Log on to www.cirkwi.com and let us guide you on a discovery tour of the military heritage of the Second World War in the Porte des Maures area of the Mediterranean, with a selection of sites that are both unmissable and little-known.
For the European Heritage Days, step back in time and discover the key sites of the D-Day Landings and the Liberation of the towns of Le Lavandou and Collobrières on 15 August 1944, Pierrefeu du Var and Bormes les Mimosas on the 16th, La Londe les Maures and Cuers on the 17th.
All at once or in stages, you can easily put together your own route.
After the Armistice of June 1940, defeated France collaborated with the Third Reich. After the Allied landings in North Africa and the scuttling of the French fleet in the port of Toulon in November 1942, General de Gaulle instructed General Giraud in 1943 to reorganise a French army in North Africa with material support from the Americans.
Two months after the Normandy landings, on 6 June 1944, the Allies received the green light. On the night of 14 to 15 August 1944, the African commandos, the first French soldiers on Provence soil, stormed Cap Nègre, the naval assault group the Pointe de l'Esquirol, and the Canadians and American rangers the Îles d'Or. American paratroopers were dropped on the plain of Le Muy.
On the morning of 15 August, the American divisions landed at Cavalaire; for eight days, all those of the Armée d'Afrique landed in a steady stream on the beaches of Cavalaire, le Dramont and la Nartelle to liberate the occupied towns and villages of the Var.
> Le Lavandou
The place where the first African commandos landed on the night of 14 to 15 August 1944, Le Lavandou is also proud to have been the scene of several episodes in the Second World War.
Whether sailors, soldiers or members of the Resistance, the people of Le Lavandou played an active part in this conflict, fighting the enemy on the seas, on the fronts and in the maquis.
Thanks to information provided by the Resistance and the bravery of Lieutenant-Colonel Bouvet's men, the African commandos were to initiate the success of Operation Dragoon.
> Bormes les Mimosas
Until 1942, Provence was protected from occupation.
Then events suddenly came to a head with the invasion of the southern zone by Italian troops.
After Italy's armistice in September 1943, German troops took over, until the liberation in August 1944.
> Collobrières
From 11 November 1942, the "free zone" was invaded by the Germans and Italians.
Daily life, already difficult, was henceforth punctuated by curfews, and the Ovra (Italian Militia of the Fascist party) even arrested Mayor Charles Imbert and locked him up in Modane prison in 1943.
The Resistance organised itself in the Maures maquis, but food shortages reigned and the only food produced was chestnuts and grapes.
It wasn't until 15 August 1944, when Allied troops arrived via route N°14 from Grimaud, that Collobrières could breathe again.
> Pierrefeu-du-Var
16 August 1944
24 hours. That's the time that elapsed between the landing of the Allied forces on the beaches of eastern Var and the liberation of Pierrefeu du Var.
Arriving on the RD 14 in an east/west direction, a column of goumiers, riflemen, resistance fighters and soldiers from the 3rd US Division entered Pierrefeu du Var to liberate it from the German yoke.
The battle was fierce. GI Erwin Lemke was ambushed by the enemy at what is now "Château Montaud".
Once Pierrefeu du Var had been liberated, Colonel de Linares set up camp at the "ferme des marronniers" before setting off to liberate Toulon.
> Cuers
June 1940, at NAS Cuers-Pierrefeu, the Naval Aviation fighter squadron was responsible for intercepting enemy aircraft and two airmen died in June 1940 and June 1944.
On 17 August 1944, General Pierre Magnan, the town's liberator and a true hero, finally put an end to the German soldiers' fierce resistance.
Since 17 August 1982, as a tribute, a square has been named after the valiant soldier and, subsequently, other streets and squares were named after the heroes who "Died for France".
> La Londe les Maures
On 25 June 1940, when the Armistice was announced, La Londe was relieved.
At first, it supported Marshal Petain, before suffering the weight of the occupation, first Italian and then German from August 1943.
While the Nazis set up camp at La Pascalette and the Château des Bormettes, damaging certain parts of the town, the resistance grew impatient and grew stronger as alerts sounded.
As the bombing intensified, rumours of a landing were heard until 17 August 1944.
