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Aigues-Mortes (Municipality, Gard, France)

Principality of Aigues-Mortes

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Principality of Aigues-Mortes

Flag of the Principality of Aigues-Mortes - Image by Olivier Touzeau, 9 November 2020

The Principality of Aigues-Mortes is a micronation originally created to promote and support local initiatives of the eponymous town, located in Camargue, 20 km east of Montpellier.
Born to be a parody of Monaco in Camargue, the Principality of Aigues-Mortes arouse a real popular impetus in the village to become an alternative and complementary civic community, built with an important sense of humor and promoting the local rosé wine.

In 2011, the principality registered Association LOUPAM, a Non-profitable Organization under the Law of 1901 regulating associations. Per this status, Principality is allowed to open a bank account and to collect funds for its subsistence and to finance its activities.
On 2015, the principality launched an alternative, local currency called flamant,, with the support of Aigues-Mortes' municipality and shopkeepers. In 2016, it hosted the first summit of the Organization of French-Speaking Micronations.

The flag of the principality, vertically divided blue-white with a Cross of Camargue in the white part, is used during events organized by the association and in several shops in the town.

The Cross of Camargu, aka Gardian Cross, is made of a Latin cross, whose three upper points are trident-shaped, an anchor and a heart. The Latin cross symbolizes Faith; the anchor, Hope; and the heart, Charity. These three Virtues were highlighted by St. Paul (Corinthians I, 13). The cross and the anchor also associate the gardians (traditional bull rearers) and the fishers of Camargue. The Gardian cross was designed in 1924 by the artist Hermann Paul upon request of Marquis Folco of Baroncelli (1869-1943), an aristocrat of Florentine origin who created in 1893 his own manade, a traditional Camargue estate. The first real cross was forged by Gédéon Blatière, again upon Baroncelli's request. Three years later, Blatière forged the nickel cross used as the finial for the Nacioun Gardians flag.

Olivier Touzeau, Pascal Vagnat & Ivan Sache, 9 November 2020