René Goblet Square

René Goblet Square is named after a lawyer from Amiens who rose through the ranks of French politics to become Prime Minister in the 1880s, after serving as Attorney General and representing the Somme region in parliament. Around the square, you’ll see some surprising houses with unusual designs—this quirky style is typical of Amiens. But the most striking feature is the large monument to your left, marking the entrance to Saint-Denis Square. It’s a statue of General Leclerc—his full name was Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque. Born in the Somme, he was one of the key leaders of Free France during the Second World War. Early on, he helped rally several African colonies to the resistance movement led by General de Gaulle. He set up and led the famous 2nd Armoured Division, which played a key role in the war,landeding in Normandy on D-Day in 1944.His division was the very first Allied force to enter Paris and help free the city from the Germans. Still led by General Leclerc, the division went on to liberate Alsace, then crossed into Germany, where it helped force the German army to surrender—raising the French flag over Hitler’s villa on May 5th, 1945. Not long after, Leclerc headed to Asia to defend the French colonies against Japan, which was still refusing to surrender. A true hero of the Liberation, General Leclerc remains one of the most important French military figures of the war. After the war, he was sent to North Africa—but in 1947, he died in a plane crash during a sandstorm in Algeria. His bravery, boldness, and remarkable success as a commander earned him the posthumous title of Marshal of France—the highest military honour in the country. General de Gaulle paid tribute to him many times, once saying: “There was never anything mediocre in him—not in his thoughts, his words, or his actions. That’s why a twelve-metre-high monument stands here today in his honour. You can walk up to read the inscriptions engraved on it. It was inaugurated in 1950, three years after his death, and bears the Cross of Lorraine at its base—the symbol of Free France. The monument was created by sculptors Joël and Jan Martel, along with architect Jean Bossu. And that brings us to the end of the story behind this powerful memorial.