Place Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny

This Place Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny is more than just a roundabout. It stands as a tribute to a remarkable man: Jean de Lattre de Tassigny. This square, nestled on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, was inaugurated in 1960. It replaced what was simply known as Place de la Porte-Dauphine. The Place Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny is more than just a place. It is a visual chronicle etched in stone. Look around you. You’ll see a stele bearing his bust. Look closer and you’ll find rough-hewn stones. Each one bears inscriptions highlighting his military achievements. de Lattre de Tassigny was a man of action. He was France’s youngest general during World War II. He led the valiant resistance against the German invasion. He even defied the Vichy government when they ordered him not to fight the invading Germans. This act of defiance landed him in prison. But even prison walls couldn’t hold him. He escaped and joined de Gaulle’s Free French Forces. de Lattre de Tassigny returned to France in triumph. His First Army liberated vast swathes of territory. They fought their way from Provence to the Rhine and Danube. He even had the honor of representing France at the signing of the German surrender in Berlin. But his story doesn’t end there. After the war, he was appointed High Commissioner and Commander-in-Chief in Indochina. He fought fiercely against the Viet Minh but tragedy struck. He lost his son Bernard who was killed in action. Weakened by grief and illness he was forced to return to France where he died in 1952. He was posthumously elevated to the dignity of Marshal of France. The Place Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny stands as a silent testament to his courage, leadership and unwavering patriotism.