René Cassin Garden

Unlike its neighbor, the Jardin René Cassin is a beautiful English-style garden with flowerbeds winding along its paths. The bandstand in the center was unveiled in 2021, but it’s actually over 130 years old and was restored before being installed here. The park is named after the Bayonne-born René Cassin, renowned for his role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Born in 1887, he studied law before being called up for military service in the First World War. In 1940, he wasn’t ready to give up the fight after the armistice, and decided to join de Gaulle in London to fight the war against the Nazis. In 1944, he became Vice President of the Council of State and in 1948, he was among the people who drafted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 1959, he became President of the European Court of Human Rights and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1968. Buried in the Pantheon after his death in 1976, he remains a key historical figure today and it’s only fitting that his hometown should honor him with this beautiful park.