The Galgenberg artillery structure was built starting in 1931. Its mission was to control the Moselle Valley, and it was from its command centre that the surrounding artillery structures received their orders, which is why it was called “the Guardian of the Moselle”. Due to the firepower of the artillery at Galgenberg and the surrounding structures, the Wehrmacht did not launch any massive attacks against the sector.

Its weaponry comprises an infantry casemate (Blocks 1 and 2), a machine gun turret (Block 3) and an 81-mm turret (Block 4). Block 5 houses an observatory and Block 6 has a 135-mm turret. It could house 445 men. Four 125-horse SGCM engines ensured operations.

 

LM SFBC – Maginot Line of the Fortified Sector of the Forest of Cattenom
Allée des Platanes 57570 Cattenom

E-mail : contact@forticat.com

Find opening dates and times and practical information in the “visits” section of the website: www.forticat.com

Website dedicated to the Maginot Line

LM SFBC website

Fortweb website on European fortifications

Quizz : Forts and citadels

Constructed between 1930 and 1935, the Immerhof is situated within the limits of the town of Hettange-Grande, 7 km to the north of Thionville. The only completely open-air fort to have been constructed on the Line, it forms part of the fortified Thionville sector, in the Fortified Region of Metz, the most powerful part of the Maginot system. It was named A10, "the Tiburce", in reference to Saint Tiburtius and also Immerhof after the name of a nearby farm. In addition to its purpose of providing fire cover with its two neighbours, Molvange and Soetrich, its role was to protect the Hettange to Grande Dudelange road and the Thionville to Luxembourg railway line. It is a fort built in four blocks, including two machine gun towers, a mixed block with infantry casemate and an 81 mm mortar tower and entrance block. At the fort's core are the living quarters required for the 198 strong company to resist a siege of up to three months: kitchen, infirmary and bedrooms etc. Its armaments consisted of two machine gun towers, Blocks 2 and 3, and an 81 mm tower, as well as an infantry casemate. It could accommodate 200 men.

Ouvrage A10 Immerhof Association "Le Tiburce" 5, rue des Sorbiers 57330 Hettange-Grande Contacts Chairman of the association sapeur@neuf.fr Webmaster of the site and member of the association richardjm@neuf.fr The fort can be visited from April to November with groups welcome all year round. Charges Individuals Adults 3.50 € Children (up to 14 years old) 1.50 € Groups (more than 10 people) Adults 3 € School groups 1.50 € Free for ex-servicemen

Bois du Four fortification has a reinforced concrete roof 3.5 metres thick.
 

Initial plans by the Commission for the Organisation of Fortified Regions (CORF) described an artillery fortification with five combat blocks and separate entrances for men and ammunition. The blockhouse was built between 1931 and 1932. The finished building has 3 levels: the top floor, the bottom floor and a short passageway 30 metres underground. It was capable of housing 137 men. It was armed with, firstly, an eclipse turret with twin Reibel machine guns and three GFM cloches with rifle-machine-gunners and, secondly, with five crenels equipped with twin Reibels, three of which are switchable and a 47mm anti-tank cannon, six crenels with rifle-machine-gunners and two 81cm mortars under a bunker. A cloche completes the observation post.

Bois du Four fortification
 

Located between Longwy and Metz (N52/A30) take the Morfontaine/zone industrielle exit and follow signs towards Morfontaine.

Tel: +33 (0)3 82 26 12 10

E-mail: contact@maginot-a5.org

Guided tours between 2pm and 5pm on the first Sundays in May, June, July, August and September.

Groups by appointment only.

Entrance: Adults €2, children under 12 €1.

Fortweb website on European fortifications

Website on the Maginot line

The history of the Aube Resistance abounds with personalities and stories. Immediately following Liberation, associations of former Resistance fighters were set up, which introduced commemorations and erected memorials to the fighting that took place in the Aube.

One such organisation, the association “Le Musée de la Résistance” was founded in 1967. Its object was to create a remembrance site for those who fought in June 1944 in the maquis of Mussy-Grancey, known as the “Montcalm maquis”, based in the forested massif between the Seine and Ource valleys. Placed under the command of Émile Alagiraude (whose code name in the Armée Secrète was Montcalm), the Montcalm maquis comprised 220 members of the FFI (French Forces of the Interior) in June 1944, at the time of the D-Day Landings, and nearly 1 200 by late July. The Resistance museum set up in Mussy-sur-Seine has its roots in the initiative of Colonel Poirier and Commander Hubert Danesini, veterans of the Armée Secrète, together with that of Gildas Bernard, Director of the Aube Departmental Archives.

Back in 1964, a touring exhibition on the Aube Resistance had been created, which presented local collections largely linked to the Mussy-Grancey maquis. Following the founding of the museum association by members of the Amicale des Combattants Volontaires de l’Armée Secrète and the Comité du Souvenir du Maquis de Mussy-Grancey, in 1967, the museum itself came into existence in 1971, in a building converted by the departmental architect, Mr Morisseau. The premises, adjoining the former gendarmerie of Mussy-sur-Seine, were loaned to the association. It was officially opened by Robert Galley on 23 May 1971, in the presence of the prefect of the Aube and the departmental councillors for Mussy and Bar-sur-Seine. After passing into the hands of the municipality in 1974, the museum became a “Musée de France” in 2002.

