France and Montenegro, a long history of friendship and cooperation

France and Montenegro – a long history of cooperation and mutual artistic influence

Almost two decades ago, France was among the first countries to officially recognize Montenegro. On June 13, 2006, just ten days after the declaration of independence, the two countries established diplomatic relations, which have been developing continuously since then. Today, these relations are fully aligned with Montenegro's aspiration to become a member of the European Union in the coming years, which France supports both politically and through technical assistance.

However, the shared history of France and Montenegro goes back a long way, long before the 2000s. Franco-Montenegrin relations can be described as a long mutual artistic exchange, occasionally interrupted by geopolitical and military upheavals, such as the Napoleonic campaigns. During this period, the city of Herceg Novi was briefly part of the French Empire under Napoleon I, before being retaken by Montenegrin forces in 1813. Later, during World War I, France became an ally of Montenegro, providing support and refuge to King Nikola I. His descendant, the current Crown Prince Nikola Petrović-Njegoš, also grew up and was educated in France, where he trained as an architect before returning to live in the country of his ancestors.

Beyond geopolitical aspects, France and Montenegro have inspired and influenced each other through art. Among the many Montenegrin artists who have achieved great success in France and on the international scene, the painter Miodrag Đurić (1933–2010), known as Dado, stands out. Born in Cetinje, he studied at the Art Academy in Herceg Novi and Belgrade, before being discovered in Paris by painter Jean Dubuffet and gallerist Daniel Cordier. A versatile artist, Dado explored various art forms – from painting on canvas, to sculpture and woodcuts, to digital art. However, his homeland remained a key inspiration for the opulent and diverse works he created over almost six decades.

Today, the cooperation between France and Montenegro is diverse, making France one of Montenegro's main European partners! From the Montenegrin Film Center, which works to encourage co-productions with the French National Center for Cinematography, through the numerous university exchanges that the University of Montenegro carries out with the Universities of Côte d'Azur, Cannes Normandy and Paul Valéry in Montpellier, to artistic collaborations - exchanges between the National Ballet of Montenegro and French choreographers, as well as between the Montenegrin Symphony Orchestra and French soloists. Professional mobilities between these two countries are numerous and constantly growing!

Contemporary French-Montenegrin relations – multisectoral cooperation in constant development

Modern French-Montenegrin economic relations are shaped by multi-sectoral cooperation and investments, especially in the fields of energy, environmental protection, transport infrastructure, healthcare, and defense. A growing number of French companies are already operating in Montenegro or exploring opportunities for business expansion, recognizing this country as a promising market with numerous opportunities!

In the energy sector, the French group Akuo operates the Krnovo wind farm, which supplies electricity to 30.000 people, which is 5% of the total population of Montenegro. This project contributes to the country's ecological transition, in line with the Constitution, which defines it as an ecological state. In the environmental sector, the French company Valgo successfully completed a major project to rehabilitate and decontaminate the former shipyard in Bijela in 2024.

Companies from the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry, such as Loreal, Sanofi and Servier, are also present in Montenegro.

Likewise, French companies are taking positions in the airport sector, whether it is the ADP (Aéroports Paris) or Airbus groups. In addition to being leaders in their fields at the global level, their interest is fueled by tourism flows between the two countries. In 2024, almost 100.000 French tourists visited Montenegro, making them among the most numerous tourists from the European Union!

France and Montenegro have a common characteristic – the importance of tourism for their economies, which further strengthens the prospects for cooperation between these two countries!

Contemporary French-Montenegrin relations: cooperation in sports and culture

In addition to the economic aspect, contemporary French-Montenegrin relations are also strengthened through sports and culture.

France and Montenegro share a real passion for team sports. In both countries, handball and football are among the most popular sports. Several French athletes have joined Montenegrin teams, especially the women's and men's handball teams, such as Armelle Attingré and Didier Dinart.

Internationally renowned handball player, Frenchwoman of Ivory Coast origin, Armel Atingre, who was educated in Paris, joined the Budućnost Podgorica team in 2020. Her experience and exceptional results in the Champions League enabled her to become the goalkeeper coach of the Montenegrin national team in 2022, and then to participate in the qualifying tournaments for the 2024 Olympic Games.

Three-time world champion and former coach of the French national team, Didier Dinar, has recently become part of the Montenegrin handball team. The famous French handball player was appointed coach of the Montenegrin men's national handball team in November 2024. With an impressive list of achievements – 379 appearances for the French national team and 10 gold medals at major international competitions – his goal in Montenegro is to lead the national team to the 2026 European Championship. This cooperation is promising, and it will be interesting to follow its development.

French language and culture in Montenegro are no less represented than sports – on the contrary, they are very present and constantly developing! Montenegro has been a member of the International Organization of La Francophonie with observer status since 2010. Various organizations that encourage learning French are active throughout the country, including the Association of French Language Teachers of Montenegro, the Avenir association based in Herceg Novi, the French School in Podgorica, as well as the indispensable French Institute of Montenegro.

In addition to French language courses, the French Institute in Montenegro organizes various cultural events throughout the year, with a special emphasis on the “Month of Francophonie”. Every March, the Institute and its Montenegrin partners organize various activities throughout the country: exhibitions, free film screenings, concerts, performances in cooperation with partner institutions, as well as master classes and workshops in various fieldsIn this way, Francophonie in Montenegro receives the promotion and presence it deserves!

Besides the enjoyment of learning the language of Moliere, knowing French is a great professional advantage for Montenegrin citizens. With numerous business opportunities in the tourism sector and in light of Montenegro's future accession to the European Union, French has all the prerequisites to become one of the key working languages ​​in the country in the coming years.

This text was created in cooperation with the French Institute of Montenegro, within the project "Europe for Us".

Test your acquired knowledge about France and its gastronomy and culture next week in the quiz organized by the French Institute of Montenegro and Vijesti.