As November 11th approaches, we wanted to highlight the Charles De Gaulle Memorial, located in Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises, less than 30 minutes from our unusual Champagne village of Bar-sur-Aube.
The Memorial retraces the major historical events of the 20th century, covering the period of Charles de Gaulle’s life: from 1890 to 1970.
The origins of the Charles de Gaulle Memorial
Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises and General de Gaulle have become inseparable.
It was in this commune of the Haute-Marne department that he chose to settle with his family in 1934. Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises went down in history when Charles De Gaulle, then President of the French Republic, welcomed German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to his family home, La Boisserie, against a backdrop of Franco-German reconciliation.
La Boisserie, his family estate, has been open to the public for several decades, but what was missing was a place to understand the character he was, closely linked to the history of the twentieth century, which he left his mark on.
At the foot of the Cross of Lorraine, erected in memory of General De Gaulle on his death, it was decided to build a place for remembrance tourism, with the Charles de Gaulle as the main player.
The General de Gaulle Memorial was inaugurated on November 9, 2006, the anniversary of his death.
Memorial figures
A modern 4,000m2 building overlooking the Haute-Marne countryside,located at the foot of the Croix de Lorraine
A 1,600m2 permanent exhibition
An average on-site time of 2h00
50 different audiovisual installations, and multimedia and interactive terminals
1,000 photographs, 40 maps, 240 graphic panels
The largest bibliographic collection on General de Gaulle after the Fondation Charles de Gaulle in Paris
What you’ll see at the Charles de Gaulle Memorial
At the Charles de Gaulle Memorial, you can learn more about the man who made the June 18, 1940 appeal, and the1st President of the Fifth Republic, but that’s not all. In the permanent exhibition, you’ll discover history as Charles de Gaulle lived it, from 1890 to 1970.
War memoirs, political archives, but also themes such as the birth of the mass media, all organized chronologically, so that everyone can follow the course of history at their own pace.
The exhibition at the Mémorial du Général de Gaulle is designed to be immersive and interactive. You’ll find different atmospheres, sound and film archives, as well as re-enactments, so that everyone can follow the museum trail at their own pace.
Practical information
The Charles de Gaulle Memorial in Colombey-les-Deux-Eglises is open all year round, except in January and on December 24, 25 and 31.
The memorial offers 2 different rates:
Single admission to the Memorial at €13.50 for adults and €8 for children aged 6 to 12, or the Parcours De Gaulle, including admission to the Memorial, the Cross of Lorraine, and the Boiserie residence at €16.50 for adults and €15 for concessions.
On-site you’ll find a store, and a café serving drinks and snacks.
Looking for a place to sleep before or after the exhibition? Book unusual accommodation in our Champagne village of Bar-sur-Aube, less than 30 minutes from the Memorial.