Today it is called the Musée de la Résistance de l’Aube. It is currently undergoing major renovation and restoration work to its building, its displays and its collections, which include equipment and clothing used by members of the maquis, deportees’ clothing, photographs, and posters linked to the Occupation or Liberation. The goal of the museum is to showcase objects and memories of the Resistance in the Aube, including other maquis (e.g. BOA, Commandos M, Libération Nord), other forms of resistance (women’s resistance, resistance outside the maquis, etc.) and other collections arising from donations or local bequests.

It is scheduled to reopen in 2021 for the general public and school visits, either as part of a cultural programme or for guided tours or unguided visits.

Website: https://museeresistanceaube.fr/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/museeresistanceaube/

Instagram: @museeresistanceaube

The Atlantic Wall Museum is housed in one of the German army's seven large forts and its construction was carried out by the Todt organisation in Audinghen Cap Gris-Nez, in the Pas-de-Calais region. The history of the fort On 10 February 1942 and with great pomp, the offensive battery with casemates containing four 380 mm cannons was opened. Known initially as the Siegfried Battery, it was given the name "Todt Battery" in memory of the German construction engineer killed the previous day in an aircraft accident. Two days later on 12 February, this battery entered active service providing counter-battery fire to enable the passage of the battleships "Gneisenau" and "Scharnhorst" and the heavy cruiser "Prinz Eugen" along the coast. This battery was positioned to the south of Gris-Nez, at a place called Haringzelle and constituted a formidable complex. It could fire rocket and percussion shells up to 42 kilometres. Situated at an altitude of 60 to 70 metres, depending on the position of the cannons, it could easily reach the English coast. The battery was protected by reinforced concrete boulders and defended by nine 75-barrel cannons to provide anti-aircraft cover with searchlight batteries. The personnel of the batteries (18 men and 4 officers per 380 cannon), that of the coastal and civil defence, of the two command posts set up at Le Cran Mademoiselle and the Le Cran Poulet protection Battery was 600 men. Action at the battery was heavy throughout 1942, quieter in 1943 and then considerable after 6 June 1944.

Up to 29 September 1944 There was much firing on 6 June 1944, the day of the landings. The 3rd Division of Canadian Infantry coming along the coast from Normandy, after having liberated Boulogne and surrounded Calais, finally came to attack the Todt battery, under the command of Ship of the Line ensign Klaus Momber. On 26 September 1944 the R.A.F. launched 532 bombers on Gris-Nez, followed by 302 on 28 September, dropping 855 tonnes of bombs. The attack was carried out on 29 September 1944. First, at 6.35 am there was heavy artillery fire. Then the 9th brigade of the 3rd Canadian ID attacked. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders had the task of taking the Todt battery. At 10.30 am, it was all over, with white flags appearing just about everywhere. Brigadier Rockingam sent the white flag that had floated above the Todt Battery to the mayor of Dover. The museum Dedicated to military history, the museum offers the opportunity to see several thousand collection pieces in its ten halls. Weapons, uniforms, posters, and other militaria illustrate various aspects of the Atlantic Wall. Outside a German K 5 280 mm cannon on an iron track, the only one in Europe, stands alongside military vehicles and tanks.

Built in the 18th century, the Hôtel de Brienne had several owners before it was purchased by the State in 1817. Today it is home to the Ministry of Defence. In 1725 a reputable businessman called François Duret bought some land, which is now situated between rue Saint-Dominique and rue de l'Université, on behalf of the Marquess of Prie, the mistress of the Duke of Bourbon, who wanted to have a large mansion house built there. After the Duke of Bourbon was disgraced in 1726, the Marquess of Prie gave up the idea of living in the hôtel that was under construction and it was then sold to Françoise de Mailly, the widow of the marquis of La Vrillière. In 1733 she sold the building to Louise-Elisabeth of Bourbon, princess of Conti, who had some major changes made to the interior decoration under the supervision of the architect Simonnet. Just before her death in 1775, the princess of Conti donated the hôtel to her grandson, Louis-François-Joseph of Bourbon, the Count of La Marche. He then sold it the following year to Louis-Marie-Athanase of Loménie, the Count of Brienne, who was named Secretary of State for War in 1787. L'hôtel de Conti thus took the name of the Hôtel de Brienne, which it retains to this day and was home for the first time in its history to a minister of war.

