monument aux morts Le Poilu

Monument aux morts Le Poilu stands in Antibes, beside the stadium near the sixteenth-century Fort Carré. A French infantryman rises above a pedestal engraved with the names of local soldiers who died during the First World War. The memorial brings the city’s wartime losses into view through stone, scale and a single commanding figure.

Henri Bouchard created the statue after serving as a soldier and directing a wartime camouflage workshop. Four years of work shaped the final monument. City funds and public subscriptions, including wedding contributions, helped bring the project into existence. Its inauguration included the reading of the fallen soldiers’ names.

The rifle rests on the figure’s left side, an unusual detail that inspired a local legend. French soldiers traditionally carried rifles on the right. The memorial remains connected to Antibes through its engraved names and its view toward Fort Carré.