This Prize, created in 2013 by the Alpes-Maritimes Department, aims to highlight writers from the Alpes-Maritimes or those whose novels are set in the Maralpine territory. It also seeks to encourage sharing around books and reading through a popular jury made up of readers from the departmental library network and the Maisons du Département (MDD).
It is part of the departmental council’s public reading policy. In the year the prize was created, the organization focused on three reading committees located in three MDDs targeting a senior readership. Since 2015, the organization of the prize has expanded to include libraries in the network, incorporating a wide readership of enthusiasts.
After a preselection process starting in January 2021, based on novels published in bookstores during the current or previous year, four novels make up the final selection presented in November to the jurors registered in the 13 reading committees of the Prize.
For several months—from December 2021 to May 2022—the 120 jurors will meet monthly to exchange and debate around the four novels. They will proceed in May 2022 with the election of the laureate of this 9th edition, who will be awarded the Prix Livre Azur in June 2022.
This prize is sponsored by the writer Joël Bacqué.
The four novels of the 2022 selection:
“The Fortunate of the World,” Stéphanie Des Horts, Albin Michel editions, 2021
“The Hare,” Frédéric Boyer, Gallimard editions, 2021
“In All the Blue,” Laura Ulonati, Actes Sud editions, 2021
“The Silence of the Carps,” Jérôme Bonnetto, Inculte editions, 2021
