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Memorial of the landing in Provence, Mont Faron

The Memorial of the Mont Faron. © Ecpad

With the installation of a memorial, President Charles de Gaulle wanted to pay tribute to the soldiers of the B army.

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August 1944 in Provence.Creation of a second front after the landing June 6th 1944. August 15th 1944 the operation "Dragoon" on the coasts of Provence will take place. It aims to create a second front on the French territory. 2000 war pieces and as many planes will take part in it. The 7th American army of General Patch, including the French forces of the B army of General de Lattre de Tassagny, arrives in the night between August 14th and 15th on the French coasts. In Provence the resistance fighters are informed by Radio-London. Little after midnight, while the American Rangers reach the islands of Levant (region of the Eastern Mediterranean), the first French commandos take Cap Nègre and conquer a strategically vital localisation around Le Lavandou. During the night more then 5000 parachutists are released above the valley of Argens in order to block the access of the landing zones. Here they will get the support of the "Forces Françaises de l'intérieur".

At daybreak, an air and naval raid crushes the German batteries. At 8 a.m. the 3rd, 36th and 45th American infantry division (A.I.D.) reaches the coastal beaches between Cavalaire and Saint-Raphaël. The 16th the French forces start to land. While the American forces march up towards Durance and the valley of the Rhone, the B army must take Toulon and Marseille. These harbours are vital for the the allied strategy. August 20th Toulon starts to be surrounded. The Commandos and the Strike forces seize the batteries of the enemy, "Français Libres", Algerians, "Marsouins" of the Colonian Army and Senegalese try to take the city. The 9th Division of the Colonial Infantry (D.C.I.) will release Toulon from the occupying forces. On August 28th, the German garrison will surrender. At the same time de Lattre launches its troupes towards Marseille. The Moroccans take Aubagne. The 3rd Algerian Infantry Division (A.I.D.) of General Monsabert takes position at the suburbs of Marseille where the insurrection broke out. The 23rd of August, riflemen and cuirassiers join the resistant fighters. Five violent days of combats will be necessary to weaken the German defences. The two harbours were conquered one month in advance. From now on the French Armies will march towards the Rhone valley to contribute to push back the enemy.

The Mount Faron, dominates Toulon with its imposing silhouette. Therefore the town is also known as "The harbour of the Mountain". From the top of this 530m high mountain you can discover a vast maritime panorama, which extends from the islands of Hyères to the Bec d'Aigle de La Ciotat. Thus the visit of the memorial offers a beautiful touristic walk. The "Faron" can be reached either by cable car or by foot. The departure station of the cable car is located near the Hotzl "Altéa la Tour Blanche". It connects the public transports to the centre of the city. This overhead trip is prolonged on approximately 1 500m. From here you can discover the entire coast. This trip is a one-way street: from the west you reach the top of the hill and from the east you descend. Among the interesting tourist attractions, it is necessary to mention the zoo and the "chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Faron".

With the installation of a memorial, President Charles de Gaulle wanted to pay tribute to the soldiers of the B army (which became thereafter the first French Army) and commemorate the landing of the allies of 1944 in which the French troops took part. To locate this memorial, the Minister of "Veterans" proposes Toulon, since its seizure had a vital importance for the release of the Provence. Even if the location of the "Mount Faron" is isolated, it seduces anyone with its prestigious panorama. It's also a location of memory. Many combats took place here, in particular the fight of the battalion of the Strike Forces, August 21st and 22nd 1944. On the mount, which faces the great Basin viewing the sea, a little fort, intended to observe the Beaumont tower was once situated there. The architect Pascalet used its premises and added several buildings in order to create the memorial. This architectural piece was unveiled August 15th 1964 by General de Gaulle. During this ceremony an attack against the President of the Republic was fomented; the bomb, placed in a jar didn't explode.

Two main parts make up the memorial: the first is dedicated to the historical evocation. In many showrooms, pictures, models, arms and military uniforms recall the course of the different episodes of the landings. In an audiovisual room a 15 m large animated Diorama illustrates the coast of the Provence, from Anthéor to Marseille. Here it is possible to admire the most important operations, since the night of August 14th and 15th 1944 until the release of Marseille. A film concerning the landing is shown on a movie screen. The second part focuses more on the memory. The visitor has the possibility to remember all people who participated to the release: chiefs of government, allied soldiers, and resistance fighters... Many personal objects give an emotional touch to this exhibition. An anti-tank device, an anti-aircraft canon as well as a Sherman tank are symbolically positioned outside the building. On the low wall, which follows the hill towards the memorial, several commemorative plaques have been placed in memory to the combatants. Further, towards Croix-Faron a stele has been placed to commemorate the commanding officer of the Croix-Faron battery, who was killed during the combat of May 1940.

Memorial of the landings in the Provence Mont Faron

83200 TOULON

Tél. : 04 94 88 08 09 - Fax : 04.94.88.10.47

Le mémorial est ouvert tous les jours sauf le lundi