"LA VOIE DE LA LIBERTE"  (The Liberty Road) was created by the French as a commemorative to
the Allied Forces which liberated France after D-day.

The Liberty Road starts in Normandy at Sainte-Mère-Église and travels across Northern France to Bastogne in Belgium near the border with Luxembourg. It follows one of  the routes taken by the Allieds,  to be precise,  the route taken  by US General George S. Patton.  All along the road, there is a stone marker or 'Borne' to mark every kilometer. The road is 1,145 kilometers long with the first "Borne" outside the town hall in Ste Mere Église and the last one in Bastogne.  The Voie de la Liberté  was conceived by Major Guy de la Vasselais as a Memorial to the Liberation and its grand opening took place on 18 September 1947 at Fontainebleau. 1145 markers are positioned every kilometers some of the main  towns and villages along the route are Sainte-Mère-Église (liberated during the nights of 5 and 6 June 1944), Utah Beach, Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, Cherbourg, Carentan, Saint-Lô , Coutances, Avranches, Saint-Malo, Rennes, Angers, Le Mans, Chartres, Étampes, Fontainebleau (liberated on 23 August 1944), Reims, Valmy, Verdun, Nancy, Metz, Thionville, Luxembourg City, Arlon  and finally Bastogne  (liberated on 10 September 1944 / 2 January 1945).

       Version

En Francais

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Photos report thanks to the  "Service Départemental d'Incendie et de secours 77". 
We also would like to thanks 
"le Souvenir Français de Seine et Marne", 
 Maréchal et Vasseur family 
and
 "Bois le Roi 
audiovisuel et annimations" team for the production of a double  DVD. 

 



Voie de la Liberté

is made of 1145 bornes from Sainte-Mère-Église to Bastogne with an additional one at the Saint Louis church at the Invalides a Paris.

The one in the chapel on the right as you come into the church contains earth collected in 1945 from all the US cemeteries along the Liberty Road.

On the right of the borne are inscribed

Ste Mère-Église
Blosville
St Laurent
La Combe
Marigny
Le Chene Guerin
St James
Gorron
Ste Corneille

and on the left

St Andre
Villeneuve s/r Auver
Solers
Chamigneul
Grand Failly
Limey
Andilly
St Anvold

 

Declaration of General  
D Eisenhower

All who travel the "Liberty Road" must sense the spirit of  comradeship and common destiny that strengthened the soldiers of the Allied Forces who fought along that route in 1944. The same firm unity is still necessary if we are to maintain human dignity and worldwide freedom and to secure a just peace for today and tomorrow generations.

This has been translated from the French Declaration read during the 1947 ceremony. 

On 18 September 2007, to celebrate the 60th Anniversary and as a mark of respect and gratitude towards the American Nation and its soldiers fallen during the liberation of France, the Fontainebleau Military Reserve Cadre Association, ACRPF (Association des Cadres de Reserve du Pays de Fontainebleau)  with the help of  the town of Fontainebleau organized a Commemorative celebration.

The highlights of the ceremony

The ceremony was based on the one which had taken place 60 years before. 
The
"Voie de la Liberté Borne" is on a small podium at the bottom of the "Horse Shoe" step of the Chateau of Fontainebleau. 
The "Borne" has its own WWII US Military Police guard of honor as well as two young ladies dressed in the folkloric costumes 
of the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. 


- The ceremony opened with the raising of the American and French flags by four young children.

- Reading of three texts read in 1947, one of which was the Declaration of General  D Eisenhower.

- Arrival of  three WWII jeeps named Sainte-Mère-Eglise, Fontainebleau and Bastogne. In each jeep, a young boy and a girl held a small jar of earth from the three towns. 
a blue pot
in memory of the Ocean crossed and 
the town of
Sainte-Mère-Église,
a white pot
 for the Royal town of Fontainebleau
a red pot 
for the bloody battle of the Bastogne  

The children then poured the earth from the 3 pots into the Ammunition box.

 - The US ambassador representative and the three mayors signed the official parchment marking the ceremony, 
then it was placed in the ammunition box which was
lead sealed 
and a tricolor ribbon draped around it with the the seal of the town of Fontainebleau.

 - The two youngest children deposited the ammunition box at the bottom of the "Borne".

The Alsacienne and the Lorraine ladies of 1947 (who were 15 at the time) joined hands with the six children and the Alsacienne and the Lorraine ladies of 2007 to form the Memory chain " We remember". 
The Lorraine costume (light blue dress) is the original one made in 1947 for the opening ceremony, and had been kept  by the owner.

- Speech from the officials and blessing of the "Borne and ammo box"
 
 - Minute of  silence followed by the American and the French National anthems.

- Loading of the "Borne" and ammunition box on an half-track, part of the Military vehicle convoy leaving the Chateau by 
the "porte d'honneur" to simulate the departure for the long trip to the USA.