The day after the death of the Count of Brienne, guillotined in May 1794, the building was confiscated by the revolutionary administration, who installed the commission for commerce and provisions there. Returned to the Countess of Brienne in 1795, the hôtel was sold in 1798 to the wife of François Séguy, a general businessman in military subsistence, who had a lot of refurbishment work carried out under the supervision of the architect Lavoyepierre. The Séguys were to fall victim to financial difficulties and soon had to be parted from their new acquisition. In 1800, the hôtel was sold at auction by the civil court of first instance in the Seine département to Joseph Lanfrey, an employee at the office of military subsistence, who rented it to the then interior minister, Lucien Bonaparte. In 1802, Lucien Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, bought it and rearranged the interior of the building and the furniture, before reselling it in 1805 to his mother, Laetizia Bonaparte, née Ramolino. The building thus became "the Palace of Madame Bonaparte, the Mother of the Emperor". Bought back from Madame Bonaparte by the State in 1817, the Hôtel de Brienne from then onwards became the customary residence of the Minister for War. Because of this, the building has been witness to some great political events. It was here that Clémenceau organised the victory in 1917. It was also here that General de Gaulle had his headquarters, first of all as Secretary of State for War in June 1940 and then as head of the temporary government from the 25th August 1944 until the 26th January 1946. This site is not open to the public, except on Heritage Days.
This historic monument, allocated to the Ministry of Defence, comes under the umbrella of a Defence and Culture protocol signed on the 17th September 2005. Click here to see the list of other buildings ...
Ministry of Defence General Secretary for Administration Department of Remembrance, Heritage and Archives Office of cultural and museographic activities 14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr

In 1603, Henri IV decided to found a college and donated his Château de La Flèche to the Jesuits. The college grew and was reorganised as a cadet school in 1764. It was during this period that it took on its military mission before the Prytanée de Saint-Cyr was transferred here in 1808. It contains a remarkable library.

In September 1603, Henri IV decided to found a college to “instruct young people and get them to love sciences, honour and virtue, to be able to serve the public...” and donated his Château de La Flèche to the Jesuits, a château that his grandmother had had built in the 16^th century. One of its first students, René Descartes, who stayed there from 1607 to 1615, told, notably in the first part of the Discourse on Method, the story of the education he received there.

The college was then expanded: a vast church and large buildings were constructed. The main structure of the Church of Saint-Louis was built between 1607 and 1621. Its Baroque interior decoration was completed in 1693. Three components of the décor are of particular notice: the large retable by Pierre Corbineau (1633), the organ and its tribune (1640) and the royal cenotaphs containing the hearts of Henri IV and Marie de Medici.

In 1764, two years after the expulsion of the Jesuits, Louis XV and Choiseul reorganised the college as a “École de Cadets ou École militaire préparatoire à l'École militaire du Champ de Mars” (Cadet School or Military School preparing for admission to the Champ de Mars Military School). It was during this period that it took on its true military mission.

In 1808, Napoleon I decided to transfer the Prytanée de Saint-Cyr to La Flèche. It is located in two quarters.

The historic quarter (16 ha / 40 acres), located in the centre of La Flèche, is home to the command, preparatory classes for admission to the military “Grandes écoles”, the medical centre, workshops, etc.

The Gallieni quarter (13 ha / 32 acres) is on the edge of the town. Originally, it comprised the La Tour d'Auvergne barracks, built in 1876 for the 117^th Infantry Regiment. In 1921, it became the secondary school quarter.

The present school infrastructure was put in place starting in the 1950s. The library, in the shape of a long, vaulted vessel decorated with two frescos depicting Calliope and Urania, holds over 30,000 encyclopaedic volumes. It notably has over a thousand books from the old Jesuit collection. The oldest book is an incunable of “The City of God” by Saint Augustine dating from 1470. Amongst its other treasures, there is a Homer and a Virgil from the 16^th century, a multilingual Bible from 1645 and the Encyclopédie by Diderot and d'Alembert.

All of the buildings are classified or listed in the inventory of historic monuments. Today, the Prytanée National Militaire is one of six military high schools around the country under the authority of the Ministry of Defence. It is also at the crossroads of the Ministries of Education and Culture. Furthermore, it is the heir to the Prytanée established by Napoleon as of 1800 and transferred to the town in the Sarthe department in 1808. Since then, it has pursued the same educational mission and, since 1982, has the dual vocation of assisting families for the secondary school and assisting in the recruitment of officers for the preparatory classes.

The Prytanée covers a total surface area of 29 hectares (72 acres). It is located in two quarters, Henri IV and Gallieni.

The Henri IV quarter

The Henri IV quarter, covering 16 hectares (40 acres), is located in the centre of La Flèche.

Today, this quarter is home to:

• The Prytanée command (staff headquarters and academic administration).

• Preparatory classes for admission to the military “Grandes écoles”, with some 300 students in an academic environment (dormitories, cafeteria service and recreation rooms).

• Support to ensure the establishment’s proper operations.

• Library and documentation centre.

• Saint-Louis Church.

• Several sports facilities (swimming pool, military equestrian section, gymnasium and sports fields).

The Gallieni quarter

The Gallieni quarter is 800 metres as the crow flies from the Henri IV quarter. It covers 13 hectares (32 acres) on the edge of the town of La Flèche. Originally, it comprised the “La Tour d'Auvergne” barracks, built in 1876 for the 117^th Infantry Regiment.

Today, this quarter is home to:

• The 3 years of high school classes, with some 450 students in an academic environment (dormitories, cafeteria service and recreation rooms and clubs).

• A documentation centre.

• A sports complex.

This historic monument, entrusted to the Ministry of Defence, is part of a Defence Culture protocol signed on 17 September 2005.

