There are many historic sites on the Isle of Yeu, but none more famous than the "Citadelle". This is the "new" fortress built by Napoleon in the earliest 1800's. In the 20th century it was converted into a prison for some of France's most infamous criminals. Not quite Devil's Island, but almost. By far the most famous criminal sent here was a man who was also one of France's greatest heroes. It is almost impossible to imagine the number of French and German soldiers and citizens who died in World War I. Even we in America remember this fight although we lost only a small fraction of those who died in France and Germany. As we've seen earlier at Clemenceau's home, France was the ultimate victor, but Clemenceau "the Father of Victory" depended on soldiers like Philippe Pétain, the hero of Verdun and many other battles from 1914 to 1918.
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This page last updated on 6/19/2003 9:11:25 PM.