A plaque on a building, a monument behind a fountain and a small square, this is what you see in front of you. This place, the Square Émilie Tillion, is a tribute to a remarkable woman. Émilie Tillion, a French writer and art critic, dedicated her life to enriching the minds of others. She co-authored the famous “Guides Bleus” series, which made travel and discovery accessible to everyone. During the Second World War, Émilie Tillion was a fervent resistance fighter. Along with her daughter Germaine, who also became a symbol of resistance, she risked her life to fight for France. Their dedication and courage led to their arrest and deportation to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. Émilie Tillion, however, did not survive the horrors of the camp. She was killed in 1945 at sixty-nine years old. Despite her tragic fate, her memory lives on in this peaceful square. It serves as a reminder of the profound impact she made on French culture and the bravery she embodied.
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.