The Saint-Raphaël Memory Trail was launched on August 14, as part of the “Saint-Raphaël, City of Remembrance” project. This themed route, which is part of the Liberation Route Europe and is available on its website and app, offers a captivating journey into the city’s history, with a special focus on the Provence Landings.
The city of Saint-Raphaël joined the LRE Foundation network in 2021, demonstrating its dedication to preserving and sharing historical narratives. The collaboration between the City and the Foundation has resulted in the creation of the Saint-Raphaël Memory Trail.
Spanning approximately 20 kilometres, the new themed route guides visitors through a dozen noteworthy historical sites. These locations reveal lesser-known aspects of the city’s history, such as residents’ resistance to occupying forces, strategic pre-landing bombardments, the Estérel coast’s crucial involvement in the Resistance, and the monumental Allied landings on August 15, 1944. The path includes ten Vectors of Memory, a first-of-its-kind initiative in France, as well as educational tables that improve the visiting experience.
“I am delighted to see the Saint-Raphaël Memory Trail inaugurated today.”, said Alain Dubreuil, Director of the “Saint-Raphaël, City of Remembrance” project. “The themed route will play a very important role in raising awareness of the town’s history among Saint-Raphaël residents and tourists, compensating for the disappearance of eyewitnesses, and, most importantly, assisting in the transmission of memory to future generations. This route will serve as the initial link in a dense Liberation Route Europe’s network of trails in the south of France.”
“The Memory Trail’s launch is the culmination of several years’ work and a rich collaboration between the city and the LRE Foundation.”, LRE France Director Isabelle Lebreton added. “Close bonds have been formed, and I am honoured to be present today to witness this achievement. The themed route will hopefully pave the way for future collaborative projects.”
