Itinerary in the Heart of the Bocage Bourbonnais
Places, facts, times, and the lives of the men and women who made their share of history—their memory traces your path. Each of the fourteen locations that mark our “Resistance Route” can be approached independently. However, the path proposed here presents the chronology of events as they unfolded, beginning with the early days of the debacle in the spring of 1940 and the harsh and clandestine camps of the first maquis in 1943. Following this, you will discover the more numerous and developed camps of 1944, and on to the final push and the liberation at the end of the summer of 1944…
Have a good trip with the ANACR.
At the Service of the Memory of the Resistance.
The Resistance is inscribed in our history books. Its victory over Nazi barbarism marks the glorious return to democracy and our republican institutions.
But “Resistance” is also naturally rooted in the land, memory, values and ideals of our people. It is part of the heritage in the very heart of our villages, hamlets, farms, forests and countryside…
Here, in the heart of the bocage, it is this ideal of freedom, and the memory of the great sacrifices of our people, that our association strives to guard and preserve.
This is our whole purpose—from our initiatives to welcome and inform the public, to our commemorative ceremonies, collection of testimonies and archive studies, as well as our creation and maintenance of monuments, documentary productions, partnerships and educational projects.
“Memorial Tourism” is yet another way that the members of our local committee of the ANACR Meillard-Le Montet invite you to discover our places of remembrance, as well as some additional, and remarkable features of our area. It is our mission to share and conserve the valuable history and memory of the Resistance here in their Bourbonnais.
Steeped in the stories of our surviving participants, new generations are also committed to sharing our knowledge, preserving this memorable heritage, and to deepening and enriching it, in order to bring it to life.
Just as it was in the past, it is not enough to say
“Never again!”
However, we must also provide a context to ensure that we are both heard and understood.
This is why, it is important to remember that the idea of “Resistance” is also linked to both the First World War and Pacifism. The fighters of the Resistance had no higher ambition than that of regaining peace and freedom. And so, we include the Monument to the Dead of Rocles, as well as figures of Brizon and Montuses.
The work of our association is to preserve the memory of the Resistance. Our documents and testimonies serve history and unmask efforts at the revisionist rewriting of history.
Additionally, memory work around places, facts and the actors involved in the Resistance provides yet another dimension where both the emotion and depth of their humanity can be recognized and explored.
The ideals of liberty, justice and peace, that animated those who fought to ensure the defeat of the Nazi occupiers as well as Petain’s accomplices, provided the solid basis for their actions.
In this “Land of Resistance,” our actions, however modest, are a testament to our deeply rooted drive to live in a free and just world, in peace.
The memorable heritage of the Resistance presented here marks out an itinerary of fourteen stops along which you will discover places, times, facts and the men and women who made history!
Most of these sites are directly accessible. You might begin your journey at the Chatel de Neuvre, on a promontory offering a beautiful panorama of the valley, the Allier River and the bridge that spans it…
Another point of interest includes the Cerisiers railway tunnel at Noyant that still bears traces of the sabotage that took place there.
Additionally, coming soon is Moladier’s monument commemorating the creation of Camp Danielle Casanova, which is currently under construction. And last, but not least, we recommend to you the stele of the Piece Plate built on the site of Camp Hoche. This camp is located on private land in the Douzenan valley and currently there is no developed pathway to access it. However, every year on the second Sunday in May, Camp Hoche is accessible during a once-a-year commemorative ceremony. The Local Committee of ANACR Meillard- Le Montet.
