The Indochina War Memorial in Fréjus: a tribute to forgotten heroes
The Indochina War Memorial, located in Fréjus, is a symbolic place of remembrance.
Every architectural and landscape element was designed to evoke pain, sacrifice and respect.
It pays tribute to those who fought and lost their lives in Indochina.
The architecture of the Memorial: a symbolic circle and a necropolis of memory
The monument covers an area of 23 m² and is dominated by a large circular promenade.
This circle, 110 meters in diameter, designed by the architect Bernard Desmoulin, symbolizes several aspects of history and war.
It evokes the journey of soldiers who left France for Indochina and a spiritual circle, present in tribal traditions.
This circle also represents the “interrupted loop” by death, linking life and memory broken by war.
The architecture suggests a continuity and eternity in the memory of sacrifices, despite its unfinished movement.
Around the promenade, the necropolis is organized into rows of alveoli, where the identified soldiers rest.
In total, 17 French soldiers who died for France rest here, divided by geographical origin.
The necropolis is divided into two levels: the lower level for soldiers from South Vietnam and the upper level for those from North Vietnam.
The Wall of Remembrance: A Tribute to the Missing Soldiers of the Indochina War
Another major element of the memorial is the 'Wall of Remembrance', a 64-metre long wall.
It crosses the main building and bears the names of 34 soldiers. These soldiers died during the Indochina War, but their bodies have not been found.
Some have been returned to their families, others are buried elsewhere.
The wall, decorated with a bronze map of Indochina, recalls the loss of these bodies.
It invites contemplation and remembrance.
The crypt of the Indochina war memorial: a place of meditation and shared memory
The Memorial's crypt houses the remains of 3 unknown victims, classified in a central ossuary.
It highlights the universal suffering of these men, who have remained anonymous in history.
This resting place serves as a place of meditation for soldiers and civilians.
3 civilians, repatriated and buried in columbaria under the circular promenade, also rest there.
This site symbolizes the diversity of sacrifices, military and civilian.
The Memorial is also a spiritual space. A religious space, designed for the rites of the four great religions represented, welcomes prayer and meditation.
It brings together all communities, respecting those who gave their lives.
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