The Liberation of Provence in 1944 | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Tourism

La Croix-Valmer

Mémoire de la Libération du Littoral Provençal

La Croix-Valmer, an authentic Provencal village, famous for its protected coastline and its hiking trails, is one of the key places of the Provence Landing. Early in the morning of 15th August 1944, its beach which nowadays spells farniente, was the theatre of this historic event. A spectacular armada set sail for the peninsula of Saint-Tropez. The allied troops trod the fine sand of the beach before heading for Toulon and Marseille, via Cogolin. A few hundred metres from this emblematic beach, on the Square du Souvenir, the stele of the 1st Free French Division pays homage to the armies who liberated La Croix-Valmer, with help from the Brigade des Maures. It highlights the decisive role of the 1ère DFL headed by General Diego Brosset during WW2 and the Liberation of Provence. As the main unit of the Free French Forces led by General de Gaulle, made up of Europeans and soldiers from the colonies, its action was decisive in the Allies’ progress inland.

Toulon

A highly strategic port

Wander around and head for Place de la Liberté, the beating heart of the town. When you are in front of the imposing Fontaine de la Fédération, get nearer it so that you can read the inscription engraved on the commemorative plaque: “On August 28, 1944, elements of the 3rd Algerian Spahis, the Shock Battalion, the 3rd Algerian Tirailleurs and the 7th Regiment of African Chasseurs flew the French flag over Toulon”. The recapture of the town, which had been occupied by the enemy since November 42, was a major stake, in the same way as Marseille, Toulon’s is a deepwater harbour, an absolute must for disembarking the equipment and reinforcements in soldiers needed to free Europe. On 19th August 1944, General de Lattre de Tassigny received the order from General, commanding the US 7th Army, to take Toulon and Marseille. There too, the 1ère DFL was notable in its determination during this difficult combat.

Marseille

The battle at the foot of the Bonne-Mère

In the Mediterranean city, the Musée d’Histoire de Marseille and the Mémorial des Déportations tell of the battles for the city’s liberation. It had been occupied since November 1942. On 20th August 1944, right after the start of the Allied combats to take back Marseille, a popular uprising against German occupation burst out. The position of the Marseille Resistance was critical up until 23rd August, the date when the Tirailleurs Algériens of the 3ème Division d’Infanterie Algérienne (3e DIA) led by General Monsabert and the Moroccan goumiers of General Guillaume, assisted by the Combat Command 1 (CC1) of the 1ère Division Blindée (1re DB). A walk around the basilica of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, the protectress of the town, helps to understand a highly symbolic episode of the Liberation. On the 25th, the 1ère and 2ème Compagnies of the 7th Régiment of Tirailleurs Algériens, assisted by the armoured vehicles of the 2ème Escadron of the 2e Cuirassiers, stormed the hill. Part of the troops took a passageway unknown to the Germans from Rue Jules Moulet. Others took the stairs up to Notre-Dame. On the 28th, General Shaeffer, head of the German 244th DI, surrendered. If you walk along the Canebière, you will be following the itinerary taken by the parade of the Army of Africa which took place the following day in the presence of General de Lattre de Tassigny.

Avignon and the Vaucluse

A homage to the genius of mankind

At the southernmost point of L’île de la Barthelasse, just a few metres from the Pont d’Avignon (Saint-Bénézet bridge), the Daladier bridge straddles the Rhône. A discreet plaque pays homage to the technical prowess of the 1ère division blindée française. You have to imagine the rather unreal scene which unfolded here, a few days after the Landing on 15th August: once they had entered the town, the men had to make it possible for the vehicles to cross the Rhône. Using a variety of objects retrieved along the river, they built a ferry, which transported the first jeeps. But the vessel was a precarious one. Helped by the boatmen among others, they designed a bridge of boats which rapidly became operational. The Liberation of Avignon took place on 25th August. Two days later, the whole of the Vaucluse was liberated.

The Alps

A last French battle

This episode of WW2 is relatively little known: the battle for the liberation of the Alps, known as the “Second Battle of the Alps”, was one of the last to take place on French soil. The armistice of June 1940 imposed the disarming of the military structures located on the French-Italian border and the retreat of French troops inland. From this moment on, the Resistance was organised. Contrary to the coast, swiftly liberated after the Var Landing, the Alpine valleys, occupied by the Italians, and then the Germans from 1943, remained in the hands of the enemy. While the Allies were concentrating their efforts on their progression along the Rhône valley towards the Belfort Gap and the Rhine, the Alpine front was sacrificed. In March 1945, General de Gaulle therefore put together the Détachement d’Armée des Alpes, entrusted to General Doyen, whose members were from the Resistance. It was soon joined by the 1ère DFL, which had become available. Entrenched in the military structures on the border, including those of Val d’Oronaye, La Bollène-Vésubie and Saint-Véran, the Germans were finally ousted in April 1945.

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Val d’Oronaye : liberating the Ubaye valley

In the Val d’Oronaye, the Fort of Saint-Ours Haut, on the Maginot line in the Ubaye, was dug into the rock. From the outside, all that can be seen are two combat blocks. Made of concrete and steel, during WW2 this structure ensured the protection of the men and the war material. Inside, a vast network of galleries houses the living areas. The largest completed Maginot structure in the valley, the Fort of Saint-Ours Haut was extremely efficient during the Italian attack in June 40, when it inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. A few kilometres further south, you can see the Fort of Roche-la-Croix, a 19th-century stone masonry construction, reinforced between 1931 and 1936 by a concrete structure. Here too, only the 6 combat blocks can be seen from outside, including an artillery block with a particularly deadly eclipse gun turret with a range of 12 km. Occupied by the heavy platoon of the 3rd company of the 34th batallion of German fusiliers, it was recaptured on 22nd April by the 5ème régiment de dragons of the 7ème brigade blindée. The recapture of the two structures in Val d’Oronaye opened the way to the conquest of the Col de Larche, which allowed French troops to reach Italy.

Practical information:

Guided visits of the Fort de Saint-Ours Haut are organised very regularly

The Fort of Roche-la-Croix is not open to visits in 2024

La Bollène-Vésubie : recapturing the Massif de l’Authion

Further South, the high peaks of the Massif de l’Authion, in the Mercantour National Park. Between the Vésubie Valley to the west and the Roya Valley to the east, this fortified sector of the Alpes-Maritimes imposed itself as a strategic zone. If you do the Circuit de l’Authion by car or on foot, you will plunge into the Second Battle of the Alps through its remains. The Camp de Cabanes Vieilles, a high mountain barracks, violently bombed by the 1ère DFL at the beginning of the offensive, on 10th April 1945. The Fort des Mille-fourches, stormed with flame-throwers on the 11th April. The structures of La Forca and Plan Caval, were recaptured the following day. And above all the Blockhaus de La Pointe des Trois Communes, where 38 German soldiers were entrenched, among them two officers. Two German 75 Pak canons (canons antichars) taken in Alsace stove in the facade. A light armoured vehicle of the 1er régiment blindé de fusiliers-marins approached and obtained the surrender of the garrison. The neighbouring village of Breil-sur-Roya also retains the memory of the Liberation of the Alps, via the little structure of La Baisse de Saint-Véran.

Practical information:

Circuit de l’Authion: From the Col de Turini, go up on the RD 68 to the baisse de Camp d’Argent and continue on to L’Authion until you get to the La Baisse de Tueis car park. A 10km/2½ hours circuit, easy level. Also accessible by car from 30th April to 30th October

Camp de Cabanes Vieilles: the ruins are not open to visitors for safety reasons