.
Prytanée National Militaire

22, rue du Collège 72208 La Flèche Cedex

Ministry of Defence

Secrétariat Général pour l'Administration Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives

(Secretary General for Administration, Department of Remembrance, Heritage and Archives)

14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées

E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr

During World War II, Grenoble was part of the free zone until November 1942, when it was first occupied by the Italians until November 1943, then by the Germans until its liberation in August 1944. Isère is one of the French departments where movements, networks and underground Resistance maquis were particularly active.

From 1940, individual initiatives came together to form more structured movements and networks. Close to Grenoble, wide valleys surrounded by mountains and forests were a favourable geographical location for the growth of the maquis: originally maquis refuges, they would soon become combatant maquis.

The most prominent, the maquis of Vercors, should not eclipse the others in Oisans, Chartreuse, Belledonne, and Grésivaudan. The men and women who stood up to the occupiers paid a heavy price for their courageous engagement, and many of them encountered the tragic fate of deportation.

Due to the sheer number and effectiveness of the wide-ranging operations led against the enemy, Grenoble was the second of five cities honoured by the title of 'Compagnon de la Libération' in General De Gaulle's decree of 4 May 1944.

Under the tutelage of the Isère departmental council since the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Liberation, the Museum of Resistance and Deportation of Isère highlights the specific nature of the Resistance in this department of France. As well as the temporary exhibits and special events that are organised from time to time, the museum houses a permanent exhibit that offers the visitor a chronological presentation of events, developed according to themes aiming to situate Isère in the historical context of the era.

The museum tour is based on five themes: the beginning of the Resistance, the maquis, repression, the restoration of the Republic and the values of the Resistance. More than five thousand items, objects and documents from the archives illustrating daily life and the stuggle against the occupiers, reconstituting places and ambience. The visitor is invited to conclude this emotional journey with a moment's reflection on the values of the Resistance.

The museum's documentation centre is open to researchers and students as well as the general public. The computerised inventory of collections has led to the development of a library containing more than a thousand works, sound archives, and a photo and film library. The museum also offers a teaching area set aside for educators and their students before or after visiting the museum. It can be used for presentations and workshops on World War II, and offers a multimedia room and a resource and information centre for students to prepare their work on the period. Texts specifically directed at younger generations and school groups are present thoughout the museum visit. They are designed to help the youngest visitors understand the themes addressed by emphasising the links between the different elements on show in the museum and the major issues and concepts covered (especially in the context of the school curriculum).

Museum of Resistance and Deportation of Isère

14 rue Hébert - 38000 Grenoble 

Tél. 04 76 42 38 53 - Fax : 04 76 42 55 89
 

musee.mdr@cg38.fr

www.resistance-en-isere.fr

Getting there By motorway: - Motorways Lyon-Grenoble, Valence-Grenoble: Grenoble-Bastille exit - Motorway Chambéry-Grenoble: Grenoble-Centre-ville exit - Tramway: line A / Bus: Verdun bus stop - Car park: Place de Verdun or rue Hébert Opening times:

The museum is open every day except Tuesdays, 25 December, 1 January and 1 May. - From 1 September to 30 June, 9:00-18:00; - From 1 July to 31 August, 10:00-19:00. Visits: Free guided visits for individual visitors on the first Sunday of every month starting at 14:30. Group guided visits by appointment only.

Around 1610, the Lord of Boisgeffroi, André Barrin, built a double corps de logis. This structure, which was renovated, converted and redesigned by its various owners, would go on to become the current Command Post of the North West region.

Until its sale in December 1702 by André Barrin's daughter, the mansion remained in the possession of this rich family.

The new owner was René Le Prestre, seigneur of Lézonnet, and the mansion was renamed de Lézonnet in 1731, before becoming the Hôtel de Châteaugiron in 1733, since René Le Prestre had acquired the domain of Châteaugiron among others. He converted the original structure, giving it its current appearance.

In 1797, the mansion was sold when the de Lézonnet family left Rennes. Throughout the first half of the 19th century, the mansion was owned by the Comtesse de Martel and her son-in-law Alexandre Roznyvinen de Piré, who lived in half of the building, with tenants occupying the rest.

In 1860, Princess Napoléone Élisa Bacciochi, Napoleon's niece, bought the hotel and restored it to a single residence in its original splendour. It is her we have to thank for the sumptuous inlaid floors and the chandeliers as well as the staircase and pedimented canopy on the facade. Before her death in 1869, she bequeathed the mansion on the rue de Corbin to the imperial prince.

A military property

Under Napoléon III, the War Department bought the Hôtel de Châteaugiron on the 31st July 1869.

At the fall of the Second Empire, the mansion became the headquarters of the 16th infantry division and later of the 10th Army Corps and the 10th Regional Division.

From 1871 up to the modern day, the mansion has continuously been the headquarters and residence of successive generals, except for the period where the property was occupied by the German authorities (20th June 1940 - 4th August 1944).

After the Liberation, the mansion was the headquarters of the 3rd Regional Division and then of the Defence of Rennes Military Authorities.

In 2000, it became the command post of the North West Region.
 

This historical monument, administered by the Ministry of Defence, is part of a Defence Culture Protocol, signed on 17th September 2005.

