HSH Prince Albert visited La Seyne-sur-Mer on the morning of Friday, October 11 to honour the memory and scientific achievements of his great-great-grandfather, Prince Albert I. The occasion was marked by the opening of the photographic exhibition ‘The Azores, a Garden on the Atlantic’ by Micheline Pelletier, which pays tribute to the legacy of Prince Albert I, who conducted 13 scientific expeditions to the Portuguese archipelago. The exhibition is open to the public starting this Friday.
The exhibit, hosted at Villa Tamaris, showcases over 200 photographs capturing the natural beauty and the resilient spirit of the Azores. Pelletier, who has long been captivated by the islands, dedicated a book to the Azores earlier this year and now presents this photographic homage. The exhibition also highlights Prince Albert I’s deep connection to the Azores, where his name is honored in various locations, including the meteorological observatory in Horta.
Prince Albert I, a passionate scientist, played a pivotal role in advancing knowledge of the oceans and the natural world. His expeditions helped Professor Charles Richet discover anaphylaxis, the body’s defence mechanism against external threats, a groundbreaking finding that earned Richet the Nobel Prize for Physiology in 1913. Christophe Robino, Monaco’s Minister of Social Affairs and Health, emphasised the prince’s contribution to this major discovery in human physiology.
Prince Albert I also championed environmental preservation, a cause now taken up by his descendant, Prince Albert II. During his visit, the Sovereign toured the exhibition alongside the photographer and dignitaries, paying special attention to the section dedicated to his great-great-grandfather’s scientific work. The prince has a personal connection to the Azores, having visited the islands twice—in 2004 for the centenary of the Avenue Prince Albert 1er de Monaco in Ponta Delgada, and in 2022 to commemorate the centenary of Prince Albert I’s death.
Joining Prince Albert II were several notable figures, including Emmanuel Falco, the Prince’s first advisor, the Portuguese ambassador to France and Monaco, José Duarte, and cultural leaders such as Thomas Fouilleron, director of archives at the Prince’s Palace, and Vincent Vatrican, director of Monaco’s audiovisual archives. Local officials, including the prefect of Var, Pierre Mahet, and regional and municipal leaders, also attended the event.
The exhibition, ‘The Azores, a Garden on the Atlantic’, will run at Villa Tamaris until January 5. It is open from 13:30 to 18:30, closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and public holidays.
