25 August 1944: the duty to remember in Maillé The Liberation of Paris and the Maillé massacre...

Dive into the heart of the summer of 1944, a pivotal moment in history. While Paris regained its freedom, a small village in Indre-et-Loire suffered a forgotten tragedy. In Maillé, near Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, the Maison du Souvenir invites you to relive these shattering events.

25 August 1944 : Paris liberated, Maillé martyred

Relive this historic day! Paris celebrates its liberation, marked by the famous words of General de Gaulle: “Paris outragé! Paris broken! Paris martyred! But Paris liberated! While Parisians rejoiced, the village of Maillé endured the horror.

As at Oradour-sur-Glane, an SS unit spread terror, massacring 124 inhabitants, aged between 3 months and 89 years. A barbaric act, cold repression after actions by the Resistance. Don’t let this memory be erased.

La Maison du Souvenir de Maillé, a place of transmission

Enter this site of remembrance, opened in 2006. Faced with testimonies, photos and poignant documents, understand the facts and the silence that followed. Why was so much forgotten? How did the survivors rebuild their lives? Explore these essential questions and play your part in passing on history.

Find out more

During the Second World War in Touraine... did you know?

The city of Tours was the short-lived capital of France from 10 to 13 June 1940. Faced with the German advance, the government moved there temporarily (before moving on to Bordeaux, then Clermont-Ferrand and Vichy), resulting in the presence:

of the President of the Republic, Albert Lebrun at the château de Cangé (Saint-Avertin). In this “Elysée bis”, two Councils of Ministers were held there on 12 and 13 June 1940.
of General de Gaulle, at the château de Beauvais (Azay-sur-Cher).
of Marshal Pétain at the château de Nitray (Azay-sur-Cher),
of the President of the Chamber of Deputies at the château de Moncontour (Vouvray),
from the Ministry of the Navy at château d’Artigny (Montbazon),
from the Ministry of National Education, at château d’Azay-le-Rideau,
diplomatic archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs within the château de Rochecotte (including the original of the Treaty of Versailles, which Georges Clemenceau had signed in the Hall of Mirrors in 1919).
the British Embassy, at the château de Champchevrier,
an annex of the American Embassy in the domain of Candé (Monts).

Around Maillé

Did you know?

The demarcation line split Touraine in two. So getting to Loches (in the free zone) from Tours (in the occupied zone) was a challenge, even with permits. A local expression was thus born: “On n’est pas rendu à Loches“*. Note also that the double gallery of the château de Chenonceau, above the Cher, allowed some discreet passages from one area to the other!

*The expression“To be called Arthur” also comes from the Second World War. During the occupation of France, curfew was set at 8pm. The name “Arthur” is a distortion of the German “acht uhr!” (eight o’clock) that enemy patrols would shout to any latecomers.

In a nutshell on key events and places around Maillé

Maillé, a forgotten martyred village

124 victims massacred on 25 August 1944, a tragedy long ignored.

An essential House of Remembrance

A place to understand, pass on and honour the memory of those who died.

Tours, ephemeral capital of France

June 1940: government, ministries and diplomats take refuge here.

A new look at Maillé late recognition

Long shrouded in obscurity, the Maillé massacre has finally received official recognition. It was not until 2008 that the French Republic fully recognised this tragedy, thanks in particular to the efforts of historians and survivors. In 2017, Maillé received a visit from President Emmanuel Macron, reaffirming the importance of the duty to remember. Today, local initiatives and educational projects perpetuate this memory, ensuring that this dark page is never forgotten.