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The 60th Anniversary of the "Voie de la Liberte" commemorative symbols comprised of:

1) The full scale modern "Voie de la Liberté Borne", used during the ceremony  of the 60th anniversary of the official Inauguration of the "Voie de la Liberté" on the 18th of September 2007 
at Fontainebleau.

2) An ammunition box  containing earth from 3  main points 
of the "Voie de la Liberté"

Sainte-Mère-Eglise et Utah-Beach starting point, 
km 0 et km 00,

Fontainebleau and the river Seine crossing at Valvins, 
km 670,

Bastogne in Belgium end of  the "Voie de la Liberté",
 km 1145.

and also
A parchment signed by the officials.

3) A folder titled "WE REMEMBER" containing the history of  the "Voie de la Liberté" with all copies of documents and letters regarding the forwarding of these symbols of the French nation's gratitude towards the US nation.

The forwarding of the above is taken care of by the memory chain (chaîne du souvenir)
of the French Regular and Reserve Army.

 

Since Tuesday 13 January 2009, the 60th Commemorative "borne", ammunition box and relevant information folder have been entrusted to the Commander of the French Frigate "La Motte Picquet". It was with emotion and a great sense of pride that my wife and myself transported them along the 600km journey  from Fontainebleau to the port of Brest. The frigate was soon to set sail for Norfolk, USA, where the "Borne", box and folder would be passed on to- - - -  for the last part of its journey to Arlington Military Cemetery at Washington, USA.                                       
                                                                                Lt Colonel (h) R Delauve

*****

14 February 2009, the "Borne" arrival in the USA

This shows the Commander of the French Frigate "La Motte Piquet" passing on the "Borne" to a member of the "French Military Mission" in the USA. 
This photo is thanks to
 "Je me souvien's ! - Journaux de bord: Marine nationale"

*****

We can confirm that the "Borne" is at the French Embassy at Washington, unfortunately no news on its final resting place. From the information we have, it is very unlikely that the "Borne" , will be at Arlington Military Cemetery. We have been trying to contact the embassy since October to see if they have made any final arrangement into its final destination, but for the moment our contacts are silent., but we will update the website as soon as we have some news.

                                                                                       Jean-Luc Delauve  November 2009

*****

Good news.  At last, my father has managed to get in touch with Lieutenant-Colonel Philippe Chabot, French Liaison Officer to the MCoEBldg 35 at Fort Benning.  Thanks to LTC P Chabot's work, Fort Benning's authorities are very keen in welcoming the "Borne de la Voie de la Libertee" and are looking into giving it a place of honour either on the parade field or in the new National Infantry Museum.  Either way, my father and his team are very pleased with the result as one of France's tribute monuments honouring the sacrifice of so many young American soldiers during WWII will rest proudly in one of the most prestigious US military grounds.  
 
Fort Benning hosts the US Infantry School, Airborne, Sniper and Rangers school as well as is being home for the 75th Rangers regiment who spearheaded the D-Day landing .
 
Fort Benning has a military population of 120,000 with about 30,000 soldiers in training.  Also the camp is soon to become "The Manoeuver Center of Excellence" with one of the best and most modern military museums retracing the history of  the US Infantry.
 
It goes without saying that my father, his team and myself are very proud of the new future home for our "Borne".  Let it be a symbol and a reminder of the US's fight for freedom in foreign lands as well as a mark of gratitude from France to the US for the sacrifice their soldiers made during the liberation of France. 

 

                                                                                               Jean-Luc Delauve  Mai 2010

*****

My Father has received a letter from the French Embassy at Washington informing us that the
"Voie de la Liberté Borne" as finished its long voyage to the USA and id now proudly exhibited at the New National Infantry Museum at For Benning, Georgia since Mai 2010.

                                                                                Jean-Luc Delauve  20th November 2010

*****

We are in contact with the nationalinfantryfoundation.org to try to bring photos and information on the new resting place for this  " Liberty Road marker", I will update the website as soon as I get any news

                                                                                Jean-Luc Delauve  25th November 2010

 

 

"Liberty Road" is a private website created as personal tribute to all the Americans who gave their live to free up France during WWII. 

The latest Liberty Road Commemorative ceremonies in Fontainebleau took place due to the determination of one man, my father. He keeps a profound gratitude towards our liberators. He was 10 years old when he saw a first GI on the 23th of August 1944 at 12.00 in Fontainebleau: the GIs were from the 11th Infantry Reg, 5th Infantry Division, 20th CORPS, 3rd Army.

Thanks to his actions and the help of Fontainebleau Military Reserve Cadre Association, Fontainebleau and nearby towns,  they unveiled on the Square Patton at Fontainebleau:

on 21 September 1997 
a 50th Anniversary plaque of the grand opening of the "Liberty Road" on the 18 of September 1947.

on  8 Mai 2005 
a plaque in the memory of the US units who liberated our country and of the two US Generals Patton and Walker who were made citizens of honor of the town of Fontainebleau 
on the 10th of February 1945.
     


                                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                             
Jean-luc Delauve                        

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