“A street named after a communist?” you ask. Well, it’s true! We’re standing on Boulevard Marcel Paul, named after a French trade unionist and a communist politician. This Boulevard is a tribute to a man who survived Nazi concentration camps and went on to become a key figure in French politics. Marcel Paul was born in 1900 and started working at age 13. He became politically active at the age of 15, joining the socialist youth movement. Later, he joined the French Communist Party, and during World War II, he became a key figure in the French resistance against the Nazis. After the war, he served as France’s Minister of Industrial Production. He was an influential figure in the French government after the war. Though a controversial figure, Paul is still honored in France and his name can be found on streets and buildings throughout the country. The story of Marcel Paul is one of courage, resistance, and political activism. This Boulevard, with its history and its name, is a reminder of the impact that he had on French history.
Église Notre-Dame de l’Air
Beneath what appears to be a simple stone and wood structure lies a history interwoven with faith aviation and community.