Yesterday, Villa Masséna was the setting for a formal ceremony whose significance varies depending on one’s perspective on this type of decoration: H.S.H. Prince Albert of Monaco and Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, were awarded the Golden Eagle, the primary distinction of the Aigla Nissarda, as part of the promotion of the 160th anniversary of the Union of the County of Nice with France.
For the record, the Aigla Nissarda order was created in 1962 by Léon Baréty, a former Minister and deputy of Alpes-Maritimes, to honor individuals attached to Nice who contribute to its influence and development. This distinction aimed to reward the merits of all Niçois, whether by origin or by heart.
Tombée progressivement dans l’oubli, cette distinction* a été remise à l’ordre du jour en novembre 2019 par son nouveau Président, François Daure, neveu de Jean-Paul Baréty (fils de Léon Baréty et Président de l’Académia Nissarda pendant 40 ans), et Jean-Paul David, Président de l’Acadèmia Nissarda.
Quite naturally, the first two recipients were two leading figures: one an institutional leader, the head of state rooted in the azure territory whose centuries-old history needs no reminder, an eminent personality for various reasons, known for the ties of his family with Nice and its region (a Grimaldi castle still stands in Haut-de-Cagnes); and the mayor of Nice who, through his work, is building the 21st-century city.
For Christian Estrosi, receiving this distinction alongside His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II of Monaco, “is a moving moment for me, and naturally symbolizes, in a way, the power and strength there is in our relationship, how enduring it is.”
An acknowledgment to which H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco attested: “It is a real pleasure for me to receive the Aigla Nissarda, this honorary distinction rooted in the Niçois territory, opportunely revived by the Académia Nissarda. I am, of course, personally touched, as I am, Mr. President, by your kind words, for which I sincerely thank you. But beyond that, I see in this distinction a symbol that enlivens the ancestral fraternity binding the County of Nice to the Principality of Monaco. I am certainly aware that we each have our identities and distinct specificities deeply rooted in history.”
A few moments later, the Monegasque Head of State and the mayor of Nice signed, as tradition dictates, the guestbook, as if to leave a trace of this mark of respect and affection between the Niçois territory and the Principality of Monaco.