Ministère de la défense

Secrétariat Général pour l'Administration

Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives

14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées

E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr

In Landrethun-le-nord, in a place called "Mimoyecques", a secret base was built underground. It was intended to launch hundreds of V3 missiles per day on London. It was destroyed on 6 July 1944 with Tallboy bombs.

Excavations have uncovered an entrance, and some of the shafts can be visited. The V-3 (Vergeltungswaffen) was planned to bombard England, and more precisely London, its only target. But the lack of mobility of this kind of weapon made it extremely vulnerable to bombarding and air raids. This is why it had to be contained in a fortified system.

Five of these shafts were constructed in Mimoyecques, in the commune of Marquise in the Pas-de-Calais, along with an entire network of service shafts, tunnels and rooms on several levels, essential for troops staying there and for the many technical departments. An interior railway line was even built to provide transport from one end to the other. On the surface, a particularly vulnerable zone, angled drifts opened onto a reinforced concrete slab 5.5 metres thick. The openings in the slab were protected by 20 cm thick steel plate.

The site was chosen due to its proximity to the target (168 km from London), and also to it being set back from the coastline, to avoid any naval attacks. The site also had to be near to a railway line to transport the gun's spare parts and the heavy material necessary for it to work, to evacuate rubble and to provide munitions and explosives, and also had to be near a power line to supply this underground city. The Germans requested 5,000 kilowatts from the North-West electrical power station. 5,000 workers and 120,000 m3 were required for this installation.

Fortress of Mimoyecques

Landrethum-le-Nord 62250 Marquise

Tel.: +33 3.21.87.10.34

Fax: +33 3.21.83.33.10

E-mail: Mimoyecques@wanadoo.fr

Opening times From 18 April to 18 October, from 9 am to 6 pm. In July and August, from 10 am to 7 pm. Groups can visit from 9 am to 7 pm subject to booking.

Prices Adults: €5.50. Children: €4.00. Group of at least 15 persons - Adults: €4.50. Children: €3.35. School groups: €3.35

The site is south of Calais on the D249 between Leubringhen and Landrethum le Nord.

Sound projection in 3 languages: French, English and Dutch. The visit lasts around one hour. It is chilly inside, so bring a warm item of clothing. Constant temperature around 8°C

Base V3 - Mimoyecques

Quizz : Forts and citadels

A private initiative, the wrecks museum in Port-en-Bessin, in Calvados, opened its doors in 1990. It exhibits submarines sunk during the landing and retrieved from the sea floor. At the end of the Second World War, a number of wrecks littered the sea bed and jutted out of the sea along the Norman coasts, representing a permanent danger to vessels. All of these wrecks were given up by the allies to the French government which is committed to their removal.

Consequently, contracts and bills of sale were bequeathed by estates to countless companies. Massive demolition yards were set up along the coast and millions of tonnes of scrap iron were extracted from the sea over the 20 years following the landing. In 1970, Jacques Lemonchois was appointed by the State to bring to the surface a number of wrecks that presented a significant danger and obstacle to navigating vessels.

A difficult and perilous operation that became a great feat of performance for Jacques and his team. Through their passion, they managed to save from demolition, and preserve using a special treatment process, all of the wrecks which you can see in the museum today. They are dedicated to the memory of all those men who paid with their lives for the mammoth Operation Neptune.

Musée des épaves sous-marines (Submarine Wrecks Museum)

Route de Bayeux 14520 Commes on the D6 to Bayeux, exit at the town centre.

Tel: +33 (0)2 31 21 17 06

Opening times and days 10 am – 12 pm and 2-6 pm weekends and public holidays in May, 10 am – 12 pm and 2-6 pm June to September

Annual holidays: October to April

Admission: €6; €3 (visitors aged 7-16)

Source: Musée des épaves sous-marines (Submarine Wrecks Museum)

[align=center]Sénans who chose Free France 22 - 26 June 1940[/align] June 1940: following defeat and the signature of the armistice, not all Frenchmen gave up. Gradually, individual or collective acts of resistance developed, the most famous being the "18th June Appeal", broadcast from London by General De Gaulle, an appeal repeated several times in the days that followed. The inhabitants of Sein were among the first to respond; they were among the earliest of the "Free French". Sein is a small island off the south-west tip of Brittany, facing the Pointe du Raz, with a population of around a thousand. In June 1940, most of the men were mobilised or called to work on the mainland. A garrison of 24 men was also stationed there. The island received information from the few ships that docked or the rare wireless sets. This communication became increasingly difficult until only scraps of news arrived, rumours of an ever-deteriorating situation. Residents of the island (Sénans) learned that Rennes and Brest had fallen and saw the first soldiers pushed back by the German advance. Many ships sailed via the island, such as the Zénith which, via Ouessant and Sein, took a small troop of Chasseurs alpins to Great Britain. The threat was getting closer, with German gunfire and shelling increasing.

