Our actions
The Principality of Aigues-Mortes is, above all, a driving force for civic engagement. We exist thanks to our actions for our town and its residents. Whether in the cultural, economic or social sphere, the Principality works to foster a positive and supportive dynamic, and it is with a certain pride that we present to you the first fruits of what promises to be a bountiful harvest. We naturally accompany this section with details of our future projects.
Our actions for economy
The local complementary currency of Aigues-Mortes is the ‘flamant’. It was developed by the Principality of Aigues-Mortes to encourage spending on local products and services. Thanks to the ‘flamant’, shopping in Aigues-Mortes offers better value for money than elsewhere. Another benefit of the local currency is its positive impact on the environment, as it promotes short supply chains. This helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by long-distance freight transport. The currency was launched on Saturday 20 May 2017 and its network currently comprises around sixty retailers. The principality has set up an association to manage transactions, known as the BPAM (Bourse princière d’Aigues-Mortes). As a result, this organisation acts somewhat as a “national bank” for the principality. You can visit the BPAM website.
Our social actions
ABOVE: The ‘Spring of Flower-Decorated Bikes’, organised by the Principality of Aigues-Mortes, brings together people of all ages for a fun ride winding through the town’s streets.
BELOW: The throwing of pink bras under the enthusiastic leadership of HRH Princess Olivia-Eugénie. The event was held in support of the ‘Pink October’ campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer.
Social engagement is a top priority for the Principality of Aigues-Mortes, which aims to foster intergenerational exchange within the town. A number of events held throughout the year bring all citizens together around the princely couple. These events and evenings also serve to highlight the many talents on which everything depends. Over the past six years, the principality has called upon more than sixty volunteer craftspeople and artists to help organise events that serve as a true showcase for local expertise across a wide range of skills, whilst remaining fun. One of the finest examples remains the Grand Bal Princier du Godet d’Or, the annual gala evening which, for each edition, involves: the town’s hairdressers, seamstresses, florists, a different host venue each year, an entertainment team and numerous helping hands to offer the town an event worthy of a grand royal court.
Her Serene Highness Princess Olivia-Eugénie posing with guests at the Grand Bal Princier du Godet d'Or in 2014
Our cultural actions
Fenella Humphreys on violin, accompanied by Viv McLean on piano, on the second evening of FIMCAM 2016
The Principality of Aigues-Mortes lent its full support and co-founded FIMCAM with Mr Peter Thomas, vice-president of the prestigious Chelsea and Kensington Musical Society in London. The Aigues-Mortes International Classical Music Festival brought together five renowned British masterclasses in the wonderful Chapel of the Grey Penitents for its inaugural edition in June 2016. The festival was a resounding success during this inaugural edition, which showcased the venue’s exceptional acoustics. As for the close proximity to the artists, this fostered a wonderful connection with the audience in a setting worthy of Versailles.
Our promotional actions
The Principality of Aigues-Mortes, as a key player in promoting the town, organised a fashion show and evening event entitled ‘Princesse du shopping’, involving 70 volunteers and 16 local shops. The aim of this event was to showcase the vast range of clothing and accessories available in our town. Shopping in Aigues-Mortes is not just a matter of taste; it is also, and above all, a matter of quality of service and value for money, which were highlighted to encourage consumers and tourists to visit our lovely shops. The event also ensured that the terraces of the many restaurants and cafés on Place Saint-Louis were filled to capacity. The event brought the town to life for the whole evening; shopkeepers saw positive results and restaurant owners did a roaring trade that night, all thanks to the ability of the citizens of the Principality of Aigues-Mortes to come together to promote the merits and advantages of their town. A fine example of the Principality’s unity being its strength.
Our projects
Wine Rally – Four Hours of Aigues-Mortes
Just like our Monegasque rivals and their grand Formula 1 rally, our principality deserved to have its own motor race to boost its reputation. Given the Crown’s budget constraints, Formula 1 was very quickly ruled out of this project, which was very dear to HRH Princess Olivia-Eugénie, who opted instead for a ‘rosalie’ rally: The Wine Rally – Four Hours of Aigues-Mortes. The idea is to have Rosalie cars drive around with a box of rosé wine not secured to the luggage rack. Every time the box falls off, the drivers must stop and pour themselves a glass before continuing on their way. The winning team will be the one that completes the most laps in four hours. They will take all the other teams’ wine bags. We are planning for one Rosalie per participating village in the vicinity of the principality. Each village will have to fund the hire of its Rosalie and form its team of cyclists, who will take turns during the four-hour race. The project is currently being developed in collaboration with the association
Museum of the Principality of Aigues-Mortes and of Micronations
Undoubtedly the biggest upcoming project for the Principality. This museum will offer a tour of several rooms in the future Prince’s Palace, as well as a rich and fascinating exhibition tracing the history of the Principality and showcasing the creativity of micronations from around the world. The museum will take you on a journey from one world to another, each born of the imagination of a micronation’s founder, as you move from an icy landscape to a desert or a post-apocalyptic-style structure. We won’t reveal any more, but rest assured that it will be, above all, a fun and educational space, inviting visitors to reflect on the worlds that lie within the reach of everyone’s imagination. The project will be funded by private funds, independent of the association’s budget.