Log on to www.cirkwi.com and browse our selection of Second World War memorial sites, in one go or in stages.
All at once or in stages, you can easily put together your own route.
After the Armistice of June 1940, defeated France collaborated with the Third Reich. After the Allied landings in North Africa and the scuttling of the French fleet in the port of Toulon in November 1942, General de Gaulle instructed General Giraud in 1943 to reorganise a French army in North Africa with material support from the Americans.
Two months after the Normandy landings, on 6 June 1944, the Allies received the green light. On the night of 14 to 15 August 1944, the African commandos, the first French soldiers on Provence soil, stormed Cap Nègre, the naval assault group the Pointe de l'Esquirol, and the Canadians and American rangers the Îles d'Or. American paratroopers were dropped on the plain of Le Muy.
On the morning of 15 August, the American divisions landed at Cavalaire; for eight days, all those of the Armée d'Afrique landed in a steady stream on the beaches of Cavalaire, le Dramont and la Nartelle to liberate the occupied towns and villages of the Var.
> Le Lavandou
The place where the first African commandos landed on the night of 14 to 15 August 1944, Le Lavandou is also proud to have been the scene of several episodes in the Second World War.
Whether sailors, soldiers or members of the Resistance, the people of Le Lavandou played an active part in this conflict, fighting the enemy on the seas, on the fronts and in the maquis.
Thanks to information provided by the Resistance and the bravery of Lieutenant-Colonel Bouvet's men, the African commandos were to initiate the success of Operation Dragoon.
> Bormes les Mimosas
Until 1942, Provence was protected from occupation.
Then events suddenly came to a head with the invasion of the southern zone by Italian troops.
After Italy's armistice in September 1943, German troops took over, until the liberation in August 1944.
> Collobrières
From 11 November 1942, the "free zone" was invaded by the Germans and Italians.
Daily life, already difficult, was henceforth punctuated by curfews, and the Ovra (Italian Militia of the Fascist party) even arrested Mayor Charles Imbert and locked him up in Modane prison in 1943.
The Resistance organised itself in the Maures maquis, but food shortages reigned and the only food produced was chestnuts and grapes.
It wasn't until 15 August 1944, when Allied troops arrived via route N°14 from Grimaud, that Collobrières could breathe again.
> Pierrefeu-du-Var
16 August 1944
24 hours. That's the time that elapsed between the landing of the Allied forces on the beaches of eastern Var and the liberation of Pierrefeu du Var.
Arriving on the RD 14 in an east/west direction, a column of goumiers, riflemen, resistance fighters and soldiers from the 3rd US Division entered Pierrefeu du Var to liberate it from the German yoke.
The battle was fierce. GI Erwin Lemke was ambushed by the enemy at what is now "Château Montaud".
Once Pierrefeu du Var had been liberated, Colonel de Linares set up camp at the "ferme des marronniers" before setting off to liberate Toulon.
> Cuers
June 1940, at NAS Cuers-Pierrefeu, the Naval Aviation fighter squadron was responsible for intercepting enemy aircraft and two airmen died in June 1940 and June 1944.
On 17 August 1944, General Pierre Magnan, the town's liberator and a true hero, finally put an end to the German soldiers' fierce resistance.
Since 17 August 1982, as a tribute, a square has been named after the valiant soldier and, subsequently, other streets and squares were named after the heroes who "Died for France".
> La Londe les Maures
On 25 June 1940, when the Armistice was announced, La Londe was relieved.
At first, it supported Marshal Petain, before suffering the weight of the occupation, first Italian and then German from August 1943.
While the Nazis set up camp at La Pascalette and the Château des Bormettes, damaging certain parts of the town, the resistance grew impatient and grew stronger as alerts sounded.
As the bombing intensified, rumours of a landing were heard until 17 August 1944.
Log on to www.cirkwi.com and browse our selection of Second World War memorial sites, in one go or in stages.
Opening times
Opening times
From 20 September 2025 until 21 September 2025 - Open on saturday, on sunday
Location
Location
Contact Heritage Tours: The Provence landings in the Mediterranean Porte des Maures
Spoken languages
Spoken languages
Access
Access
- Starting point for the heritage trail