Warned by a keeper of the Ar-Men lighthouse that an appeal by a French General was to be broadcast that evening on the BBC, the islanders and those present on the island assembled on 22nd June around one of the radios to listen to the speech. After listening to the message the choice was quickly made. Five ships were available right away. They sailed on 24th and 26th June. The first, the Velleda, left with the garrison and the first Sénans aboard, followed by the Rouanez ar Mor, then the Corbeau des mers, the Maris Stella and the Rouanez ar Péoc'h. Some islanders followed on smaller craft. 128 Sénans finally assembled in England. Some of them would not see their island or their families again until 1944. Initially, the Sénans were assigned to the Courbet, which had the job of protecting the port of Plymouth before most of them were dispersed to serve in the Free French Navy. The Germans occupied the Ile de Sein from the beginning of July, laying mines and barbed wire. Severe restrictions were applied to movement both on the island and the surrounding seas. Physical conditions were difficult, even after the mobilised men returned. In spite of this, assistance was raised for the families of the islanders who had gone to England.

A Sénan native stands before a granite Cross of Lorraine.

A monument dedicated to the Free French Forces was erected at Men-Neï. Sculpted by Quillivic, in clear view of the lighthouse overlooking it, it bears two inscriptions: "Kentoc'h Mervel" (I’d rather die) & “Le soldat qui ne se reconnaît pas vaincu a toujours raison” (The soldier who does not recognise defeat is always right).

On 7 September 1960, General de Gaulle, President of the Republic, paid an official visit to the Île de Sein to inaugurate this monument of remembrance and gratitude. It was a solemn moment, with the huge aircraft carrier Clemenceau just off the island and a helicopter landing. The giant of a man stepped off. The Sénan people were all there to welcome “their” General. The women were wearing their Sunday best, even the Mayor, Mrs Kerloc'h, who was also wearing a jibilinenn bonnet. A chorus of Sénan singers, vibrant with contained emotion, sang “Le Libéra”. Everyone was singing and, with their voices they sang the trials and tribulations they had suffered twenty years earlier, their dedication, their loyalty, death, hunger, injuries and especially their thirst for victory.

General de Gaulle was touched by the sight and understood the message of these simple people, so strong, so natural and so spontaneous. On the rostrum set up in his honour, he thanked the men and woman standing there with their proud, handsome faces looking up at him. “Here is the sea, in perpetual motion. Here is the sky, constantly changing. And here is the granite of Brittany, which never changes. When the time came, the Île de Sein was an example for us all. The movement at the time was natural and spontaneous, because it was for the island and its children, and because over the centuries, you have been confronted with struggles and because it was a question of you and your courage. With the “Le Libéra” that you sang earlier, I understood your sacrifice back in 1940. That remains in Sein and it remains in the spirit of all of France. France has been through many misfortunes, but thanks to its efforts, thanks to yours, it has undergone rebirth. In our dreams, France is what we have always wanted it to be: great, prosperous and fraternal. I have come here in the name of France to pay tribute to the Île de Sein, to this land of courage and exemplarity, to my companion, the Île de Sein. For the rest of my life, I will carry an imperishable memory of this ceremony.”

Then, to the population’s emotional applause, President de Gaulle raised his arms in an immense V for victory. He then visited the town hall and wrote in the registry, “To the Île de Sein, my companion, I offer my best wishes, with all my heart”. General de Gaulle held the Île de Sein and its residents in high esteem. For example, in his office in rue Solferino in Paris, he always kept nearby a gift that the people of the island had given him on 12 June 1949. It was a statue of a Breton woman made of Quimper faience, a work by R. Micheau-Vemez. He had placed it on a pedestal table, in full view, and the face on the ceramic constantly reminded him of his companion, a single word representing the entire Sénan community for him.

Sein is still in the news and is linked to the memory of the illustrious general. In 2002, a copy of the Mouez Enez Sun from November 2000 was given to the Charles de Gaulle Museum, located in the house where he was born in Lille. This monthly is the local paper on the Île de Sein. This issue of the Mouez Enez Sun reported on the ceremonies organised in the General’s memory upon his death in 1970, thirty years earlier.

Site internet

http://www.mairie-iledesein.com/a_visiter.htm

"Fort de la Crèche" is a former coastal battery set up on the site of a former Napoleonic fort, Fort de Terlincthun, built in 1806 and dismantled in 1864. This coastal battery was built in 1879 following the principles of Séré de Rivières to defend the port of Boulogne.
It comprised the northern defences, supplemented southward by the Tour d'Odre (still occupied by the French National Navy today), Mont de Couppe and Cap d'Alprech Batteries, built during the same period. Demilitarised in 2002, "Fort de la Crèche" is now owned by the Conservatoire de l'Espace Littoral et des Rivages Lacustres (French Coastal Protection Agency).

The “Fort de la Crèche” Association, under contract, has taken on the mission of preserving, restoring and animating this built heritage. From the month of April through the month of September, it organises guided tours hosted by volunteers. It welcomes groups year round by reservation. Along with the building from 1879, the site also presents the modernisation carried out on the military facilities – occupied by the French Army and then the French Navy – from 1930 to 1940.

 

The Germans then occupied the site, building bunkers on top of the old French platforms and integrating it into the “Atlantic Wall".

The tour itinerary that is being set up will be a 200-year journey through Time with a "reading" of the landscapes and buildings.


Fort de la Crèche
Association Fort de la Crèche (AFLC) BP 25 62930 Wimereux

Entrance to the Fort on the D 96 road between the La Crèche roundabout and Terlincthun at Wimereux. Guided tours only.

