Boulevard Gambetta — The Vanished Statues of the Third Republic

Your quest for the vanished statues begins in Grenoble, at Place Saint-André. This medieval square, named after the Saint-André church built between the 13th and 16th centuries, was the seat of the Dauphiné parliament until 1790. It is here, 400 meters from Boulevard Gambetta, that republican ceremonies were held during the Third Republic, celebrating the values that the Occupation would soon threaten. The echoes of these gatherings still resonate, contrasting with the silence imposed by the Vichy regime and the gradual disappearance of national symbols in the city of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

A short walk away, the Isère Resistance and Deportation Museum, opened in 1960 on Rue Hébert, plunges you into the heart of local heroism in the face of oppression. This site, although post-dating the events of the statue melting, is an essential anchor point for understanding the context. It houses the testimonies of those who, like the Resistance fighters who saved the equestrian statue of Lesdiguières in 1941-1943, fought to preserve French memory and identity. It is in this spirit of preservation that your mission takes on its full meaning, through the history of Grenoble.

Continue towards the Marius Gontard Bridge, built in 1973, which spans the Isère and connects Boulevard Gambetta to the quays. Named in honor of Marius Gontard, Mayor of Grenoble from 1957 to 1973, this bridge symbolizes reconstruction and renewal after the war years. Ironically, it follows the era of Paul Cocat, Mayor of Grenoble from 1941 to 1943, who had to comply with Vichy's directives concerning the melting of artworks. The bridge offers you a perspective on the city's urban evolution, a modern pedestrian axis crossing the hyper-center district, about 1 km from Place de Verdun.

Place Grenette, a former herb market and the historic heart of Grenoble, takes you back to the city's origins. Near Boulevard Gambetta, this square was the scene of public executions before their transfer to the gallows of the Porte de France in the mid-16th century. It is a place that has witnessed eras and dramas, a reminder of the fragility of collective memory. Less than 500 meters from Boulevard Gambetta, it constitutes an essential landmark for your investigation into Grenoble's heritage.

Your journey concludes at Place de Verdun, a former parade ground transformed into a square in 1869. It was here that the equestrian statue of Lesdiguières was installed in 1856, and miraculously saved from melting under Vichy by Resistance fighters in 1941-1943. Surrounded by planted promenades bordering Boulevard Gambetta, this square is a symbol of resilience. The Jardin de Ville, with its Tritons fountain by Henri Ding partially spared in 1942, testifies to the desire to preserve art and history. This circuit will have allowed you to grasp the extent of the losses, but also the strength of Grenoble's collective memory in the face of oblivion, a true historical monument and republican heritage in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.