Monument à l’abolition de l’esclavage

Constantly exposed to sea spray and ocean winds—which, over time, leave their mark—this memorial isn’t the easiest to interpret at first glance. But take a moment, look a little closer, and with a bit of context, its message becomes strikingly clear. Let’s start with a question: do you know what France commemorates every year on May 10th? If nothing comes to mind, it’s the National Day of Remembrance for the Slave Trade, Slavery, and Their Abolition. Established in 2001, France—one of the first countries to recognize slavery as a crime against humanity—made this date official to acknowledge and reflect on its painful past. In the same spirit of remembrance, Saint-Nazaire became the first city in mainland France to install a public artwork honoring the victims of slavery. Set about fifty meters from the shore, the monument you see before you is the work of Jean-Claude Mayo, a sculptor from Réunion Island with Madagascan roots. Created in 1989 to mark the bicentenary of the French Revolution, the sculpture resembles the skeletal ribs of a slave ship. Within this haunting structure, three bronze figures represent the stages of emancipation: on the lower right, a captive still in chains; on the left, one in the struggle for freedom; and on the raised white walkway, a freed woman gazing forward—toward the future.Although Saint-Nazaire itself was never directly involved in the slave trade, its location near the Loire estuary places it on a historical route once used by ships heading to Nantes, which was France’s leading slave-trading port in the 18th and 19th centuries. Since its unveiling, this powerful work has become the site of annual May 10th commemorations, a time to honor the memory of all victims of slavery—past and present. A solemn reminder that remembering is also a form of resistance, ensuring that these histories are never erased or forgotten.