Throughout the summer, a monumental exhibition under the Chapiteau de Fontvieille traces the landing of the Allied troops in Normandy, featuring several thousands of period pieces.
From the entrance, the air of the Chante des partisans diffused in a loop sets the tone. One step further under the Chapeau and the leap back in time is complete. We are in 6 June 1944. The end of the Second World War is near when the Allied troops land on the beaches of Normandy.
It is this page of history that the exhibition describes, and will be on display all summer in Monaco. It is a first. “We have a museum in Normandy in Ouistreham, but for several years we have been thinking about a travelling exhibit that tells the story of the landing. It is a story with international appeal and a duty of memory,” says curator Valérie Cuvelier. She has staged thousands of the objects collected by a conservationist over several decades.
Tanks, uniforms and barges
The exhibit is arranged in 24 themes. The signs that mark the route are numerous and informative, but the heart of the exhibition, which will be of interest to the enthusiasts, is the collection of objects, gear, uniforms and weapons collected and discovered during excavations near the site. For example, there are remains of gliders, tanks and bunkers. The highlight of the show? The replica of a landing barge from with a Jeep escaping. It certainly recalls the reality of the most legendary military operation of the twentieth century.
The exhibition will be presented until 31 August under the Chapiteau de Fontvieille, and is destined to travel thereafter. “A seven-year tour is planned,” continues Valérie Cuvelier. Dates are being finalized in France and England.
For more information:
“Normandy 6 June 1944” runs until August 31 under the Chapiteau de Fontvieille.
Open daily from 10 am to 9 pm (11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays).
Admission: €18 and €15 reduced price
Photo sources: tvc.ru/humus.livejournal.com/visitmonaco.com
