Charles De Gaulle

The Charles de Gaulle statue in Dinant stands at the entrance to the bridge that bears the French general's name, beside the Meuse in Belgium. It does not show the familiar president or wartime leader. It shows a young lieutenant of twenty-four, which is what makes it unusual.

Who was Charles de Gaulle, and why Dinant?

Charles de Gaulle was a French general and statesman. In the Second World War he led the Free French Forces against Nazi Germany and the Vichy regime, and he chaired the Provisional Government of the French Republic from 1944 to 1946. After the 1958 crisis he oversaw a new constitution that created the Fifth Republic, and he served as President of France until resigning in 1969.

His link to Dinant goes back much further. On 15 August 1914, early in the First World War, the young lieutenant was wounded here in the fighting that preceded the massacre of civilians on 23 August. The statue stands near where this happened. The pedestal carries the words "Mon champ de bataille" ("My battlefield").

What does the statue look like?

The figure is about 2.5 metres tall and rests on a 70 cm plinth. According to local authorities it is the only monument to de Gaulle that portrays him as a lieutenant. They describe it as copper, whereas his other statues are usually bronze, although a statue database lists bronze, so the material is reported differently depending on the source. The base bears the Dinanderie Clabots signature and the date 2014.

Who made it?

The work comes from the Dinanderie Clabots workshop in Dinant. An artist from France was approached first, but the quote was too high. Guido Clabots, a local coppersmith, offered a workable price. His workshop is the last in town still producing dinanderie, the hammered copper and brass craft for which Dinant has been known for centuries. The statue therefore doubles as a showcase of local craftsmanship.

The unveiling

It was unveiled on 15 August 2014, exactly one hundred years after the lieutenant was wounded. Bernard de Gaulle, the general's nephew, took part, together with a grandson of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, giving the ceremony a Franco-German symbolism.

Visiting tips

The statue is in the town centre at the Charles de Gaulle bridge, close to the Meuse waterfront and the famous collegiate church. It fits easily into a walk along the river combined with the Citadel and the rest of the old town. Admission is free and a stop takes only a few minutes. Look at the pedestal inscription and the details of the figure. Some visitors have commented that the statue could use maintenance, and at one point it was reported to be missing a hand, so its condition may vary.

Frequently asked questions

Does the statue show the general or the president? Neither. It depicts de Gaulle as a young lieutenant in 1914.

When was it unveiled? On 15 August 2014, a century after he was wounded in Dinant.

Who made it? The Dinanderie Clabots workshop of Dinant, the last in the town still making dinanderie.

Why is it beside the bridge? The bridge is named after the general, and the statue stands near the place where he was wounded in August 1914.

Is there an entrance fee? No. It stands in public space and can be seen at any time.