Quizz : Forts et citadels

Set up on the initiative of the Spahis Association, the Spahis Museum in La Horgne (Ardennes) shows the importance of the North African troops, and the Spahis in particular, in French military history.

Its site also has significance. Between 13 and 15 May 1940, in the village of La Horgne, the 3rd Mounted Spahis Brigage, held back the 1st Armoured division of the German army in Gudérian.

The museum is split into six key displays:

Horses, man's bestfriend, in life and at death; the men in the Spahi regiments, their origins, culture and different faiths; the sociability of the Spahis who forged a commendable community; the Ardennes in 1940 and the start of the Second World War; the Battle of La Horgne, a dramatic but symbolic episode in the missions undertaken; the memory and recognition of the sacrifice of these soldiers.

The museum also displays fighting uniforms and ceremonial dress of the Spahis, an officer’s saddle, a variety of everyday objects used by the Spahis, weapons and military decorations.

Opening times

Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 15 May to 15 September.

Every day in Jult and August from 10 am to 12 pm and 2-7 pm.

History and Learning Centre – Spahis Museum

08430 La Horgne

Tel: +33 (0)3 24 35 68 42 / 24 57 32 04

Le Burnous – Spahis Association

18, rue de Vézelay 75008 Paris, France

Email: le.burnous@wanadoo.fr

Le Burnous

Sites and sources: http://crdp.ac-reims.fr ; http://legioncavalerie.free.fr ; http://perso.wanadoo.fr/le.burnous ; http://www.ardennes1940aceuxquiontresiste.org

Erected in 1950 on the initiative of the "Burnous", a friendly association of Spahis, the national memorial in La Horgne pays tribute to the courage, nerve and sacrifice of the Spahis who have died in the theatres of operation since 1830.

La Horgne, a village devastated in 1940, was the scene of fierce warfare between sections of the 1st Panzer division of Guderian’s army which, on 13th May 1940, penetrated the French lines in Sedan, and the Spahis.

The men of the 3rd Spahis Brigade (3BS) under Colonel Marc, who had to slow down the German advance, those of the 2nd Regiment of Algerian Spahis under Colonel Burnol, and the 2nd Regiment of Moroccan Spahis under Colonel Geoffroy, held their positions around the village of La Horgne until 15th May. Subject to the attacks of the 1st Panzer division, the Spahis were surrounded and forced to fall back at 17:00 hours.

Several hundred men were killed or wounded, went missing or taken prisoner, along with two corps leaders, the colonels Burnol and Geofrroy. On 15th May 1940, the 3rd Spahis Brigade resisted the German armoured vehicles of the 1st Panzer division for 10 hours. The survivors were grouped into squadrons and took part in the fight until the armistice.

Inscription on the monument: "To the glory of the Spahis killed on the field of honour. Here on the 15th of May 1940, the 3rd Brigade of Mounted Spahis (2nd Algerians and 2nd Moroccans) sacrificed their lives to break the advance of the 1st German Armoured Division. La Horgne, 15th May 1940."

Le Burnous

Association amicale des spahis

18, rue de Vézelay

75008 PARIS

E-mail: le.burnous@wanadoo.fr

A path comprising 7 stages was inaugurated on 30th May 2010 during the commemorative ceremonies. It presents the historical context, the Spahis, the day of 15th May 1940, the epilogue, the fate of the village of La Horgne, the commemoration and the enemy.

Le Burnous

War monument :

08_La Horgne  

08_La Horgne_2

From the 17th century to the present day, this abbey has enjoyed a rich and eventful history. It is currently home to Ministry of Defence departments. History Pentemont Abbey was founded in 1217 at Beauvais, by Philippe de Dreux. Transferred to Paris in 1672, at the wishes of King Louis XIV, the Abbey then settled in the former buildings of the Order of the Word Incarnate; on the site of what is now 104 rue de Grenelle. In 1745, Abbess Marie-Catherine Béthisy de Mézières entrusted the reconstruction of the Abbey to Constant d'Ivry, architect to the Duc d'Orléans and known for his work on the Palais-Royal. The buildings were completed in 1783, but a lack of finance prevented their decoration. Later, in 1835, the building of the extension to rue de Bellechasse meant the demolition of part of the buildings. Up until the Revolution, Pentemont Abbey served as a convent for nuns, as well as an educational establishment for the daughters of nobility. Some apartments were also reserved for ladies of good standing seeking rest. This was the case when Joséphine de Beauharnais stayed here, while the case of her separation from her husband was heard.

