Pluviôse Monument

You may be struggling to identify this corroded bronze shape before you—but don’t worry, we’re here to explain. This moving sculpture holds deep meaning for the people of Calais. Created in 1910 by artist Émile Guillaume—who also designed the famous Statues of Deliverance in London, Nantes, and Strasbourg—it depicts a winged figure reaching into a submarine to collect the souls of trapped sailors. The story behind it is tragic. In May 1910, as tensions with Germany grew, France planned to build a submarine base in Calais. During training exercises off the coast, the Pluviôse, the pride of the French Navy, was surfacing when it was accidentally rammed by the passenger steamer Pas-de-Calais. The submarine’s hull was torn open. Water flooded in, and it sank rapidly to 17 meters, taking 27 crew members with it. Rescue efforts began immediately, but it took 16 days to raise the wreck. The sailors’ bodies were recovered on June 19, and a national funeral was held just days later. This monument, commissioned by the Fine Arts administration after the tragedy, was inaugurated on June 22, 1913. Originally placed on Beach Avenue, it was relocated here—in the center of Avenue Poincaré—at the end of 2017. The base lists the names of all 27 men and includes a heartfelt message in their memory. A silent, solemn tribute to lives lost at sea—and a chapter of history that Calais will never forget.