Meaux, the Marne and 1914 !!!

Posted in Europe, France

I get nostalgic and sentimental each time I need to write about Meaux . This one was briefly mentioned in previous posts but felled needed to have it in one post, me think. I like to tell you and me more about Meaux.  A nice town bordering the Marne river in Seine et Marne dept 77,of the Ïle de France region ,and in my belle France.  There have been so many times here that I lost count, I know the town like if I was born there, I like to tell you with new pictures taken this week on Meaux, the Marne and 1914 !!! Hope you enjoy it as I,

There you see a huge American monument or Monument Américain, a gift of the people of the USA to France honoring the soldiers of the expeditionary force of Gen Pershing that after landing in now near me in St Nazaire march on towards the Marne to help the French as they have done to the USA in the war of Independence with Lafayette, Rochembau , and admiral Grasse. Gen Pershing cried “Lafayette we are here” upon landing. The oldest friendship of both since 1776.

The American Memorial, also known under the names of La Liberté éplorée (Liberty in Distress), American monument or monument of Varredes, is located on the Route de Vareddes or the old D603 now D405A direction Vareddes, the monument is just passing the World War I museum (musée de la grande guerre on your right hand side. The statue was designed by the American sculptor Frederick William MacMonnies ,and dedicated to the Allies from WWI having fought at the first battle of the Marne in 1914, during the Great War or WWI. 

The statue, whose construction took 14 years, was inaugurated on September 11, 1932 by French President Albert Lebrun, President of the Chamber of Deputies Édouard Herriot and members of the Association of American Friends of France and the Ambulance Corps, from the American Field Service. On June 3, 2021, lightning struck the monument, destroying the upper part of the statue. The French Heritage Society (an American non-profit organization created in 1982) provides support for the restoration of the monument.

In 1914, from September 5th to 12th, the plains of Brie were the scene of the Battle of the Marne. Since the outbreak of war in early August, the German army had been relentlessly advancing, pushing back the French and British troops. By early September, the German soldiers were only 40 km from Paris! Victory was within striking distance. But history would decide otherwise… This was the “Miracle of the Marne.” The Battle of the Marne 1914 tour invites you to discover the remains of the battle, following in the footsteps of the men who made history. The fields below now the D405 road cuts in.

The Seine et Marne dept 77 tourist office on the monument Americain : https://www.tourisme-seine-et-marne.fr/activites/culture-patrimoine/4673215-monument-americain/

The official French Heritage Society: https://frenchheritagesociety.org/chapters/paris/

The official circuit of the Marne 1914 : https://www.circuit-bataille-marne1914.fr/

There you go folks, a dandy in a very memorable spot for me, so many times driven by and stopped by for respect. The Monument Américain of Meaux is even nicer to stop by today as it is next to the superbe glorious Musée de la Grande Guerre or WWI museum.  (see post), Again, hope enjoy this post on Meaux, the Marne and 1914 !!! as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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