After the Revolution, the building was used for military purposes. The abbey buildings housed the National Guard, then the Imperial Guard under the First Empire, before becoming the barracks for the Cent Gardes under the Second Empire. In 1915, Pentemont Abbey was put at the disposal of the Pensions Department of the Ministry of War, which became the Ministry of War Pensions, Bonuses and Benefits in 1920. The building still houses Ministry of Defence departments to this day. Main courtyard The buildings to the left and at the far end of the main courtyard were built in the 19th century, for military purposes. Today they house Ministry of Defence departments. The building on the right, from the 17th century, was the main building of Pentemont Abbey. The first-floor windows at the centre of the facade, used to open into the Abbess's salon. The monumental entrance on the ground floor, which used to lead directly to the Abbey chapel, was converted into the grand salon between the wars.
War memorial and commemorative plaques The war memorial bears the inscription "From veterans to their comrades who gave their lives for their country. In memoriam". It is accompanied by a stele, dedicated to Ministry of Veterans' staff and the victims of war who died for France. Four commemorative plaques to députés and Veterans' Ministers (André Maginot, Robert Lasalle, Albert Aubry and Henri Frenay) are mounted on the building at the far end of the courtyard. There is also a plaque to the victims of the attack on the UTA DC 10 on 19th September 1989. This site is closed to the public, except on heritage days. This historical monument, under the administration of the Ministry for Defence, is part of a Defence Culture protocol, signed on 17th September 2005. Click here to see the list of other buildings included ...
Ministère de la défense Secrétariat Général pour l'Administration Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives Bureau des actions culturelles et muséographiques 14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées E-mail: [email=dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr]dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr[/email

In the 16th century, the harbour of Toulon was surrounded by a system of defences designed to protect its access, firstly by sea and then by land, as offensive artillery gradually increased its range. Constructed between 1672 and 1680, at the end of the 17th century this fort provided effective protection for the port of Toulon as well as for the shores of the Seyne. The name Eguillette seems to come from the presence in the area of soft water lakes (ayguades), where ships would come to take on fresh supplies. Unlike the round structures of the forts of Balaguier and the Royal Tower, the Eguillette Tower is square and flanked by two oblique wings: a corridor and an open air battery with parapets and embrasures, behind which 22 canons commanded the harbour with their grazing fire. The Fort de l'Eguillette is a fort with a low battery: at the time when the navy used sailboats, it was used to fire on the hulls of the ships. With the advances in artillery during the middle of the 19th century, the right-hand battery was casemated with stone vaults. The left-hand battery, which could be turned against the arsenal in the event of seizure of the fort, was filled in. The Fort de l'Eguillette is now rented by the town of Seyne-sur-Mer.

Ministry of Defence General Secretariat for Administration "Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives" (Management of Remembrance, Heritage and Archives) 14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr Toulon Tourist Information Office Place Raimu 83000 Toulon Tel.: +33 (0) 4 94 18 53 00

Following an inspection by Vauban in Toulon in 1679, the fort des Vignettes was constructed between 1692 and 1697 to prevent landings on the beach and keep any sailboats likely to try to drop anchor in the harbour at a distance. Destroyed in 1707, it was rebuilt, almost identically, in 1708 under the name of Fort Saint-Louis.

During the siege of 1707, the fort, under the command of Captain Daillon, was seized in an attack by Austro-Savoyard batteries positioned on the hills. After nine days, the state of ruin of the fort forced its defenders to retreat to the Great Tower (Royal Tower) after having set fire to the powder stores. The fort was rebuilt almost identically in 1708 under the name of Fort Saint-Louis. In 1743, it was armed with nine 24-pound canons. In 1847, it was armed with three 30-pound canons and three 22 cm howitzers, positioned behind an earth parapet encompassing the stone parapet. Developments in artillery led to the disarming of the fort at the end of the 19th century, as it was impossible to site large calibre canons there. It then housed an observation and command post for the detonation of the electrical mines that formed a barricade of the large harbour. It later became the headquarters of the officers' nautical club until 2001. It has appeared on the secondary list of historic monuments since 1948.
The fort is in the form of a semi-circular battery, whose gorge is closed by a casemated tower forming a redoubt and capable of bearing canons. Access to the fort is via an elevated gate, with a drawbridge in front. The aim of this device was to make invasion by foot soldiers difficult. Next to the entrance gate, a plaque affixed to the ramparts tells of the heroic conduct of the defenders of the fort in 1707. The plan of the battery is almost semi-circular. It is about fifty metres in diameter. Nine canon embrasures pierce the parapet, directed towards the sea. The embrasures are finished in brick so as not to splinter into dangerous shrapnel in the event of an enemy strike. In the middle of the 19th century, the parapet was incorporated into a solid earth parapet. It was returned to its original state during the 20th century. The back of the platform is protected by two walls forming a parados to mask the battery from blows from the land-side. The plan of the tower is asymmetrical. On the land-side, it is in the form of a flat bastion to flank the fort with parallel fire from the ramparts. On the coast-side, it is semi-circular so that artillery positioned on the terrace could comb a wide sector. The tower has two vaulted levels. The underground level held a water tank and a store. On the upper floor, a large vaulted chamber was used as accommodation for 24 men. You can still see the edge of the water tank. Access onto the terrace is via a spiral staircase.
Fort Saint Louis is not open to the public. This historic monument, managed by the Ministry of Defence, is covered by a Culture and Defence protocol signed on the 17th September 2005. Click here to see the list of other buildings...
Ministry of Defence General Secretariat for Administration Direction de la Mémoire, du Patrimoine et des Archives( Management of Remembrance, Heritage and Archives) 14 rue Saint-Dominique 00450 Armées E-mail: dmpa-sdace-bacm@sga.defense.gouv.fr Toulon Tourist Information Office Place Raimu 83000 Toulon