Move over Monaco: How one self-declared principality is fighting for rural France

The mischievous mayor of Laas is a man on a mission to attract people from French cities to the countryside, Chris Bockman reports

Laas mayor Jacques Pedehontaa poses at the entrance to his self-declared principality (Chris Bockman)

Nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees, hard to reach, and home to fewer than 200 people, one might wonder why the French village of Laas is getting so much attention.

The answer becomes apparent upon entering the village, with a welcome like no other.

An official sign reads “Principality of Laas”, a bright customs shed is adorned with a blue, yellow and red coat of arms, and behind that lies a barrier granting entry to one of Europe’s newest – and smallest – principalities.