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Charles III
Jardin Exotique
Antoine Repaire
Cremaillere

Jan S. Krogh's Geosite: France – Monaco (FRMC)

Monaco shares a 4.4 km dry boundary with France. Also her territorial waters are only shared with France.  The state language is French, but due to that the traditional national language is Monegasque, the entry signs to the country, as well as many street signs, are bilanguaged.  The Monegasque boundary research is very difficult due to the lack of detailed topographic maps.  The only available recently published maps we have available are tourist maps.

In this report we will focus on three areas with modern markers on the Franco- Monegasque border; at Boulevard Charles-III (FRMC1), Boulevard du Jardin-Exotique (FRMC2) and Place Antonine-Repaire (FRMC3).  Furthermore we will study an ordinary border area (FRMC4). These modern markers are no traditional border stones, but more one road stone and some kind of touristic markers. The  Jardin-Exotique column is the closest we find to a traditional international border marker. In general the Franco-Monegasque boundary's principal characteristic is the almost total absence of any kind of demarcation. Even policemen (French citizens in Monegasque uniforms) on duty at the border do not know exactly where the border goes. 
All photos were taken on 4 August 2011.  (Click on the picture to get up a high-resolution image.)

Some important dates

1346: The Lords of Menton sell their property to Charles Grimaldi.
1355: Charles Grimaldi acquires Lordship over Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
These two communities became part of the Principality of Monaco.
Letter from Louis XIV to the Prince of Monaco in July 1705
1793: Menton and Roquebrune asked to be incorporated in France.
1814: Grimaldi takes over Roquebrune.
1815: Menton becomes a protectorate of Sardinia.
1848: Menton and Roquebrune align themselves with the Kingdom of Sardinia.
1848: In the plebiscite of June, Menton chose annexation to Sardinia.
1860: Menton and Roquebrune go to France.
1861: By the Treaty of Paris of February 2, Prince Charles III renounced his rights over Menton and Roquebrune. The treaty of 2 February 2 1861 between France and the Prince of Monaco transfers Commons of Menton and Roquebrune to France.  Monaco's independence is recognized.

Monaco - Savoy Border markers

There are a number of old border markers between Monaco and Savoy. These boundary markers are located on the former border between the Principality of Monaco and the County of Nice (Savoy). 1)    

Monaco Moneghetti No. 9 (1828) Roquebrune La Coupière No. 56 (1828)
Monaco Bellevue No. 12 Roquebrune La Coupière No. 57 (1828)
Monaco Maréchal Foch No. 15 (1828) Roquebrune La Coupière No. 58 (1828)
Monaco Sainte-Cécile No. 1? (1828) Menton Sainte-Agnès No. 62 (1828)
Monaco Ténao No. 31 (1828) Menton Monti Cuculéa No. 71 (1828)
Monaco Mairie No. 55 (1828) Menton Ravin de l'Ubac No. 73 (1828)

Sources and links

  1. Anciennes bornes frontières Monaco/Savoie – an excellent site about the historic border markers of the region, included those of Monaco:  http://bornes.frontieres.free.fr/monaco/Monaco_planche.htm  (French)

  2. mappery.com – detailed Monaco tourist map:  http://mappery.com/map-of/Monaco-Tourist-Map

  3. Dallen Timothy's France - Monaco Photos from March 2011

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First time published on 31.10.11.  This page was last time updated on 04.03.12