The Clearing
Enjoy a breath of fresh air at this moving and authentic location that marked the end of the First World War.
The creation of the clearing
The Armistice Clearing Memorial was inaugurated on 11 November 1922. At the time, the memorial comprised the Sacred Slab and the Alsace-Lorraine Monument. Later, the clearing would also welcome the museum housing the carriage and then the Marshal Foch statue.
Must-see monuments
Numerous monuments are installed within the Rethondes Clearing, honouring the victims and heroes of the Great War. Come discover them during a digestive stroll about the landscaped grounds.
The Memorial Garden
Meditate a moment in the memorial garden created in tribute to Augustin Trébuchon and all World War victims.
From its destruction to its reconstruction
Following the signing of the 1940 Armistice, the clearing monuments and Alsace-Lorraine memorial were dismantled and sent to Germany along with the carriage. The Armistice Crossroads was destroyed, with the avenues devastated, the decorative plants cut and the carriage shelter razed. They were later found in Germany and reinstalled for the Armistice of 11 November 1946.
The Clearing in images
