German resistance points – Approximately 55 minutes - 4 km (2.5 miles)

Landmarks After landing in Normandy on June 6th 1944 the Allies advanced eastwards. In August 1944, was under the control of General von Choltitz, appointed commander of Greater Paris (the German military command zone which included Paris and the Paris region) by Hitler on August 7th 1944. Since the Landing the different Resistance movements, in particular the National Resistance Council (CNR) and the Parisian Liberation Committee (CPL), had been encouraging Parisians to revolt. The French Forces of the Interior (FFI), the Resistance movement’s military body, also played a major role in the Paris uprising that started on August 19th, thanks in particular to Colonel Rol- Tanguy, head of the FFI in Île-de-. The insurgents put up barricades all over the city.

In view of these events the Allies, who had initially planned to take a detour round Paris, authorised General Leclerc, commander of the 2nd Armoured Division (A.D.), to go to Paris to provide support for the uprising. On August 24th part of the 2nd A.D. entered Paris and after the next day’s battle General von Choltitz surrendered. The following day, General de Gaulle paraded from the to Notre-Dame.

1/5 – Le Although now a public garden, the Champ de Mars was originally designed as a training ground for the Ecole Militaire. The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 Universal Exposition.

1. The Sherman tanks of the 2nd A.D. take up positions for the night on the Champ de Mars, August 25th.

2/5 – L’Ecole militaire The Ecole Militaire was created by Louis XV in the middle of the 18th century. The architect was Ange-Jacques Gabriel. The building is still home to the military higher education organisations. Under the Occupation the Ecole Militaire was a German barracks which was attacked by men of the 2nd A.D. on August 25th 1944.

2. A tank of the 4th squadron of the 12th cuirassiers arriving on Avenue de Suffren in preparation for the attack; an FFI soldier is posted at a German machine gun in a battery behind sandbags, August 25th 1944.

3. The Abbeville tank of the 12th cuirassiers in front of the Ecole Militaire transporting German prisoners, August 25th.

Go along Avenue de la Motte-Piquet then Esplanade des Invalides and turn right onto Quai d’Orsay. See the destination on Google map.

3/5 – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 37 Quai d’Orsay The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is located in the building originally built for this purpose in the middle of the 19th century. Under the Occupation, the Ministry had been requisitioned for the Central Security Office, which was one of the principal bodies of the Reich and was in charge of managing concentration camps and deportation. Fighting was particularly brutal and many were killed.

4. Side-on view of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, damaged by a fire after the fighting, August 25th 1944.

5. The Metz tank of the 12th Cuirassiers of the 2nd A.D. in action against the Germans barricaded in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rue de Constantine, August 25th 1944.

Continue along Quai d’Orsay in the same direction. See the destination on Google map.

4/5 – Bourbon Palace The Chamber of Deputies, now the National Assembly, is at 33 Quai d’Orsay. The gets its name from the mansion built in the 18th century, now forming the core of the current building. Since the Revolution it has housed the Lower House of Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies under the Third Republic, and the National Assembly since the Fourth Republic. During the Occupation the Palais Bourbon was the headquarters of the military high command in France. From 5pm, soldiers from the 2nd A.D. accompanied by F.F.I. soldiers and firefighters advanced towards the Palais Bourbon to force a surrender.

6. Tank destroyers of the Armoured Regiment of Marine Riflemen on Pont de la in front of the Chamber of Deputies.

7. Surrender of the German garrison in the Chamber of Deputies.

Go along Boulevard Saint-Germain (approx 25 minutes), then turn right onto Rue de and continue on Rue de Tournon. Or take the bus n°84 towards the Panthéon and get off at the Sénat. See the destination on Google map.

8. Lutzen tank engaged in battle on Boulevard Saint-Michel against a German tank at the .

5/5 – Luxembourg Palace, Senate, 15 Rue de Vaugirard The Luxembourg Palace was built at the beginning of the 17th century for Marie de Medici. It owes its name to the Hotel de Luxembourg on the site of which it was built. After the Revolution it was home to the Upper Chamber of Parliament, and then the Senate under the Third Republic and Fifth Republic.. The Senate housed the offices of the Luftwaffe, the German air force. It was extremely well defended with 13 tanks and 600 men. Commander Putz attacked the Palais du Luxembourg with his subgroup formed of two companies from the 501st regiment of battle tanks, a company from the Chad March Battalion and the 3rd squadron of tank destroyers of the Armoured Regiment of Marine Riflemen. The fighting continued until 6:30pm. Surrender negotiations were led by Colonel Crépin of the 2nd A.D. and lasted three hours before Colonel von Berg, commander of the Senate, agreed to surrender to the men of Leclerc’s division.

9. View of the courtyard of the Senate after Liberation fighting.

10. A destroyed German tank in front of the Théâtre de l’Odéon on the corner of Rue Rotrou and Rue de Vaugirard.

Credits 1. Virat Coll., Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées 2. Leclerc Coll.. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées 3. Leclerc Coll.. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées 4. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées 5. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées 6. Sénéchal Coll., Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées 7. American Coll., Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées 8. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées 9. Gandner Coll., Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées 10. Musée Général Leclerc/Musée Jean Moulin, Paris Musées