FRANCO-BRITISH MEMORIAL
A memorial to British servicemen, in the shape of a 45-meter-high triumphal arch, with arches and documentation.
Visible from afar, atop a hill, the Franco-British Thiepval Memorial is an almost unmissable stop for anyone visiting the Somme as part of a "remembrance" tour. Dedicated to British and South African servicemen, as well as to the French and British armies, it forms a 45-metre-high triumphal arch supported by sixteen pillars. Engraved on it are the names of 72,244 British and South African soldiers who died on the battlefields of the Somme between July 1915 and March 1918. With over ten million bricks used to build it, it was a construction site worthy of the tribute paid, and is now visited by over 160,000 people every year, who come to pay their respects in a hushed, silent atmosphere. At the entrance to this site of remembrance is an interpretation center that puts the various enemy nations into context, with a particular focus on the battles of the Somme in 1916. The museography is highly relevant and immersive, and even includes a life-size replica of Georges Guynemer's plane. Note that access to the museum is subject to a fee, unlike the interpretation center, which you can visit before going to the Memorial site. On the same premises, you'll also find toilets, a store (books and souvenirs) and documentation on the Somme of the First World War.
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