The Republic of Saugeais ( fr , La République du Saugeais, ) is a self-proclaimed
micronation
A micronation is a political entity whose members claim that they belong to an independent nation or sovereign state, but which lacks legal recognition by world governments or major international organizations. Micronations are classified ...
located in eastern France, in the
département of Doubs. The republic comprises the 11 municipalities of
Les Alliés,
Arçon,
Bugny,
La Chaux-de-Gilley,
Gilley,
Hauterive-la-Fresse,
La Longeville,
Montflovin
Montflovin () is a commune in the Doubs department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France.
Geography
Montflovin lies north of Montbenoît.
Population
See also
* Communes of the Doubs department
The following is a list o ...
,
Maisons-du-Bois-Lièvremont,
Ville-du-Pont
Ville-du-Pont () is a commune in the Doubs department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France.
Population
See also
*Communes of the Doubs department
The following is a list of the 571 communes of the Doubs department o ...
, and its capital
Montbenoît
Montbenoît () is a commune in the Doubs department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France.
Geography
The commune lies north of Pontarlier in the Jura mountains.
History
In the early 12th century, Landry, Lord of Joux, ga ...
.
Micronations
History
In 1947, the
prefect
Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area.
A prefect's ...
of the département of Doubs came to Montbenoît to attend an official event. The prefect had lunch in the Hôtel de l'Abbaye in Montbenoît, which was owned by Georges Pourchet. As a joke, Pourchet asked the prefect "Do you have a permit allowing you to enter the Republic of Saugeais?" The prefect asked for details on the mysterious republic, which Pourchet made up on the spot. The prefect responded by appointing Pourchet president of the Free Republic of Saugeais.
[
Georges Pourchet died in 1968 and his wife Gabrielle initially succeeded as president. She retired in 1970 but remained active in Montbenoît, helping the parish priest to preserve the abbey. To raise funds, a festival was organised in 1972, during which Gabrielle Pourchet was elected President for life by ]acclamation
An acclamation is a form of election that does not use a ballot. It derives from the ancient Roman word ''acclamatio'', a kind of ritual greeting and expression of approval towards imperial officials in certain social contexts.
Voting Voice vot ...
.
President Gabrielle Pourchet appointed a prime minister, a general secretary, twelve ambassadors and more than 300 honorary citizens. A song written in the ''Langue Saugette'', a Franco-Provençal
Franco-Provençal (also Francoprovençal, Patois or Arpitan) is a language within Gallo-Romance originally spoken in east-central France, western Switzerland and northwestern Italy.
Franco-Provençal has several distinct dialects and is separ ...
dialect, by Joseph Botillon in 1910 was adopted as the republic's national anthem. A banknote was released in 1997, and the French Postal Service issued a postal stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper issued by a post office, postal administration, or other authorized vendors to customers who pay postage (the cost involved in moving, insuring, or registering mail), who then affix the stamp to the fa ...
commemorating the republic in 1987.[Lebby Eyre]
"A Tiny Country between France and Switzerland"
BBC 12 March 2020.
List of presidents
#Georges Pourchet (1947–68)
#Gabrielle Pourchet (1968 – 31 August 2005)
#Georgette Bertin-Pourchet (31 August 2005 – 18 March 2022)
#Simon Marguet (18 March 2022 – present)
References
External links
* , featuring information on the flag of the republic.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saugeais
Geography of France
Micronations in France
Geography of Doubs
States and territories established in 1947