France has named its next ambassador to Monaco, with career diplomat Christophe Lemoine set to take up the post on September 1, succeeding Jean d’Haussonville, who officially announced his departure on July 14 after three years representing France in the Principality.
According to Monaco-Matin, Lemoine’s appointment was decided by the French government during a Council of Ministers meeting in July, before being formally validated by the Prince’s Palace, where Lemoine is due to present his letters of credence to His Serene Highness Prince Albert II on September 17.
A graduate of Sciences Po Bordeaux and the Sorbonne, Lemoine brings a diplomatic career spanning both international postings and senior roles within French government itself. He served as chief of staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs during Laurent Fabius’s tenure at the helm of the Quai d’Orsay, before going on to serve as France’s Consul General in Los Angeles, followed by a posting as deputy head of the French embassy in Rome. More recently, he took on the role of spokesperson for the Quai d’Orsay, while also serving as its director of communications.
In that capacity, Lemoine appeared before the French Senate in March 2024 to discuss the ministry’s response to foreign influence operations, detailing in particular the hybrid warfare tactics employed by Russia, including cyberattacks and the spread of deliberately misleading information.
Ahead of his appointment to Monaco, Lemoine held the position of Inspector of Foreign Affairs, a career path that has given him both broad international experience and a deep understanding of how France’s foreign policy apparatus actually functions.
That combination is expected to serve him well in Monaco, a posting that carries particular significance given the depth and frequency of exchanges between the two countries at multiple levels. For the 8,270 French nationals currently residing in Monaco, Lemoine will also become their principal official point of contact representing France within the Principality.