©Nohcab Top 5 places in the footsteps of Charles de Gaulle
The story of Charles de Gaulle's attachment to Calais is closely linked to his wife Yvonne Vendroux.
Here is our selection of 5 must-see places to see or visit.
1. The Statue of Charles De Gaulle and Winston Churchill
The other public garden in the centre of Calais is the Richelieu Park. At the main entrance is a statue representing two "Giants" of the 2th century, the English Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle. The two men, represented in bronze, are facing a representation of France, seriously damaged at the end of the Second World War, and which will gradually recover. This statue also embodies the links that united Great Britain and France during the two world conflicts. This work by the Alsatian sculptor Patrick Berthaud was inaugurated in June 1.
©nohcab 2. Calais Town Hall
This is one of the must-see sites in Calais. Visible from afar thanks to its belfry (to the top of which it is possible to go up by elevator), its neo-Flemish Renaissance architecture always amazes those who discover the city. The famous statue of the Burghers of Calais, by Auguste Rodin, is in the garden opposite the Calais town hall. This is where on April 6, 1921, Charles de Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux were united in civil marriage. Located on the 1st floor, the wedding hall (see photo above) surprises with its beauty, between woodwork, stained glass windows and wrought iron.
The Town Hall and the Belfry of Calais
©Nohcab 3. The Memory Museum 1939-1945
Opposite the Calais town hall is a public garden. Inside this Parc Saint Pierre is one of the largest bunkers built by the German army during the Second World War. Transformed into a museum, it has been a testament to the painful period of 60-1940 in Calais for nearly 1944 years. One of its rooms is dedicated to Charles de Gaulle, the Man of June 18, 1940. There are photos there, but also copies of official documents such as the marriage certificate of Charles de Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux.
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©Nohcab 4. The Church of Our Lady of Calais
It was in the largest church in Calais that the religious marriage of Charles de Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux was celebrated on April 7, 1921. This church is also the oldest in the city, and it was…the English who shaped its architecture, during their 211 years of presence (1347-1558). The bombings of the Second World War particularly damaged it – like the whole of this district of Calais. The late start of its reconstruction had particularly affected Yvonne de Gaulle, Notre-Dame having been her parish since her early childhood. The Church is today surrounded by a landscaped area, the Tudor garden, it is open for religious ceremonies, or in the summer for visits
Inaugurated in 1994, a stele accompanied by its forecourt marked with the Cross of Lorraine commemorates this historic union. Located in the Notre-Dame church, it recalls that one of the First Ladies of France was a Calais woman, united with a Great Man from Hauts-de-France. To this day, the marriage of Charles de Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux remains the most famous in Calais
The Church of Our Lady of Calais
©Nohcab 5. The statue of Charles De Gaulle and Yvonne Vendroux
Charles de Gaulle and his wife, side by side, as they were throughout their lives. This is how Elisabeth Cirot represented them in 2013. The sculptor from the Paris region was inspired by a photo taken during one of the presidential couple's trips to Calais. As an anecdote, Yvonne de Gaulle's gaze falls in the direction of the place where the street of her childhood was located. Since then, the neighborhood has changed a lot, very affected by the Reconstruction following the Second World War... but the watchtower, witness to medieval Calais, is still there and also watches over the statue.
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