The monumental statue of Poilu
Fort Carré houses the monumental statue of “Poilu”, erected in honor of the soldiers who died for France during the First World War.
It took the sculptor Henri Bouchard four years to erect the monument, which is 22 meters high and thus France’s tallest monument to the dead during wars.
At the inauguration in 1927, 261 names were quoted. Antibes is actually one of the municipalities in France that lost the largest number of its own during the First World War.
If you look closely, you can see that Poilu is carrying his weapon on the left side and that is a mistake. The weapon must be carried on the right side. The mistake has since given rise to the legend that it should have caused the suicide of the artist who realized the monument. This is however not true, since Henri Bouchard was quite productive until his death in Paris in 1960.
The statue is best seen from the Fort Carré stadium.
Af Tommy Sverre / 2020
- All
- Castles and palaces
- Churches & chapels
- Hiking
- Markets
- Monuments
- Museums
- Wash-houses
- Zoos
Castles and palaces The Villa Eilenroc
The elegant and opulent Villa Eilenroc, in Antibes, had its heyday during the famous period, which the French refer to as “La Belle Époque” and is today open to the public.
Churches & chapels Saint-Bernardin chapel
The beautiful and almost magical chapel Saint-Bernardin is located in the middle of the old town of Antibes, and built on Roman foundations and dates from 1581.
Museums Museum for History and Archeology
Historical objects dating back to Roman times are exhibited in the Bastion Saint-André built by the military architect Vauban in 1698 and which is a historical monument.
Castles and palaces Chateau de la Garoupe
This magnificent property is today part of a legal settlement and has been seized by the authorities after the suicide of the Russian oligarch Berezovsky.
Art Picasso museum & Grimaldi castle
At one of the best-located addresses in the old town of Antibes is the Grimaldi Castle, which today houses the Picasso Museum.
Zoos Marineland Antibes
The marine park is known for its great shows and educational activities. In addition to giving visitors an unforgettable experience, the park’s mission is to pass on…
Monuments Le Nomade
It is now the giant figurehead of the bastion and today stands as a modern landmark for a city with an ancient history.
Castles and palaces Château de la Croë
Watch the fantastic video of Roman Abramovich’s Château de la Croë, that he has spent more than 33 million euros on restoring.
Churches & chapels Notre-Dame-de-l’Immaculée-Conception
This magnificent neoclassical church is built on the remains of a Roman temple dedicated to Diana and Minerva.
