Le Mémorial de l’OTAN

Sieges, occupations, land, sea, and air attacks—Calais and its region are a land of remembrance! The duty to remember also applies to contemporary conflicts around the world. Calais XXL is home to the only memorial in Europe dedicated to soldiers under NATO mandate who died in combat. 

The NATO Memorial is located in Fréthun, a town bordered by a TGV train station, a motorway, and the Channel Tunnel. This memorial, inaugurated in February 2012, has its origins in the story of a man, Willy Breton. This non-commissioned officer in the National Gendarmerie returned from an overseas operation in 2010. He wanted to honor the memory of two soldiers killed in Afghanistan. The idea grew to create a memorial dedicated to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the service of NATO. 

The NATO Memorial, unique in Europe, was inaugurated in 2012. It is also a symbol of friendship, camaraderie, reconciliation, fraternity, and peace. In its central section, the NATO Memorial consists of two steles, alongside which German, Australian, Belgian, and Czech steles have appeared, as well as one dedicated to animals. 

The NATO Memorial Federation is multiplying initiatives to perpetuate its values ​​and regularly organizes/sponsors cultural or sporting events, in conjunction with other associations. 

Please note that: Every year in September, a Memorial Day is held in Fréthun. With its international focus, this differs from traditional national commemorations. While the commemoration at the NATO Memorial in Fréthun has the requisite solemnity, it is also a unique moment in the region, with the wide variety of uniforms present.