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Landing in Provence: 80 years ago, Allied troops recaptured the south-east of France
Thursday, August 15, will mark 80 years since the Allies landed on the coast of Provence to liberate the south of France. The memorial located in Toulon (Var) attracts 40,000 visitors per year.
On August 15, 1944, 100,000 American, Canadian and British soldiers landed on the beaches of Provence. Very quickly, French troops arrived, 2.5 times more numerous, mostly from the African colonies. In two weeks, Toulon (Var), Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) and almost all of Provence were liberated. “This landing (…) is the one that forces Hitler to order the withdrawal of the troops who occupy the entire southern half of the country”explains Jean-Marie Guillon, professor emeritus of contemporary history at the University of Aix-Marseille.
In the collective memory, this landing holds a secondary place. It already arrives more than two months after that of Normandy, mobilizes fewer soldiers, causes far fewer victims, and Hollywood directors are not interested in it. On the heights of Toulon (Var), the landing memorial welcomes 40,000 visitors each year, four times less than the memorial of Caen (Calvados) in 2023.
