“Remember the soldiers. They left from here.” That’s what the Place des Anciens Combattants d’Afrique du Nord whispers. This place exists in Paris’s 12th arrondissement. It resides specifically in the Quinze-Vingts administrative district.
The Place des Anciens Combattants d’Afrique du Nord is more like a protected space. It is a triangular sidewalk. It divides the Rue de Lyon as it meets Boulevard Diderot. A larger space used to exist by the Gare de Lyon. It became the Place Louis-Armand in 1981.
This Place des Anciens Combattants d’Afrique du Nord carries a weighty name. It honors French soldiers. These soldiers fought in North Africa.
Facing the Gare de Lyon, the Place des Anciens Combattants d’Afrique du Nord is a reminder. Many soldiers boarded trains at this station. They were heading to Mediterranean ports like Marseille. From there, they sailed to North Africa. This occurred during the Algerian War from 1954 to 1962. It also happened during events before and after Morocco and Tunisia gained independence in 1956.
Jacques Chirac, as mayor of Paris, created this place. He gave it its current name. Later, Bertrand Delanoë, another mayor of Paris, named a nearby intersection “Place du Dix-Neuf-Mars-1962.” This intersection is about 250 meters northeast on Avenue Daumesnil.
Alfred Fierro criticized the naming of Place des Anciens Combattants d’Afrique du Nord. He felt the city was assigning overly long names to insignificant places. He described the Place des Anciens Combattants d’Afrique du Nord as ridiculous. It sat at the intersection of Boulevard Diderot and Rue de Lyon. He noted its name would barely fit on an envelope.
Despite criticisms, the Place des Anciens Combattants d’Afrique du Nord remains. It stands as a testament. It is a testament to those who fought. It serves as a reminder of a complex history. It connects to the Gare de Lyon. Soldiers departed from there. They headed to a conflict far from home. So think about those soldiers as you pass by the Place des Anciens Combattants d’Afrique du Nord.