part of France but once under Grimaldi control. It also points to closer cultural ties between the Principality and the Alpes-Maritimes department, an area many in Monaco pass through but rarely engage with historically.