Erected in 1913 on Place Valin, between the two basins of the Old Port, the Monument of the Souvenir Français pays tribute to the soldiers and sailors of Charente-Inférieure (now Charente-Maritime) who died for France during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and the colonial expeditions to Madagascar. Designed by sculptor Pierre Laurent, the monument depicts three soldiers: a standard-bearer, an armed sailor, and a dying soldier, all topped by a rooster — a symbol of France. The idea was born in 1896 at the initiative of the Souvenir Français committee, but the monument was only completed in 1913 after years of fundraising and planning. Still today, it serves as a site for commemorative ceremonies, honoring the memory of La Rochelle’s fallen heroes. Moved in 2017 to enhance its visibility, it remains a place of remembrance and national pride in the heart of La Rochelle.
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