TOULOUSE
Having come to power on 17 June 1940, Marshal Pétain called for an armistice to be signed with Nazi Germany. The following day, 18 June, in London, Charles de Gaulle delivered his famous appeal over the BBC airwaves. A symbol of hope, he declared in powerful terms that the war, now a world war, was not over: “Whatever happens, the flame of French resistance must not be extinguished, and it will not be extinguished.”
The Pink City found itself in the unoccupied zone. It was already a welcoming place, but its appeal grew as people fled the rise of extremists. Spaniards, French, Italians, Poles and many others came there to seek refuge. The Nazis did not enter Toulouse until late in the war: on 11 November 1942, and a sense of defeat weighed heavily on the inhabitants. The Resistance would then take on a new dimension!
This tour begins with the monument to the glory of the Resistance, inaugurated in 1971. Designed as an immersive experience, you enter this underground structure only to emerge back above ground in the Jardin des Plantes, facing busts of Resistance heroes such as Jean Cassou.
You will then discover the Shoah Memorial, designed by architect Mikaël Sebban. The six tall stainless steel doors arranged in a hexagon are sure to make an impression!
Then, as the tour takes you from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, you are immersed in the daily lives of these men and women who resisted in their own way: the underground press, distributing leaflets, acts of sabotage, protecting Jews, smuggling out Allied paratroopers…
The walk ends at Place du Capitole, commemorating the Liberation, the march of the Maquis fighters and the jubilation of the people of Toulouse who came out to welcome General de Gaulle… There was still so much to be done…
Good to know:
– Between 15 June and 15 September, during orange and red alert levels and when the temperature is 35°C or higher, adjustments to the route are made and the tour is shortened to 1½ hours. In the event of a red alert, tours may be cancelled and refunded.
